March 30, 2008
Recap | Box Score | Notes | AP Action Photos
HEAD COACH Wendy Larry:
Opening Remarks:
"This is like playing the perfect storm. (UConn is) so deep, their transition game is just so good. You have to play the perfect basktball game to compete with them, to beat them. You have to get all the hustle points. You have to get all the loose balls. You have to make all the shots that you get the opportunity to take. Unfortunately, we played with a great deal of passion, but didn't play with the energy that we needed to play consistently."
On UConn's early second half run...
"During that stretch, we had four shots that didn't fall for us. Not only was UConn attacking in the paint, we didn't score in the first four possessions. I think transition defense is a lot more difficult when you're taking quick shots and you're not working together. Today, we didn't work together as well as we have.
"We had five assists in the game - four in the first half, one in the second. Any time you're one-and-done against a team like the University of Connecticut, they can run at you and keep pushing at you. That's very hard to defend, that kind of transition offense. We really did not shoot the ball very well today and we didn't play very well together today."
On the impact of Maya Moore...
"When you think of some of the great players in the women's game - players who have taken our game to the next level - I think when it's all said and done, Maya Moore will be one of those because she's so transitional inside and out. She now has that 3-point jump shot down pat. Not only does she have size and athleticism, she has an arsenal of weapons. She can take you off the bounce, she can go right, she can go left, she can block, and she can score from the top. I've used this analogy before, but certainly Cheryl Miller in her day is very similar to what Maya Moore in this generation of players will do for the game. We have only seen the tip of the iceberg.
SENIOR FORWARD Shahida Williams
On buckling down defensively after being down 28
"I can honestly say that some of us were frustrated on the bench. Coach decided to make subs at that point and the freshmen played like they had nothing to lose. They went out there and played with energy and heart. "
SENIOR GUARD TJ Jordan
Was Connecticut better defensively than the last meeting
"I knew they would be pretty much aggressive, switching every screen. We just needed to find the opening person and knock down some shots and get more than one shot. I don't think they did anything that we didn't expect them to do."
On UConn pushing the ball in transition
"There were a couple of times when we got caught not getting back in transition. There was a lot of over the top passing. We didn't do a really good job of talking in getting back defensively. They are just a great transition team and we just can't have that against a team like them."
JUNIOR FORWARD Tiffany Green
On low post play
"They were very physical down low. It was our business to limit their touches in the low post. But they were real low down there and got behind us."
"We were playing against the top team in the nation. We came into the game knowing what we were up against since we had played against teams like UConn in the past. I felt we didn't do too bad in the post competing against each other."