March 22, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Teams from the Spokane and Oklahoma City NCAA women's basketball regionals visited with the media Saturday during individual news conferences.
University of Nebraska Quotes
Head Coach Connie Yori
Opening Statement:
"We've got a great inside game ... They've got a great inside game ... The thing about Xavier is they're about 4-5 inches taller than us in the post. We've had a great season ourselves ... Playing in the Big 12 is a challenge in itself ... We've played 14 teams that have been to the NCAA Tournament ... Played 22 games against teams in the Top 100 in the RPI ... In a lot of ways, it will be nice to see someone else other than a Big 12 team."
On the Xavier matchup:
"If you look at the two team on paper, their post game is their strength and our post game is our strength ... Their post players are much different
and will present a difficult matchup ... We're giving up a lot of size inside, in height and weight and this will be a challenge for us."
Junior Forward Kelsey Griffin
On performance following injury:
"I've been very satisfied with my performance but it's really more important how the team contributes offensively and defensively as being the key."
Senior Forward Danielle Page
On her feelings going into the Xavier game after disappointment at the Big 12 Tournament:
"I think it was kind of a disappointment the way we played against Kansas in our last game, but it's nice to be able to play on, especially in an environment like this where it really counts ... I believe we've worked out the kinks in practice and think it will show when we play."
University of Maryland Quotes
Head Coach Brenda Frese
Opening Statement:
"Obviously we're extremely excited to get started and to be hosting here in Comcast Center ... It's just going to be an exciting time ... Its been two weeks since our last game so we're very motivated and have had some great practices and looking forward to playing a very talented Coppin State team ... They've done extremely well in their conference and I know they'll be inspired coming in here and will be ready to play."
On her energy level after the birth of her twins last month:
"It's surprisingly easier now that it was throughout the pregnancy ... As you can imagine carrying twins from really Christmas until February 17th (the birth of the sons), I was miserable ... I mean from the sense of being able to eat, breath, walk, stand, you name it ... Just because of the help and support that I have at home with our children being taken care of ... It's really much easier and my focus right now is on this team and the season
Junior Forward Marissa Coleman
On Coach Frese's physical courage on coming back after delivering twins:
"It's an inspiration to all of us and definitely motivation ... The fact that she came to senior night ... surprised us at N.C. State and made it to the ACC Tournament ... It gave us a lot of energy to know that she could push through."
On playing at home and dealing with distractions:
"I think it's going to be a great opportunity playing at home, especially with our fan base and having a lot of people here to support us but don't feel they'll be distractions ... This type of atmosphere is going to be the same anywhere."
Junior Guard Kristi Toliver
On getting the ball to Crystal Langhorne:
"Lang can get the ball anywhere ... She has great hands ... After playing together for three years, I think we have a great chemistry and she can finish anywhere on the floor which makes my job so much easier ... She's a great player and a great person to be with and think we compliment each other very well."
Senior Forward Crystal Langhorne
On the outcome of last year's (NCAA) Tournament appearance outcome:
"I think it's still in the back of our minds but don't want to focus to much on it ... We realized after last year how we would take some teams lightly and taking that part from the game and really using it this year."
Duke University Quotes
Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie
Opening Statement:
"We're just really excited to play ... It's a good opportunity for us coming off the ACC Tournament ... It seems like a long time since we've played, probably because it has been a long time since we've played and we're excited to get started."
On the development of Joy Cheek:
"Joy works really hard ... We always want her attacking and being aggressive ... She plays very physical and we appreciate that very much because we need that ... I love how she's grown in her game ... She's got such a beautiful shot and want her to step out and hit that three and work the high post and just be creative ... Joy, I feel, has just gotten better every practice and every game in terms of what she can do on the defensive side of the ball, offensive side of the ball and just in her versatility as a post player ... I like it when she plays more guard like ... a little bit lower to the ground and that type of thing which is good for her and her game ... She definitely had some solid and very impressive moments for us, especially in the ACC Tournament."
