University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols vs. ETSU Postgame Quotes
December 20, 2021 | Women's Basketball
Tennessee Head Coach Kellie Harper
Opening Statement"It was a good night for us. We were able to play a lot of people - great play across the board, substantial minutes, a lot of positives out there. ETSU is going through a lot with their roster, and they came out and played hard. Give them a lot of credit for the effort that they gave tonight."
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On the team playing hard heading into a break…
"I was really proud of our team and the way they handled the last couple of days. (They were) very mature. We were very open and very honest with them about this game and our expectations. I thought they really handled it - hats off to them. We were not going to check out; I knew that. I think when you have the relationship that we have with our team... we are very honest with them, and we can talk openly. I can share my expectations with them, and I think that's important."
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On Kaiya Wynn…
"First off, I think she has a great motor. You see that every time she steps out on the court. One thing that I was really excited about for her is she has had a really good week of practice. She had a couple of minutes in the Stanford game, and I thought they were really good. I had a lot of confidence going into this game that she was really going to be able to perform at a high level. She's so aggressive and so powerful. Obviously, she gets in there and gets rebounds. One of the coolest things about tonight was the countdown on the bench, trying to get Kaiya to a double-double. Kaiya did not know until after the game, but the team was trying to figure out how we could get that last rebound for Kaiya. They were pulling for her over there. That just sums up this team, it really does. They were all really into the game until the last minute just pulling for their teammate."
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On Keyen Green being a leader…
"I think Keyen is very mature. She's just an impressive young woman to be around. She has compassion for her teammates. She has a positive poise, and she has a voice that keeps her teammates accountable. They love her because she runs them. It is really special. Keyen has great leadership qualities. We knew that from the moment she stepped on this campus. Our freshmen right now are benefiting from being on a team with Keyen Green."
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On developing depth…
"I think we're committing to developing that. I thought going into this season that was one of our strengths. Then, you lose Marta (Suarez) and Rae (Burrell). I think then you're trying to re-establish where you are. I still think that we can play people. I think we have the ability to put several players in. Some players may be situational, but I think everybody has stepped up and they are working so hard and they're getting better. There's a time and a place for everybody."
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On playing again in a week following a holiday...
"This is a little bit unusual. We kind of stumbled upon this last year and loved it, so we're going to try again this year to see how things go. I need our players to take a break, a substantial break. We always want to get four or five days, at least. I think it's important. It's a long break, they'll be fine. They're not going to get out of shape, they're not going to forget plays. They need the break mentally and physically. It is a long season. I cannot have them running out of gas in the middle of January. This is their break for the long haul. When we come back, they're coming back on the 26th. Due to NCAA rules, and the way the calendar falls, we actually can't practice on the 26th. That needs to be our off day. So, if they're going to get in the gym, it's going to be on their own. Then we are going to play on the 27th. On the 27th our shoot around will be a little bit more substantial. We'll actually get up and down a little bit in our shoot around on the 27th and kind of get the rust off a little bit. Then we're playing the night of the 27th. This is putting a lot of ownership on our team and giving them some accountability. I'll tell you what it does, it eliminates that first practice back from the Christmas break. As a player I hated it, as a coach I hate it, and our players hate it. Now, we get rid of it. If it works out two years in a row, I'm onto something. We'll see how it goes. The jury will still be out until after the game on the 27th."
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Tennessee Graduate Forward Keyen Green
On bouncing back from Stanford..."Definitely needed (this win). I mean, we're always confident in what we can do; we know we can do it on Saturday, we just came up a little short. These games are always fun. And it's fun to see everybody succeed, especially going into a break and then going into conference, so it's definitely necessary."
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On the team having 11 steals…
"I feel good about it. I mean, obviously, it's easy to get steals when it's a slower game. I feel like it was just a slower pace, and we were able to kind of anticipate what was happening. I feel like maybe we were a step behind in previous games. So, just to be able to see that we can anticipate what's going to happen next and go ahead and make a play, I think it's going to help everybody going forward."
