|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
BIG TEN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 5, 2010Jolette LawLacey SimpsonJenna SmithINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA Ohio State – 66 THE MODERATOR: We'll begin with an opening statement from Coach Law, then we'll take questions from the student-athletes. COACH LAW: I think in the first half we dug a hole. We didn't play very confident in the first half. But once we settled down, we started executing and doing the little things. And I give a lot of credit to Ohio State. There were those loose balls that we should have gotten that we didn't get. And some of those are turnovers and those were one of those things we kept turning the ball over and they capitalized on those turnovers. You look at those stats, that's what sticks out most in my mind. They capitalized 18 points off of our turnovers. THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes, please. Q. Jenna, talk about that run from like nine minutes to four minutes, and I guess how hard is it to sustain a run against a team like Ohio State and what were you thinking during that run? Were you really feeling like momentum? JENNA SMITH: We all just stayed positive. We knew that we could score easily, just move the ball and play team ball. We had all the confidence in the world in each other. Then all of our teammates -- we were positive and we knew that we could get some balls to get us back in the game. Q. Jenna, it's been a quest especially among the seniors to get this program to the NCAA tournament. Has the realization had it you yet and can you verbalize how it feels to not be able to get to that what you guys have worked so hard? JENNA SMITH: I can't describe how it feels. It just hurts to know that we haven't been there. But we did what we could all four years. Q. Lacey, talk about those last couple of minutes. You guys looked like you were ready to make a run yet you had a couple of shots to cut it to four points. Talk about just those last couple of minutes and I guess what went on? LACEY SIMPSON: Honestly, I am proud of that last part we were in there. We didn't give up. We kept pushing and pushing and swinging. Somebody gets up on you like that you can automatically give in and not do anything. But we kept fighting and kept fighting. Unfortunately, we got the loss. But it eases my mind to know that we went out fighting. Q. Lacey, on that subject, do you feel like you guys have set an example for the younger ones going forward the way you guys have played, particularly in these Big Ten tournaments, the way you guys have fought? LACEY SIMPSON: I truly hope so. I truly hope that I've set the example, not just in games, but practice. Where it matters the most. I always try to lead by example. Try to work hard. Hopefully -- I think it has paid off, especially these last couple of practices. They're getting there. So I'm pretty sure Coach Law and this team will be successful in the years to come. I just know they will. Q. Lacey, talk about how different this team is to this time last year. You came out against Ohio State and you guys got blown out. Can you just talk about how that last little fight, did that show something different about this team from the last season? LACEY SIMPSON: I said it before. Since Coach Law's come here, I definitely think this program is on the rise. This year all this talent, our season doesn't predict how the future is going to be. This is definitely an up-and-coming program. Illini will be an elite program. Coach Law and the recruiting class that's coming in, I truly believe it's going to be a good program. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, ladies. Questions for Coach. Q. Ohio State with the zone defense, was that kind of a change-up for you guys? How did you feel you handled the zone they played? COACH LAW: Not at all. They played zone against us the last two times. They just extended it. They didn't do the tandem 2-3 and try to do the 2-2-1, and back into the 2-3. Actually I was like, wow, my guards can be settled. The last two games we won we played Indiana they played a zone. We played Purdue, they played the zone. Northwestern, they played the zone. I was like, wow, they're actually sitting back and they're not extending it. So we worked on the extended part of it most of the last couple of days. But it's just that right now the first half I was like, okay, we know what we're looking for. We know what we've got to do. I think we were sort of unsure, a little timid, and I just, I don't know -- we were talking about it at half. And once we settled down, the second half you start seeing us execute and get the shots we knew we wanted to get in the first half. I was a little surprised that he went back in just a regular 2-3. Q. Coach, aside from Jantel and it looks like Brittany Johnson, they didn't really shoot the ball all that well, if you look at their numbers. Your thoughts on your defense today in terms of keeping you in the game? COACH LAW: That was one of the things that did keep us in the game. I think for the first half, if we would have dictated it a little more, we wouldn't have dug a hole. We went in the half down 12, something like that. We made some changes. We knew the key people that -- we knew Jantel was going to get her points, but we just wanted to limit her touches. And then we went into a little match-up zone and tried a 1-2. We threw some things at them. Our defense, it was sound, but it was like in the first half we didn't look to attack and we didn't look to get to the free throw line. That's what I stressed to my team. When we're getting to the free throw line more than our opponents, we win. When we're settling for 3-point shots, we're not a very good team, because we're not a 3-point shooting team. But defensively I thought we were sound. And especially in the second half. Q. Talk about a couple of those turnovers down the stretch. Shavelle Little had a couple of steals, talk about her? COACH LAW: Shavelle Little is -- I've said it before, the first they played us, she had eight steals. She was a one-woman press. But I think knowing she's a great defender, I think in the back of our minds some of my guards start thinking about it too much. She got that crucial right at the half, and it was unfortunate. And when I look at the turnovers, that's been the main thing I've been stressing to my team for the last month is that we gotta take better care of the ball on forced turnovers. And those were forced. She forced those in the end. But we had a lot of unforced turnovers. And that's where you see 18 points from Ohio State. So those are the things that we just need to work on, getting better at taking care of the basketball. Q. Could you just put into perspective what Jenna Smith has meant to your program? COACH LAW: A blessing. She's a phenomenal player. But most importantly she's a phenomenal person. I know that she's going to be extremely successful in the years to come. Every day I keep seeing her grow in different areas, on the basketball court, off the court. What she's done -- the first time I came in here she bought into all my philosophies and what I was looking for from her. It's a lot to ask someone their freshman year. She don't get many touches. She gets them off of offensive rebounding. Now I want you to go into scoring double-doubles, getting double-doubles, and you being the centerpiece of the program. She embraced it. And I thank God daily I had an opportunity to coach Jenna as well as Lacey. And she's definitely been just a blessing to have. Q. How has Karisma Penn developed over the years? COACH LAW: She's come into her own. I think as a freshman she plays extremely well. She's still growing and has a lot of growing to do. But I think one thing I can say about Karisma Penn is she has no fear. She may make a mistake, but she'll come back on the defensive end and either get a blocked shot or a steal. I think she's developing under Jenna. She's been paying attention to a lot of things that Jenna has been teaching her. I think in the future she'll be pretty good. Q. Can we safely assume that you would accept a WNIT bid? COACH LAW: If I get invited, yes. I think for -- I don't think my team is ready to stop. We don't want to end on a note like this. And personally for me, you know, it's not about me, it's about my young people that I have coming back. Also about getting some more experience. And just continuing to compete. So if the opportunity comes, we'll probably take it. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach. End of FastScripts |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|