March 19, 2005

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Pregame Quotes
Jim Foster, Ohio State Head Coach

On where the team is: It's the best team that I've had at Ohio State, we have a lot of pieces. We've had two great weeks of practice. I think we've gotten better since the season ended. I think sometimes people forget how young this team is, and all we see is that opportunity between the conference tournament and selection Sunday to go back to fundamentals, and we rehash the first four days of practice in October. We did some very specific fundamental things, and I think it really benefited because it's the first time our freshmen had an understanding that there is a difference between the regular season and the postseason. They got that little blip in the Big Ten tournament to realize there's a difference between the regular season and the postseason, and all three of our freshman were in the court for significant minutes. All three are better prepared for this as a result, they ratcheted up a notch in the two weeks since.

On Holy Cross: Bill Gibbons is a terrific basketball coach. He approaches every year with the mindset of being in the postseason and plays a schedule in November and December that reflects that. His team is better prepared than most coming from this type of league, because he has that edge to him and that mentality. I think they're well coached, talented, and a very good opponent for us.

On the three-point shot: I think my teams have always been inside-outside. I think the game is better played that way. I think your opportunities to get three point shots are better if you play inside-out. You can shoot a lot more threes playing the game outside-in, but I think the quality of your three's improves significantly if you play inside-out.

On playing in the tournament: This is a great time of year for these kids. I think that we're in major cities are terrific, and our kids had the opportunity to go where they got to go yesterday. We are an educational entity, and I think that is lost sight of too often. When you get to major cities there's a lot to see, a lot to do, and it's not just focused on one thing. I think our kids will be ready, and I think they will enjoy the ride.

Senior Guard Caity Matter
On getting to the NCAA Tournament: This is what you play, we had a great regular season. We're very confident coming into it but we're not going to look past the first game.

On Holy Cross: They're a good team and very well coached, and they're going to come out and play hard just like anyone else that we've played this year. We just have to be ready to go and if we take care of our business and do the things that we need to do we're going to be fine.

Sophomore Guard Brandie Hoskins
How the team has improved: Communication on the court has picked up a lot like when we play away games we talk a lot more and everyone's helping each other out.

On expectations for the tournament: We want to come out and play strong and play hard, you can't look over any team. We just want to come out and play hard and just take it one possession at a time