On points of emphasis in practice:
"Just trying to get back out there after having a break ... Of course we felt good about some things we did at the ACC Tournament, but the reality is we're coming off a loss ... To be in a championship game and not quite close it, I think that's a great motivator for us ... Rebounding, defense, discipline, poise on offense and defense ... trying to push transition and understand how to control the tempo of the game ... It's about playing free and playing together and recognizing that we played heck of a schedule that we'll put up against anybody's."
Senior Guard Wanisha Smith
On playing in a place you are familiar with:
"It's ok ... at this point and time it really doesn't matter who we play or where we're at ... It's going to be a great tournament and expect every team we play to come out and play hard because these are the NCAA's ... It's do or die."
On playing her last NCAA Tournament and feelings about playing close to home:
"I'm definitely happy about playing close to home but as far as this being my last year, I'm just really trying to finish up strong with my teammates and give everything I can for my teammates and for myself and hope for a great success."
Junior Guard Abby Waner
On this years NCAA seeding (#3) compared to last year (#1):
"At this point in the season ... no matter what arena we're at and no matter what number you have next to your name, you're going to approach it the same. The way that Duke works, we put enough pressure on ourselves so it doesn't matter what kind of pressure is put on us from the outside"
Murray State University
Head Coach Jody Adams
Opening Statement:
"We're extremely excited to be in the NCAA tournament for the first time. I am extremely proud of this team. With a new coach coming in, these guys have done a tremendous job of leading us back to the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference and making the necessary changes we needed to make to win that championship. We're extremely excited to be here and have the opportunity to play a great team like Duke."
On the feeling of the team
"I want the girls to relax and enjoy the experience. I've been there and done that as player and an assistant coach. Not too many people end up being in this position. Maybe tomorrow, I'll be worried about them being nervous."
On playing against Duke's 2-3 zone defense
"They do cover a lot of space and that zone is very big. Hopefully we can get into the cracks and make some shots. They have a great zone. I expect my team to do the things we've continued to work on in practice. Bottom line is when you are playing a great team, you have to make great plays and there's always an opportunity for second and third shots so we'll continue to hustle after missed shots."
On defending Duke's post players
"I tried to get some of our men's players, but they were on Spring break. Obviously, I don't have that type of size. My practice players aren't the size or have the same speed as Duke. You know what, we have other things that we'll counter with and that's the way we'll go about things. The biggest thing is we put on our shoes the same way as Duke. I don't believe my team is scared at all. I believe we may be nervous at the beginning, but we'll work through things as we go. Duke is talented and they always have top 100 kids on their roster and All-Americans."
On what makes Ashley Hayes a special player
"First of all, her mindset, she doesn't back down and she's a true competitor. She's level-headed. She sees things for what they are and she's very real with making decisions and comparing herself to other people. Ashley has put in the time and she has put in the work. She's a phenomenal player and we're very fortunate to have her here at Murray State. She'll be one of the best to ever come through Murray State."
Senior Guard Alaina Lee
On adjusting to a new coach at the start of the season
"It wasn't any adjustments. She came in and told us her goals and we had the same goals as a team so it wasn't hard to adjust. We believed in her system and it got us to where we are today."
Junior Guard Ashley Hayes
On visiting downtown Baltimore
"My favorite part was seeing the city. I got something to eat and I brought a shirt. I am not nervous at all. I am going to go out and play hard for the team."
On the experience of being in the NCAA tournament for the first time
"It's been a good experience. I am playing not for myself, but for my team and my coaches. It's not about me. The best feeling is seeing a smile on my teammates face."
Senior Guard Shaleea Petty
On not being awe of Duke because the Blue Devils play a number of games on national television
"We plan to go out and compete. You can't be star struck because they play and practice just like we do. You just have to go out and stay focused and compete."
On Duke's guards being taller than Murray State
"We're used to playing against taller guards. We've some much taller guards this season. I don't think it's going to affect us because we know the things we have to do to adjust to them. I don't think it's really a big deal."
