Coach Hillsman Quotes
Head Coach Quentin Hillsman
Syracuse vs. Virginia Commonwealth
Manley Field House -- Syracuse, N.Y.
March 26, 2010
Opening Statement:
"Obviously we're excited to still be winning. Really, that's the goal and object of this postseason is to survive and advance. I'm just really happy with the way Juanita (Ward) played with the double-double, (Nicole Michael) had a double-double, Erica (Morrow) really controlled the game and Kayla (Alexander) was huge inside. Tasha (Harris) came and did everything we needed her to do down the stretch. I'm happy with the win. I'm happy with our effort. We're happy to be going to play Michigan on Sunday. We just want to keep playing and keep playing tough games. The only thing this can do is make us better so we're just very excited about the opportunity. Rebounding the basketball was huge for us. For us to be plus 21 on the boards was remarkable and to double them up on offensive rebounds was the key to the game. I have to give my kids a lot of credit. It's been a long week of practicing. I've been challenging and pushing them and they just keep responding. Hopefully going on the road and playing at Michigan – which will be a tough, physical game – they will respond and play tough there."
On the final six minutes:
"We just wanted to get up the floor and play aggressive around the arc. We just didn't do a good job of getting to Moss. She made a lot of shots and she just got going on us. We couldn't seem to get her under control. Late in the game, we got her under control. We did a little something where we just shaded her side and really went pinned down for her and just really chased her off the screen. I thought that was the key to the game, just getting up the floor and playing her really strong and aggressive."
On the 23-4 run to end the game:
"It's all about players. We just have good players who play strong and refuse to lose basketball games. We can be in control of situations and we just have good, strong-willed players who refused to lose. Every day we just push and I just try to get everything I can out of them every minute of the game and that's what we did tonight. I pushed them and challenged them and they responded."
On the team's patience:
"I didn't want them to think I was panicked. It was just a point of us getting up the floor and just taking away the perimeter shots. They got a few things slipping to the basket on us, but I knew the biggest thing we had to do was really get up the floor and not give them easy slips to the basket which was where Kayla (Alexander) was the anchor in the paint and also playing up the floor Juanita (Ward), (Nicole Michael) and Tyler (Ash) – they were in the game and they did a great job playing up the floor and not giving them rhythm and jump shots."
On whether he's looked at Michigan yet:
"No, I didn't because I was really worried about VCU. They're a very good basketball team. We're used to quick turnarounds so we'll be ready to play. We'll be very prepared. Obviously, I'll be up all night, but that is what it is. That's part of the deal. I'm going to do everything I can get to our players prepared for this game. By tomorrow morning, I'll be well-schooled on Michigan and really get a game plan together and go out there and win the basketball game."
