Lady Vols vs. Missouri Postgame Quotes

Tennessee Head Coach Kellie Harper

Opening Statement…
"All wins are good wins, but we knew that going into this game Missouri is very difficult to guard. You can see their ability to shoot the three, which opens up a lot of driving lanes and cutting lanes. You can see that throughout the game. They play very hard, and they're really savvy defensively. I'm really excited about our win. I thought we did a lot of good things today to get this win."

On what has stuck out the last couple of games about the selflessness of the team…
"I think we have understood the assignment very well. I think we have understood where we want to attack. We've been very unselfish, looking for other people. I think we've played intelligent basketball; we've taken really good shots. I think we've had, for the most part, really good pace. I think it starts with our guards with the ball in their hand. I think Jasmine Powell has done a really nice job of really establishing that pace. (I'm) really proud of our team."

On what was discussed in the timeout in the third quarter after the Missouri run…
"We talked about needing to tighten up our defense. We had a couple of breakdowns during that stretch where there was just either a miscommunication or no communication. Against Missouri, your defense better be talking. We had another couple where I thought we were just standing; we weren't looking to make plays. I would've liked extra effort. We discussed those things, and then we talked about getting back to the pace we needed offensively. I thought they sucked a little bit of energy out of us during that stretch. They did it with their offense. We got scored on in kind of low energy coming back down on the offensive end and had some turnovers. We cleaned up our pace, which helped, but just the renewed focus, the urgency on the defensive end was there."

On what went into doing so well with ball security…
"I thought we did a nice job early on of making it very simple. We attacked the paint, we threw the ball to Rickea (Jackson) and got out of the way. I thought we handled it well. I thought we read the defense well. In the second half there, those turnovers led to easy buckets on the other end. (We) tried to make some plays happen that weren't there in the second half, which is why I think we had some of those turnovers."

On if what Jewel Spear has done in SEC play has injected confidence in the team similar to the way that Rickea Jackson does…
"I think they're just playing well together now, the team. Obviously, knowing Rickea is out there has always helped our team. Jewel's confidence is also infectious. I think people understand we've got a lot of options. The rest of our team is very capable. I think now when they have confidence because of maybe Rickea and Jewel, they play individually with more confidence. I think right now it's a really good vibe."

On the resiliency of the group having seven SEC wins...
"It's so hard. I mean, the league is so tough this year. We talk about it so often. There are no bad teams in our league. I'll say this multiple times: you can pick up the stat sheets, you can pick up box scores, you can look at the win/losses throughout the league and realize that anything can happen on any given night. So, for us to be playing pretty consistent basketball, I'm really proud of (us). And finding ways to get wins whether they're at home or on the road - you've just got to figure it out. I'm really proud of this basketball team."
On how their offensive success translates from practice to games...
"I think they need to feel good about what they're doing. And just in particular, our last two games - our Georgia win and this win against Missouri - offensively, I think they felt really good going into the game. Like I said, they understood where we were going to be looking to get the ball, and they were able to go out and execute that. I think it is important in practice for you to feel good about what you're doing. I think it carries over."
On if pushing the pace was an emphasis in this game...
"We try to emphasize our pace every game. We think we're a better basketball team if we can move the ball up and down the court. We've played some games where there were a lot of possessions because of it. I think our team is better when we're a little bit more aggressive. It starts with the pace. And, obviously, Jasmine Powell, who can get defensive boards and start the break herself, or even pushing on a made basket; I think we've done a better job of that recently. If she brings the ball down the court, and we don't have other folks there in their position, then it doesn't matter. I think we've had some rim-runners, we've had some wings getting out running. Sometimes they put the defense on their heels."
On the resiliency of this team after Missouri's 12-0 run in the third quarter...
"I think right now, that run came back to going and doing what we needed to do. The timeout wasn't a timeout that I had to yell an awful lot...a little bit. It wasn't the most animated timeout. It was a lot of, 'Hey, let's reset. Let's remember what we've done well, and let's go back to doing that. You clean this up, and you have the urgency defensively.' They did it. They know. I think they understand. They understand better now what it needs to look like and what that feels like, how to execute that, whatever that is. Defensive or offense, they understand it. We don't always do it. No one is perfect, but I think they really have a good feel for what it needs to be for this team to be successful."

