Postgame Quotes
12/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 17, 2008
MILWAUKEE -
Senior Krystal Ellis and sophomore Paige Fiedorowicz
About the crowd...
Krystal Ellis: The kids were nice. They were fun, they were energetic. Its always good to have a good crowd. We could definitely hear them (the MPS students). Even when Terri was giving us a pre-game speech we could hear them hitting the stairs and being loud. It was exciting.
Paige Fiedorowicz: I definitely think it gave us more energy in the locker room to get ready for the game.
About the team's overall play...
Paige Fiedorowicz: In practice we've been working together a lot on rebounding. I think it just carried over. I think my team did a good job finding the hot shooter and the open person. In the second half they found Krystal.
Krystal Ellis: Our was patient and we didn't worry about them making the first basket. Again, we found the hot shooter, Courtney hit a three and then we came back and we kept giving it to her. I think its unselfishness of our team to find who is open and whoever can hit down the shot. We had two hard days of practice after our Wisconsin loss. So I think we have to keep capturing that. We have to come back and work hard tomorrow and the next day to get ready for Green Bay. So I think us just working hard in practice will help us to do better in games. It showed today how much better we can be.
Paige Fiedorowicz: I think as long as we play together, because I think that was a big issue in the Wisconsin game. So I think that's just one of the keys we have to focus on.
About beating Oregon by 30 points...
Krystal Ellis: Very surprised (to beat Oregon by 30). Last year we lost to them. It was a big difference (from last year). They're a really good team. They have good players and have really good post players. We knew what we had to capitalize on. We knew the scouting report and we followed it.
On Nicole Canepa...
Paige Fiedorowicz: We adjusted. We knew she was a key player and we had to make her work. We had to be active on defense and come out and get the ball. I think our post did a very good job doing that and going at her.
On Taylor Lilley...
Krystal Ellis: She was definitely a key. We knew she was a three-point shooter and a deep range three-point shooter, so we had to keep our hands up and contest the shot.
Marquette Head Coach Terri Mitchell
Opening Statement
First and foremost, it was a total team effort, it all started with our defense. If there was anything we talked about in the last two days was how we had to trust each other defensively, how we have to get after it and dictate. I thought that set the tone for the game. From an offensive perspective we were much more patient I thought the flow of the game went extremely well. There are times to push it and there are times to run set plays and take advantage of screens. We had a good inside/outside ratio, which we did not have Saturday. In the short term we learned a lesson and played extremely well. Now it can't be one and done. Its going to be my job and the coaches job to keep reiterating at tomorrow's practice and friday as we get ready for Green Bay.
About the success of MPS day...
We are so thrilled to partner with MPS and have the day that we did. To have a sell out, to have all those young kids supporting us. Their enthusiasm really lifted our players spirits. We want to have that relationship with the city, that they know that we are role models. Our players are role models with the way they are on the court and their character. That partnership means a lot and we will have this every year. The noon game time, I don't think any of us thought about it. It was just business as usual, we never change. We got up early for shoot around and that was different, but we're never going to change our routine and what we do. I think it was just a mental focus and how we came out and kept it consistent for 40 minutes. Its a good game to build upon. We've talked a lot on our team the last couple of days about former good habits and getting in the gym more and what it means this time of year when you don't have class and what you can do to elevate your game. I thought today we elevated our game because Oregon is well coached. They're playing an awesome schedule. They have been down in games and they've come back and today we were able to keep up the defensive pressure. I know they'll bounce back and do good things in the Pac-10.
About maintaining the lead in the second half...
I spent a lot of time at half time talking about not settling. We had a big lead in a game against both Virginia and Utah and lost it. That's very fresh in everyone's memory. We don't take anything for granted. Even though they scored, we just stayed with the traps and we didn't go away from the game plan. No one panicked. The coaches didn't panic, the team didn't panic. If you're going to be one player down when you trap, you have to be willing to take that kind of risk and know that every once in a while they are going to score, you have to think of it long term. If they would have scored, scored, scored then I have to make adjustments as coach. I think Michelle, the scout on our staff, did an outstanding job. She had excellent calls to keep things consistent. We didn't jump all over the place. We kept with the same plays that worked, we kept with the defensive traps that worked and let the confidence of our players to continue to grow.
On last year's game at Oregon...
We had six freshman on the road at Thanksgiving, away for the first time. We were without Krystal Ellis, she was injured. There were a lot of things with that trip that made us grow up, we lost to both Gonzaga and Oregon on that trip. We're a little bit more mature, we had Krystal, and because of what happened to us Saturday we all came out with a greater sense of urgency. I think their mentality is different. For us to hold a lead and build a lead, is a great step for us and something that we can learn from.
Oregon Head Coach Bev Smith
About the game atmosphere...
It was loud and there was lots of energy. It was kind of fun to play in front of. With their band, it was a real fun college environment. I hope the kids had a good time, maybe a little bit better time than we had. It was a nice college environment.
About the early start time effecting the team...
With college athletics now you have to play on demand and we all understand that. I think our team probably wouldn't want to use that as an excuse. We traveled out a day earlier to acclimated a little bit and worked with that. We've played early games before due to tv and due to other situations. I'm not sure, the players probably know better. Our preparation is pretty much the same. We've had pre-game meals at six before and we've had scout work at six in the morning before. Its just all part of it. You just have to be flexible.
On a slow start to both halves...
I think it is huge. I think that really puts us in a hole where we have to then try to catch up and we have to play a little more frantically then our team needs to play to be successful. I attribute that, a little bit, to Marquette's pressure. They did a really good job of trapping and really creating some uncertainty for us as to what they were in. After I thought we did a really good job of trying to handle the ball. We were just very cold, just like it is outside. Maybe we're not used to the cold. We were frigid anywhere we shot. 28% and 18% just does not cut it, especially against a team like Marquette that can put some numbers on the board. Right now that's our struggle, offensively we just aren't getting any help for Micaela. She's been scoring in double figures and is doing an outstanding job with that. We just need another person to step up. Obviously we are struggling a little bit with injuries, but that is no excuse. We just need to get back to the drawing table and get the ball inside a little more and hurt people in the paint. Marquette certainly outscored us in the paint.
On Lilley's scoreless game...
Well today, I think Taylor got some really good looks. I think our team did a really good job. A lot of those shots were open. She has practiced very little since the beginning of the season. She's just trying to find her game tempo and game play. I think sometimes there is a little bit of a force because she knows how important those three balls or any scoring she does is for us. I think we're just a little out of sync. We can't rush that and its just going to come. When it comes its going to be great for us. In the meantime, we have to get other people to step up and help us out in that area.
On Krystal Ellis...
I know that she has been very important to them. Obviously she got away from us a little bit in terms of, I think she hurt us more in terms of transition than anything, just not picking her up. It probably would have helped to kept her under those 17 points. I think her shooting percentage from three, in particular, was a little too high. We just never seemed to glue on to her at the right moment. She's very opportunistic and took advantage of those moments and shot pretty well.
