Louisville-Western Kentucky Postgame Quotes
December 11, 2016 | Women's Basketball
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Head Coach Jeff Walz
(On Myisha Hines-Allen and Asia Durr stepping up late to help seal the victory)
"Yeah, they knocked down some open shots, which is what we have to do. We're, I think, 8-for-9 from the 3-point line and down six. That's a little concerning about your defensive effort. You're 8-for-9 from the 3-point line in the first half, you would expect to be up probably 15. And Michelle [Clark-Heard] did a fantastic job. Her kids played hard, they executed. We knew exactly what they were looking to do. They run the high ball screen and then dive and replace and we tried to guard it in different ways, but you've got to communicate and you have to actually follow through with the game plan. We kept talking about well we switched that, you've got to come foot-to-foot and then switch and at times we would just wait down on the block, so then if I'm guarding the first roller, I've got to go all the way to the block if the other one is coming high, and then I get too low so then by the time it gets thrown back to the 3-point line, I can't recover in time, and they're knocking down 3s. Simply because the bottom post would not come up with them and go foot-to-foot. So it's things that we're working on and teaching in practice, and now I've got to have a carryover. Western is very well coached, they've done a great job, they've got talented players, so when you have a break downs, they're going to score."
(On Sydney Zambrotta's early entrance and if he was looking for her 3-point skill set)
"No, she practiced hard the past two days. It's crazy how that works. She actually came out the past two days and competed and was trying to take somebody's playing time in practice and looked really good. I told her, I said, 'Hey, I'm going to give you a chance to play on Sunday.' And then what I'll give her credit for is she took advantage of that opportunity, and that's what you have to do but you have to be willing to come everyday and compete. They're all friends with great team chemistry, but when it comes to practice, I've got to come and be willing to take your playing time, if I want to play. And if you're playing in front of me and if I don't want to take your playing time, just be real nice to them."
(On the team finding the resolve to come back late in games)
“Well, we have actually gotten down and defended, which we knew was going to be important. We didn't have many breakdowns there toward the end in that fourth quarter. I was really proud how we started the fourth quarter defensively because we missed the first two shots, I believe, of the fourth quarter, or was it the third, one of them. Had two great looks and missed them, but then we had stops too because all the sudden if it goes from eight to 12, you've got big time problems. So we actually defended, which was important.”
(On getting ready to play South Dakota State)
“Well, I think what we can take away from it is if you don't come out and follow a game plan and defend, it's not going to be good because we can't expect to go 10-for-17 from the 3-point line every night. I mean, I don't know what the rules are Paul, but I'm just going to start to see if we can start to shoot our free throws from behind the 3-point line; or, at least get as far back as we can because I think if you get outside of the circle it's a violation, so we're going to stand in the far back and I'll see if the official will allow me to throw it to them from the bench, shoot a 3 in stride, because we do it better than we shoot free throws. Although, again our free throw shooting philosophy, our formula, we made one-of-two. Myisha [Hines-Allen] gets the rebound, gets fouled, and, I believe, made both of them, so we're plus one.”
(On taking advantage of missed free throws)
“Yeah, but that one was one, got fouled, made two so we got three instead of two. Yeah it's that math I'm telling you about. When you shoot it as poorly as we do right now, that's one thing I'll give our kids, we're going after them. We've realized 'Hey, we're not a great free throw shooting team, so let's see if we can get a rebound off a missed free throw.' Myisha does that at the end of the game, and then they've got to foul her and she steps up and makes two free throws.”
Myisha Hines-Allen and Sydney Zambrotta
(On Is there something special you did this week making all those 3's)
SZ: “Not really. Just over the past few months, coach Walz has been telling me in order to play I have to shoot the ball well. So, from practice and my teammates giving me the ball, I think I'll be able to do that.”
(On what were you seeing different in them in the last five minutes of the game)
MHA: “We just had to get stop on defense. That's where it all started. When we came out strong in the third quarter and we're able to hold them, I don't know how many points we gained. It's just always defense and then offense.”
(On how tough Western Kentucky was)
MHA: “When we played them last year at their place, they beat us. We knew that they were a great team and capable of beating us and we didn't come out with a lot of energy and that's why it was a hard game to play.”
(On expecting Asia Durr to be able to knock down clutch 3s)
MHA: “Yeah, Asia there can slide out and shoot the ball. And she can create room for herself. She's a great player and we're just lucky to have her, and for her to be able to do the things she does.”
(On whether Sydney Zambrotta was surprised how early she entered the game)
SZ; “Kind of, but I mean I knew that when I got in the game, I had to step up for my team and my teammates, and I'm happy we got the win.”
(On takeaways for the South Dakota State game)
MHA: “All defense. We're able to score. It's just like our defense and playing with intensity, and coming out in the game strong. I think our whole thing is defense.”
Western Kentucky Head Coach Michelle Clark-Heard
(Opening statement)
“First off I just wanted to say that it was an amazing atmosphere out there. I was really proud of my team and how they fought, and competed. It's always good to have a chance to coach against Jeff (Jeff Walz), he's done a phenomenal job with this program. Coach Sanderford to be here is always great. We both started out with him, so it means a lot. I'm just proud of my group but disappointed we came up on the short end.”
(In it for three quarters, what happened in the fourth quarter)
“Well they outrebounded us in the fourth quarter, and it hurt when Ivy (Ivy Brown) went out. The kids battled though; we were still right in it with four minutes to go. As a coach, it's what you always say, where you get to the four-minute mark, and you have a shot to win. I have to go back and dissect the film. We made some mental mistakes, but credit to them. Asia (Asia Durr) made big shots, they did great things, and they came out with the win, and that is what a top-10 team in the country does.”
(What does that say about your program, winning last year and staying close this year?)
“I'm so blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to be standing here as a head coach, and every day, myself and the staff just try to go out there every day and try to be the best we can be. I hope people just look at that, and look at a game like today, and the things we have been doing, and understand and know that our program is just going to try to continue to keep rising.”
(Was 3-point shooting part of the game plan, or it just happened?)
“No, we shoot. If you watch us play, that is what we do, we shoot the three. When you are an undersized team, and they are bigger than us, and most teams will be bigger than us, then it is what we have to do. We have to play to our advantage, and our advantage is changing up defenses and trying to make shots.”
(On how Kyvin Goodin-Rogers looked first game back)
“Of course, it is her first game back, and she has to try to get her feet under her, and do little things, but I was proud of her. The decision is that she is one of the best post players on the team, and that is the decision. At the end of the day she was coming to practice and working, and doing the things she needs to. I'm going to play the best and my team knows that.”
