University of Tennessee Athletics
COACH SUMMITT ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA DURING WEEKLY TELECONFERENCE
November 21, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2006
On the two games against UCLA and Arizona State last week...
"I think that both the UCLA and Arizona State games were a good test for our basketball team. The more difficult of the two was Arizona State, playing on the road in front of a great crowd. It was just an environment that was good for our team, particularly our newcomers. They had not been in an environment like that. Cait (McMahan) and Shannon (Bobbitt), at the point position in particular, both grew up a little bit in the second half of that game. Alberta did a really nice job once she settled down. It was a really tough test for us. It should help us with our road schedule. I would anticipate, as we move forward, that they'd get a little more comfortable on the road."
On Stanford...
"Looking ahead to Stanford, it seems like we've had a lot of hard-fought, close ball games and I would expect the same. They are such a balanced team just when you look at their numbers. Watching them on tape, they space exceptionally well with the high-low game. They have the experience, and I think we are a fairly experienced team as well, particularly with Candace (Parker), Alexis (Hornbuckle), Nicky (Anosike) and Alex (Fuller). It's going to be two teams that are veteran teams. We're not as experienced at the point position, but I like the fact that we are playing at home when it comes to that."
On Middle Tennessee...
"I have not watched film on them, but I know Amber Holt has been a big addition to their team. Coach Insell does a great job, and I know he will have them prepared. I don't see them backing down or being intimidated at all coming in here. They played an impressive game against Maryland at their place. That tells me that Middle Tennessee knows how to defend and how to prepare for their opponents."
On Louisiana Tech...
"I'm not too familiar with them this year, but I will watch them on tape. Right now it is one game at a time for this team, but I know that the game at Louisiana Tech will give us another road test."
Does Stanford's early loss to BYU take any shine off of this week's matchup...
"No. It is what it is. It is Tennessee and Stanford. We've had a lot of great games. When the two teams meet, it is very intense and highly competitive. It's usually a game that is going to go to the wire. When I think about the teams we've faced over the years in our non-conference schedule, this has been a great matchup. I think there is always a lot of interest in this game in particular, and we've learned a lot about ourselves playing against them because they are so well coached and disciplined in what they do."
On the difference between winning and losing games at the wire...
"We've been fortunate. We've made some of our breaks, but we've also had some things fall our way. It's certainly great to win the close games, but with what has happened in this Stanford-Tennessee series, if we let it stay close, we have to know that eventually it will catch up with us. We have to be very mindful that we are at home. We have to do something that we didn't do at Arizona State and that is finish strong. We are a team right now that tends to play spurts. I think our consistency in the second half needs to improve significantly to go against a team like Stanford."
On the pace of this year's team...
"I think that we have the potential to go on runs. We have the speed and the quickness and a run will happen because of our defensive intensity and creating opportunities off our defense. Whether or not we will be able to do that consistently, a lot just depends on how people handle our pressure. I think the one thing that we need to do is to get five people on the floor committed. We had a great five in the second half of Arizona State. It's just a mindset that we have to have. I'm sure people will prepare to play against our style of play, because it's not going to change. We'll continue to extend our pressure. It's a combination of how successful we are in executing on the floor and how successful teams are in handling the type of pressure that we bring."
On rebounding...
"Just watching our team, rebounding is a concern because of our lack of consistency in working the boards. We are rebounding with two, sometimes three, players on both the offensive and defensive ends. With Candace and Nicky inside, our guards are not rebounding, although both Alberta (Auguste) and Alexis have done a good job. When Alexis is at the point that hurts us because it takes her off the offensive glass. We spent a great deal of practice on Monday working on it. We have a number of things that we need to work on, and rebounding is at the top of the list."
On the potential of this team...
"I thought against Arizona State our overall team quickness and speed allowed us to go on that run. It depends on who we are playing. There are some teams that will matchup with our speed and quickness. In our conference LSU has overall speed and quickness. You can look at North Carolina and Duke, and they too possess that speed and quickness. There will be teams where we will have an edge in that regard and we just need to make sure we capitalize on it."
On Middle Tennessee Coach Insell and player Chrissy Givens...
"Like I said I haven't watched film on them, but she's putting up 15 points per game and certainly seems to be, statistically, the second best player on their team. I know between Chrissy and Amber, they've made a lot of good things happen for that team. I think Coach Insell has a great situation in that he knows the talent in the state of Tennessee and he knows how to build a winning program. Certainly his success at the high school level was tremendous. He is teaching and coaching now with better talent overall. Just the excitement that he has generated there at Middle Tennessee will allow him to continue to recruit in state and out of state as well."
On Stanford's Brooke Smith...
"I am very impressed with Brooke. Offensively she has a lot of composure and certainly helps stretch the defense. Watching their high-low action, they do a tremendous job of spacing the floor. With their post game the high-low action is difficult for us to defend. I know last year it was a challenge for us. Right now, Brooke seems very comfortable and confident and is shooting the ball extremely well. We will be challenged by their post game and their size."
On defending the hook...
"You have to guard Brooke and Kristen (Newlin) before they get the ball, because they've got great up-and-unders and hooks and turn around game. They can go over both shoulders. They are both very, very skilled and well drilled in their action. Trying to limit some of their touches will be important. That is something that has been a challenge for us, to not be complacent after their people get the ball. This will be a big test for Candace, Nicky and Alex in particular."
On addressing the three-point defense?
"We addressed that extensively in practice yesterday. I see areas that we have to get better. Probably the biggest weakness of our defense is the lack of pressure in guarding the three. We have given up way too many threes. We are a team right now that is still getting better in the full court game. That's the big concern right now. Our transition offense and getting five people to understand how to successfully do both, in particular transition defense to really match up. We look like a team that hasn't worked on it enough and that's my fault. I told them that I would take responsibility for it. At the Arizona State game I thought it could have really cost us. Chattanooga and UCLA got to shoot the three as much as they wanted to, as did Arizona State. It's about time we addressed it, and hopefully we will be better when we play on Friday."
