March 11, 2004
Old Dominion University Head Coach - Wendy Larry
Opening Comments:"One of the most difficult games you play is the first game in a tournament. It took us a whole half to warm up. Several of our players didn't play well in the first half. We were nervous and we played nervous. It is difficult to carry the idea that you are the number one seed, so it took us a while to settle in. We regrouped in the second half. We score by committee; there is always three or four that step up."
On today's game effecting tomorrow:
"We've had the chance to relax. We played our first half independently of one another and it makes a difference, but we worked together down the stretch. We were able to go to the bench and get people a chance to feel what it is like to play in a tournament. I pleased with the amount of minutes everyone played tonight."
"Our defense played well down the stretch today, but we can't play only 20 minutes and get away with it anymore. I think we will be a lot better after we have relaxed and feel comfortable. We've got a lot more work to do."
Senior Guard, Max Nhassengo
"I had a dream that we were going to be playing this team in the first round."
On Second Half Play:
"I had to be more focused in the second half, more relaxed."
Junior Guard, Shareese Grant
"We had to step up our defense. I told the team in the second half, we need to pick it up and play hard defense."
William & Mary Head Coach Debbie Taylor
Opening Comments:"I thought ODU played a great second half. They ran up and down the floor are really played well. We hung in there the whole first half, but when ODU starts running, that's when you know you're in trouble; at least that's when we knew we were in trouble. When you play a team like Old Dominion you grow and that's the way we look at it. We have had the privilege to play them three times and each time we grew."
On This Year's William & Mary Team:
"We've got a lot of adversity this year. We kept growing as a program and a team everyday and we will keep growing in a positive direction."
On ODU:
"Watching them (ODU) grow, they play better and better every game. They really started to play well in the second half and I thought we stuck with them in the first half but they just kept going in the second half and we knew we were in trouble. Their younger players are even playing well and maturing on the floor. They (ODU) are really showing why they are here to win this tournament."
Senior Forward, Christin Gethers
"It is interesting to see how our team has grown. It's exciting to go back to the way we used to play, like when I first started playing my freshman year, and just run."
Senior Guard, Kelly Ercole
"Our team has grown substantially both on and off the court. I agree with Christin (Gethers) in that it was exciting to go back to the way we used to play."