University of Tennessee Athletics
LADY VOLS ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA
March 21, 2005 | Women's Basketball
March 21, 2005
Summitt Comments | Summitt Answers | S. Ely | A. Hornbuckle | S. Zolman
Head Coach Pat Summitt
(opening statement) "Obviously, I thought our first half last night was one of our better halves of the season. We did some good things in the second half, but we lost our intensity at times. We have to understand that we need 40 minutes of good basketball and good play. Purdue has good balance, and they are very physical. We have to be mindful that we have to be ready to play. I think in this game you will have two teams fighting for a chance to go to the Sweet 16. We go in respecting the team that Purdue brings in."
(on the hype that passing Dean Smith's record for NCAA Division I wins has created) "I'm most surprised at the attention that it has received. I didn't anticipate it. Obviously, the focus for me is on this team."
(on whether the record is more/less significant because it includes both men's and women's basketball) "It has been suggested that some people won't respect or recognize it. It doesn't bother me. It's the way the numbers add up. In the same regard, maybe it is more significant and more meaningful when it includes both men's and women's basketball."
(on home court advantage) "It's hard to assess that. We've been in both situations. Our team has learned to play successfully on the road and at venues with big crowds. I would think that Purdue has learned to do the same thing. It gives you a comfort zone. The fans give you an edge. But do fans win the game for you? No. I think that Purdue might be more inspired playing on the road. There's a lot at stake when you think about where the Final Four is going to be. I know that Shanna (Zolman) and Shyra (Ely) are pretty inspired since they are from Indiana. I don't know if a home court advantage is worth two points or 10 points. It comes down to the players having to make the plays."
(on Purdue coach Kristy Curry saying that she was secretly pulling for Summitt to break Dean Smith's record) "Maybe before the ball is thrown up. There are several coaches in the women's game who have been complimentary of our program and our winning tradition. When the game starts, I don't think anyone in black and gold (Purdue's colors) will be cheering for Tennessee."
(on freshman Sybil Dosty) I have been encouraged with her play of late. She was under the weather after the SEC Tournament. I think Sybil is a player that can make a difference for us. I like rotating four post players. Against Western Carolina, she did a great job of going to the boards, posting up, and finishing inside. She did some nice things in the SEC Tournament, and this was a good carryover. I want to be able to count on playing four post players tomorrow."
(on meeting Dean Smith for the first time) "I think the first time we met was at a coaching clinic, maybe in Michigan. The next time was at a Converse outing, where the spouses would come, and we'd spend time talking about basketball in the early 1980s. Through Buzz Peterson, I met him when he came to a clinic here. He was very open and willing to share. We had a great conversation last week. I asked him how he felt when he was going through this. He was cute. He said, 'Good luck going for the number. I can't really remember what it is.' I told him I really didn't remember what it was either. He was all class."
(on recruiting Indiana players Shanna Zolman and Shyra Ely) "Both situations were different. Shanna came to camp and wanted to commit early. We were excited to get an early commitment from a player of that caliber. She lived close to Notre Dame, and we anticipated that it would be a big battle. Growing up, she was watching us, and she gave us a look. She's a great player and an awesome person. I have loved coaching her. Recruiting her was easy. Recruiting Shyra came down to the wire. She had a great visit here, but it was a jump ball. It came down to her visit here and selling her on coming to Tennessee and competing on a championship level. The players were the one to get it done in the end. She took the step to leave her home state."
(on getting out into the community) "I would go to speak to a civic group, and there would be six people there, sometimes a dozen. In 1984, when I came back from the Olympics, I'd go to speak. I thought it was a great time to promote the program. There would be 20-50 people there, and if I was lucky, maybe 75. I thought it was important in the building process, that I needed to be out in the community, and let people know how much we appreciate them. I thought it was important for our staff and players to be out there. Working with the United Way in 1996 made an impact on my life. I was able to get to know people in the community. You've got to go out. People feel like they know you. They feel like they're part of the family, and it helps to build our fan base. Our players were very involved."
(on Purdue sophomore Katie Gearlds) "I remember watching her play in high school and in AAU. I liked her game. We had her down on campus for an unofficial visit. We heard a rumor that she had made a verbal commitment to Purdue, and it turned out to be the truth. We were disappointed because we felt like she would fit in well. She has done a great job at Purdue. Like she said, she went her heart led her. I like her game. She gives everyone else more confidence with the way she plays."
"It will be a physical game. We're both physical teams. Physical teams are not bringing finesse but more power. From an offensive and defensive standpoint as well as on the boards, both teams will be aggressive."
(on the home court advantage at Thompson-Boling Arena) "There is definitely an advantage having the home court advantage, because we have been playing here all season long and we are very well acquainted with the rims here. Honestly, the fans are also a huge part of our success. They were great last night, and I am sure we are going to have a great crowd on Tuesday night. I don't think that is overrated by any means. That definitely helps us, I am not going to lie. With the amount of fan support that we get here, it is definitely going to be in our favor on Tuesday night."
(on Pat Summitt passing Dean Smith for the NCAA all-time wins mark) "I don't think it will be a distraction, more so a little extra incentive. We know what this game means and we know the magnitude of it. With coach being able to attain this record it is almost unbelievable. I don't think it will sink in until we get out for a while. I am just in awe of being a part of this team, and hopefully we will be able to get this record for her. She will say the exact same thing this couldn't have happened at a more inopportune time with us concentrating on the tournament. She wants to give everything she can to the team, and we just want to give back to her and help her accomplish this record. Most importantly, we want to be able to get to the Sweet 16."
(on Purdue) "Same as Shyra. We played a lot against them in AAU and in high school. I haven't gotten nearly as close to the coaching staff as Shyra has, but just to play an Indiana team, something we don't do very often, is something I am looking forward to. It is a great platform."
(on Purdue) "I am really excited to play Purdue. I am very familiar with the players and with the coaching staff. Most of them I have played with or against in AAU basketball or in high school. Coach Katrina Merriweather coached me and her father was my AAU coach Kevin Merriweather. Just in the whole recruiting process, I got close to all the coaching staff. I always wanted to play Purdue in my collegiate career, and this is a great opportunity, with coach's record and advancing to the Sweet 16, this is a great platform."
(on coming to Tennessee) "It was definitely a big part of why I chose Tennessee, just because they are a winning team. When teams come out to play them, they are going for them. I love playing in an environment where the fans are wild. It is just an outstanding environment and coach is great and so enthusiastic, she gets the most out of everyone."
(on rebounding) "Coach always emphasizes four to the boards. I just want the ball, so when the shot goes up I just watch it and find a way to get there. They (Purdue) are very physical, and I was watching them play last night, but you just have to want the ball more than they do."
