Postgame Quotes: Lady Vols 74, Penn State 66

Nov. 18, 2015

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Head Coach Holly Warlick

(Opening statement)

"It was a great win for us. We didn't play our best game. Credit Penn State, they had a lot to do with that. We didn't get in their space, defensively. We fouled too much. Offensively, I thought at times we held the basketball, and we didn't move the basketball. We quick-shot the basketball, but I think in crunch time when we needed to make plays, we did. We hit a lot of free throws, which is a positive thing. We beat a solid Penn State basketball team."

(On Bashaara Graves' performance)

"We talked about her goal to get double-doubles, and I thought she got in position to take great looks, and we needed her. She had 13 rebounds, and she had to go out of her way to get them. She had a great game, and we probably wouldn't have had the result we had if not for her playing the game she did."

(On Penn State playing well despite only six wins last year)

"We weren't concerned that they had six wins last year. I don't know why or how they had six wins, but we focused on this team. We watched tape, and they are the real deal. We didn't go into this game thinking it was given win. We knew it would be a battle, and we prepared for that. We just didn't do a very good job at times. When we needed to, we got stops and some big steals towards the end. We finished the deal. I think they are solid. I thought their inside game was solid. Banks went out, and the other two guards picked it up. They got their opportunities and took advantage of it. They made big plays."

(On trying to balance lineups with foul trouble)

"I thought, when we fouled early, it affected us. We have to be more disciplined. We knew the officials were going to call it. They call it the way they are supposed to, and we have to adjust. Te'a Cooper sat on the bench with two fouls. Diamond DeShields sat on the bench with two fouls. We just fouled too much. We have to be disciplined enough to move our feet and not play with our hands. It was a concern."

(On Diamond's 2 for 11 night)

"I'm not really concerned. The only thing I'm concerned with Diamond on, today I thought she passed the ball a couple of times where she should have shot. I don't know how many times she's going to go two for eleven. I think her presence, she had some great assists to help us pull away. I think it's just going to be getting in, and dusting the cobwebs off of her, and getting her some reps that she really has not had. She's only practiced a week with us. She'll get there."

(On Kortney Dunbar against a zone defense)

"I was worried about their size on the defensive end. I wish we could have gotten Kortney in a little bit more, but I was worried about her rebounding, and her putting a body on people. That's going to get better. We're not by any means giving up on Kortney. We need her. We're going to take advantage of her. She's had a great fall. We've just got to continue to get better."

(On Mercedes battle with Penn State's bigs)

"I thought she did a great job. You've got two big kids going at each other. I thought it was a battle, they went at each other. They were both physical. They both blocked shots. I thought she was solid. There were a couple of times I thought she could have pivoted and went to the basket and that's her decision. Our goal was to get the ball to her, and they knew it. They're goal was to get the ball inside to their post and we knew that, but I thought it was a good battle inside."

(On upcoming game against Syracuse)

"I'm not so much worried about fatigue. They are a 2-3 matchup zone team, and we have a day. We have to get better. We've got to get better moving the ball, getting touches, cutting, getting to open spaces. We've got to get better against the zone. We have been better. Tonight we just stood and held the ball. Our goal is to make sure the ball doesn't get stuck in our hands, and move the ball because they are outstanding. Syracuse is known for their 2-3 matchup. So we've got our work cut out for us.

(On Bashaara and starting again)

"Well yeah. I'll probably evaluate it. I don't know who is going to start, but she's got a great opportunity to do that. We went with what started us of with a 'bang' our first game. With this team everybody is going to play, which I love. They all have the capability and ability. I don't know if it as much of who is starting. It's who is contributing and making a difference. When they get that in their heads we are going to be a pretty tough basketball team. I think they understand that right now. I don't think starting and not starting has been an issue, and I hope it won't be."

Tennessee Senior Bashaara Graves

(On your mindset on tonight's game)

"I just came in knowing I wanted to play hard. That's all I did. It came easy when you're out there playing hard and having fun."

(On playing against Penn's State's size)

"I think I just got comfortable. I knew I could take them off the dribble, and I did that. Just trying to get rebounds, that's just what I do. Rebounding is first in my game plan coming into the game."

(On not missing a shot all night from the floor)

"To be honest, no. I definitely didn't realize it. My teammates we're getting me great passes, and I was getting great looks from them. When you just play, and play hard, you don't notice things like that."

Tennessee Sophomore Mercedes Russell

(On Bashaara Graves' performance)

"She was definitely key for us tonight. I personally was missing her last game because she wasn't playing. But this game, looking at the stat sheet, she was 8-8 [from the field], double-double. She was in the paint making shots, rebounding, doing anything that she could, all the dirty work. I think she was big for us tonight. I don't know if we get this win without her."

(On how she feels physically)

"Physically, I'd say I feel great. I don't get tired as much and I think my conditioning level is at a pretty good level right now."

Penn State Coach Coquese Washington

(On what she learned about her team)

"This is a team that fights, this is a team with confidence. I can't say I really learned anything particularly new about this team. They played and performed like I expected them to play and perform. "

(On what she thought about Bashaara Graves)

"She is an aggressive player, very physical and relentless on the glass. She (Bashaara Graves) has been in a lot of big games, and I thought she was aggressive. When you're aggressive in this league, good things happen."

(On Brianna Banks ankle Injury)

"It is an ankle injury, but we won't know the severity of it until we get back home."

Penn State Junior Peyton Whitted

(On what it means to play in Knoxville)

"It felt great, I am three hours from home and had a great family turnout. It was great to come back to the South, and play in front of a lot of players and friends. It was great to get an early test against one of the best programs in the nation."

(On the special meaning of playing in Knoxville)

"It was great to come back, my dad played here from 1992 until 1995. It was great all around. Everybody stepped up early, and we found out that we can't give up possessions. We have to take control of every possession. My dad was right behind our bench, it was great."

Penn State Junior Kaliyah Mitchell

(On how she felt about the game)

"I was really proud of everybody. We went out there, stepped it up, and definitely played the hardest. Something we can take away from this game is that we are better than last year. If we keep on putting in work and improve on the things we didn't do so well tonight, we will have a great season."

(On how it felt to have Brianna Banks Injured and on the bench)

"This showed us that even when she (Brianna Banks) is out, we all have her back. We played our game and played to our strengths, and we played to our strengths. Once we have her back on the court, we will be great."

University of Tennessee Athletics