Arizona State University
Head Coach Charli Turner Thorne
Opening Statement:
"We're excited to be here and thank the NCAA Selection Committee for choosing us ... Already in our short time here at Maryland, it has been fabulous ... We have a very tough match-up in Temple ... obviously they're a very successful program ... Dawn Staley is doing a tremendous job ... They're very savvy, have a good scoring backcourt ... Lady Comfort and company do a great job on the front line, so I think it will be a great game."
On her assessment of potential problems Temple may present:
"They are a very good defensive team, so obviously we're going to have to work very hard ... they're a great rebounding team, so we're going to have to work incredibly hard to create second opportunities for ourselves. Morris (Ashley) is a go to player for them, Eaddy (LaKeisha) had done a good job but Comfort, Cotton (Shanea), Landry (Shenita) ... they definitely have a number of weapons ... Kimmel is a great shooter ... so we're obviously going to have to do a good job defensively and not just focus on Morris."
On her thoughts about Coach Staley's quote about holding ASU under 47 points:
They (Temple) remind me a lot of Cal, Rutgers, in that regard ... they play a low possession game and very confident in themselves with rebounding to get extra possessions and do a great job of not giving extra possessions for their success ... Yeah, I think most teams that get held to under 47 will not be very successful ... We're a pretty good defensive team ourselves, so you never know ... I definitely think we're in the all defensive bracket!"
Graduate Guard Jill Noe
On her feelings on going into this year's tournament compared to last season:
"We're definitely excited to be back and really like our match-up.
Temple University
Head Coach Dawn Staley
On what types of problems Arizona State poses for Temple
"I think they are an experienced group, much more than we are. They are balanced. Their perimeter players attack and their post players shoot the ball well from the floor. They play a very physical defensive game so I think that could pose a little problem for us if we don't handle it right away."
On Ashley Morris' development and improvement
"What's different is the make-up of our team this year. There is no one playing in front or behind Ashley. We kind of had to throw her in there. She's been around some great players and great leaders in our program. We knew she was capable of running our basketball team. Now was she capable of leading our team in scoring that was a question. She's certainly one who doesn't back down from playing big minutes and being in the spotlight. She's been doing exactly what we've asked her to do. She's been waiting for this moment for a very long time and she's playing well.
Senior Guard Ashley Morris
On being in the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight year
"This is our last time around and we want to make history for Temple. This is big for us."
Senior Center Lady Comfort
On being in the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight year
"I would say being a senior; you want to go out with a bang. We do have some experience (of being in the NCAA tournament), we just want to show the younger players what it takes to get here and to continue the tradition."
Xavier University
Head Coach Kevin McGuff
Opening Statement:
"We are extremely excited to be a part of the NCAA tournament. I am really proud of our players because I believe we've played our best basketball here in the month of March, specifically in the Atlantic-10 tournament. Nebraska is a terrific team and I think it's a great matchup. I congratulate them on the season that they've had. I think we have similar strengths in that we have terrific players inside. Like Nebraska, we have a young backcourt. I think it's going to be a terrific matchup."
On why Xavier has peaked in the month of March and playing its best basketball
"We've got no seniors and we have a really young team. I think the key to our season has been the fact that we've been able to improve from start to finish. We graduated five seniors off of a team that went to the NCAA tournament last year. Early on, I liked our team. I really felt like we had the right players in our program. We had the right talent. It was just a matter of us improving. It's a credit to the players because they've gotten better day to day and week to week. The fact that we've been able to do that has put us in a position to be at our best right now."
On matching up with Nebraska
"It's a great matchup. Our two leading scorers are our post players as is Nebraska's. We're a little bigger and they're probably a little smaller, but a little more mobile. Both of our backcourts are athletic, but young. I really think it's a great matchup. Both teams play pretty well defensively and are aggressive rebounding teams. I think it's going to be a great game and it's two evenly matched teams."
