University of Tennessee Athletics
Postgame Quotes: St. John's 71, #25 USC 68
March 22, 2014 | Women's Basketball
March 22, 2014
ST. JOHN'S HEAD COACH JOE TARTAMELLA
(Opening Statement)"What a terrific basketball game, especially in this atmosphere, in a special arena, in a special place. So proud of our young ladies, the way that they held throughout the entire game. I spoke yesterday about the resiliency that we have as a group and I am very proud of this team. To make a shot down at the end, for a senior and for this young lady, I am so happy for her. But for all of our players who throughout the game, up and down, different lineups we hadn't player before, kids stepped up, left and right. I was just so happy and proud of how we finished the game. A big time shot by this kid here, from a great extra pass from another senior. So, very happy. Amber Thompson broke our single season record for rebounds so I am so happy for her. And Aliyyah Hanford, I think her place spoke for itself. Very happy to beat a very good USC team."
(On their game plan at the end)>
"We talked about making sure that we got the last shot, number one. We have been in a number of games like this throughout year, Texas A&M was a little bit similar, especially at the end when they got the ball back. But we talked about making sure, we felt they knew that we were going to try to get to the rim, which we were trying to do but we knew if we made a good extra pass, had good space, we would get a good look. We actually worked on getting a look for either Briana or Key [Keylantra Langley] over the last week or so. And it just so happened that we made a great play and were able to execute and made a shot. The key was we wanted to make sure that we were the only ones getting the last shot, that was the main thing that we spoke about. But also making sure that we executed the play we had drawn up, which they did a great job of and actually made the right read and we got a good look."
(On Briana Brown)
"I think a lot of players today, not only do they have to have their own confidence but they also have to have confidence in their teammates and their coaches. I think one thing for Briana, if you look at her first two years at St. John's, she didn't play much and she hung tough and the kid plays hard every single game and she has a skill to be able to stretch defense. That is why I explain that I am so happy for her, because this was a moment she had probably been dying for, like most players. She has the ability to let things go. Listen, we know that she can make a big shot and we look to her to play that role. Couldn't be happier for her. Her mentality going in, I said to both Bri and Key in the timeout, `one of you guys is going to make a shot, it is going to come down to the two of you.' Key makes a layup to put us ahead and Briana makes a three to win the game. So great job by two seniors."
(On defending Cassie Harberts)
"I thought we did a great job of getting back and not allowing easy position for her as Amber spoke. But also we got her out of the game, we got her in foul trouble early so her rhythm was taken away. Just like we had some foul problems throughout the game. I thought as a team we did a great job team defending her. It wasn't just Amber at times, Selina Archer gave us unbelievable minutes today for a kid who hasn't played in a number of games throughout the year. So I was very happy with how we were able to corral her and make her get away from the basket a little more than she probably liked. I thought that was the difference. I thought with getting back in transition, she scores a lot of points, that kid runs the floor as good as anyone I have seen all year at the post spot. She had a great career I am sure."
ST. JOHN'S SENIOR GUARD BRIANA BROWN
(On hitting the game-winning shot)
"Honestly, when I shot it I wasn't really thinking anything. I mean I know I haven't made a shot the whole game, but my teammates were behind me the whole way through and you're going to get that shot, you're going to make the next one, and it happened to be the big one."
(On going from man going into zone on offense)
"Honestly, we work all the time with man going into zone. We just had a flash and Aliyyah (Handford) would flash, and then they would come up on Aliyyah, and then Aliyyah would dump it down. It was just about flashing, moving the ball more, getting her open shots."
(On coming back after being down)
"At first, we were down, but then we had a lot of good plays where we started climbing back up that ladder, started getting those stops, and then score, another stop, then score. That is what we work on all the time in practice, and so we just had to really dig down and stop fouling and get those scores."
(On facing Tennessee)
"Honestly we're not scared of anybody we play. I definitely have faith in my team. We definitely make big plays, and go hard no matter who we're playing and do what we do."