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Tennessee Freshman Forward Karoline Striplin
On her success at the free-throw line..."Free throws are something that I work on every time I get in the gym. It's kind of almost second nature. If I go to the gym, I'm definitely going to get… at least I've got to make 10 in a row, that's my thing. Normally, I'm shooting 50 every time I make it to the gym. I've just been in a lot of close games where I know that free throws matter, and I feel like if you make them when the pressure is not on, then it will pay off for you."
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On the team having a holiday party at Kellie Harper's house…
"For me, that was just really awesome being so far from home. Obviously, I'm not the furthest from home, but I feel like I can speak for everyone that it's just awesome to have such a caring coach that's like family, plus the whole staff. I mean, welcoming us into her own home and cooking - I just feel like it's so easy to get behind someone that is willing to do that for you."
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Tennessee Freshman Guard Sara Puckett
On the fourth quarter production from bench players…"I think it's given everybody more experience, and to show that we can come off the bench and produce and contribute for everyone. So, later in the season if some of our starters get in foul trouble, we know we can depend on the bench to come in and you know, just take on their role."
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On what kind of leader Keyen Green is…
"I just want to say about Keyen, she is one of the best leaders I have ever played… No, (she's) the best leader I have ever played under. Literally, I mean she is the best teammate. Literally, like a coach, I mean, she's amazing."
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ETSU Head Coach Simon Harris
On how the game got away from them…
"I think in some stages. You look at a couple of staggering numbers:Â 70 points in the paint. That is a number that I don't think I've personally seen. Watching it, size really gets to you, wears you down. You don't see that every day. You try to practice against it, but it's not something you go against every day. Also, just their 26 offensive rebounds among themselves. They're staggering up before you. It really gives us some fuel to go back and work on and try to improve on when we get to So-Con play. I think that's kind of where it got away. Some things you couldn't manage, and some of the things you can affect just kind of got away when we got off the tee. "
On performance of Jakhyia Davis and Aaliyah Vananda…
"I couldn't be more proud of both of them. They both had some conversations as to wanting to play a little more, and what would it take. I think the opportunity presented itself, and it's beautiful when you have that opportunity, and you capitalize on it. It's been amazing to watch their approach to today, to kind of stay with the way that we go about what we're doing. It's new to both of them - first year in this system for both of them. It's awesome to see them feel that way, if you will. Ask any coach, they never quit. They come every day, and they do what they're asked as hard as they can, as long as they can. They're pursuing the expectations they have of them. It's really awesome to see that come to fruition in a positive way."
On seeing his players play in front of their hometown...
"I've been around this a lot. It was really cool to watch them thrive in front of their home audiences. I played in the hometown I finished high school in, and I was fortunate to have that opportunity on a nightly basis at home. It was awesome to see them thrive in that. It was a proud-coach moment."
On upcoming game against St. Bonaventure…
"It's probably the antithesis of the Lady Vols. It's going to be a slower game, more like-bodied. Phenomenal coaching, great actual history in that program. My first opportunity to coach was in the A-10, so very familiar with them. They're very well coached. I'm really looking forward to that, because it's another style that we haven't seen yet. Again, like Jakhyia (Davis) alluded to, something that we can use to help us prepare for January. We're really looking forward to that. It's just kind of a different style, especially the way that we like to push the ball, move the ball. They're more of a slowdown, control possession (team). It will be interesting how we handle that."
ÂETSU Freshman Guard Aaliyah Vananda
On playing in Thompson-Boling Arena…
"It's very surreal. My high school came and watched me. I have a bunch of support. My dad told me that one day when I was little -Â I would come watch the Lady Vols, obviously - and he told me, 'One day you'll be playing on that court.'Â I was just playing for the other team."
On what to take away from the game…
"Honestly, I think it's a boost of confidence that we played so well against this team, and then we transfer this over to other games."
ETSU Freshman Center Jakhyia Davis
On playing in Thompson-Boling Arena…
"The energy here is fun to play at Thompson-Boling arena. I grew up here. The experience overall is something I'll never forget."
On what to take away from the game…
"I think it was just really good to play people that we don't normally play in our conference just to prepare us for January."
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