Player Quotes_WNIT_31809
Syracuse vs. Canisius
March 18, 2009
Carrier Dome – Syracuse, N.Y.
Senior guard, Chandrea Jones
On what this game meant to her as a senior:
“Basically, I just wanted to go out with a bang in front of the home court.”
On the 51 rebounds in today’s game:
“We just knew that we had to get to the boards and get rebounds. Coach said we weren’t rebounding, so that’s what we did. You have to rebound to win, so we went to the glass every time.”
On playing in the NIT after playing in the NCAA Tournament the year before:
”We were excited to get our game going. We just look forward to doing it Sunday and seeing what comes out of it.”
Sophomore guard, Erica Morrow
On the style of play by the guards:
“Our new style of play is a little bit more focused, especially on offense, on the guards being more aggressive. The coaches told Chandrea [Jones] to put the ball in the basket, for me to shoot the ball, and for the guards to be more aggressive.”
On the different style of play by the guards:
“It’s not much different than it’s been all year. I think the difference is we’re making shots now. That’s probably the biggest thing different. They told us told us to be more aggressive and we’re hitting shots.”
On the 3-point shot:
“The defense they went with was sagging, they were pressuring the ball, and they were sagging. So we were attacking, attacking those gaps and our players were filling them and knocking shots down.”
On Nicole Michael’s game:
“It shows how versatile we are. Nicole could have easily come out and could have had 25 [points] and 12 [rebounds], but she played her position today and it was to get rebounds and play good defense and that’s what she did.”
On playing in the NIT:
“We just wanted to get a win, a postseason win. Coach [Hillsman] said that there aren't a lot of teams playing, but we’re one of them. To be still playing on Sunday is an amazing accomplishment for the team. We weren’t as happy as we wanted to be with the season, but we’re still playing and we’re 1-0 now and we’re going to keep on from here.”
On playing man-to-man defense:
“We had little flashes of it late in the season. We started to play a little bit more man, but it was like a 180 turn-around. The first day we came back in after our little break, we starting going right at it [man-to-man defense]. I still wasn’t sure if we were going to be in the NIT. We were just preparing for the next season, until we knew for sure. It’s a little bit of a difference but we’re adjusting to it.”
Sophomore guard, Tasha Harris
On shooting more in the game:
“Me, Erica [Morrow], and Missy [Marissa Gobuty] all take about 300 shots a day. I felt more confident stepping up and shooting the ball. Before the game, Coach [Hillsman] told me if I get the ball and don’t shoot it, I’m not going to play. I’d rather shoot it than not play.”
On which of the game’s statistics impressed her the most:
My six rebounds. No, I know everyone on the team can score and it felt good to go out and just play and have fun.”*
