Louisville Postgame Quotes
November 16, 2014 | Women's Basketball
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Louisville Head Coach Jeff Walz
(On the team's defensive performance)
“I thought we did a very good job of trying to dictate the tempo of the game. We forced them into 17 first half turnovers, I think we got 22 points off those turnovers in the first half. We really did a good job of being in passing lanes, reading the next pass, trying to dictate what they were going to do. I was very impressed on film with 34, Ashia Jones. If you allow her to get you in the low block and allow her to start to do what she likes to do, she's tough to guard. She had 29 in their opening game. I thought we did a really good job of causing havoc out there. When they got into a halfcourt (offense), they only had 10 or 12 seconds to actually try to get into something. So, you saw, I think three or four shot clock violations. You saw some rushed shots - things that we need to do to try to create the tempo that we want it to be.”
(On all five starters scoring in double-figures)
“I was very pleased with that. It was nice to see us share the basketball, show that we can shoot the ball. I thought Myisha (Hines-Allen) came on in the second half and really started to play strong in the low block. She had shots that she normally makes, the one off the break, a nice a jump-stop pull-up, that one's got to go in. We ran a little set play for her, she missed one. Those are the only two that I saw that I think she would normally make for us. Mariya Moore did a great job getting to the free throw line. She goes 7-of-8 from the line. That's kind of what I've been trying to talk to a lot of our players about. You've got to figure out a way to score without always having to take shots. Mariya takes five shots, but she figures out a way to get to the line eight times. That's what Myisha did in our first game. She scored 11 but she went 7-of-8 from the free throw line. So, the more we can do in figuring out a way to get to the free throw line, I think the better we're going to be. But you've got to step up and knock them down. Tonight, we go 21-of-26, 12-of-13 in the second half, which is exactly what you want.”
(On Mariya Moore's ability to draw fouls and make free throws)
“I think she was 5-of-6 in the first game, 7-of-8 in this game. That's one thing the kid understands. She knows how to get to the line. She knows how to get fouled. She knows how to put her body in between the ball and the basket, so if someone goes to block the shot, they're going to end up hitting her. That's what smart players do. Don't put the ball up there where it's easily blocked.”
(On the first home game)
“It was great. When you can come out here on game one and get close to 8,000, I was really pleased. Hopefully we can continue to build on this. It's a new team. I thought you saw some flashes of some really nice basketball being played. I thought we shared the ball well. But there are going to be some rough spots. It's a growing time for us right now. With Myisha, Mariya, and Arica Carter out there, those are kids coming straight out of high school that we're expecting to be big time contributors at a top 10 program. It's going to take some time. Even our seniors, you're looking at Sara (Hammond), Bria (Smith), and Jude (Schimmel) - they've got a lot of experience, a lot coming back, but those are kids that weren't, per se, the go-to player the last couple of years. They're used to having the second-, third-, fourth-best defender on them. Well now they've got the best two defenders on them. It's a little bit of a change. You have to get used to it. You have to get a feel for, 'Okay, what can I do?' I challenged Sara. She has to have more than one assist. She's got to be able to make somebody better. That's one thing that I keep telling our players, 'Are you able to make somebody better? Can you get somebody else a shot, instead of always trying to get your own shot?' I saw that from her in the second half when she was trying to penetrate at people and kick, which is what we need. Hopefully you'll start to see more of that as we progress through the season.”
(On whether tonight was an example of how teams will defend them in the future)
“I think it is going to be a matter of personnel. I think UT-Martin knew that we had some inside strength, so they were trying to pack it in more, make us take shots. IUPUI kind of started the same way but at one point we were 4-for-8 from the 3-point line, so I think it is going to depend on how we shoot the ball and I don't mind us shooting the 3, it just doesn't need to be off the first or second pass of the offense. We need to be driving, kicking and throwing it out for the 3. The best 3 is either off of an offensive rebound or a drive and kick so you are stepping into your shot and those are the things we will show to the kids on film.”
(On Sherrone Vails' progress and how to use her in the future)
“I think for Sherrone and Shawnta' (Dyer) right now it is not just a matter of how many minutes, my goal is to keep them healthy come January. We didn't need them to play 20 minutes in this game so I'm not going to throw them out there for 20 minutes. We just played on Friday night, had one day in between and we are coming up on a stretch here when we play 5 games in 10 days. So, if there is a chance where they might only play six or seven minutes in one game because we are up then that's all they are going to play because there is going to be a night where I need Shawnta' to play 25 minutes and I don't need her worn out in a game when we are up by 25-30 points in.”
(On how he is handling Shawnta and Sherrone is similar to Tia Gibbs last year)
“Yes, exactly the same thing we did with Tia last year.”
