University of Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols vs. Mississippi State Postgame Quotes
January 05, 2023 | Women's Basketball
Tennessee Head Coach Kellie Harper
Opening Statement...
"(I'm) excited about the win. You know, I thought this was a tough win to get. Wasn't the prettiest, it wasn't the most fluid, but I thought we were able to do what we needed to do. We did a really good job on the boards. I thought when we needed buckets, we found buckets, and when we needed stops, we found them. Proud of our team for that."
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On the offensive rebounding…
"Yeah, you know, we've been working hard on our offensive rebounding production. Obviously, we have a lot of players that can impact the game there, but Rickea (Jackson) and Jordan (Horston) and their athletic ability, their quickness to the ball, their quickness off the ground and their size gives them a great advantage in that area. Also, I think they're pretty active offensively, and I think that makes them a little bit harder for defenses to box out."
On Jordan Horston sealing the game…
"It was 13 (points) and nine (rebounds), right? Thirteen and nine in the fourth quarter for her, and I think when we needed those buckets, she got them. I thought she was really aggressive getting in the paint, finding opportunities, you know, not settling as much there in the second half. In particular, in the fourth quarter, she was able to get really good looks. And she was pretty persistent. Once she got her shot blocked, came back, and I think she ends up getting a score on that one. I loved her relentlessness, especially in the fourth quarter."
On improving the defense in the fourth quarter…
"Yeah, I wasn't particularly excited about our defense in the third quarter. We gave up four threes in the third, and that was an emphasis coming out of the halftime. So, we've got to be better there; we've got to translate the scouting report better than we did today. But, in the fourth quarter, we tightened it up. Jasmine (Franklin) made two or three really big plays on the defensive end - as did several of our players. Some go unnoticed with some of their plays. Again, Jordan Walker did a heck of a job defensively, especially down the stretch. I thought our communication was where it needed to be in the fourth when it got tight, maybe want to see that in the third next time."
On takeaways from this game…
"I think, offensively, we didn't get as many post touches as we need. So, if you're looking at X's and O's, we've got to be able to deliver the ball. We had some opportunities and just didn't get it inside, and I think we can look back at the last five games or so and realize that's a big part of our offense. We've got to make sure that's still incorporated. And again, defensively, we've got to be able to translate the scouting report to in-game situations. We've got to be a little bit forward thinking. I think our pace was good part of the game, and then it wasn't good part of the game. We've got to find us some consistency with our pace as well."
On Jordan Horston…
"Yeah, I'll tell you what, in the fourth quarter I was a big cheerleader. I was cheering loud for her. She got me pretty excited and fired up when she got in there and got some of those boards and put-backs. She's a special player, there's no doubt about it. You know, she's fun to watch, and in that moment, you just enjoy getting to see good basketball."
On how the tough non-conference schedule paid off in moments like these...
"I don't think we've lost poise in any of our SEC games. Even when our opponents are making runs, I think we have stayed pretty even. When we weren't playing well, I think we bounced back pretty quickly. I do think that is a little bit of the product of what we have seen in the past. I think our team is playing with a lot of confidence right now, and they believe they can overcome mistakes. They can get it back on the other end, and that's with offense or defense mistakes. I think that is part of it, but I don't know if that confidence came from the early season, but they are playing with that now."Â
On Rickea Jackson coming off the bench and changing the game...
"Not in terms of how the game is being played, but you just know she is sitting over there. That's a nice weapon to have, and she is going to change the game when she comes in. The opponent will change what they're doing when she comes into the game. They look to see when she is going in. We can put her in different spots;Â we can do some different things when she's in there. She was able to influence the game in the first half."
On how Rickea Jackson played her former team and how her teammates lifted her up through the game...
"I thought our team stuck together. I thought our team pulled for each other. The communication was good. I thought it was really positive. I thought that there were a few times that we were low energy. I thought they picked each other up during that time. Not just for Rickea in that situation, but overall. Everything from my perspective that I saw was really positive."
On what our shooting says about our offense moving forward playing SEC teams...
"I thought the same thing, looking at the stats. Obviously, putting up 80Â will give you a really high shooting percentage; it wasn't bad but it wasn't stellar. I think that's where we got a lot of possessions and the offensive boards really made a big difference there, in my opinion. The pace, the possessions, and the board play really got us to 80."
On the amount of second chance points in the game...
"Yeah, we've been working really hard on our boards; that's something that we have emphasized. We just look different than what we did in November on the boards, and I'm proud of that. I think we have people that lock in and understand that that's got to be a big part of who we are and who our offense is. That helps you when you have an off shooting night, or when your offense isn't clicking 100 percent. It gives you a chance to still put points on the board and take some pressure off your defense."
