Player Quotes
Juanita Ward, Senior, Forward
On the energy level at the game:
"We have great fans. We just want to come out here and play. I like playing here at Manley, but I like playing at the Dome more though."
On if the sidelines are easier to shoot from at Manley:
"Everything is a lot closer, so it is."
On what challenges the team faced against New Hampshire:
"We just took what was given to us. They weren’t really doing anything special, we just took what they gave to us."
On if New Hampshire was physical:
"Yes, they were pretty physical."
On the size of New Hampshire's players:
"We just have to come out here and play, no matter the height, the size, or whatever the case may be we just have to come out and play hard every game. With different heights and different sizes, you just have to match up to it, so we just have to go out there and compete. You have to know how to play that person, whoever it is you just have to know how to play them."
On what she teaches the younger players:
"To be more physical. When we are in the weight room I’m telling them, 'Come on, let's go, let’s put more weight up on that.' I’m telling (freshman center) Kayla (Alexander) all the time when we are doing bench presses, 'Let’s get a little bit more. Let’s go harder.'"
On how she feels about upcoming BIG EAST play:
"I am definitely going to approach it a little bit differently this year. Going in last year I didn't know what to expect, but this year I know what to expect. As for our team, we are just going to be ready to compete, we are a much better team, and we are ready to compete. Whatever Coach (Hillsman) has for us, we are going to be ready to handle it the best way that we can.
Kayla Alexander, Freshman, Center
On what she expects from BIG EAST play:
"Coach has been telling me that it is going to be physical. They are not going to call much so I better get used to it and start going up stronger. He was hitting me hard and trying to prepare me to go out there strong."
On what else she can do to prepare:
"Go out there mentally strong, don’t let the small things get to me, and just go out there and compete."
On Coach Hillsman preparing her for games:
"It didn’t take many for me to start shoving back and it really made me get ready to put up those shots."
On what she think about the difference between playing at Manley and the Dome:
"I like playing in both, but I find that playing in Manley it is closer together and you can feel the atmosphere. There is a lot more energy -- it really gets us pumped up and ready to roll. I liked it a lot, but I like the Dome as well."
On what coach said about over-the-back fouls:
"Coach said to go over the shoulder, instead of over the back and to watch out for that."
On what she knows about BIG EAST play:
"That it’s physical, and I have to come out and compete"
On if she did anything differently in the second half:
"I came out stronger and went to the basket. I worked on not just throwing it up there, but regrouping and slowing it down."
