University of Connecticut Athletics
Quotes: UConn 83, Duke 52
12/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma
Whether turning to the press helps when the team is down:
"I think on occasion. I don't know that we can do it all the time against everybody, but in certain situations. We try to find in our practices when that is and against who… I was really happy with the effort today. It was pretty taxing on our guys. I don't think the effort was ever less than what I wanted it to be. You open yourself up to free throws, and everything else that goes with it, but I think in the end it was worth it."
On if the team has developed a killer instinct:
"No. That's one of the things that I was upset about a little bit. There was just a sequence where we really played well defensively, and then we'd go down and miss free throws…We had a lot of empty possessions, and that's what I talked to them about during one of the timeouts, how closing out games is so important. But I thought when K made a three from the corner it kind of opened it up for us. Her and Moriah really gave our team a lot of confidence, they made some big plays… And that's the one thing that I want this team to consistently develop, is that mentality of putting teams away by making the right play at the right time."
Junior Forward Breanna Stewart:
On the UConn-Duke Rivalry
"It's been great while I've been here. They're obviously a competitive, tough team. It's too bad that it's coming to an end, but hopefully we will play another tough team."
On playing against Elizabeth Williams
"I have played against Elizabeth Williams for a while, since we were fourteen or fifteen. She is a strong, physical post player. She showed that tonight when she finished tough plays. She's going to do well this year and professionally."
Redshirt-sophomore Morgan Tuck:
On playing East Carolina for the first time
"It's exciting to see new faces and a new team. I have never been to East Carolina, and I don't think any of us have, so it's exciting to see a new place and to get another conference game in."
On the team developing a killer instinct
"That's what we are trying to get. Coach discussed this after the game on how we need to step on teams at certain points of the game. We are trying to work on doing that a little sooner in the game
Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie
Opening Statement
"It was a disappointing game. It was a great game by Connecticut. It was a pathetic display by us, especially in terms of hustle and intangibles. It's not always about shot making. Although I would have liked to have made more shots, it's about how you represent and how you hustle as a team. We did not do that, especially in the second half."
On how their defensive length disrupted Connecticut in the first half but not the second
"That's so typical. We have absolutely no defensive leadership. In the first half people were helping out and pointing out shooters but in the second half there was no leadership out there so it became more difficult. We had nobody make a defensive play, or stop, or communication of significance in the second half."
Duke senior Elizabeth Williams
On the Connecticut defense
"I think they did a really good job defensively of just executing their game plan. Obviously we wanted to go inside and I don't think we did a good job of finishing inside like we are capable of doing. I have to give them the credit."
