Maryland-American Postgame Quotes
12/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Head Coach Brenda Frese
Opening Statement:
"I thought it was one of our best games from start to finish. I thought our starters set the tone from the tip. Coming out 15-0 run, really being aggressive. I thought their defense led to their rebounding and their transition. We had a lot of fun tonight, we shared the basketball, and we were excited for each other's success. It is a lot of fun to watch our team play when we play like this, some really good things in terms of moving forward."
On the team's statistics:
“Some really, really good stuff. We're excited in terms of things we have been working on. When you talk about our transition game, being able to get our paint touches, and other areas we have been really focusing on with the extra two or three days of practice instead playing so many games has really paid off.”
On getting the ball inside:
“It's apart of how we want to play in the sense of getting the ball up and down the court, and moving the basketball, as well as it being able to have an inside outside approach. I love the fact that these three [Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Lexie Brown, Laurin Mincy] are doing a tremendous job setting the tone and the energy. All three of them I thought had flawless games tonight in terms of how they led the team.”
On defense:
“I thought what separated us what our communication was really good. I am not surprised because that led up to our practices in terms of how our starting five have been practicing and gelling. You're seeing that chemistry come together.”
On team's level of performance:
“Tonight was a really good start. Now we need to consistently play at this level, but I am excited in terms of the practices that we've had that led up to this game and then being able to follow it up."
Sophomore Guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
On her 23 points:
“It started with our defense. I like to get out in transitions and I think we did that early. That's what sparked not just me, but the whole team.”
On career high in rebounds:
“I just always crash. We emphasize getting out into transition and not giving teams second chances. I think with all us crashing, that's what leads to my rebounds.”
Redshirt Senior Guard Laurin Mincy
On Maryland's success when attacking the basket:
“We've been working on transitions in practice and I think we came in the game focusing on running the lanes hard.”
Sophomore Guard Lexie Brown
On looking for assists rather than points:
“Well when all my teammates are scoring as well as they are, I don't feel like it's necessary for me to look offensively. I'll score when I need to or have an open shot, but whoever has the hot hand, I'll make sure to give them the ball.”
American Head Coach Megan Gebbia
Opening statement:
“I think this game was a great experience for our team because I've been a part of playing top-10 teams before, and they haven't. They have to understand the little things that you have to be able to do to even compete with them. We'll take a lot of good things away from this game from that standpoint. Maryland is so efficient with what they do, in the transition and in their sets. They know what they're looking for and they're just really difficult to guard because they have all five players that can score in double digits so you really can't help off of anyone, you just have to hope they missed perimeter shots and they did not miss today. They're just an impressive team to watch.”
On what Maryland did in the first half defensively:
“It was just getting used to how quick they are and recovering from certain things. We don't have male practice players so it makes it harder for us to emulate what they do. I think it was just us catching up to the speed of the game in the first half. I thought we were a lot more efficient in the second half and I think it was just wow okay, this is how quick we need to make decisions.”
On what impresses about the Maryland team:
“Their efficiency is probably most important thing because when they go out and have to face teams that are like themselves, they have to be efficient with the ball and make good decisions. It's nice to see that they had an even assist-to-turnover ratio which is big for them. When you play better teams you have to have a positive or near-even assist-to-turnover ratio. They have weapons and they used them.”
