University of Tennessee Athletics
TENNESSEE VS. ALABAMA - POST GAME QUOTES
January 18, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2004
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TENNESSEE HEAD COACH Pat Summitt:
(opening remarks) "I thought in the first half, we had some good possessions and some good open looks, but we didn't make the perimeter shots, and because we didn't get the rebound on the offensive glass, that was giving the ball to Alabama. In the second half, we went inside. Our posts were able to read the double teams and hit the open player. I thought Shyra (Ely) and Ashley (Robinson) made good reads and completed good passes. Other teams are recognizing that our posts can score. I thought in the second half, we shot the ball better and got the ball inside."
(on the play of Shyra Ely) "Shyra kept her eyes up and got good reads. Most of all, I thought she showed poise on the offensive end and completed the play. She had some excellent passes, and she managed to slow down. That's a great improvement in her game. That will make us harder to defend. Shyra knows that she is going to get the double-team."
(on the play of perimeter players) "We told them to make the extra pass and don't hesitate if they're going to shoot. I told Tasha (Butts) to try to get to the free throw line because she wasn't in rhythm from the floor. I told Brittany (Jackson) to forget the three. It didn't make any difference, but at least I told her. I told them, 'There's a reason that you're open.' We have to have better patience and get in better rhythm.'"
"Alabama played tough defense. They were aggressive and physical. They read some isolations. It was typical of how they have played us in the past. In the second half, we went into our half-court press. We told them at halftime, there were ways we could speed up the tempo of the game. Pressing helped us as well."
(on the play of Shyra Ely) "She helped get us going. She was rebounding and helping with getting our offense going. She had an all-around good game."
"We've got some good posts this year. Pat's (Coach Summitt's) philosophy has always been going inside out. We're buying into Pat's system, and it shows."
(on upcoming games against Vanderbilt and Duke this week) "Playing Vanderbilt and Duke will help to prepare us for the SEC tournament and the NCAA tournament. They are two powerhouse teams. It will be good for our team. They're good teams to play back-to-back. We're excited about the challenge."
"They (Alabama) were doubling us inside. We could go low or out to the wing. If I had the shot, I would take it. In the first half, we didn't take advantage of what their defense was giving us. Our guards weren't hitting. In the second half, they paid for doubling us."
"In the second half, we went with 'Charlotte', our 2-2-1 press. It rattled them a little bit. We were able to change the tempo and get them to play faster than they wanted."
(on playing at Duke) "I'm excited. I've never been there before. That kind of atmosphere and that opportunity is the reason that I came here to play."
ALABAMA HEAD COACH RICK MOODY:
(opening remarks) "I thought the first half was a typical SEC first half. We came out and tried to be as physical as we could and take away the post. Coming in, we knew we would have a hard time with their depth at the post. For the most part, I think our traps worked in both halves. The difference in the game was that they had two four-minute stretches where they had eight-point runs and that determined the outcome of the game."
(on the play of Shyra Ely and Ashley Robinson) "Ely and Robinson can dominate an opponent. You have to do whatever you can to take away the post. Unfortunately when that happens, you open up the court for their shooters, but if you let Robinson or Ely get shots off, you're dead. We tried to do whatever we could to stop them."