ST JOHN'S SOPHOMORE GUARD ALIYYAH HANDFORD
(On it being a close game at halftime)
"We just had to come out and play harder. We wasn't getting to the foul line as much as we wanted to, and we weren't finishing strong so basically we just came out and started playing harder, and we just played our game."
(On final shot of the game)
"Um, it was a little scary because it was almost there. We were just there contesting the shots and she missed."
(On facing Tennessee)
"I think we think we just need to go out and play how we played tonight. If we go as a team, play as a team, and work hard at practice tomorrow we I think we're going to come out with a big win."
ST. JOHN'S JUNIOR FORWARD AMBER THOMPSON
(On the pace of the game and coming back)"The fouls were pretty much something that we can't control what the refs are doing, but we just had to keep playing hard and play our game even though we were fouling."
(On USC's final shot of the game)
"I don't think we all realized how close it was to going in the basket."
(On defending during the final minute of the game)
"Well she runs hard so after the ball went up, I'm trying to rebound and know I have to sprint back. Her getting the ball down in the post, I knew I had to stay on my feet. She could either dribble and shoot it or try to drive, so I had to like trail the ball with my hands."
(On facing Tennessee)
"Yeah just come out, play hard and play our game not feeling discouraged or anything like that. It's anybody's game."
USC HEAD COACH CYNTHIA COOPER-DYKE
(Opening Statement)
"I'm really proud of my team and the year that we've had. No one believed we could get here, even this far. We did. We won the Pac-12 tournament championship and I'm very proud of everything that we've accomplished as a team today."
(On trying to extending the lead at the end)
"Throughout the the game, I thought we were a little off-balanced. We didn't really get over the hump. We would go up by 11 and then make a couple of mistakes or turn the ball over, miss a layup. Something would happen- we couldn't really get over the hump or into a groove. I thought in the Pac-12 tournament we got in a groove and we were able to execute. Tonight, after two weeks off, it was hard for us to get back into that game rhythm and get back into a groove. I don't really have a gut feeling as much as I was hoping that in the second half we would get that momentum, we would get that focus, that intensity, the correct level of focus and intensity back."
(On overall play)
"We were getting a lot of penetration and fouls. We were in foul trouble so we went to a 1-2-2 zone. I thought it worked. It slowed St. John's down a little bit but then we had trouble rebounding out of it. We gave up second and third shots and you just can't do that against a really good team like St. John's. Once again, I think we're all disappointed in the loss, but that's not what we'll define as this year. We had a great season. No one believed we could be here, and yet here we sit."
(On Brianna Barrett)
I thought Brianna played exceptionally well. I thought she defended well. She got to the basket. She knocked down free throws and then she knocked down a couple three-pointers. She knocked down a couple three-pointers early in the game, which forced the defense to come out on her and allow her to penetrate to the basket, so I thought she had great balance today. It doesn't surprise me that she got a career high. She really came to play right from the beginning."
(On Aliyyah Handford)
"We tried just about everything. We tried to double-team her. A lot of times we were out of position defensively as she penetrated to the basket. I thought she, she's just a dynamic player. We knew she was going to penetrate. I think everyone in the arena knew she was going to penetrate. She still found a way to get it done. Hats off. She was just a handful to try and stop. She moved around, whether it was from the free throw line area or the wing area. It made it a little bit more difficult to decide who we were going to get to try and trap on her. She had a great game."
USC SO G BRIANNA BARRETT
(On scoring a career high)
"I think my game tonight was to drive or to penetrate and try to get a foul and try to make it most importantly. I think hitting my free throws throughout the game was my sour point this game. I just have to drive and kick and see whoever is open. I think I just, I'm just disappointed."
USC JR G ARIYA CROOK
(On St. John's final shot)
"They just went into 12, our zone. They pass it around. WE did quite well until they passed it to the corner and we had a miscommunication and she shot the three and made it."
