March 24, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Teams from the Spokane and Oklahoma City NCAA women's basketball regionals visited with the media Monday during individual news conferences.
University of Nebraska Quotes
Head Coach Connie Yori
Opening Statement:
"There is a reason why Maryland is a No. 1 seed. They are a great basketball team, they're experienced, talented and an exceptional offensive team. I think an interesting stat is when you shoot better from the 3-point line than your opponents shoot from the field, I think that says something about how good you are offensively. They're very underrated on defense as well. I do know that we play in a great league. The Big 12 is 8-0 in the NCAA Tournament up to this stage. We've played against good competition all year. Maryland's a great basketball team. We've seen great basketball teams throughout the year. It will be a great challenge for us, but at the same time, we expect to compete tomorrow night."
On whether Nebraska will play physical against Maryland:
"It's something that we've talked about. We're going to need to play the physical parts of the game and compete in the area of rebounding and get those kids off the blocks. As talented as they are, we're going to have to play physical. If you look at our post players, we are not a real big team in terms of height and weight, but they're going to have to bring it. We're going to have to utilize our depth in the post and play our four post players and give ourselves a chance to compete and be physical."
On trying to contain Marissa Coleman, Crystal Langhorne, Kristi Toliver and the rest of Maryland:
"Well, it's a classic case of pick your poison. Obviously, they have a great inside game and one of the best point guards in the country. They are a great 3-point shooting team, so it's a classic case of pick your poison. We're not going to give you our game plan. We've got to do some different things. There will be occasions when we will play them straight up and there will be occasions when we do some other things."
On what makes Crystal Langhorne special:
"She's physical. She has great hands and she's a great interior scorer. She's good at going one way and coming back the other way. She shoots such a high percentage, which is a concern, as does Laura Harper. She's just a really good athlete. She has great hands and she posts up big."
Senior Forward Dominique Kelley
On making the layup at the end of the Xavier game:
"We were trying to get Mo the ball and have Vonni come back as a receiver. They double-teamed Kelsey and she saw the up pass and she threw it to me. I took it up."
Junior Forward Kelsey Griffin
On what she expects the environment to be like against Maryland on its home floor:
"One of the other great things about the Big 12 that prepares us is they have really good turnouts, playing at Baylor and Oklahoma. They bring in a really big fan base. I am expecting a similar situation Tuesday night. We stayed and watched a little bit of the game after ours and their fans were really into the game. It's almost like a sixth man for them, which is great, for women's basketball. We're expecting it, but it isn't like we haven't seen it before."
Senior center Danielle Page
On how playing in the Big 12 prepares Nebraska for playing against No. 1 seed Maryland in the NCAA tournament:
"The Big 12 does prepare us for the atmosphere that we are going to see tomorrow night. It's so intense, I think physically in the post and rebounding. Playing against talented teams night-in and night-out really prepares you for the postseason because you're not going to get an easy game in the NCAA Tournament. You work all year on eliminating the small mistakes that cost you games and I think that's going to help us."
Duke University
Head Coach Joanne McCallie
Opening Statement:
"We're excited to play and work through some things today. Getting ready for ASU, they are a very good team. They have excellent post and guard play. Just getting to know them by seeing them in person and on film helps us to prepare. However, at this time of year, everyone is very good."
On knowing Coach Thorne before the Under-21 Team:
"I knew of Charli and observed her as an excellent coach doing a great job. We really got a chance to know each other living in Moscow for a month and she's just a terrific person."
Junior guard Abby Waner
On ASU shuttling players in and out:
"The most important thing is that we have to be ready for any sort of matchups. They are a very deep team and when they substitute, it doesn't take the level of play down ...most of the time it brings it up... being aware on defense of match-ups and being ready for the subs when they come."
On her impressions of Coach Thorne:
"Of all the teams I've ever played on, she is one of my favorites. Her personality is very bubbly and upbeat, even when she coaches. Some of my favorite times were off the court ... She's a great person to get to know and she has a wonderful family."
On growth of Jasmine Thomas as a point guard and whether it is a fair assessment to Lindsey Harding:
"I do see some similarities but I think when you're a good player, you never want to be compared to another player ... Lindsey Harding is Lindsey Harding and Jasmine Thomas is Jasmine Thomas, so there are some differences. I think Jasmine has really stepped into a role that was bound to be difficult to fill with Lindsey leaving. It's not to fill Lindsey's role ... she just took on a new one for this team."
Senior guard Wanisha Smith
On growth of Jasmine Thomas as a point guard and whether it is a fair assessment to Lindsey Harding:
"Definitely it's a fair assessment. There are some similarities ... both are quick, she's (Jasmine) a scoring point guard, takes advantage of the defense at times. She has definitely grown over the season and is a great contribution to our team."
University of Maryland
Head Coach Brenda Frese
Opening Statement:
"We are extremely excited about advancing to the second round. You never, come tournament time, take anything for granted. We're playing against a very good Nebraska team and their conference prepares them for this time right now. This is a quick turnaround from our end being prepared for Nebraska. They have a very talented post presence that we are very much aware of that we've got to be prepared for. I am excited about the mentality of my team and really wanting to come out and play an inspired 40 minutes of basketball."
On guard Kristi Toliver's condition, who was sick against Coppin State:
"Kristi is doing much better today. It was probably something that she ate during the pregame meal, but she came back at practice today and did a great job."
