Louisville vs. Houston Baptist
November 17, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2010
Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 
Head Coach Jeff Walz
(On getting playing minutes for the whole team) "We're doing a really good job of trying to get players as many minutes as we can. At the same time, it's going to come down here eventually to where I'm not going to be able to play Monique [Reid] only 15 minutes. She's going to have to play like we played in our Tennessee game. The important thing is, I've got to be able to get Antonita Slaughter and Asia Taylor minutes at the four spot. With the loss of Shawnta' Dyer, we're really trying to find someone who can get in there and rebound for us. I thought Asia did a really nice job rebounding at the four tonight, Antonita did as well. We're going to continue to try to get those two more minutes at the four. At the same time, I was really pleased with how everyone played."
(On the second half being the lowest scoring performance of an opponent in U of L history) "We had talked about a goal. We had set a goal at 38--that is what our goal was to hold them under. We gave them 26 in the first half, so we had some work to do. I was really pleased with how we came out and attacked them at the defensive end."
(On having a strong start to both halves) "You really don't want to start bad. I'm pleased with our depth, we've got kids who can play. Shelby Harper played 11 minutes. She played 40 minutes a game for about six BIG EAST games last year and did well. It's not very often that you're going to see Shelby Harper go 0-4 from the three-point line, because she got four very good looks. But she got two assists and she did not turn the ball over one time. She's a heady hard player, so it's not like we're putting out players who can't play there towards the end. They're all capable college players."
(On no turnovers for Shoni Schimmel) "She's been playing well. She's actually played really well the last five halves. The first half of our Tennessee game is one you can just cross off the list. It was our first game out. It's like I tried to tell people that asked me, they say the [Meighan] Simmons kid from Tennessee had a fantastic game. That's right, but the difference is, you don't have the ball as your point guard. Simmons is an unbelievable player, phenomenal, but it's nice when you've got [Shekinna] Stricklen bringing the ball down the floor every time. There's some pressure taken off of you. After that first half, she's [Shoni's] come out and performed extremely well. She's knocking down open shots, which really puts a pressure on the defense, and she sees the floor so well."
(On goals for the game besides 38 points) "One [goal] was to turn them over at least 30 times, and we did that. The other was not to allow more than 12 offensive rebounds, and we accomplished that. So, some things we have to work on, again, we have to continue rebounding out of the zone. We're scrambling at it extremely well, but when shots go up, we've got to get a guard to rebound on the strong side and the weak side. If we continue to do that, then we're going to be able to continue to dictate a lot of things on the defensive end."
(On if he thinks the team has taken a step forward the last two games) "I do. We've never had 25 assists against anybody. We can't even do that five on zero. We normally turn it over in practice with nobody guarding us. It's really encouraging for me. We have done a really good job of working in practice and continuing to work on ball rotation. Don't worry about taking an extra dribble, just get the ball out of your hands to the player who is open. For us to put up 25 assists and 12 turnovers is quite impressive."
(On if the team is ahead of schedule) "I'll tell you about December 16. We've got some big games coming up. We've got some challenges in front of us that, once we get through those, then I'll know pretty much where we are. Are we further along than we were last year? Yeah, I can guarantee you that. If not, I'd be packing my bags.
Junior Forward Monique Reid
(On the team's past two games) "Coach Walz told us he schedules these games on purpose so we can give everybody a chance to play and so we can get better as a team. He challenged us this game, he really challenged us. They couldn't score over 38 points, we had to have over 35 deflections and they had to have over 30 turnovers. And for everyone they don't make, we have a down and back. So we had a challenge, it wasn't all about us scoring. I mean, we could have scored 40 and been happy as long as we kept them under 38."
(On being nervous that Houston Baptist scored 26 first half points) "Yes. But we knew we could hold them. We held them to two for like 10 minutes. We have our little ups and downs, I guess you could say, but we picked it up the second half. I was really happy because I hate running."
(On frustrating opposing teams with their defense) "We were rattling them because with our defense there is really no way to get easy layups. I mean we will have a breakdown every once in a while but they would have to shoot from real far, from the three-point range or further, because we are pressuring the ball, we are not going to let anybody drive for layups. We are helping, we're pinching, it's just a really tough defense, and I really like it."
(On not seeing many teams using their defensive style) "I am sure we will later on, like tournament time. Our assistant coach, Coach Norman, showed us some film on it, and it was old school. Like real old, like little shorts and afros playing this defense. And we really like it, we caught onto it quick. It's a lot easier to play man-to-man. But it is hard because of the pressure, but we like it. It is called two matchup. It is like a zone. It's like a matchup zone but we are helping. Say the ball goes to the corner and we are pressuring, we have got to do a long sprint. It's like pressure, front the post, and its all the back line working, and the guards are working the front."
(On the team getting better after every game) "I think Friday taught us that we can compete but now when we play teams like this we have to we have to use it as a teaching method so we can be ready for the bigger teams. We have to play hard defense and be tough, we can't let up no matter who the team is. We just have to play how we play and not worry about what the other team is doing."
(On Coach Walz) "Well Coach Walz told me when he recruited me that he knew I could be a great player. And in high school it was pretty easy, I could do basically whatever I wanted. I had to learn how to work hard and play hard. He is always on me because he wants me to be an All-American. That is his goal for me. And this game, he actually patted me on the back and told me `sit down' you're done for the game, at like 16 minutes.' And he was like `this is what the good players do. You finish it in the first half and then you get to rest in the second half.'"
(On Antonita Slaughter shooting the ball) "In order for us to be good she has to shoot the ball. She is a great shooter, but she has to believe that she is."
Freshman Guard Antonita Slaughter
(On getting some minutes and getting used to the game) "Well the Tennessee game didn't go too good for me, I didn't do very much. But this game I got a chance to show a little bit of what I can do."
(On the difference from high school to college) "Coach Walz is a pretty hard coach to play for and he pushes me everyday in practice. If he doesn't think I'm going hard enough, he keeps pushing me until he thinks that there is no more in me."
(On Coach Walz telling her to be more aggressive and not pass up the shot) "I hear that everyday. He tells me that a lot, everyday in practice. He thinks that I am a great shooter, and he just doesn't want me passing up the open shots."
