Louisville Women's Basketball Postgame Quotes
February 23, 2017 | Women's Basketball
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Head Coach Jeff Walz
(On the edge in rebounding and second chance points)
“I was really proud of how we battled on the boards. It was a point of emphasis. It has been actually since our Duke game. It's been a point of emphasis for the past 14 games, and I think we have actually done a great job of following through with it. Our kids have done a great job of really buying in because that's what we have to do. We have to continue to rebound the basketball. We've got to be able to create opportunities for us to score. Just really proud of them.”
(On Jazmine Jones stepping up)
“It's back-to-back games I thought Jaz [Jazmine Jones] has really done some great things. For a little bit of that time, I tried to make her smile. I was like, 'Jaz you're wearing white, babe, but it looks like you're throwing it to the team in orange. Let's throw it to our team for a while.' She kind of smirked, and I was like 'It's OK, you can smile. I know you're not trying to, but slow yourself down.' I thought she did some good things, especially in the first half. When we needed some buckets, she really attacked, and that's what we had to have.”
(On Mariya Moore not playing)
“Mariya and BJ [Briahanna Jackson] were both serving a one game suspension. I know BJ's back (is injured). We were hoping that she might be able to play, but for a violation of a team rule. We're just trying to hopefully continue to teach all of our kids that the choices you make affect everyone, not just them, their teammates, our fans.”
(Briahanna was suspended as well?)
“Yeah, she was suspended for a one game suspension too. They'll be back tomorrow for practice. I'm not sure if BJ's going to be able play because of her back. She tweaked it again the other day. It's a process where if we could possibly get her back for the NCAA tournament, I think that's a realistic goal for us because we're really going to try and take things slow.”
(On not having the players with half the assists on the team and the challenges that caused)
“It's the way they play that buzz zone. They're very aggressive. They're spread out. You have to make plays, and you have to make shots. We had some great looks the ball just did not go in. We start the game with a 3 by Asia (Durr), and then I thought she passed up about two or three shots the next few times down the floor. We kept telling her 'Hunt baby. You've got to hunt shots. Go after them. Find them.' Overall, I thought that she started to really look to score more, to be a threat. I thought she played fantastic. I thought Myisha (Hines-Allen) played really well too. Excited for them. I thought Sam Fuehring played well. Kylee (Shook), even though she's 0 for 4, she has six boards. Everybody that came in. Syd Zambrotta hit two big 3s. Ciera (Johnson), in the first half, I thought she did some really good things. It's a game where they're all going to continue to get more playing time and hopefully get more confidence.”
(On Sydney Zambrotta's potential playing time in the postseason)
“It's all about practice too. As I always say, I need to have consistency in practice so I know I'm going to get consistency in the game. Give me confidence in practice, so when I put you out there, I feel good. Like Sam Fuehring, she's had some really good practices the past week, and she's actually played well too. It's not an accident. That's what I keep trying to tell. I'm like, 'Guys it's like school. When you study for an exam, you're probably going to do well. Then when they don't study, they're like, 'Man I don't know what happened.' Well you forgot to study. It's like practice, if you have two bad days of practice, you're probably going to play bad. I'm really proud of how they've been approaching practice and approaching trying to get better, instead of possibly pouting that they're not playing as much as they want. They're now trying to start working so they're ready when they're opportunity comes.”
(How important was it tonight and then Sunday as far as wanting to play here again…? )
“It is really important. I mean we have to continue. If we can go down to Wake and figure out a way to win, and it is not going to be easy because Wake is playing some really good basketball right now. If we can go down there and figure out a way to win, then it's really going to go well for our chances to host the first and second round (of the NCAA Tournament), but we still have to play the ACC Tournament. You know now, Sunday Virginia is going to have NC State at home, we are going down at Wake. If Virginia can come out with a win and we figure out a way to win and we get bumped up to that 4 seed, but I'm going into it as we have to take care of business and then I plan on being a 5 in the ACC Tournament and then we will have to prepare to play Thursday. I think that is the 12, 13 winner, but we know what we have in front of us on Sunday and it is not going to be easy.”
(On how the team is progressing as the ACC Tournament nears)
“I am excited about the group. You know, now our biggest question is can we make good decisions off the court for the next month because it affects us when we don't have players playing because of the choices you make off the court. So, hopefully, we have all that out of us because we need to make good choices off the floor so we can have our entire roster ready to play. You know if you can't play because you are injured, that's a whole different story. That is something you can't control, but everything else you got to be able to make good choices so you are not effecting yourself, your teammates, our fans. So, if we can do that, I really like where we are right now. I think we are playing some good basketball. I'm excited the way Myisha and Asia played tonight. Mariya played really well against North Carolina and I always said, if we get those three playing at an elite level, then we are going to be a pretty tough matchup for somebody because we do have Jaz (Jazmine) now really start playing her best basketball. Kylee has done some good things. Sam is doing some good things. You know Bionca, Taylor, Ciera, our whole team to be honest with you, has all given us minutes and that's what I continue to preach to them that I don't care how many minutes you play, I just need you to make an impact. Make a difference. Make a positive impact in or off the court.”
