Jan. 4, 2004
Recap|
Box Score
Maryland head coach Brenda Frese
On Maryland's first half effort:
"Obviously I'm ecstatic to be able to see our defensive intensity to start the game. It was one of the best halves we've played defensively. There was good focus to be able to hold a very good Virginia team to 12 points. That's what we've been talking about, defense and rebounding...that's something we can bring every single day that we step onto the court. It's a lot of fun to be able to coach these guys and see how well we're progressing as a team."
On Maryland's game plan:
"I thought our players knew the scouting report really well: who we wanted to get up and defend from the perimeter and when we were helping in on the post players. [Brandi] Teamer was somebody who had a career high on us last year. I thought the outside shots she took were in our game plan. We wanted to take away and limit as many of her driving opportunities to the basket. They did a tremendous job understanding our scouting report."
On starting Delvona Oliver and Crystal Washington:
"Not to sound clich?, but it's like having twin towers. Both of them really establish an inside presence for us and have done so many things for us. They stay focused and you can see what they're doing on the rebounding end and on the offensive end. They have to respect them down low and they have to respect them from the outside because they both can shoot from the outside. Then it opens up for our guard play and it really does make us a dangerous team when we have both an inside and outside presence."
On how the team has responded to its early schedule:
"It shows that when you put your mind on the task at hand, you can accomplish anything. I've said I've seen a different focus and different energy since we've come back from Christmas and we've really gelled together as a team and it's been a ton of fun. We're starting to see and believe how good of a team we can really be...every game we build on; we just want to continue to show people that we're for real.
On Maryland's upcoming game at Wake Forest:
"Wake Forest is playing extremely well, they played a competitive game against North Carolina. Every game in the ACC is a battle and it's our first road test in the conference. We're going to be focused and be ready to bring 40 minutes."
Senior forward Crystal Washington
On beating Virginia for the first time in her career:
"It feels really really good. We haven't beat Virginia in a long time and it's the Alumni Game and I know the alumni were very excited. They were really excited we finally got that win against Virginia."
Junior guard Alli Spence
On Maryland's undefeated start in ACC play:
"Those are our short term goals and we have to keep rolling until the wheels fall off in the ACC. We've been getting really good scouting from our coaching staff and we've been well-prepared for each and every game. The players are coming out and executing the game plan."
Senior center Delvona Oliver:
On avoiding foul trouble:
"I have more energy this year. I lost some weight and I can move better than last year. Usually when I get in foul trouble you can tell because I'm getting tired and I'm not moving."
Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan:
On Virginia's opening half:
"I thought Maryland came out strong today and we couldn't make a shot. We've been inconsistent game to game but we haven't been inconsistent within a game. We've never had a half like that. I don't think I've ever had a half like that in the history of my career, which is 27 years long."
"We couldn't hit a shot. We got 28 shots and we made four of them. They weren't bad shots. It was just an unusual thing."
On making several substitutions in the first half:
"I was trying to find somebody who was going to spark us. I played the whole team, just trying to find somebody who could give us a spark so we could rally around her and get her the ball."
Virginia guard Anna Prillaman:
"They were good shots and they just weren't falling, taking away nothing from the Maryland defense or the way they were playing in the first half. They came out strong and they're a better team than they've been in the past."
