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NCAA WOMEN'S 1ST & 2ND ROUNDS: SPOKANEMarch 23, 2013Shacobia BarbeeJasmine HassellAndy LandersSPOKANE, WASHINGTON GEORGIA – 70 COACH LANDERS: You know, I think for the most part it was very much what we thought it would be, a very physical and aggressive basketball game. I think physical, because Montana enjoys that style, I think aggressive, because we enjoy that style, and it was a very hard‑fought game by both teams. I was really pleased with the way our basketball team defended from the beginning of the game to the end of the game, and I felt like that the desired effect of that defense probably set in at somewhere around the 13‑minute mark there in the second half. I felt like that we started to benefit from having played it the way that we had played it at about that point with maybe Montana missing a few more shots; us doing a better job of rebounding the ball, and then getting out in transition and creating some plays. But overall, just a very hard‑fought game. You know, nothing but respect for Montana, because they fought the fight. I thought as the game wore on, our quickness on the defensive end started to separate us from them. Q. What does it mean to be able to advance to Monday's game after today's win? SHACOBIA BARBEE: It's an honor because not a lot of teams get to make it to the second round. It's just a good feeling. JASMINE HASSELL: It's a good feeling. We're pleased. But now it's time to focus on the next game, and that's what we're going to do. Q. The game was at 38‑36 with you guys ahead, when suddenly it seemed like you guys put the pedal to the metal and took off; can you talk about the 20 or so run put on there? JASMINE HASSELL: I think the key to that was defensively. We started turning them over, so there for we started making plays on the offensive ends. We all started just buckling down and played good D. Q. How much talk was there maybe in the last 24 hours about what happened in the first round last year and did any of those thoughts at all creep in when they got within two and you guys made your run to pull away? JASMINE HASSELL: To be honest, last year wasn't brought up. And personally, when it came to that tie, whatever, I didn't even think about it. I just knew that our opportunity is now, and it's time to go and just there's no reason to think about last year. Last year is in the past. It's time to move on. We are in a new tournament, new team, so that's what we did. Q. Tell me about your first experience in the NCAA Tournament, this is your first game. What did you think? SHACOBIA BARBEE: It was everything I expected, especially playing against Montana, all the coaches already said that they were going to be physical, and they brought all that physicality to the game. It was just a good feeling. Q. How did she do, Jasmine? JASMINE HASSELL: She did great (smiling). Q. What was the defensive goal? It seemed like you guys really tried to extend your pressure and get in the passing lanes a lot, make it difficult for them just to get even set into their offense. COACH LANDERS: Yeah, the extension wasn't by design. Our pressuring the ball led us further and further away from the basket, which was a good thing, because you know, if you go back and watch the first couple of possessions, we are playing hard pressure on the ball at the three‑point line. And as the game wore on, the ball started to slow down and kind of wait and hesitate and so we had to go out and extend it. But simply put, the idea tonight was: Let's get as much pressure as we can on the point. Not just on the bounce, but let's pressure her to the point of release of the pass; so that we give ourselves a chance to get up in the passing lanes and possibly deflect. And then, let's do that, all right. So we have A, pressure, pressure the point; B, let's get up in the passing lanes and try to deflect, and as we are doing that, let's be aware of backdoor opportunities and let's guard the backdoor. I thought we were really good the first five minutes of the game right there. They threw the ball two or three times on backdoor cuts, and then they kind of settled in, didn't want to throw anymore, which is a great thing and allowed us to deny a little harder. And then let's stay focused. We did most everything we wanted to do. Let's stay focused on 10, let's stay focused on 22, the perimeter airy offensive players, and then let's not give up the three. Well, the three ball is where we became undisciplined. We accomplished every objective we had defensively other than cleaning up after ourselves, rebounding the ball. They got far too many offensive rebounds but they are very good at it. And allowing as many threes as we did‑‑ you know, they were very good. You have to give Montana credit for some of it. They were very good at taking advantage of us being undisciplined. At times, we left our man, chase someone else, and almost every time, they came back and found the open man and knocked down a three. So that was the only piece of the objective we didn't meet. Q. Looking ahead at Iowa State, what concerns you? COACH LANDERS: Everything. At first glance, you have to be concerned about them in every way. You know, they have unbelievably good height. They have an exceptional point guard. They drop the threes with incredible efficiency, and they do that throughout the lineup. Are you kidding me, six, seven, dropping threes, wow. They are very well coached and they execute their stuff in the half court, and when they want the three they know how to go about getting it. If they want to put one of their giant kids up, they know how to do that, they are very good, as most of Billy's teams have been, if not all of them have been good. You know, I know Iowa State, and I really think this is Billy's best team in a long time. They are really good. Q.  Since we are on the topic of Iowa State, they look like they played you six kids, you go 11. Is depth going to have to be a difference for you tomorrow, too, Monday? COACH LANDERS: Well, you know, we are who we are and they are who they are. Now you're introducing me to something that I'm not‑‑ I can't agree or disagree with you because I don't know. I mean, okay, so they played that many kids. Is that what they normally do? Because I don't know. I'm asking you. You know, because if that's what they do, and they do what they do, we do what we do; you know, and we'll know more after we've played the game whether it's an advantage or disadvantage. You know, really, today, I thought our depth was an advantage for us, because our people came off the bench, played very well and made defensive plays. They were locked in when they went on the court. They knew what we were doing. Just couldn't see any drop‑off. They were very, very good. If they do that again, Monday, then they could be an asset to us. But I don't know what ‑‑ how many people they normally play; if they play six or seven, maybe we can wear on them a little bit. Maybe not, maybe not; maybe they will slow it down. Q. I had asked you yesterday about your freshmen input this season and you had spoken about Griffin and Barbee ‑‑ COACH LANDERS: Do you like them? Q. I mean, four assists and no‑‑ I don't have the final count, but no turnovers for Griffin and I saw that play from Barbee at the halfcourt, you must have loved that. COACH LANDERS: You like them, don't you. Q. Kind of my angle I'm going for. COACH LANDERS: We like them. (Laughs). You can see what I was talking about. You know, I mean, they have a good sense, a good feel for the game. They are tough kids defensively. They both have some growing to do offensively. You know, we'll get there with the offensive‑‑ they are very good offensive, they have skills, they can shoot the three ball, they can put it on the deck. Knowing when you can make a play, and when it's not play day, is a big piece of that transition from high school to college. I mean, most of these kids in high school can make a play any time they want. Now they try and make it and they end up, you know, in between three opponents trying to figure out how they got their, what their name, and where they are at. That's a piece that we have to continue to work on. But yeah, we love those kids. Marion is going to be a good one, Marjorie Butler played well today. They have made us better. Q. One more on Iowa State, if you don't mind. Do you view stylistically how you play and Iowa State plays similar in any ways, or do you think you are two totally different teams? COACH LANDERS: I haven't watched them enough to really be definitive. I think that what little bit I've seen, they are a team‑‑ they are team that I don't know if I've seen enough to even say this, but they are a team that executes very, very well. They flow into what they want to do. They are smooth offensively. You know, and honestly, I had not watched them enough defensively to tell you whether they are tough or sneaky or what, so I don't guess I can answer your question. Yeah, all I know is they are big; they are really, really big; big; big. Tomorrow I'll watch some tape and give you some better answers. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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