On the recent success of the women's basketball program:
"I am extremely proud of our team. The success we've had is a tribute to our players and how hard they've worked. They've committed themselves during the off-season and in the weight room. They came here to Maryland to make us a national power. I am just excited about how we approach each and every day. The work ethic that is displayed from our team and on the coaches end, I think it's just a great combination."
On trying to avoid a second-round exit for the second year in a row:
"I am excited about tomorrow's game because I am tired about hearing about hearing the questions about last year. I think this team is as well. I think this team is going to come out with a mindset that we're going to be inspired for 40 minutes. It isn't the same team or the same season and that's why I think it will be a different outcome. This team is not worried about a year ago. They are worried about playing the best basketball that they can and that's the reason why we're 31-3. I am not worried about the game in terms of our preparation this year. We're prepared, we've worked harder and we're going to come out and play the best 40 minutes of basketball that we can."
On the advantage of playing at home in the NCAA Tournament:
"It's a great advantage to be at home. Actually, we've chosen to stay in the hotel more for team camaraderie and the players chose that. I think that shows how tight-knit this group is and what kind of family atmosphere we have. It's a tremendous advantage in that you get your routine, structure and schedule together. It's a positive thing every way around for us to be able to host."
On trying to defend Nebraska's Kelsey Griffin:
"It starts with team defense and that's how we're going to guard her--by committee. The fact that Lang and Harp will be on her, it's going to be defense by committee and that's how we play. She is very talented. She can face up, she can drive from the high post, she has a variety of post moves, but I like our chances in the sense of how well we will play together."
On her teams mindset since Nebraska is in an underdog role:
"I think we faced that last night with Coppin State because they had nothing to lose coming into the game. I think from our end, we've faced that for two years in getting every team's best game. We fully expect that from a very talented Nebraska team. But from our end, every game we play is the biggest game. We want to come out and play to the best of our ability and play a complete 40-minute game."
On if she is disturbed by the high turnover count against Coppin State:
"No. I think for a couple of reasons. Knowing how we've practiced the last two weeks and it's been really hard and very intense. I think you have to factor in the rust of not playing a game for two weeks and the jitters and the nerves of playing in the NCAA Tournament. I thought a lot of those were factors in the first half and I thought that the second half, we played much more Maryland basketball. I feel like having a quick turnaround is the best thing for us."
Senior forward Crystal Langhorne
On Coach Frese's halftime speech against Coppin State in the first round:
"We knew we needed to pick up our play and she was stressing that our defense wasn't good enough. We knew we needed to pick it up in the second half and play a lot better game than we were playing.
On playing their last career game at the Comcast Center against Nebraska:
"I really haven't been thinking too much about this being my last game. Like Harp said, this is the NCAA Tournament, this is a different game. We've got most of our tears out and all of that emotional stuff out on Senior Night. I think tomorrow night, we'll be fine."
On reaction to analyst's saying Maryland didn't deserve a No. 1 seed:
"It makes you kind of angry especially with the non-conference schedule we played. I just think as a team, we're using that at as motivation to prove a lot of people wrong. "
On preparing for Nebraska:
"We don't want to give away our game plan. They are a very good team and they have a lot of good players. They like to run a lot of motion type stuff so we're going to try to do the best we can. We've worked against it and try to play well on defense. Honestly, we're going to study them and try to contain what they do well and try to highlight what we do well. Hopefully that will be a good outcome.
Senior forward Laura Harper
On playing their last career game at the Comcast Center against Nebraska:
"I think there is a difference between Senior Night and tomorrow. This is the NCAA Tournament so it's no emotional or extra baggage for us. It's just a game that if we lose, we're done for our careers. We're going to come very strong and very excited to play basketball tomorrow."
Arizona State University Quotes
Head Coach Charli Turner Thorne
Opening Statement:
"We're very excited to have advanced. It is a quick turnaround to prepare for Duke. They are a very formidable team, very balanced team, great transition team and a great defensive team. We have not played Duke this year, but we have pretty much played everyone else and have played a lot of great competition. We have defended many teams similar to Duke and it's a little fortuitous for us that they play pretty much the same defenses as Temple. It's kind of a nice transition for our preparation."
On time spent with Coach McCallie in Moscow:
"I just knew of Joanne. I didn't know her until we spent a month together, so we got to know each other very well and I really enjoyed her. She's a fun person, very energetic, definitely learned from her and I have a lot of respect for her. I have a little more insight on her match-up zone, so that ended up being a good thing."
On not getting a big signature win yet even with Arizona State's successful season:
"That's a very fair statement and that's certainly where we are right now as a team. We want to take that final step ... we want to be an elite team and to do that, you have to beat an elite team. We have been in one possession games with elite teams and obviously this is the time for us to do it."
Junior center Sybil Dosty
On her experience in the NCAA Tournament while playing at Tennessee:
"It has helped me out a lot. I've been to the Final Four before and have been through all the rounds. Obviously that experience is carrying over, so it won't be such a big surprise and that experience is paying off now."
Guard Jill Noe
On what needs to be done to close out on a team like Duke:
"Focus on defense and rebounding. We go out everyday in practice and focus on ourselves and let the rest just fall. So, if we go out with a great attitude, great energy and stick to our game plan, I'm pretty sure we'll be alright."
Sophomore guard Dymond Simon
On her recent strong offensive games and what has been different:
"Just my confidence. My teammates and coaches have confidence in me and they just keep talking to me everyday telling me to simply get back to the things I was doing last year, not be afraid and go out there fearless."