(On Asia Durr's confidence and how it has evolved)
“I think for her it's really been about being able to be just confident in herself and not worrying about if I miss a couple shots, what's everybody going to think. You know it is like hey, you can't be the hero if you are not willing to be the goat. I mean that's what it all comes down to and that's the one thing I always used to say about Shoni Schimmel. You know, the kid missed the last shot she ever took here for us. It was a pretty darn good shot. It was probably the easiest 3 Shoni had in that entire Maryland the last minute, but I sure remember the 3 she made before that falling out of bounds from about 28 feet, but she wanted the ball. Like nobody else was going to shoot it. Shoni was going to shoot it and that's what you have to have. You got to have that confidence to say hey, the ball is in my hands. I am going to make the play and that is one reason why I love coaching Shoni and I think Asia is getting to that point because Asia can play with the ball. You know she can create her own shot, which is really important. I thought the assist she had to Jaz in the first half was a big time pass. You know because she started also to make her teammates better which is going to really evolve her game.”
Cortnee Walton, Briahanna Jackson, Taylor Johnson
(Impressions on senior night?)
Taylor: “It was definitely a fun game. It was nice to be recognized. All of the seniors being recognized for all of their hard work over the course of the season and past seasons. I think the game just made it even better. I think we had too many turnovers, but I think overall, we played hard, and we played together.”
BJ: “I feel like it was a lot of good positive energy out there. The crowd was here and they were into it. My team, I thought they went out and played hard. I am really glad that they got the win tonight.”
Cortnee: “It was really cool. I was trying to stay strong because it is hard after being here for five years, and then realizing that this could be my last home game here. It was a great experience, and it was even better that we won, and how we won. I thought that we played really well. Like Taylor (Taylor Johnson) said, we need to cut down on turnovers, but the way we played defense was very impressive, especially in the first half.”
(Huge advantage in rebounds Cortnee, was that what you went in hoping for?)
Cortnee: “That wasn't one of the things that we talked about in pregame. That is something that we work on everyday. We pride ourselves on being one of the top rebounding teams in the conference and in the country. We know that is one of the reasons why we win a lot of games. Not that we didn't put a lot of emphasis on it, but it is something that we emphasize all of the time.”
(Briahanna day to day?)
BJ: “Yes, sometimes I feel better than others, but I am not trying to push it.”
(Taylor talk about the other seniors?)
Taylor: “They are both great people. Me and BJ (Briahanna Jackson), we don't hang out as much off of the court, but on the court and around our team, I think we have bonded. We click really well. I just admire her heart and passion for the game. We can never second guess if she is going to bring it every game. Not even practices too. After this season, I look forward to keeping in touch with her, and I know she will do great things. For Cortnee, we connect on a spiritual level. With FCA and our beliefs in god, and things like that is a connection that we have, and talk about a lot off of the court and on the court. As a player, she is always getting boards and always getting rebounds, and her effort too, we never have to question. It has just been great playing with both of them, and Cortnee too, I look forward to keeping in touch with her after the season.”
(Cortnee how important to have two more games at the KFC Yum! Center?)
Cortnee: “It would be huge because, especially women's basketball, home court advantage is huge. In the men's game, they aren't allowed to play at home, and we have a huge advantage of being able to play at home. It is important for us to win these next two games because that would solidify us getting a No. 4 seed. It's the crowd, and the fans being behind you, makes it easier when you are playing at home as opposed to a really good team at their place.”
(Taylor not having BJ or Mariya, what was the challenge for getting offense going?)
Taylor: “I think we adjusted well. I think our practices have helped prepare me for that. That could be a challenge, but we are able to adjust and make things happen for other players.”
(Cortnee how far can this team go?)
Cortnee: “This team can go very far. We can realistically win a national championship and get to the Final Four. I think we are our own worst enemy and we hold ourselves back more than other teams do. A lot of the time, we beat ourselves. If you look at a lot of our losses, they have all been really close, and it came down to a stretch of possessions where we can't get a stop or turn the ball over. It is all things that we can control, so if we capitalize on the things we can control, then we will go really far.”
(On Briahanna Jackson looking at coming back soon)
BJ: “I don't plan on playing this Sunday. We are looking for the NCAA Tournament right now.”
(Taylor transferring. Viewpoints going into the post season?)
Taylor: “This is the most confidence I have had playing with any team really. Like Cortnee said, I think we can go really deep into the tournament. We have all of the tools necessary that we need, especially once BJ is back on the court with us. I'm just really looking forward to this experience because it will be my first time playing in the NCAA Tournament.”
(On Briahanna Jackson receiving the No. 23 jersey instead of 0 that she wears this season)
BJ: “Yes, because 23 is my main number. I just decided to be a good person and let Jaz have it since she will be here for four years, and I am on my way out.”
