University of Tennessee Athletics
TENNESSEE VS. AUBURN - POST-GAME QUOTES
January 28, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2002
QUOTING AUBURN COACH JOE CIAMPI - ON THE GAME:
"We got a great effort from our players today. Some teams would have folded when Tennessee made a run in the first half, but we found a defense and played well offensively at the end of the first half to keep it close at halftime. We just didn't have enough to get it done in the end. We tried to take their guards out of the game and put the ball in the hands of people that don't handle it too much. We knew they would counter with players off the bench. They kept their fresh legs on the floor and those bench players stepped-up and preformed very well."
ON LE'COE WILLINGHAM:
"Le'Coe (Willingham) played very well underneath against some very tall girls. I am very impressed with the game she played today."
ON KARA LAWSON:
"Kara Lawson was tough today. We were trying to limit her touches, but she came out red hot. We made an adjustment to stop her and did for a while. She is a great player and played a great game."
QUOTING AUBURN PLAYERS -- Carol Smith
ON THE DEFENSE IN THE SECOND-HALF
"Coach changed the defense in the second half to the triangle and two to try to take the guards away. We wanted them to go inside and I think that was a big part of our comeback. We wanted to take away (Kara) Lawson and (Loree) Moore. They (Tenn.) really feed off of their guards and coach said taking them out of the game was key. Overall I thought we played pretty good.
ON PLAYING WITH A YOUNG TEAM
"I am just happy to get a chance to play with Natasha Brackett and Nicole Louden. They are both true freshman and I will only get a chance to play with them one year, but I think they are going to be great players and continue on the Auburn legacy. Right now, they show a lot of heart and fear nobody. Coach has a lot of confidence in them and so do I.
GENERAL QUOTES
"I thought we maintained our composure. Down low we played tremendous defense going up against people we don't match up with height wise. We did a good job on defense and rebounding the ball, we just couldn't pull it off.
We just have to take it one game at a time now. The way we played here today against the #2 in the country was great, we just have to come out and do this every game."
LE'COE WILLINGHAM
"When you are playing girls that tall, you just have to take it to them, and that is what I tried to do all game. I just wanted to work hard, take it to them, and tried to get fouled. When you play a team like Tennessee, you have to be really aggressive and play them pound for pound."
TENNESSEE HEAD COACH PAT SUMMIT:
ON THE GAME:
"I thought that our team played pretty well today. We played in spurts. Auburn played well, they did a good job making the necessary adjustments. We gave Auburn a fair amount of penetration(to the lane) during the game. Auburn did a good job setting ball screens and taking the ball in the lane. We didn=t get a lot of help off our bench, they weren't very productive. I thought that Ashley Robinson stepped up and played big. Auburn=s young players came in and played competitively. Young players play with no fear, and can get you back in the game because they don't have to play conservative. "
ON AUBURN DEFENSE:
" We thought that Auburn was going to play us in a triangle and two defense, so we practiced against it during the week. Kara Lawson started to read the defense and played smart as the game progressed. I thought Ashley Moore got good shots against the defense."
TENNESSEE GUARD KARA LAWSON:
"The first half we played the way that we wanted to. Give credit to Auburn because they played well in the second half. We just need to learn to stretch our first half lead and put a team away. "
TENNESSEE FORWARD GWEN JACKSON:
"We did a good job on defense, Auburn is a good offensive team. We just need to learn how to play physical, and go up strong with ball."