"I think, for our players, we've got to understand that all of these little plays matter. I thought just when it looked like we might be able to pull away, a little bit in the third, but (especially) in the fourth, we'd make a mistake. Whether that was a turnover or a defensive error, I think that's just where a few more plays, and it maybe doesn't get as tight as it got. That's the game. They're sitting there and going, 'A few more plays, and it's an even closer ball game.' The margin for error is so small. One play in the middle of the third quarter could result in momentum. You've got to understand that when you're out there, every possession is precious whether you're on the offensive end or the defensive end."
On how positive it is to only have eight turnovers against a team known for steals...
"That's a good number. That was a really good number - especially the way they play. Like you said, they were playing in that style of play. It wasn't easy for us offensively, but we just didn't have a lot of turnovers. Our mistakes were probably more execution today than actual decision-making turnovers. We can clean up a few things there, we can clean up our execution a little bit better and then keep those turnovers down; things could look a little prettier."
On her message to the team before the upcoming SEC road games...
"For us, I've talked about this a lot, we've got to be consistent. You have to be consistent each and every night. Home, away, it doesn't matter who you're playing; it doesn't matter their record. You have to play consistent. That's going to be important for us when we take the road. I think we've got to be mature. We've got to be able to handle our business. I thought we did that in Florida on the road. We didn't start the game well, but we remained poised and got a good win on the road there. Hopefully, our players are feeling good, and we'll try to carry some momentum over to Nashville."
On if she likes that her players reiterate what she teaches...
"Yes! Let me tell you, that makes me so happy that they are saying the same things. Not just saying the same things, but when they actually verbalize it in the exact same way. I know they're listening. Even if they're not buying in, at least they're spitting it back out to you. I think they get it; I think they understand. It's the same thing. You hear it in practice. To me, that's when I have an 'aha' moment. When I can hear them in practice talk to each other and use the same language that I use and use the same phrases that the coaching staff use, you know you're getting somewhere when you're hearing that."
Senior Forward Rickea Jackson
On the importance of balance when playing a tough SEC schedule... "It's definitely important for us to keep our chemistry. Tess (Darby) coming to get those quick threes gets us all excited and gets our feelings going even more. And when Jordan (Horston)_ comes in and just does what she does, like all over the court, it just makes the game fun. We're really good at chemistry, and that's what I'm most proud of us for. You know, we have a lot of transfers and things like that, but I feel like there was a switch where we know where everyone's going to be and things like that."Â On what it was like playing against her previous team... "Again, we treat every opponent the same, but it was fun. Being able to play against people that you know, it's just fun. I was just having a great time." On what's changed within the team to put together their current win streak... "I would have to say our consistency in practice. You can just feel we're all focused. You can just feel that vibe in practice. We have a goal in SEC play. We came out and said SEC play started the season for us because, of course, we didn't start how we wanted to in the season. So I would say the new year's resolution is everyone being focused and locking in at practice. It is really so important." Â
Junior Guard/Foward Tess Darby
On what prompted her current offensive streak... "Yeah, you know, it is all about a rhythm, but also my confidence - just having the coaches that get in the gym consistently with me that want me to get better, and also just their rebounding and helping me improve and add to my game. But right now, I'm really working on being more than just a three-point threat. But playing on a team with Rickea Jackson and Jordan Horston that can do so much more, it just makes it really fun as a shooter, because they create so much space for me with just their presence on the court. So, it's really been fun." On Jordan Horston's ability to amplify her game in the fourth quarter... "You know, it's fun. Sometimes I have to remember I'm out here playing on the court, because I do get caught up in it. Just (saying), 'Let's go Jordy!' (I'm) just out there cheering her on. I think that's how she does get on a roll, it's just rallying around her teammates. Like Rickea said, it's just fun to play when someone starts going off. You're just staring, and it's like alright, let's keep it going. It's just so fun." On how having a tough non-conference schedule has benefited the team during SEC play... "Yeah, I definitely feel like the coaches putting us in that tough non-conference schedule during the beginning of the season (was beneficial). You know, it's like someone throws a press at us now, and it's like, alright, we got this... compared to Ohio State where we were just a little nervous about it. But yeah, those tougher games have really paid off, and I think this is where you're seeing it now, in this conference."
Senior Guard Jordan Horston
On the key to their offensive rebounding success..."We're resilient, tough. We practice it at practices. They know the scouting report says box out. We've just got to go down to box out you know, no matter what may happen."
On the response by the team going into the fourth quarter...
"I felt like we were never rattled when they want on that run, so that was whats going on for us. We know every good team makes runs, and we had to, you know, cut them really short, stay together, continue to execute. I feel like we locked in better towards the end and got stops. But it gives us confidence in just knowing we are disciplined and doing everything we are supposed to do."
On Rickea Jackson playing her former team...
"We wanted this bad. I'm glad we got this win. We got it for Kea (Rickea Jackson) because you know, who wouldn't want to beat their old team? So I'm just happy we won, and we won in a classy way."
