University of Tennessee Athletics
TENNESSEE VS. TCU - POST GAME QUOTES
February 11, 2003 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 11, 2003
Recap?|? Box Score?|? Photo Gallery
Tennessee Head Coach Pat Summitt
(opening remarks) Obviously, the first half we weren't inspired to guard anyone, particularly one-on-one. I thought that TCU played great. If I was their coach, I'd be pleased with how they played tonight and not real happy that they played this way just tonight. If they were in our league, they would be in the top eight, personnel-wise. It was a tough battle for us and two players that stepped up big were LaToya Davis and Courtney McDaniel. LaToya did a good job off the bench. Courtney showed a lot of composure and a lot of energy.
It was good for us to be in this situation. We started out and thought this was going to be another blow out. Wrong! I thought it was a good learning situation for us.
(on playing a team with a losing record) With our schedule I can't remember playing many teams with a losing record, period. Watching the tape today, if I was sitting there as a player I would have been impressed. It looks like the tape was on fast forward. They are efficient in moving and playing together. Obviously, a few of us didn't come ready to play. When you have the weapons they have, you can't have the breakdowns and you can't really help defensively as every time we helped, they kicked the ball out and hit some big shots.
(on frequent TCU substitutions) I've not seen them sub as freely as they did. In the DePaul game, they subbed three and four at a time. I think that they were trying to match our depth and they obviously worked on it. They were pretty inspired. Did that make a difference? No, not really. For them, it got everyone playing hard and hustling well. It got everyone excited and involved and they beat us to a lot of loose balls.
(on motivation to focus against a team with a losing record) No question, I told them after the game that we have to remember how everyone plays when they see orange, but they hadn't had that happen to them in the last few games. But I don't want to lose sight of our ability in the second half to keep our distance, answer their runs and maintain our lead.
(on Kara Lawson) I think moving Kara to the point was a key both offensively and defensively. She showed a lot of leadership. I don't think it's so much their defensive alignment, it's just that she's a senior and is ready to play in those situations. We ran three different zone looks in the first half and her experience allowed her to play that. All she's thinking about is missing those two free throws. Better that happen now than later.
(on Shanna Zolman) Shanna Zolman did an excellent job of keeping us calm offensively.
(on LaToya Davis) I thought LaToya played really well as far as the second half. She was much stronger with the basketball and played with a lot of confidence. I thought her defense during that stretch was important for us as well. She was very effective for us.
(on Courtney McDaniel ) I think Courtney is one of our more versatile post players and certainly more active. In the first half, I wanted to get the ball inside to Ashley [Robinson] and Courtney was open every time. They were playing Ashley with one and a half players while Courtney was playing more one on one
(on Tasha Butts) Butts was steady in all aspects of her game, obviously. She hit a big baseline shot for us in a key moment of the game. She broke down some times in the first half, but played well defensively and made some good decisions on offense
Tonight was a big test for us. We came out clicking and then got sluggish. In the second half we came out and played tough. Like I said before, is that we have to refocus and take this game as a learning experience for the road ahead of us. TCU is a very good team and we found a way to pull out a win.
Kara and I had a chat before the game tonight. My focus was on getting a double-double tonight, not so much on points. I wanted to get on the offensive boards and mix it up with the big people. I think that generates from our defense. I was just trying to get on the boards. I had a lot of movement tonight and I didn't stop. I tried to keep getting to the boards. With assists, I was going to people like Courtney that were on offensively. I just got them the ball and they were able to knock down the shots.
We watched film with each of the coaches and the post players watched them with Pat. She showed me ways to get open on film and I just went and applied that in the game. If it doesn't get us open, then it gives our guards a shot. We just worked hard to get open. I worked on holding seals inside.
I wish we had came out with more intensity and focus to this game. It was good for us as we are getting ready to go up against Auburn, Georgia and LSU. TCU exploited some of our weaknesses right now and one on one defense is one of them. Now we know what to focus on now in practice.
Kara Lawson
I don't remember them making that many threes on tape. We're used to teams looking better against us than they do on tape. We're going to get everyone's best game. We were disappointed that we had some breakdowns defensively and we started fouling. They did a lot more one on one in this game than we saw on tape.
At this point in the season what you take from games is from the tapes. You look at the things that you did poorly. We'll take a long look at our one on one defense. We have to involve the post much earlier in the game. We have to figure out whatever teams throw out at us how we are going to execute our philosophy.
TCU Head Coach Jeff Mittie
I thought it was a tale of two halves. We shot the ball well in the second half. I tought our ball movement was excellent. The start got us into a hole that we couldn't come back from. I was proud of our effort. It was really just too much Lawson. She had an awesome game. She does so much for that team that you find yourself running at her as a shooter and opening up other players. That's why Tennessee is a championship team. They are well-coached and they made an adjustment in the second half and that's why they won the ball game. They threw a lot at us early.
(on frequent substitution s) We've been doing that for four games. We have really had trouble with identifying some roles with this group. We've been hot-and-cold and up-and-down. Everyone has seen the scores and we've had our ups and down. What we've tried to do with that is to play some units. The team has bought into it. It is something unique that we haven't ever done before. It occurred a little earlier than normal tonight. We probably have to win our conference tournament right now and I felt that we had to have outstanding depth by the end of the year. I think this is a way that we can find that out. I thought we played solid tonight and when you play a game like Tennessee, you have no room for error.
(on late non-conference matchup) I don't think anyone needs a non-conference game in Knoxville. Both of us had scheduling issues so we fit this game in. This is a tough place to play, not only because of the atmosphere but the great players and great coach.
(on team's effort) I was proud of our character and effort; and for 36 minutes I thought we played solidly
(on offensive scheme) One thing we came in trying to do is screen them. I thought our penetration came when we came out of screens and broke them down.
(on free throws) Ebony got the ball rolling and we got to the free throw line and that was crucial for us. Tennessee is such a great transition team that we were able to set up our defense out of free throws.
(on postgame meeting with Summitt) Pat was very complementary of our team's effort and heart tonight. She let me know that our team is one of those teams that can be a top 25 team if they play like that every night. Potential is a very dangerous word. This team does have potential, but we have not played to that potential most of the year.
Tiffany Evans
We really came out strong. I couldn't have gotten the shots if our team wasn't setting up the screens and passing me the ball. It was nice to play out there and it's a great atmosphere. We had fun.
(on playing against Ashley Robinson) It's really nice to play against great players. To see players that have really gotten to that next level like Ashley is great to see, especially when we've played with Ashley in AAU.
Ebony Shaw
I couldn't have gotten there without my teammates. I wasn't really trying to play one on one, I was just trying to play basketball. This is only going to help us. It's going to give us confidence going back into conference play. I'm excited and am ready to play right now. It's great for us to play against the No. 3 team in the nation.
