USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb started her postgame news conference on Saturday after her team's 79-51 loss to No.1 UConn by addressing the mass shooting at her alma mater, Brown University.
After returning to the locker room, Gottlieb received news about the mass shooting at Brown University where two people were killed and eight others shot. She said she found out about the news in her group chat with her former Brown teammates.
"It doesn't need to be this way. Sending thoughts and prayers to my teammates who have kids there. To the parents who have to worry about their children...we're the only country that lives this way. The college football cycle has been in the news a million times, and are we going to report about this? Like it's the guns. We're the only country that lives this way," said Gottlieb while fighting back tears.
She continued, "Parents should not have to be worried about their kids. I have a teammate who has a daughter who is in the basement of the library because she doesn't know what's going on there, and she's flying there tomorrow."
Before commenting on the Trojan's performance against the Huskies, Gottlieb emphasized, "Hopefully everyone is safe and praying for peace for those that have lost people. And that's that, it's more important than basketball. We can all be better."
The shooting took place during final exams; authorities say police are still searching for the suspect.
Gottlieb played at Brown University from 1995-1999. In her senior season, she served the role of both player and student assistant coach.
With tears filling her eyes, Gottlieb said she was "proud of the fight that we had," but her team's "attention to detail wasn't good enough to win the game or compete as well as we wanted to compete against them." In her team's first loss this season at home, she said they will "get better from it."
The Trojans will play Cal Poly on Thursday, December 18 at the Galen Center in Los Angeles.
