March 21, 2011
Head Coach Brenda Frese
Opening Statement:
"Obviously we're excited to still be playing. We know it is going to be a game of local interest. [It's] obviously a team in Georgetown that we played earlier this season that did beat us fair and square when we went there in the second game of the season in our non-conference play. I'm really happy and proud in terms of how our team has prepared for the NCAA's. I thought last night we came in locked in and ready to go. I feel this team has worked extremely hard and I hope we come out and do the same thing tomorrow night. Obviously at this stage in the tournament there aren't really any secrets. I think both teams know each other extremely well. We understand that this is going to be a game where Georgetown is going to come in and they're going to press for 40 minutes and they're going to make you play for 40 minutes. Their defense is what leads them in their game in terms of to their transition and how they flow on offense. Sugar Rodgers is obviously a phenomenal player, tremendous in terms of the plays that she makes. We're just hoping that we can contain her and hold her under 30 points - she's such a great player. We're excited about our opportunity to play in front of our great fans here at Maryland and just to come out and play a complete 40 minute game."
On the rivalry between Maryland and Georgetown based on their close proximity:
"You have to be competitive, so obviously we take great pride in the fact that in our area we want to play everyone. We want to have competitive games. Having this matchup now with Georgetown has been fun. You want to play great competition and be able to gauge where you're at."
On the importance of protecting the ball against Georgetown's press:
"It [their press] really does [create havoc]. They do a tremendous job mixing it up and throwing a lot of different presses at you. I thought when you look back at that game - second game of the season, first game on the road and bringing in five new freshmen to that kind of element - I thought we played like a young team. Luckily for us, we had our non-conference schedule and our ACC conference schedule to help us improve in that area. It's no secret, we've got to be able to take care of the basketball tomorrow night to be successful in this game."
On her team's progression since first playing Georgetown:
"I would hope we are a different team in March, but having said that, so is Georgetown. In the curve of having to go through a season, both teams wouldn't be here if they weren't different teams. When you talk about being one of the last 32 teams in the tournament, both teams are going to be ready play, are going to leave it out there, and are going to play for 40 minutes. I think it's going to be a great game."
On what worries her about Georgetown outside of Sugar Rodgers:
"I think they're [Georgetown] a team that can go on runs at any time and you've got to be able to handle their runs and especially the easy points they get in transition. Obviously [Monica] McNutt is a senior and is going to have great pride in this game. It all starts with their point guard, Rubylee Wright, in terms of how she goes and the energy she has. I think you can pick your poison with them. They get into a groove and it doesn't matter who is scoring, so from our end we have to make sure that they don't get into that groove."
On her team's new reputation as more of a defensive team than in years past:
"This team is a lot of fun to challenge defensively and I think what stands out the most is that you can play multiple defenses with this team. We can cover on ball screens differently and we can extend to zone, half court, and full court. So, we have found throughout the course of the season and in different games that we can present different matchup problems based on our defense. This team when they're locked in really separates themselves on the defensive end."
On her team's size playing a factor in the game:
"I think on both ends we've got to be able to get the ball up the floor to use our size inside for an advantage on the glass. I also feel like there are opportunities for us to use our size and length on the defensive end, so you've got to be able to utilize your strength on both areas of the floor."
On possible extra incentive to beat Georgetown based on geographic location:
"I think that this game will generate a lot of interest for fans on both sides and for fans in women's basketball. For our team, this is the next team we play to be able to advance to the Sweet 16. Like I told our team having been the only person on our roster to get to a Sweet 16, it is an unbelievable feeling. This is the next opponent in our way in terms of our progression and where we want to be and it's going to take a tremendous 40 minute effort on our behalf against a great team like Georgetown."
On the benefit of having already played Georgetown:
"Obviously anytime you can pull back on an opponent you played in your system and [see] what things you did well and what things you didn't, it is helpful. But, again, I think for us it is more about where we are now in March and we know what stage we are in the game in terms of the NCAA tournament. I think it's nice having a common opponent. Obviously it's easier from a scouting report - you're players know tendencies and personnel. There are really no secrets in this game. Both teams know each other extremely well. It's going to be who comes out and who executes better tomorrow night."
