University of Tennessee Athletics
TENNESSEE vs. CARSON-NEWMAN Post-Game Quotes
November 06, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 6, 2008
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TENNESSEE vs. CARSON-NEWMAN
Post-Game Quotes
November 6, 2008
Head Coach Pat Summitt:
(opening remarks):
"I thought our team had great energy tonight. In the first half, we had some defensive lapses, but we did a better job in the second half. Overall, I liked our point guard play. Shekinna Stricklen is just a player. Kelley Cain was a big presence inside. We've got to get better on defense. Last year, we held this team (Carson-Newman) to 30 points. Our offense was more productive, but we'll get better on defense. I'm not sure who our free throw coach is-(assistant coaches) Dean (Lockwood), Holly (Warlick), or Daedra (Charles-Furlow), but it wasn't me. That was unacceptable. We can work on that, though. We shared the ball well. If there's one thing that I would say tonight it's that our defense has got to get better."
(on the performance of freshman Glory Johnson):
"Glory is one of the best athletes that we've ever had in our program. I would compare her to Tamika Catchings with her speed and aggressiveness. She shot the ball well tonight, considering that we haven't spent a lot of time on her face-up game. She has a lot of pride in her game and comes ready play. She changes the way we play and makes us quicker on the defensive end."
(on the performance of redshirt freshman Kelley Cain):
"I thought Kelley moved well up and down the court. I told her that has to be a priority. She has to be the first post down the court. She's getting better. Heather (Mason) has done a great job of convincing her to do that. We will challenge Kelley to do that on a daily basis."
(on the performance of freshman Alicia Manning):
"Alicia is a very active player. She has guard skills, but she's not afraid to attack the basket. She creates for others. She's a tough, hard-nosed player. She makes good things happen."
(on Tennessee's freshmen):
"I'm really excited. It's a new challenge, having six true freshmen and a redshirt freshman. It's been fun. I've demanded a lot of them, and I'll demand a lot more. I see the potential for them to be very competitive. I think a lot of people think this is the time to get us, but we don't want to let that happen."
(on rebounding):
"I don't think we'll get 72 rebounds every time out. That's unbelievable. I do like that we have people with a nose for the ball. Alyssia Brewer and Alicia Manning pursued the ball. They have a nose for the ball. We'll continue to emphasize that."
(on Glory Johnson coming in off the bench):
"Glory can change her role when she brings it in practice every day. She's a special player. I have different expectations for her. People who start are the ones who bring it in practice. That's how they win a starting position. It doesn't matter who starts. What matters is who has a big impact, and she did that tonight."
(on playing without sophomores Angie Bjorklund and Vicki Baugh):
"We did have two of our best players sitting tonight. The challenge will be with our rotation. It's difficult to rotate 12 players. They'll make a big difference. Vicki Baugh can change a game."
(on her performance):
"It felt good. I was nervous at first, but I forgot about it once I started playing. This is a completely different team this year. We are faster, and we like to run the ball. We were able to keep the tempo up."
(on rebounding):
"We definitely went out to get to the glass. Coach (Pat Summitt) has been emphasizing that in practice. That's our goal. This is a completely different team from last year. We have 12 great players, and we know that our teammates have got our backs."
(on coming in off the bench):
"Coming in off the bench, I couldn't play nervous. I was just trying to show what I could do. I don't want to come off the bench. I want to be ready to play. I want to prove that I don't belong there (on the bench)."
(on teamwork):
"I'm most proud about how we worked as a team. I've never played with a team with much talent before. We played hard and non-stop. We blend our abilities."
(on playing in her first game in her hometown):
"We know how we can play. There was some pressure. I just wanted to show how I've improved since I've been here."
(on difference between first and second half):
"Coach (Pat Summitt) has been working with me on being more patient with the ball. She talked to me at halftime about being more patient."
(on first game):
"Our coaches did a good job of preparing us. This was a good way to start. It was good to give us confidence and get us used to the crowd. We worked well as a team. We had what-26 assists? That showed that we share the ball."
Carson-Newman: Head Coach Dean Walsh:
(on how the Eagles played against the Lady Vols):
"Wow. I'm proud of the effort tonight our girls gave against a team that is just so much bigger, stronger and faster. They played like a two-time national champion should play against a Division II school. There were just a lot of things we couldn't control (like) when you put a body on somebody and they still move you like a tooth pick. At the same time I look at this and this is the most we've scored on them."
(on playing North Carolina and Tennessee in the same week):
"I think anybody that knows the game of basketball knows there isn't a sane coach who would play North Carolina on Tuesday and then turn around on Thursday and play the Lady Vols. But no one ever said I was sane."
(on the 08-09 Lady Vols):
"I'm proud of our character tonight. Hats off to them. I told coach (Summitt), right now, it's not close. Tennessee is better than (North) Carolina. We got open looks against (North) Carolina and we did a lot of what we wanted to against (North) Carolina. Tonight we just couldn't get looks that we wanted. We couldn't get open. My hats off to how hard their freshmen played. I think several are really buying into what's going on."
(on this year's team compared to year's past):
"The athleticism is a lot greater with this group. You've got more than one athletic, lanky player and not just Candace Parker. Pat has got three or four players that can play several positions and create several mismatches. This team seemed more relentless on the boards than teams in the past at several positions. That's how they compare right now because I really don't think we are a bad team. In the past their point guards have had to be scorers; this year they just need to be playmakers. There's no doubt Cait (McMahan) and Briana (Bass) did that.
(on Glory Johnson):
"She was what I expected. I've watched Glory since she was a little girl. High octane. Full of energy. She's going to rebound. She's going to slash. Once she develops an outside jumper, she is going to be one of the best players in the country."
Ashley Tipton:
(on how the Lady Vols contained her):
"I don't think I shot well, period. I didn't get that many looks -- maybe four or five, anyways. It was just hard to get a look off and it's hard when you see someone half a foot taller than you and they're coming at you - that's kind of intimidating. In the past they put (Nicky) Anosike on me which wasn't that much easier. Physically, they were really big this year. It was hard."
McKenzie Wampler:
(on the playing in Thompson-Boling Arena):
"As a little girl it was always my dream to play here at Thompson-Boling Arena. I went to Pat's camp as a kid and I loved the experience. To be able to play on the floor as a college athlete is beyond my dreams."
