Wagner Player Postgame Quotes
Student-Athlete Quotes
Syracuse vs. Wagner
December 2, 2009
Carrier Dome—Syracuse, N.Y.
Nicole Michael, Sr., F
On the substitution Coach Hillsman made at the beginning of the game:
“Coach took the first five out and put the second five into the game. They played great defense and we saw it off the bench. When we got back on the court, we just picked it up and played good defense. “
On what the mentality was before the game started:
“He told us before the game started that if we come out flat, he is going to have a new five waiting for us.”
On what practice has been like recently:
“Scrimmages have been fun. We have been working hard and being competitive in practice.”
Erica Morrow, Jr., G
On if the game plan was to be stronger than the other team on the boards:
“We wanted to keep getting the ball to Kayla (Alexander). She was working hard down low in the paint. We wanted to keep feeding it to her and let her keep scoring and play big down low in the paint.”
On rebounding on the offensive side:
“Kayla Alexander is 6-foot-4-inches tall and they didn’t have anyone that tall. Just like coach Hillsman said, he wants us to keep going. If you keep going, you will get the offensive rebounds.”
On causing Wagner to have shot clock violations:
“One of our coaches, coach Moody, is real big on defense. He is always talking about getting stops and that defense wins championships. Defense is real big for us. It’s exciting when we can stop a team and get through our rotations correctly. On the defensive end, we just need to keep playing hard and playing physical.”
On playing well defensively this early in the season:
“Defense on this level is not just about rotations. It is about is being physical and being strong, so knowing that we can do it this early and hopefully get our rotations and our chemistry on defense together early, that will carry over into the conference play.”
On the competitiveness in practice:
“We definitely know that you are never going to come into practice and have a light day. We always say, from top to bottom, we could play so many different starting five rotations. We don’t really look at it as starters then our second group coming in because just as quick as I can start, any of the other girls can in my spot. They push us real hard in practice and we push them back. I think that will be great because we will all get better at the same time.”
On the offensive game plan:
“Offensively, we wanted to execute our sets, the same as every game. We wanted to get the ball into Kayla (Alexander) and let her work and to just keep executing our sets and hitting open shots. “
On if the plan was to get the ball inside:
“When you get into the game and you see Kayla (Alexander) down low, and she is a head taller than everyone else and she is working hard, you have to give her the ball. She rebounds, she blocks shots, she is a post presence and you have to reward her for that. That just happened naturally; we gave her the ball and let her keep working.”
On starting the season 7-0:
“It has sunk in, but I was here freshman year when we started off like this and I was here last year when we had a tough time. We are just trying to tell the younger players that it does not really mean anything. It does mean something but we can win these first seven and then we can lose our next 27, so it does not matter. So we just have to keep working hard and trying to get better.”
Kayla Alexander, Fr., C
On if it gives her confidence to get the ball as much as she did:
“It is a confidence booster, but we have a great team. Anyone can shoot. We were looking inside and outside too.”
On out-rebounding Wagner:
“We were all going towards the glass and we were getting after it. Height means nothing; they can all go after it. “
On what she is learning as a freshman:
“I am learning to be strong with the ball and to go up strong. I have to be better on defense. There is a lot of the game that I am still learning. I am just taking it one game at a time.”