Freshman Forward Alyssa Thomas
On the first time Maryland played Georgetown:
"I definitely think we are a different team. Looking back at the first game we missed a lot of layups and easy second chance opportunities. Looking to where we are now, we are definitely a different team."
On how she has progressed from the last time they played Georgetown:
"Watching the film from that game I missed a lot of easy things now I am able to finish without a problem. I think it's going to be a different game than the first time around."
On comparing herself to Georgetown's Sugar Rodgers:
"I have had an opportunity to watch her game. She has a better three point shot than I do. But I think we are similar with our intensity on the court, and wanting to go out and win."
Junior Guard Kim Rodgers
On the Maryland-Georgetown rivalry:
"I personally think that there has to be some history behind it. There has to be some wins on both sides. The matchup has to have been going on for quite a while for it to get the deep competitive nature where you really don't like the other team. Obviously we want to win tomorrow but I wouldn't call it a rivalry yet."
On Georgetown's Sugar Rodgers:
"It's going to be a tough matchup because she is a good player. We are really going to try to focus on being on her at the catch so she doesn't get any easy looks. Whether we have to have emergency switches or some players helping we have to make sure that when she gets the ball she doesn't have an easy look."
On Maryland's defense:
"Being here during the time when Maryland was known for being all offense and no defense I take pride in the fact that people see us as a defensive team. I love to play defense. Whenever you can take a team out of their game because of your defense it motivates you. Working hard on one end we know its going to pay off on the other."
On Georgetown's press:
"Its really going to be about making crisp passes and making sure we don't rush. We do our best against presses when we take our time and don't rush. It's going to be about us making sure we don't have unforced turnovers and us taking care of the ball."
On if the game is for regional superiority:
"For us it's about getting through to the next round. It doesn't matter who we play we are going to be prepared. It just happens to be Georgetown. It's going to generate a lot of local interest. We are just focused on us and what we are going to do."
On evolving from the last time they played Georgetown:
"We are a different team. I think we have cut down on our turnovers. We have tried to focus on the things that made us lose that game. That's missing free throws, we didn't shoot well and we turned the ball over. I think we got those things under control and are really focused."
On pay back for the early season loss to Georgetown:
"I think that there is a want for pay back. We aren't looking at it as a chance for payback though. We just want to get through to the next round and Georgetown just happens to be our next opponent."
Sophomore Forward Tianna Hawkins
On what the inside players have to do against the Georgetown press:
"I think our main focus is to attack during the whole game. It's the post player's job to finish around the basket."
Head Coach Terri Williams-Flournoy
Opening Statement:
"Our team is very excited to make it to the second round of the NCAA tournament. To be one of the 32 teams left is very exciting for our team. We're excited about the game tomorrow night - of course an in-state rivalry which I'm sure all of you will begin to ask questions about. Our team is very excited to once again be back in the second round."
On the difference between her team now and when they first played Maryland:
"I think probably one of the biggest differences in this game that we will play tomorrow evening is called Tia Magee, who we did not have to play against Maryland [the first time]. So now, our backline pressure becomes even more aggressive because Tia Magee can get out of that hole whereas Sydney [Wilson] couldn't and Vanessa Moore couldn't. We have some bigger post players that did not get out of there. We're going to approach this game as any other game. Yea, it's University of Maryland. But, we've faced a lot of opponents. We play in the Big East Conference. As you know, we [the Big East] went 9-0 yesterday in the first round of the NCAA tournament. So, we're not approaching this any differently. The first game was played in November. This game is being played in March. Are we any different? Not much. We still press, we still turn teams over, and hopefully we'll be making a little bit more shots."
On the possible rivalry between Georgetown and Maryland:
"It's a rivalry because that's what you guys [the press] call it. We call it another game. That's what you guys say in the paper. That's what everybody says. `How's your rivalry against Maryland?' `How's the rivalry going to be against Maryland'? That's all we keep hearing. It's just another game that we're just playing close to home. It'd be the same if we were playing George Washington, if we were playing George Mason, it doesn't really matter. It becomes a game that you have to play and it's good to play in the area."