On if she credits Jewel Spear's father for her transferring to Tennessee…
"Yeah, but I'll be honest with you, it didn't take me to February to give him a high five. We knew from the first phone call I had with her. I got off the phone and knew that I wanted her on our team. I fell in love with her immediately. She is a great person. Obviously, you can look at all the highlights, all the clips, see the basketball and know she checks a lot of boxes, but everything about her has been awesome. We love her; (I'm) so glad she is a Lady Vol."

On teaching the team to make the simple play…
"I think the most challenging part about that is finding the patience. They get excited, and they want to do right; they want to do well. The most challenging thing for them is to work and find it, but they've really improved in that area, being a little bit more patient. We want to be aggressive, but finding the balance of being aggressive while also being aggressive for something great. I think we have had a lot of good possessions that really demonstrate that. I'm proud of them; we've worked on it very hard this year. We wanted that to be a strength."
On trying to fix the defensive lapses coming out of halftime…
"I think it's just the focus. You have to go out and understand that we aren't the only folks that are going to make adjustments. The other team is going to make adjustments, and I think for us, just recognizing that what we've done has worked, but you have to do it at an elite level and maybe even higher because they are going to make some adjustments. I think the focus, the energy a little bit... I thought we got a little bit low energy our last two games in the third quarter, so we have to make sure we come out ready to go."

On their three-point onslaught early in the game...
"We took a lot (of threes) in the first half; I think we took 17 in the first half- maybe two or three too many. We had a lot of really good looks, and if they are confident in taking a good shot, I want them to feel good about taking it. But at the same time, finding the balance is important. We did that early on. We got the ball inside in that first quarter, and then we took a lot of threes. I thought the second half was a little bit better balanced for us. We got the ball to the basket and took some threes. We had a lot of good looks from the three tonight that I think we can make, we just didn't make them. I know we still made some, but to me, our shooting percentage wasn't as good as I think it could have been. We had some easy ones."

On finding Tamari Key inside…
"We established the paint early, it just happened to be Rickea (Jackson). For us, Rickea was the one down; Tamari (Key) did not get those looks because it was Rickea. I don't think it was anything that we weren't looking for her. Our first post down was Rickea. We knew we could get her some looks, and we kept going to it. I worried about it initially, but then I started thinking Rickea was the one on the block, and you're not going to be able to attack two blocks, typically. I'm proud of Tamari; she gets it. That's a tough matchup for her defensively, a really tough matchup. She was excited to get the win."

Tennessee Junior Forward Sara Puckett

On Jewel Spear's recent performance…
"She's very confident. That's what stands out the most, and so that feeds off to us. That definitely feeds off to me, because I see her doing her thing. I want to be able to give that back to her as well, and she is playing really hard by diving on the floor for loose balls. Those are categories that aren't necessarily on the stat sheet, but she is getting those too. (I'm) just really proud of her effort and really proud of her leadership. She's constantly talking on the court, making us feel like we are all connected on the offensive and defensive end. She's done a really great job."

On the fast start from behind the three-point line…
"Well, I feel like it started off with our guards being aggressive and finding those open people beyond the three. Like we have touched on, we were just confident, and we let it fly. We just fed off of each other, and that's how it was going."

On how players have bought into working together and scoring…
"I would say it has started off in practice. We have had several possessions that have translated to the game. Like pass-pass-cut-pass, and we are constantly doing that towards the end of the shot clock. That worked for us. We are constantly trusting each other, because we know the work that we are doing outside of practice. We believe in each other, and we are playing off of each other really well right now."

