Michgan State-Kentucky postgame quotes
March 22, 2010 | Women's Basketball
March 22, 2010
Michigan State Post Game Quotes
Head Coach Suzy Merchant
(Opening Statement) “Obviously we knew Kentucky was fast, but the part that was a little surprising was that they were so physical. We had a really hard time whether you were a guard or a post-man even catching it. They get you to play a little faster than you'd like to. There was a period of time when I thought we were handling it, then we were fatigued and things kind o melted down. We thought we had an advantage inside. I thought Lauren was really good in there, but Allyssa kind of struggled for us tonight. They just did a really good job of being physical with us. Watching it, I felt like that was the most physical team we played to date in the three years I've been at Michigan State. So, credit Kentucky for their sped and athleticism as well as how they get up in you and pressure you.”
(On Turnover in the Second Half) “I thought we did a decent job in the first half. We had a lull there, where we were taking some bad shots and they scored in transition, but they weren't turnovers. In the second half, I think we gave in a little bit to fatigue. We didn't do a very good job of passing and catching. There were times when we were wide open and the ball just went through our hands…we bobbled it or we had opportunities inside that got knocked away. That's the name of the game. That's what they do. They wear you down. I thought they did a good job of being relentless.”
(On Victoria Dunlap) “I was really nervous for the matchup. I just knew that were going to take it to the high post and drive it. We worked with Lauren and Allyssa. That's what people do. We just haven't seen anybody with that kind of speed. We tried to keep her away from her right hand and give her some space, but that didn't some much to matter. We talked about switching and putting the four on her, but they just put her on the block and she scored down there too. She's a tough matchup. You're not the SEC player of the Year by accident. She's a legit, big time athlete. She has a motor on her that just goes and goes.”
(On Playing in This Atmosphere) “Certainly is great for Kentucky to be 83 miles from home and have a chance to have their fans see them play on a Monday night. That was great for them. We've been in tough environments before. We've seen 10,000 Ohio State fans on national TV before at their place. They're a number two seed. I didn't feel like we were rattled by that. The problem was what we were doing on the floor…not scoring the ball inside and being unable to score the basketball for a long period of time.”
(On Kentucky's Defense against Allyssa Dunlap) “I didn't feel like they did anything different to her. That's how everybody plays Allyssa, so I didn't think they were any different. The difference was the pressure on the perimeter. They made it hard for us to run some quick hit set plays. You don't want to get into ball screen action because they double the ball screen. We went to it a little bit to see if we could get some action off a reversal a couple times and it went through Lauren's hands there. It just wasn't as effective as it needed to be. I don't think they've done anything different than anyone else has done. They played behind her and pushed her off a little bit. They didn't double her. They didn't front her. They didn't do anything that I saw different in the Big 10 or in our non-conference schedule. It seems like it's her MO that if you push her or if you get physical with her, she struggles to finish. We thought she had a huge advantage in there for turnaround jumpers. She just couldn't get squared because they were so physical. She jus came up short.”
(On Michigan State's Composure) “In the first half I thought there was a stretch before halftime where we lost our composure a little bit. There was probably an eight minute period in eh second half where I didn't think we had any composure at all. We weren't playing very well together on the offensive end especially.”
(Looking at the Season as a whole) “I think there is a lot of good. Certainly, there are a lot of things to build on. I think we got some key experience for some younger kids. Obviously, you're frustrated to end right now when you still have aspirations to keep playing in March. I think there's a lot of good. The senior class was very instrumental in a good, non-conference schedule. We struggled for a little bit and then bounced right back and ended up second in the Big Ten. We felt good about how we finished. I was proud of that part of our season.”
(On the Careers of the Four Seniors) “Two of them were fifth year seniors so they've been around a long time. We're going to miss their energy and excitement. Aisha Jefferson and Lauren Aitch come to mind in that department. They have a lot of pep in their step and a lot of personality. They really injected that into the team and were tremendous leaders. Mandy Piechowski is someone who has given a lot to this program. It's never been about her. It's always been about the team. I made her captain for two years because of that reason. She cares about this team and she does was she had to do to help us get where we're trying to go. Obviously, Allyssa has had a very storied career. We certainly know the gifts and talents that she's given throughout her four years as well.”
(On Turnovers) “They're the fastest team we've played in the three years I've been here from top to bottom, one to five. We haven't played everybody in the country so I can't comment on other programs. But, that is one through five the fastest, quickest team. They don't have a lot of helpside defense/ because they can get in you and deny you. They're really fast going North and South on the offensive end. We really didn't go through a lot of the sets. We worked on transition defense and press breaker and trying to score against their pressure. It seems like they don't have to run a lot of plays because they can really get out and score in transition. I did think we did good a job on number one (A'dia Mathies). Coming of the night that she had, and as good as she is, I thought we contained her a little bit…and we got her in some foul trouble that maybe helped a little bit. They were just too quick. They were too quick to the ball and we really struggled.”