On the impact of Tudy Reed and April Phillips joining the team at midseason
"The biggest thing they did was add a little more experience. Tudy is a junior and April is a sophomore. They've added to our depth, which has allowed us to play more people. It has also allowed us to play with more energy, and play more in the full-court, which we didn't do prior to that. But mostly, the addition of those two has added to our depth."
Junior Guard Jerri Taylor
On if Nebraska similar to any team you've faced this season
"Not anyone I can think of, off the top of my head. I know they've had a good season towards the end and that they are a good team."
Freshman Center Ta'Shia Phillips
On carrying the momentum from the Atlantic-10 Conference championship into this tournament.
"We've been working hard and going back to basics, which has helped us get this far. We just want to continue to play with energy, work hard, and work together."
Coppin State University
Head Coach Derek Brown
Opening Statement:
"We are really happy to be here. It took us a while to get here as far as the conference is concerned, a two-point victory at the end of our conference tournament, but we are really excited to be here, playing in the NCAA tournament and we can't wait until tomorrow."
On being 1-2 in the conference in December and having its 41-game conference win streak end and the turnaround to the NCAA tournament
"Number 1, we were still playing in last year's season. We thought that this year was the same as previous years and we thought we could knock teams off the way we did. We ran into some roadblocks and some surprises and it sort of woke us up that this is a new year and the teams are better and different. We had to put our game on a higher plane. We had a couple of young ladies who were out because of grades, but once we got them back in the second half of the year, we started to play much better basketball.
On his backcourt
"Well, what can I say about these two young ladies. They are the strength of our team. They score, defend and they're one of the best duos in the nation, I feel. They're going against a few young ladies (in Maryland) that can play ball too so I know they are excited to be going against them. It's just a shame that we have to play them on their home floor. We'll do the best we can."
On the contributions of Whitney Cunningham
"Whitney had to realize how good she was, but once she did, her confidence level went up. And then she started to focus more on her game. Once she did that, she became a pretty good player. It probably happened about a month and a half ago when I let her know in the middle of practice, in front of everybody, that she was the weakest link on our team and she didn't like that too much. She didn't speak to me for a couple of days. She was very upset, but since then she was out to prove me wrong and she has proven me wrong. She has been playing well up until last Satureday. We're very proud of her and just can't wait until next year to see what she brings to us. She's going to get better and hopefully she'll contend for player of the year honors in our conference."
On how much momentum from the MEAC tournament can be taken into the NCAA tournament
"I think we all learned a lot from that game. We were pressed for 40 minutes and never got into our offense. It was spread the floor and use your wits about you and score when you have an opportunity to score. It was get the ball down low and try to take care of the ball as far as throwing diagonal passes and when we found cracks in the defense, it was get to the basket. I think we'll be ready for a press if we get trapped. I don't think anybody can get trapped any more than we were last Saturday other than Nolan Richardson's 40 minutes of hell.
Senior Guard Shalamar Oakley
On the experience of playing in the NCAA tournament and what the team took from its previous two trips to the NCAA tournament
"I feel like since we've been here before, I think the most important thing is that we've been here before. I think we know what to expect as far as the crowd and being a low a seed. It's going to be a big atmosphere as far as the people rooting against us and some fans rooting for us, but I think the fact we've been here, it plays in our favor so this is not too big for us."
Senior Guard Rashida Suber
On playing an in-state school and not traveling in the first round
"We were a little disappointed because we thought we were going to go to New Orleans or somewhere else. Playing Maryland is like playing another game in our back yard as coach would say. We're home and they're home. We've got fans and they've got fans."
On how special it is to participate in the NCAA tournament for a third time and the difference of this team
"Coming back to the NCAAs for my senior year is extremely special. I would say the difference in this team is I think we are going to be well prepared. Not saying that the previous teams weren't as prepared, but I think we have time and the team is younger. They have taken all of the information we have given them and taken heed to it."
Junior Forward/Center Whitney Cunningham
On the advantage of playing close to home
"I feel like it's an advantage for us because I am from Baltimore and I'll have a lot of friends and family coming to the game so I'll feel the support and I won't be worried about anybody going against us. So I am OK with it."