Tennessee Senior Guard Jewel Spear

On Sara Puckett's impressive performance today…
"She came out with a lot of confidence. I know when I'm driving and my teammates are driving, we are looking for her. She's spotted up ready to make shots. Sara (Puckett) is always hustling. She's giving us those extra effort plays, crashing the offensive boards, and doing the dirty work on defense. I'm proud of her."

On what has been letting the offense run smoothly the past few games…
"I think attacking the basket and making the easy and simple play. If I'm open, it's being aggressive and confident, whether that's from the three or getting downhill. If people help, I'm going to make the right play and kick it to Sara (Puckett) or look at Tamari Key. If our post players have them buried, I'm giving them the ball. It's a high-percentage shot. (It's) Making the easy play and my teammates making their shots as well."

On where this team has grown from the Ole Miss game in terms of effort…
"I would say loose balls. People are willing to give up their bodies for loose balls, whether that's diving on the floor for loose balls or Karoline (Striplin) or Sara (Puckett) trying to take charges. Even if it doesn't end up as a charge, it's that effort seeing each other doing the things that are going to get us wins."

Missouri Head Coach Robin Pingeton

Opening Statement…
"I appreciate you all being here. Kellie (Harper) has a great squad. The history of this program is something really special, and obviously, it's a really tough and challenging place to play. Kellie has her team playing really well right now. I think offensively, they're hot. They're knocking down threes, they've got great size in the paint that as soon as you try to help off of some of those perimeter players, they do a great job of playing really unselfish basketball. I'm proud of our players; I thought we really battled. I thought out of the gates, Tennessee threw the first punch. It would've been easy just to kind of lay down, but we found a way to continue to battle back and made a game out of it. (It's a) game of runs, and obviously, from the point where we cut it to three late in the third, we just didn't have enough gas. Again, give a lot of credit to Tennessee and those players. I think Spear is such a hard guard. She just can score at a variety of levels and shot the ball really well. Rickea Jackson is a special player. I thought we did a better job in the second half, but she commands so much attention. Obviously, I can go down the roster. There's so much talent on this roster. At the end of the day, I thought we did a nice job on the boards. One of our focuses was to not put them at that free-throw line. They're such a good free throw shooting team. I thought we did a decent job there. I thought we battled against a really good team. One of our best players didn't make the trip. (I'm) proud of our girls - not satisfied - but proud of our girls."

On if there was something Tennessee was doing to avoid turnovers in the first half…
"We tried. We felt like that was an area that maybe we could expose. They don't have a lot of weaknesses, and I'm not saying it's a huge issue for them, but sometimes they get a little careless with the ball. We felt like maybe there would be some opportunities, and that's why we started off with our man defense, just trying to be a little bit more disruptive. They did a really nice job taking care of the ball, especially in that first half."

On facing Tennessee's offense the way they are clicking right now…
"One of the things that I think is most impressive watching Tennessee is just how unselfish they are. You see very few tougher contested shots, unless it's at the horn, and a lot of times they get to the free-throw line off that. I think they do a really good job with their ball movement. I noticed that at the Georgia game, their ability to pass up a good shot for a great shot and making that one more pass. Also, when you have a team that plays inside out, I think that makes it really, really hard to guard. They're, in my opinion, playing really, really well on the offensive end."

On the difficulty to prep for RIckea Jackson while also giving attention to Tennessee's other major scorers…
"Rickea (Jackson) is a great player. Our focus was collectively on the five that are on the court. They go deep, and they rotate a lot. We played against Jewel (Spear) when she was at Wake Forest and certainly understand the firepower that she has. Puckett has been great. Again, just line them up, there's so much talent on this team, and yet they continue to be so unselfish in the way they play. (She's) definitely a hard guard, you have to pick and choose where you want to take some chances and create some opportunities on the defensive end. I just felt like, especially in that first half, I thought Tennessee did a really good job of making the adjustments offensively and knocking down shots, even if they were tough contested shots. They came out really hot offensively."