Player Postgame Quotes
Syracuse vs. Richmond
Manley Field House -- Syracuse, N.Y.
March 22, 2010
Erica Morrow, Junior, Guard
On the difference between the first and second half:
"Like Coach said, he challenged us all at half time, he told us that we had to stop making those little errors and do the little things that we do when we are successful in order to win. Getting free throw rebounds is something Coach Moody emphasizes every day and just going after the ball making that extra effort is what we talk about every day, and I just wanted to help my team, I couldn’t hit a shot, so I just wanted to help them any way I could."
On Nicole Michael's second half contribution:
"It was huge. Take away her 15 points in the second half and we would have lost. She’s just so big on every play whether it’s a tip, whether its an offensive or defensive rebound, a shot – like she was hitting, she’s just a key part to our success and without her it would be tough to win."
On starting to take the ball to the basket, and the importance of points in the paint:
"That was definitely big, we knew they were a man team, and they were aggressive on ball and in the passing lanes so we knew we had to get to the basket in order to I mean draw fouls, score buckets, but we knew we had to attack their pressure."
On whether they are a second half team:
"In a way we are, but then again it is about responding to what the current situation is, and the only time to do that is in the second half, that’s the only time we have to go in the locker room, regroup, look at what we need to do, and make the necessary changes. I would say, yes, we probably are a second half team, which isn’t a good thing, but we’re trying to clean it up."
Nicole Michael, Senior, Forward
On her post play:
"Coach drew up a couple of plays for me going to post, at first I was kind of surprised that he wanted me going to post, but I just responded to what he wanted me to do, I went down played strong down there, and did pretty well."
On whether she would have preferred to have a little bit more of a perimeter/post mix:
"My main focus is to play the perimeter, but I respond to anything Coach wants me to do. He classified me as a really big player on this team and whatever he wants me to do ill do it. If he wants me to bring the ball down and be a point guard, I’ll do that. I’ll just respond to whatever he wants me to do."
On the difference between the first and second half:
"First off, I had to respond to Coach’s halftime speech. It wasn’t good so I just responded to that. As for emotions, I just wanted to win, and my team wanted to win, we just wanted to keep playing, so I was just happy I made a good play, and my teammates made a good play. I was just happy. "
Juanita Ward, Senior, Forward
On the difference between the first and second half:
"Being a basketball player, you have to know the difference between the two halves. The first half my shot wasn’t falling so you have to go to the basics – taking to the basket, running the floor, and finishing at the rim. It’s about maturing and understanding what you have to do, as a basketball player."
On going to the basket in the second half:
"As a player you have to make those adjustments. You have to know your skills and your abilities, and I knew that they were good shots, but it wasn’t falling on the outside for me, so eventually I was like, 'Hey I can beat her off the bounce, so I might as well just run on her.'"
On knowing there's a possibility of it being her final game as a senior:
"In Odessa we were in a situation just like this. We had to come together as a team, and I know what it feels like to be at this point, to win a championship, this is something that – my adrenaline is pumping for this – because its one chance and you’re out. If you’re not ready for this opportunity, and to seize the opportunity, then you’re not ready to play basketball, you shouldn’t be playing."
