March 26, 2012
Pregame Quotes
NCAA Raleigh Regional
March 27, 2012
Head Coach Brenda Frese
Opening statement:
We are obviously excited to be still playing in the Elite Eight. We will have to bring our best game to have a chance to beat a very good Notre Dame team. (The Irish) do a great job both offensively and defensively. They know how to make good teams look really bad with their style of play.
It's going to be a very difficult matchup for us since Notre Dame has four future professional players on its roster. That is a formula that gives you a great chance to win a national championship. Not a lot of teams have that amount of experience. They have been here before and have done it, as evidenced by their appearance in the national title game last year.
There is really no pressure on us because at the beginning of the year, no one expected us to be here. We are going to play our hearts out for 40 minutes and be 12 players strong so we can have a chance to go to Denver (for the Final Four).
On matching up with Notre Dame:
As good as Notre Dame is, we want to play to our strengths which are rebounding the basketball and getting out in transition. They run the floor really well and execute their offense. This game could be one of the greatest in the history of the Elite Eight and putting someone in the Final Four.
On playing from behind:
As you advance in the NCAA Tournament, you cannot keep playing with a deficit - especially the really large one we suffered against Texas A&M the other night. I think the biggest thing with this team is we don't lose our poise or start to freak out. We just try to stay focused and play one possession at a time. As long as we are not rattled as a coaching staff, our kids just follow that lead.
On the advantage of playing close games throughout the year:
When we won the national title in 2006, I believe our first-round game was a blowout and maybe the Baylor game in the Sweet 16, but in this tournament, we have had to work for it. I think it's been great to have such a competitive conference throughout the season and to have played in some tight games this tournament. We feel like we can compete against anyone every time we step out on the floor.
On countering Notre Dame's emotional style of play in this tournament:
Really no one expected us to be here but some people are calling us the favorite. I am not really sure where that it coming from. Maryland really hasn't been in the national conversation all year. It has just been the same four or five teams. We just need to focus on ourselves and what we do well.
On the emphasis Maryland puts on rebounding the basketball:
We really have been fortunate to find some great players on the recruiting trail. It's to our advantage to have a player at the three spot who is 6'2 and really three through five we have been rebounding the ball really well. Lauren Mincy pulling down 12 boards last night was just an added bonus. Rebounding is really a trademark of ours as we have continued to recruit players into this program. You are able to get those second chances and more looks at the basket.
On the multiple looks Maryland can put on the floor in a game:
It's definitely been a luxury this season with our team to have the ability to put so many different combinations on the floor. We can start really big then bring a Lynetta Kizer off the bench but can also bring Kim Rodgers in and move Alyssa Thomas to the four. It really helps to slide players around when certain people get in foul trouble.
On the competitive nature of the ACC:
I think our conference has been really competitive and people really haven't looked at the unbalanced schedule we play in the ACC. The top three teams have been ranked all year and have beaten the squads below them, but putting just four teams from the league into the tournament is pretty disturbing. With all that aside, our team, as well as Duke, are really excited to have the chance to get to the Final Four.
On Brittany Mallory's personality and what it adds for Notre Dame:
Brittany really brings a tough and hard-nosed style of play into a game and she has been through it with injuries. She stretches the defense with the way she can shoot the three and has a really defensive mind.
On Lynetta Kizer
Earlier in the year, Lynetta served a three-game suspension and when she came back after we beat Georgetown, our team was in a really good rhythm. We wanted to keep her focused and really committed to what we were doing and she did that. She really gave us that scoring punch we were missing. All the credit goes to her because she never made a further issue out of everything. She put the team before herself and that's a big reason we have been so successful.
Laurin Mincy
On Notre Dame's defense
Notre Dame's defense is really on the ball. They like to reach in and their really scrappy. I think we are going to have to take care of the ball and be strong when we attack the rim.
On feeling pressure:
I don't think we feel a lot of pressure. Like coach said no one expected us to be here and get this far. I think in the second round when we face Louisville we did have a little pressure being that we didn't get past it last year. But from now on we are just playing 40 minutes.
On Notre Dame and the chip on its shoulder:
We watched the game during the first half. We just bring it right back at them. We have to play with a lot of energy and play with a chip on our shoulder.
Anjale Barrett
On how to comeback in a game:
Defensive rebounding brought us back in the game. Just staying together coach telling us to stay together and get a couple of stops. Each media timeout make sure we get 2 or 3 stops and continue to fight for each other.
On Skylar Diggins:
We know she is a good player and she likes to get her team involved. She likes to get to the basket. So we just have to make it difficult for her more pressure and play team defense. That's basically what we have been doing this whole tournament playing team defense on whoever the best player is. It's not just a one on one assignment.
On "12 strong":
At the beginning of the season our motto was fight to finish. When we lost to Val Tech that's when we definitely came together. 12 strong means we need everybody from top to bottom. If we have 11 people we are not strong and we are not a team. Just being together from top to bottom whether you're on the court or on the bench we need everybody.
Alyssa Thomas
On the height advantage Maryland has over most teams:
We will use our length to get on the glass. We know that gives a lot of team's trouble. We are able to use or length on defense to create a lot of havoc.
On physical play:
We know it's going to be a very physical game. We know Notre Dame is a very physical team in general. We know that we are going to come out there and take the its and give it back to them.
On team rebounding
We need our guards to rebound more. For Laurin to get a career high against a good team shows how hard they are working.
Alicia DeVaughn
On ACC play
Being part of the ACC is one of the toughest conferences out of all. So we have a lot of experience battling on the boards with the bigs and the talented guards that many teams have in the ACC. So that has prepared us to right now and to where we are.
