Dec. 30, 2004
Recap |
Box Score |
Notes
COLLEGE PARK, MD. -
Maryland Head Coach Brenda Frese
On the game
"I'm extremely proud of this team. We set a lot of goals for ourselves, and most recently it was to come out and win this tournament, and finish this part of our non-conference schedule before the ACC at 10-1. It was great to be able to see the teamwork we displayed in the second half. I think we came together and played a much more inspired and poised second half. A lot of unselfish play, getting the ball inside to Crystal [Langhorne], who had a tremendous tournament, and be able to kick the ball outside and have our guards play the way they did in the second half."
On what needs to be done without Laura Harper available
"I don't really want to use that as an excuse, but I think you definitely need to find another groove. Jade [Perry] and Aurelie [Noirez] are getting a lot of minutes and both of them are playing with a tremendous amount of confidence. Both of them stepped up huge for us this past week. You are seeing them get into a groove. Jade just keeps getting more and more confident, and we need her to play that way. She's a force for us when she plays like that. Our guards are having a difficult time yesterday and today finding their shooting rhythm but we'll get that back and be ready for Virginia Tech."
Thoughts at halftime
"I definitely was not happy. I thought we just didn't come out and play inspired and I don't understand that when you're hosting your own tournament in the championship round. We just came out and played with a different focus and mentality from the defensive end in the second half that generated our offense. They're fun to watch when they play like that."
On Crystal Langhorne's adjustment to college game
"Since her first collegiate game at Appalachian State, she hasn't played like a freshman. She's got a lot of maturity and wisdom, and she's just a competitor...a winner. She's handled the load and the responsibility and wants to do anything she can to help this team. And that's screening, rebounding, and then the biggest part of her game is defensively, she's made huge strides for us down in the post."
On Langhorne's changing role
"She's going to get more touches, but it won't change a ton. Everybody's stepping up. Jade [Perry] and Aurelie [Noirez] and our guardplay, everybody's going to get a lot of touches. She doesn't have it solely on her shoulders. They're all going to step up and continue to get touches in the paint and be able to score and rebound for us."
On how Langhorne can improve
"Obviously free throw shooting, which she is going to get back, and get in a rhythm. Defensively, she still has room for improvement, but she's come so far in that area and will continue to keep going further."
On Laura Harper's surgery this afternoon
"Laura had her surgery at 3 o'clock. We actually talked to her right before the game, she was out and headed home to a relative in the nearby area. It was a great success, the doctors said it went well, fully repaired it. But it was a bad tear, almost nothing left actually, and it will be a full eight, nine, ten months to a year of rehab."
Maryland guard Shay Doron
On her second half performance
"At halftime, I composed myself a little bit, and definitely got some reassurance from a couple of my teammates. I got a couple easy looks at the start of the second half which gave me some confidence. That's all you really need, one or two quick buckets, and that'll get you going again."
On taking a hard foul in the second half
"I was just trying not to get hurt. I try not to get into there, they were trying to get into our heads and be extremely physical and I wasn't trying to get into that. I want to keep myself healthy and get myself ready for the next game as well."
On going into Virginia Tech to start the ACC season
"I definitely don't think this is the same team [that lost to Virginia Tech by 20 last season] and I definitely don't think that we're where we were last season. We're at a different point. We have to be prepared, come mentally ready and play defense. I feel like I'm ready to battle."
Thoughts going into the ACC season
"I'm confident. Laura [Harper] is a major loss for us, but everyone can play. Our teammates give each other a lot of support and we all help each other. This locker room is definitely one of the closest I've ever been on. So I think that if we can stay together, nothing can break us if we stay together."
On the assets of Crystal Langhorne
"Crystal brings a lot of power inside, which just opens the game up and it's great to have, makes it easier for me to play. She's fun to play with, she runs the court and passes the ball very well. You can't say enough about her."
Maryland forward Jade Perry
On her goals for herself
"I just want to be more of a force on the inside in the paint, and to get rebounds too."
Maryland center Crystal Langhorne
Pressure in the early going
"I think we just played better defense. We just applied the pressure and got down there and forced turnovers."