(On preparing for Belmont and a coach who knows him well)
“You know what? We haven't done anything yet but we will have a day off tomorrow and start preparing on Tuesday into Wednesday and then play on Thursday. It is going to be fun. Cameron (Newbauer) is doing a great job down there. They are picked to win that league, so we are going to have a ballgame there is no doubt in my mind. They are tied with Vanderbilt with a minute to go in the game at Vanderbilt. Cameron is returning all five starters and he has done a really good job recruiting.”
(On the publicity of the billboards)
“Yeah, it is just something that I talked to my staff about, talked to my marketing people about; it is something that I wanted to do. You know it's not all that expensive, which people don't understand. You get them on a digital billboard; you are not paying an expense of having the billboard printed. It is a PDF file - it is real simple and the great thing about them is that you can dictate when you want them up. It's real easy. So, it is very inexpensive way to say a big thank you because our kids loved it, just saying thanks with their picture up in their uniform, and like you said, it gets out there on the internet on a national stage. Sometimes when it comes to recruiting, you try to think outside the box and we had signed them already, so it wasn't anything we were doing to try and get kids, it was just a simple way to say thanks and I think they all really appreciated it.”
(On what his greatest asset when he goes recruiting)
“Well we are just trying to sell what we have here, what we can do for these kids. It is a family environment, it is not just basketball. I want them to experience the entire college experience but at the same time when we step on the floor, we are working, we play in front of a great crowd in a beautiful arena. So, I think we have had success and that all comes together which gives us the ability to go out and recruit some very talented players.”
(On whether he got calls from other coaches after that story went national)
“No, not really; you get a few Twitter messages from some upset fans of other schools saying that we are desperate and this or that but they have already signed and it is nothing I needed to do to get players, but it was actually kind of funny. Twitter is a wonderful thing but there are some frustrated people out there on Twitter, it is really a shame. It is like, boy you really don't have much to do today. So it has been interesting, it is always fun because I have learned that you take everything with a grain of salt, everybody gets all worked up about things and you just keep on going on.”
Senior Forward Sara Hammond
(On first win at home)
”It feels great. Especially for our freshmen, they were anxious and we kept telling them about the fans we have and how it was going to be loud. I think they were just excited to get out there. And of course for me and Bria, it's our last go around so we are going to enjoy every home game we get.”
(On the 19-2 run after timeout)
“He wanted us to be more aggressive in our press because he knew we were getting them rattled. We were wanting to trap it and make them play faster than they wanted to and make half court passes. He also wanted us to be more aggressive in our offense as well, they were playing a zone on us. They were playing a zone on us. He kept telling us they were leaving us wide open shots for a reason and they want us to shoot these threes. He wanted us to get in the lane, find our teammates, get somebody a shot. And I think once we finally connected with what he wanted us to do, it worked out well.”
(On all five starters scoring in double figures)
“Coach told us seniors he didn't need us to average 20 points a night, he just needed us to have a team effort. It has to be everyone. We can't have two people 14, 12 points here and then someone have two points. We have to have every person here ready to have their A game every night. Not just physically but mentally you need to be in the game. I think when you have five of our starters in double figures, we are going to be pretty hard to stop.”
(On the transition of the freshmen into the lineup)
“It's gone pretty well so far. Obviously we have a lot to work on but for the most part our coaches are pretty impressed with the team chemistry and the team bonding with the players out on the court. Early on in the season we are gelling together, veterans with new people, obviously the connection and the flow will be a little off. Once we get about five, six, or seven games in you will start to see who he puts on the floor and who is going to be out there and who connects the best. To have two games under our belts feels good so far.”
(On having Sheronne Vails and Shawnta' Dyer back)
“The coaches have been preaching to us that we are five deep in the post right now. Once we get Cortnee Walton back we are six deep in the post. We are all experienced. The coaches are telling us to give it all you got, we can sub in and out and we can wear the opponents' post players out. To have Shawnta' and Sheronne back, they have that experience and know what they are doing and I don't think any of us or the coaches don't have that lack of trust when you don't know what to expect when they get out there on the floor. They got in there, they rebounded and Shawnta' is our best low block post and I think coach is really confident in her ability right now and Sheronne is coming along too.”
Senior Guard Bria Smith
(On first win at home)
“Same as what Sara said - I think we just feel really blessed to have this opportunity to be out here and represent Louisville.”
(On Mariya Moore)
“I think her picking up the pace of the game. She has definitely been working hard in practice and everything. So for her to just continue to learn is going to be good for us.”
(On UT-Martin's six 3-pointers)
“I think it was little breakdowns that we had on defense. We knew going into this game that they could shoot the 3. It's something that we just need to go back to practice and work on it.”
(On this team's character)
“I think it is our defense. We are a great defensive team right now. We have little breakdowns her and there. I think from the past teams we have had, we have more players that can get after it. I think it is one thing that we can focus on because our defense is going to lead to our offense this year.”
