Nov. 21, 2008

Recap |  Box Score |  Photo Gallery 1  |  Photo Gallery 2 

Q: What was the difference in the first compared to the second half?
A: In the second half we played with a higher level of intensity and focus, which was something that we talked about at half time. We also rebounded better in the second half, pushed the ball and scored in transition. Those are things that have to be staples for us, rebounding the ball. We limited them to one shot most times and went down and got a good shot in transition. I thought those were the keys. We played better defense and that allowed us to get out and score on transition.

Q: How important is the non-conference stretch before you get into Big Ten play?
A: I think this is going to be an interesting couple of weeks. There are a couple things that we are going to learn about ourselves. How we play on the road, against better competition and how our defense stacks up against better competition. We are going to be tested. Like I told the team a lot of it is going to be our resolve in practice. In some ways we were a little tired, going Sunday, Wednesday and Friday and practicing everyday. We didn't have as much recovery time as we would like. Over the next two weeks we are playing pretty regularly so it is going to be a mental test for us. Can we rise to the occasion and practice to prepare to be competitive? I hope the answer to that is yes.

Q: Do you think your kids were caught looking ahead?
A: No, I think it is just a matter of focus because this week has been long. We normally practice a few days and then have a day off and we didn't have that coming into this game. We were a little tired. We had a couple people not quiet 100%. We allowed those distractions to cause us to not come out and play with the kind of intensity and focus that we needed the first half. We regrouped in the second half. I think those are the mental challenges and hurtles that we have to learn to overcome.

Q: Is there a sigh of relief having the first three wins behind you?
A: No, no sigh of relief. We will look ahead to Pittsburgh. We will get into the gym tomorrow and get ready for a tough Pittsburgh team. They are a good team and they play well at home. They are big and quick and athletic and they get on the boards. I think that this is season is going to be night in and night out, no gimmies, no easy nights. We have to battle every night.

Q: How did you feel about Tyra's play sense she struggled the first half and what she was able to do to change things around?
A: I felt what she did the second half was that she was more aggressive in going to the basket and not simply settling for the jumper. That is one of the things we talked about with her, having the in-between game in the zone. I think she got on the boards and got on the transition and then she got to the free throw line as well. I think her being aggressive off the bounce and finding the mid-range game really helped her out.

Brianne O'Rourke
Senior, Guard

Q: You guys struggled a little in the first half but you're 3-0 can you guys take a sign of relief now you got past the first three games?
A: I think so. You know, these first couple of games were building blocks for us and now we have two tough teams ahead of us. So, that's what we're going to focus on going into practice tomorrow. I think these were three good games to get under our belt to begin the season.

Q: Bri, how special is Monday for you, going back to your old stomping grounds?
A: It'll be very special. I was just talking out there, I'm going to have a lot of fans, a lot of family, and a lot of friends there so, it's always special to go play in front of your family and friends and your hometown. I'm excited for that, but you know their a big team it's going to be a big game for us. I'm definitely going to be focused and not worried about who's there and who's not. It's definitely going to be fun to go home and play.

Q: Coach Cooper was just in here talking about you guys how cool is that?
A: It's awesome to see people like that. We have one of our own in Coach Quese, but its just great to see the women out there coaching young ladies and trying to get them to the level that they were at. It's just great to go against coaches like that and it's nice to meet them as well too, but it's a lot of respect we show them on the court as well. And it's just fun to go against coaches like that.

Tyra Grant
Junior, Guard

Q: Tyra, for you personally can you describe your first half and your second half and what changed for you?
A: Turnovers, that what I can say changed. I don't think I was as focused as I should have been and I just tried to refocus and gather myself and get myself to the right spot mentally and I think that's what changed.

Q: I know you all talk about taking one game at a time, but isn't it just natural to look at a little bit to see what you guys have coming up with Pitt and Texas A&M looming?
A: I believe that at some points we do look at upcoming games. Last night we looked at Michigan vs. Texas A&M just to get a look at what we're going to be up against in the Big Ten and the upcoming week. But as a role and this season we don't really do that. It's looking towards a team that were going to go up against the upcoming day.

Q: Coach you started pretty well the first few possessions, what went south for you from there?
A: I thought Penn State came out in the second half, I don't know what Coquese told them, but they came out in the second half much more focused and ready to play. They hit some key three pointers, offensive rebounds, just some solid play from their point guards and I thought in the second half that we just didn't believe. We didn't believe we should have been only four points down. We never quite believed we should be where we were at that time and when you second-guess yourself in a game against an opponent like Penn State, you're in for a lot of trouble. So the two things were one, Penn State picked it up. They picked it up in the second half and took it to another level. And then I thought we lost some confidence, we didn't truly believe we should be in the game with a team like Penn State.

Q: Can you talk about what it was like to coach against Coach Washington?
A: Well Coquese is my girl and we won a championship together with the Comets. It's always fun to come and see the team that Coquese built. You see her as a player; you know how intense she is and how much she wants to win. It's fun to see, well, not 31 points fun, but its fun to see how she really has gotten her team together and put in them her same type of drive and determination and defensive intensity. They're all over the place. It almost seems like they're in man when they're in zone and you're wondering how is it that help is always there. That's Coquese. It was fun to coach against her; I wish I could have given her a little more competition.

Q: Has your team had trouble with turnovers this year?
A: Well we've had our trouble with turnovers. Our basic problem is that we aren't, in my opinion, a team that finishes well. Whether it be around the basket or whether it be games. We played 30 minutes strong and never believed in that 30 minutes that we should be in the position we were in. It cost us because Penn State went on a run and I thought it deflated us. We've had trouble with turnovers but we've been able to play solid defense and that's allowed us to stay in the game during those moments of a game when we have a scoring low. When we're unable to get the ball in the basket. Normally we change our defense around quite a bit. Normally our defense allows us to still stay close and then we pick it up on the offensive end but it didn't happen tonight.

Q: Is there some part of you that can appreciate Penn State's guard play today?
A: Yes, I love it. The guards are so smart. When you talk about "I can shoot a three or I can penetrate, I can go left, I can go right", when you have those kinds of options, that's one thing. But when you're also able to make the people around you better at the same time, that's special. That's special when you can knock down a key three pointer when the shot clock is about to run out. O'Rourke is just a great leader; Coquese is lucky to have her. Not matter what happened, she kept her team together. No matter how many runs we made or how many defensive plays, she continued to keep her team focused and ready to make that run. She was the catalyst; with her three point shooting as well as penetrating and kicking it out. Definitely, I can appreciate the guard play.

Q: What did you think of Grant's play in the second half?
A: Grant is a player. She doesn't do one thing well; she does all of them great. So you really have to be careful. She didn't have necessarily a good first half, but real players come to the dance when it's time to play. Grant did that. And I thought Grant benefited from O'Rourke's penetration. I thought O'Rourke had a complete game and I thought Grant brought it in the second half. You tip your hat to players that can play when the going gets tough. They were a tough duo to defend tonight.