Post Game Quotes
1/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Missouri Head coach Robin Pingeton
Opening statement...
"I thought our girls played really hard today. We did a nice job on the boards for the most part. We gave up two offensive rebounds at the free throw line there down the stretch. We rebounded real well for the most part. We came out of the gates strong at the half. I thought in the first half our defensive effort was on point. After the half, we came out strong out of the gates and got up by nine. And then I thought we tightened up. We started playing not to lose versus playing to win. They got a couple quick steals off their full court pressure, some of them forced, some of them unforced decision making. That's an awfully good team. We're not going to hang our heads. I'm proud of our fight. We'll regroup. We talked about this. This is how the SEC is going to be, night in and night out. You've got to be able to play fast, but not in a hurry. We've got to be able to finish our looks at the rim. We were getting good looks. I'm pleased with the looks we got throughout the course of the game. We've got to finish shots. We've got to do a much better job taking care of the ball. They were going to press us for 40 minutes. Certainly, you're not going to play flawlessly. We had too many unforced turnovers. Our decision making and we were a little loose with the ball. Ultimately, that's on me. That's on our staff. We've got to continue to coach, teach and make adjustments. And keep looking forward."
On the poise the team showed through a hard-fought game...
"I thought for probably 30 minutes of that game, maybe 32 minutes of that game, we played awfully well. You're not going to play a perfect game. It was just those careless turnovers we had. Unforced turnovers. That's a very good defensive team. You know there are going to be some tough possessions. That's where we've got to get better. And that's where it's challenging. We've got to work on some of that stuff in practice, but we're so banged up. It's hard to work on things in practice right now, because `A', we don't have a scout team, and `B', some are just struggling with some different injuries. It gets really challenging and we've got to do the best we can with breaking some things down on tape and being mindful of getting after some things in practice. We can't be on that court as much as we'd like to be right now. There's got to be a balance in there."
Senior Guard Morgan Eye
On what made for the tough game on the offensive end of the floor...
"We really had a lot of on-ball pressure. We just need to remember to get some motion right away while our point guard is kind of being hounded. At times we were just very stagnant. Making sure we're getting some movement is what we really need to do."
On the defensive game plan against Mississippi State...
"Our game plan was to be inside-out. We knew they liked to dribble penetrate and those ball screens. Needed to have a sense of urgency on their shooters. We needed to be assignment correct. They've really got some big girls in there. It was about making sure we had some great help side communication."
On what caused Mississippi State to be able to hold Mizzou off down the stretch...
"I feel like a turnover here or there, and they were just timely. It was very poor to have them stack up the way they did. We had built up a lead and then we had careless turnover after careless turnover. That let them get back in it. So that's where me, as a senior on the team, need to make sure that we have a little more poise. We've got to be able to regroup ourselves, even after we do have a silly turnover, just so they don't stack up."
Junior Guard Maddie Stock
On what contributed to her offensive success vs. the Bulldogs...
"I was just feeding off the energy of my teammates, and everyone telling me that they have confidence in me, and knowing that and having confidence in myself. That just made it easier to hold my follow-through and stick it in."
On defensive keys against Mississippi State...
"We all just understand that our offense comes from our defense. So if we have a lot of energy and pressure, and really understand the game plan on defense, we'll be successful."
Mississippi State Quotes
Head Coach Vic Schaefer
Opening statement...
"Obviously, it was a heck of a basketball game. I tip my hat off to Robin (Pingeton), her staff and her team. They play so very hard and are so committed. You have to have a lot of respect for a group like that. I know they've had some injuries this year, but they just go next player up and go play. When I watched them play against Tennessee the other night, they controlled the first 20 minutes and probably 10 of the last 20. It just got away from them a little bit, similar to tonight. We turned them over in the press and we got a couple layups. We really struggled offensively. We shot 28-percent in the first half and 29-percent in the second half. If it hadn't been for those layups we got off our defense, who knows what we would've shot. I'm proud of our team. A game like today is all about surviving and advancing in the SEC. Jerica James had a really good ballgame today and made some great decisions at point guard. We got a lot of weapons, but unfortunately we didn't showcase any of them today. You got Kendra Grant and James who are seniors and came out and played well. I'm proud of my kids to find a way to win and hanging in there."
On Missouri's stingy defense today...
"I told them that we got `out toughed' today on a lot of balls. We got outhustled on just about every loose ball. That's personal with me. That's not something I take lightly. That doesn't have anything to do but us. They (Missouri) do a good job with what we call `sealing' and got their hands on a bunch of balls. This is the SEC. The biggest, baddest, most physical conference in the country. You better come ready to deal with that every night. When you're playing five freshman and four sophomores they're not quite used to that. The seniors are though and we need to get better."
On what keyed the team's late second half run to seal the game...
"No doubt it was our defense. We were turning them over and getting some layups. We also got in some of their passing lanes. When we turned them over out front and got some run outs. Our half-court offense was a little better at that time. We ran some things and got some good looks. We attacked the rim and got there a bit more."
On the team continuing to find ways to win...
"You're not going to play well every night, especially on the road. Things don't work out. Travel doesn't work out. Food doesn't work out. That's just life on the road. For us, finding ways to perceiver like today was key. Coaches kept coaching and players kept playing. There was a point where I had finally had enough. I think we came out of that late timeout and played better. We had so many people go out there and do their job."
Senior Guard, Jerica James
On competing against Missouri's tough defense...
"Honestly, my teammates are `touchy' in practice so you're used to it. Once you're in a game you expect those to get called, but when they aren't you got to suck it up and play. You just have to play through it. It's a tough game, tough conference but we know we can pull it off. We kept that mindset and kept everything together."
On Mississippi State's defensive strategy today...
"We tried to run them off the three point line. Once we got into them more and they had to use their legs then their shots weren't falling. That was basically it. We had to get them off the three point line. Also, denying the ball off ball reversals."