On keys for her team to succeed:
"Well the one thing that we want to do is we want to make the game extremely long starting in the backcourt first. So pressuring in the backcourt and making them only have about 10-12 seconds to get the ball over court hopefully will help us defend in the low post so it's not as long as trying to defend there. I think it still comes down to the most important thing and that's rebounding to finish out the play. It doesn't really matter if we make them take a long time to get the ball over court and get a shot up and we don't get the defensive rebound that we need to get. Now, unfortunately we're playing another 30 seconds in the half court."
On Maryland's defense:
"I think for them defensively they are big and long. I can't really say whether they're better, but adding the length and adding the height is always going to make you a better defensive team. So for us, it combats us to bring them out a little bit further and make them play out further away from the basket then you probably want to play."
On Maryland's Alyssa Thomas:
"I think Alyssa Thomas is a very good player. What she does for Maryland as a freshman - which of course is why she was ACC Freshman of the Year - goes without saying. For us, as far as Alyssa Thomas in the first game, I thought we did a really good job of getting her out of the game. The way she plays, her aggressiveness, we were able to take some charges on her. She reminds us a lot of Iasia Hemingway that plays at Syracuse because she plays around that high post area. So for us, it's making sure that we get in front of her, we defend her, and hopefully try to get some charges."
On keying in on defending a certain player:
"We don't approach a game like that. Our whole dynamics is to press and when we press, we take control of the whole team. So we don't really focus on one player. Even playing UConn, we don't focus on Maya Moore, we focus on the press and dominating the whole team in that aspect."
On if her team is confident heading into this game:
"Absolutely. Why wouldn't we be? You want us to be scared because we're playing at Maryland? We're not scared. I think Monica McNutt probably said it the best. We played Tennessee, we played Georgia Tech, we played UConn. We play very tough opponents. If I didn't think our team was prepared, if I didn't think our team was focused - we've been in tough games, we've been in easy games, we've been in overtime games -- I think this team is well prepared to handle anything that's been thrown at them because we've already been in it."
On expanding on her team's confidence:
"I hope we're really not portraying an attitude because that's not really who we are. We're just a team that works extremely hard and we're very confident about what we do, so that becomes easy to move on because we continue to do exactly what we do. There's no big game plan. There are no big changes that we have to make. We're a pressing team that runs in transitions that plays extremely hard. We've done that from the time the season has ended and we'll do that as long as I'm the head coach at Georgetown University."
Senior Guard Monica McNutt
On Maryland's legacy:
"As far as Maryland's concerned, we beat Tennessee earlier this season and we played UConn three times already, I don't think we're very concerned in terms of the legacy of a team, what a team has done. We're playing the five girls that step out on the floor to match up with our five girls in uniform. I'm a local kid, so I've had the opportunity to watch those championship teams. Marissa Coleman is not there anymore, things have changed. Not that they're not a very good team, but we're playing the 2010-2011 University of Maryland women's team and they're matching up with the 2010-2011 Georgetown women's basketball team. It's about the kids that are on the floor now."
On the game plan:
"Any team that you play wants to win. Maryland is returning and bringing their program back to prominence, which is exciting. Last year we had the chance to bring our program back to a program which is exciting, and we're still working on that. As far as their attitude is concerned, we're a team that firmly believes, and our coaches have continued to preach to us, is that it's about us first. Of course they want to win. No team steps out on the floor not wanting to win, but we believe that if we take care of ourselves as a team and do those things that we know to do, control the mistakes that we can control, then the outcome should come out in our favor."
On wanting to play Maryland more:
"Having grown up in this area and played well throughout this area through high school, there's a lot of talent in this area. We know each other from home and playing ball, so I think it's good that we play these local matchups and of course we're fighting to be the diamonds of the city."
On the possibility of advancing to Sweet 16:
"I gave a little sermon, because I don't know if my girls get it necessarily, but my freshman year as I told them, was the valley low and now to be where we are for our program is the mountain high. We have been through so much to get here. The Sweet 16 is lingering and it's real and it is a thought, however, if we get so stuck up on the possible next opponent then we will completely blow this game and lose."
Junior Guard Rubylee Wright
On causing turnovers:
"Our main objective is to turn teams over, just because we're undersized. As long as we can turn them over and get up the court, it makes the game easier on us."