(On Shooting Woes) “I think their pressure was the difference. We rushed our shots a little bit. We had opportunities inside and just assumed we were going to get a foul called instead of finishing. They bait you into playing a little faster than you'd like to play. There's no question that that played a factor. We tried to play everybody, but in two minutes it seemed like you had been out there for eight. That's how quick they were. It seemed like your energy was zapped a little quicker than it had been in the past. I think that was a factor in our ability to make baskets. “
Sophomore Forward Lykendra Johnson
(On Being Worn Down From Pressure) “I don't think they were very physical with me because they had number four on me the whole time. They wore us down us a team. I don't think we played our best basketball. They just out ran us up and down the floor. That's what wore us down on the defensive end.”
(On Why Dunlap Was So Effective) “She just kept attacking our post players and she never stopped. I think she had the mentality of a big person…like a 6'8 person. She just couldn't be stopped the way she was driving.”
Junior Forward Kalisha Keane
(On the Physical Play of Kentucky) “They play in a good conference in the SEC. You don't make it to the title game in the SEC without being physical. I think they did a good job tonight, and we just didn't really respond as well as we should have in the second half.”
(On Shooting Woes) “I can't really give a specific reason. I think sometimes, personally, I was shooting out of rhythm…taking shots that weren't in the flow of the offense. Down low, I think we had opportunities. We just missed open layups that probably could have finished.”
(On Playing a Virtual Road Game) “I think it's always a positive to have your home crowd here rooting for you. Kentucky has a great fan base and they came out to support them. Although, it wasn't technically on their home court, it felt like a home game. It helped a lot for us last year. And this year, I can see how it can benefit another team.”
(On Taking Away Allyssa DeHaan and the Four Seniors) “The four seniors have been a big part of my life and the program. With Allyssa on the inside, I think early on she was getting opportunities and just coming up a little short. She has a huge height advantage on the inside. They were pressuring our guards a lot so maybe it wasn't as easy to see her on the inside as it would have been another day.”
(On What They Took From This Season) “You take every season as a learning lesson. I think we've had a lot of lows, and we have had our lows. It's unfortunate that we couldn't rise to this occasion for our senior class to bring them to the Sweet 16, or possibly further. It's a disappointment with our second half compared to how we played in the first half. We still have more years to play, and hopefully, we can play like Michigan State has been known to play in the past and how we have been in the current. We're just going to continue to work hard and we're looking forward to our future.”
University of Kentucky Post Game Quotes
University of Kentucky Head Coach Matthew Mitchell
(Opening Statement) ”First off I would like to thank Tom Jurich and Julie Hermann for bringing the first two rounds of the tournament to Louisville. We were very fortunate to get to play here. I can't say enough about Holly Sheilley, the tournament director, what a first class person she is. From our security detail to the people that greeted us, it was just a first class operation and I am grateful for the way we were treated. I could not be more proud of a group of young women who I am very fortunate to coach. They brought it tonight and I don't have adequate words to describe how proud I am. They played extremely hard. I'm just really happy for our two seniors who have battled through so much and have become great people and great players. They were huge tonight and I'm happy we're advancing in this tournament.
(On exploiting MSU defense at high post with Victoria) “I was not exactly sure what would happen. That was the plan, but I couldn't get a great handle on them because we have not seen a team that played a style which we tried to employ. I thought she could get around them some if they came out and guarded her. I thought they got out just enough at times that she made some pretty good reads and did a great job playing against size tonight. We needed her to do it and Victoria (Dunlap) was taking IV's before the game. She woke up sick this morning which was a problem for us. I didn't know what she was going to do today since she was sick all day long. What a performance.
(On MSU cutting lead to two, and following Kentucky run) “The run was a great feeling because the plan starts to take shape and develop. Michigan State is a good basketball team and I didn't know if the plan was going to work out. I thought we had a great chance to be faster and for our pressure to hurt them. When it started to happen it was a great felling. The kids committed tonight to pressuring the basketball and that's what we had to do. I thought we forced Michigan State into taking some shots they usually don't take. Our ability to rebound, I was so thrilled to see us out rebound that team. I think that's a real testament to how hard our players play. When we were able to get rolling in transition, I thought it was a pretty good sign for us.
(How old in 1982, and breaking through barrier since 1982 season) “I was 11 for most of the year and turned 12 later in the year. Personally I'm happy I get another week with this team. Today was a tough day for me and I try not to put myself into it and keep the focus on the players. Amani (Franklin) walked in the locker room before the game and I thought how awful it would be if this was the last game we played. I don't generally have thoughts like that, so it tells you how special these players are. We won't take for granted this particular team who are committed to being one of the top teams in the country which is not easy to do. They have set a standard for the program that next year's team will have to live up to. I'm not sure if that team will be as willing to work as hard, but this team sure has been. It's a great thing for our current players and any positive momentum we can gain from it will be great. Right now, I'm in the moment with this group and would like to push it as far as we can go.
