Marquette University Athletics
Mitchell and Ellis Meet the Press
11/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 1, 2007
MILWAUKEE - Head coach Terri Mitchell and junior guard Krystal Ellis met with members of the Milwaukee media Thursday afternoon to discuss the 2007-08 season.
The Golden Eagles, who were picked eighth in the BIG EAST, will play two exhibition games starting on Saturday against Concordia (St. Paul) before opening the season hosting Loyola (Ill.) on Monday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m.
Head coach Terri Mitchell
Opening statement:
"Well we couldn't be more excited about the beginning of our season. It's really hard to believe that November is here and we are 12 days away from opening our season against Loyola and obviously we have a great opportunity to play two exhibitions before that. I'm just going to get this out of the way right now, I know that everyone is looking at our team and saying that we graduated coming off of our best season ever. We graduated four seniors, four really important contributors, our two post players, our two and our three, and I have Krystal Ellis standing here with me as our returning starter. I just want everyone to know that our expectations never change in this program. We know that we have six freshmen, that half of our team is underclassmen, more than half, but that six are freshmen. But we have a winning mentality here, we have a winning tradition and so when we step on the court we have the expectation that we will perform like we always have. We feel like we have set up a very good non-conference schedule that will prepare us to play in what we feel is the best conference in the nation. If you've noticed in the polls, we were ranked in one, but in all of the others seven BIG EAST teams were ranked in the top-25. We know what it is and what we are facing by playing them. We feel that in our non-conference schedule by traveling on the road and by having great opponents at home that we will have a great balance in getting ready for the season."
About the way the team will play this season:
"I am strong believer in looking at the talent of your team and saying how can I adjust our system to our team. We are never going to compromise that we are going great defensive team; we are just going to do it differently. We might have played a lot of half court last year; we might have to play more full court this year. At least we are going into the season believing that. We are smaller, but we are faster. So how can we accentuate that strength?
About Krystal Ellis:
She is coming off a historic year of any sophomore we have ever had in the program and now she is a junior. Krystal needs to be comfortable leading how she leads. We have told her that all of us can lead together, so we are not going to put the burden of responsibility clearly on her. We want her to lead with her effort and with her example of she knows what it takes to win. Krystal has an amazing ability to hone in and she knows when the game is on the line she can do it. She is defiantly the point person, but not so much where she feels the pressure. She should have a lot of fun with this and say I have the grand opportunity to show everyone else what it is the win.
About the lineup heading into BIG EAST play:
"We really don't know. We have 13 games and two exhibitions to figure things out. We will use that time to really understand our team. We have ideas, but we don't know who the best starters are, we don't know who the best people coming off the bench are. We don't know who are best finishes are. It is one thing to start, but I really value who is finishing a game. Who is finishing with their free throw shooting, decision-making, we have all of that up in the air. Going to Kansas, Oregon, and playing Wisconsin and Northwestern at home are really going to help us figure out what it takes to win. Krystal will be a key component in all of that because she is mainstay from last year playing 30-plus minutes. It is going to be up to everyone else how they are going to adjust to what she can do."
About the post game:
"I expect physical play, rebounding, being able to defend. Scoring is going to take care of itself. If we can't defend and we can't rebound, we can't talk about winning. That is what we have really emphasized to our post game and `bigs' a whole lot."
About the freshmen class:
"They are extremely coachable and their work ethic is unbelievable. Our terms are new, our philosophy is new, how we practice are new. There are days that are great and then there are midterms. They are going through all of the typical freshman things right now. I am extremely happy though. Sometimes they don't quite get it, but I will tell you what, they look you square in the eye when you correct them. They want to get better; they desire it. They know they came here to be difference makers. They came here to be part of a winning tradition. There is a price and a sacrifice they are going to have to pay. Their life is very limited right now, but they know there is a great reward in March if they do everything we ask of them right now. "
Junior guard Krystal Ellis
What improving upon this season:
"I need to be more offensively focus to not wait to score, but to be always offensively minded, to think about it and don't just wait to decide to score. I always want to go hard, not just on offense, but on defense too. It has been a battle, but I am working on it.
About being a leader:
"When I was a freshman I had Carolyn (Kieger) as a point guard. I knew she was the leader of our team, so I knew I didn't have to do anything like that. Then my sophomore year, I was told I had to be a leader because I was the point guard, but I also knew I had four senior leaders who would lead. So, I knew I didn't really have to be the leader. Now that I am junior, I am like man I really have to be the leader. I don't have a choice any more. Even though we have Svetlana, and she is a good leader, I too have to be a leader."
"I mainly talk to the freshmen, Tati and Angel, because I know more about their position. I know you always have to go hard. I like playing with them and going against them because they make you go hard. They are people that will get in your face no matter what. It makes me feel like playing against Rutgers because they are always up on you, touching you, doing whatever, so they are really preparing me for the game. It makes me excited to be with those freshmen because they don't back down to any of us."
About being the focus of opposing teams:
"I am ready for it, but I also know if I can't score there are four other people on the court that can score. Everyone can score. I know there are key options of who is supposed to score, but I do know that at any given time Nelly can come down shoot a pull up and make it, Courtney can shoot a three, Erin can shoot a three, even our post can shoot threes. So I know at any given time, that if I am struggling or can't get the offensive looks, someone on my team can score."
