Head Coach Brenda Frese
Opening Statement:
“To start the game I think we were really ready to play. I thought from the tip our energy was really good. It was not always flawless, but we were really excited and fired up to play. I thought our group to start really set the tone. Shatori [Walker-Kimbrough] came out and set the tone for our team. I thought Brene [Moseley] was fantastic coming in and led the team and really helped us. There were some areas, obviously, that we have to clean up in the first game of the season. Especially on the defensive end, turnovers as well. All areas that are fixable.”
On the biggest positive and teaching moment:
“I thought we really shared the basketball. Sometimes we were almost too unselfish when you look at trying to feed the post when they were collapsing big time on Brionna [Jones] today. They obviously wanted to take her away. Defensively, for us to give up 53 points is too many.”
On keeping up defensive intensity:
“We talked about it at halftime. Playing to our standard versus the score that is up on the scoreboard. That’s an area where you see signs of great teams that are really mature that don’t play to the scoreboard.”
On scoring production from point guards:
“Our scoring is going to come in a variety of ways. We have to have offense in that position. [Brene Moseley] has a beautiful shot from 3 and I think she is such a difficult matchup when you talk about her 3-ball, her pull-up and getting to the rim.”
On what the team can improve on:
"A lot. We started the game and missed way too many layups against an undersized team. We know we are going to face more aggressive rebounding and physicality when as we move on and get into the league. Fixing turnovers for us, especially some of those that were unforced. We have to be able to improve on that. We need to be able to have balance on our team. We just have to be able to make strides."
On the full-court press:
"I think anytime we can scout out something specific, it's something we want to go to. It's definitely an area we want to continue to build upon."
On the rebounding from the guards:
"That's an area that I've been really challenging them in practice. That's a great stat. We have to be able to continue to have that kind of rebounding from out guards."
On rebounding:
"We always want to pound the glass really aggressively, and be able to get second and third chances offensively. When our shots aren't falling, it's a critical area for us."
On playing against former Terp Laura Harper on Wednesday:
"I love it. She was our most outstanding player on our 2006 national championship team. I always wanted more of our players to go on to coaching. She has a successful career she's just starting up, she's going to be a promising coach. Being able to go up against her will be some great memories, Marissa Coleman is coming in too so there will be some fun energy in the building."
On the performance of the freshmen:
"It's probably going to take some more game experience. At times I thought they played well and at times I thought they played like freshman. They have to get more experience. The speed of the game, the level of physicality, I think that's the first time Brianna Frazier has ever gone against that kind of physicality inside or had to play defense. We're still a work in progress. They're both really talented. I love their work ethic; they're want to get better. We have to speed up their learning curve to help us be successful."
Junior Guard Shatori Walker-Kimbrough
On her goals for the season:
“I’m just trying to be a playmaker. I want to bring that spark and energy whether it’s defense, finding an open teammate or scoring. I just want to do whatever my team needs me to do.”
On the defensive effort by the team:
“Coming into every game coach preaches that we’re the most prepared team. We were prepared, we knew their tendencies and their personnel.”
On the unveiling of the Final Four banner from the 2014-2015 season:
“It was a great feeling seeing that banner go up. Before the game, Coach told us that the banner dropping is us closing the chapter of last season. Now that it’s in the past we can focus on this season and putting another one up there.”