(On seven different players scoring during the run) “I thought it was a commitment to run the floor. I thought everybody got involved in transition and when Keyla (Snowden) and Rebecca (Gray) run to corners in transition it really puts the defense in a bad position. They have to either guard the bucket or pinch out on them. It helps our transition game. Everybody played with confidence. Before the game I told them I was scared that this could be the last game we could play together. I was trying to admit that to them and we could not play with any fear. I thought we played remarkably confident and I don't think any fear crept in. I was very impressed with that because I was a basket case today. I had a hard day with the emotions. Maybe that was good for me and they didn't seem to have a hard day today.
(On development of Kentucky program) ”We were close to the sweet 16 when I began. That's no disrespect to those players. Our first two teams played hard and gave a lot of effort. They were in a difficult situation with the coaching transition. I love both of those teams and think they did some really good things. I think what makes this group special is that we've tried to make them understand how special it is to play at Kentucky. We think it's special to be at the University of Kentucky. This team is getting closer to the mentality of appreciating their opportunity. We've come a long way in that respect which makes you proud as a coach. These players are a special group.
(On coming out fearless and rebounding) “It's a big time game and there's nothing that can help you settle into a basketball game than making big shots. I don't care what anybody says, we are a defensive team. You make a few shots and everybody starts to feel better. I thought that was a great opening for both teams and a real battle. We talked over the past 24hours about rebounding and I'm thrilled we were able to out rebound Michigan State. Rebecca (Gray) is down on the floor and Keyla (Snowden) is in there boxing out and getting a foul. That kind of play gets you able to tell the team how committed they are. We can't advance in this tournament without the team playing selfless basketball. They are a fun group and I'm fortunate to coach them.
(On Sweet 16 validating teams success) “They don't need to validate themselves to me. I know what they can do. If that validates it across the country and it's great if we get positive recognition. We need to resist the feeling of the Sweet Sixteen being a place of arrival. If anything this team has a good chance of advancing in the next round. That's all they need to worry about. There has been a lot of milestones with this team and to their credit they have not stopped to smell the roses. We will fight like crazy to make them aware that they have a wonderful shot at advancing. No matter who they have next Sunday, they have a great chance to advance. We will enjoy our day off and then I expect them to get back to work. We are happy to be going to Kansas City."
Victoria Dunlap Junior Forward
(Have you ever played in a more physical game?) “Yes I have. That was not the most physical game that we have played in. With their size they obviously had a lot of contact down low.”
(Did you feel that your pressure would kick in the second half and did you feel it when it did?) “Yes. When we went in at halftime, coach just kept telling us to pressure the ball and not let up at anytime. When it did start to kick in, you could just see everybody getting into the flow and getting into the passing lane and being real aggressive and it just went on from there.”
(Did you hurt your ankle?) “Yeah I did late in the first half; I just came down on it wrong. I really didn't tell anybody about it because it was not a bad sprain or anything like that. I think just getting the breaks that coach talked to me about just kept me focused and kept my energy up and just playing hard for my teammates."
(What was your mindset going into today's game and what was your mindset against going against a taller MSU frontcourt?) “The coaches really put it into my mind today that I should try to go around the post players and not try to go through them. In past games I've tried to post up and just turn around and shoot a jumper but coach talked about being aggressive outside and just going around them and focusing on making lay-ups.”
(Could you talk about playing taller than you really are?) “I just play like that. Coach always tells me to just play taller than my size and not just taking it as I'm shorter than someone and not being aggressive about it. Once we start going and getting stops and making lay-ups and just getting on the boards, as a team everyone was getting excited and we were hitting three's and getting transition lay-ups and from there everybody just took it and kept going with it.”
(Can you talk about how there is a little time to celebrate now but there is a lot more basketball to be played?) “We can't get satisfied now even though we are going to the sweet 16. I'm pretty sure coach is going to tell us we can't settle for were we've gone. I know people are going to tell us that we have had a great season but even if we do go there and lose we just can't think that way and no matter what we are going to go in there and play hard.”
Amani Franklin Senior Guard
(Can you talk about what it means to you as a senior to be playing in the sweet 16?) “This is the first time we have been to the NCAA tournament. We have been to three straight NIT's, me and Lydia. We just knew coming into the season what type of team we could be and that is what we are showing right now.”
(Can you talk about the team effort tonight?) “We all came to play together and before the game coach talked about coming out and playing with sincerity. I think all of us came out and played with sincerity today.”
Lydia Watkins Senior Forward
(Can you talk about what it means to you as a senior to be playing in the sweet 16?) “It's a great opportunity for us, just going on to another level of the game. We have never been to it before but it is a very special moment for me and my teammates, just advancing and taking it game by game.”
(Can you talk about the team effort tonight?) “It was a big thing before the game with being sincere with ourselves and our teammates. Coach has been talking about that this whole tournament, just not being an individual player. I definitely think we did that.”
(How big of an advantage was the crowd?) “The fans came out and supported us a lot. It felt like we were playing at home all over again but we couldn't really think about the fans we had to think about playing our game and doing what coach asked us to do. I think we did that today.”
