University of Connecticut Athletics
Quotes: UConn 87, ECU 32
1/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Recap | Final Stats | Photo Gallery 1 
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UConn Head coach Geno Auriemma
On Kiah Stokes' triple-double and the inside presence she brings:
"Kiah is in a defensive mindset right now that I think very few players can reach regarding their comfort level where they know that they can take chances and impact any shot that they want to impact. I've seen people do that in the past, I don't know if I've seen anybody do it as consistently and as often as Kiah has done it. Even to the point that they call the foul. During one I even commented that I bet you when I look at the film it wasn't a foul. When they said that she hit the person on the arm shooting it…she always gets the ball when its leaving your hand…maybe she did, but the fact that there was a foul called…we were all surprised. That is how in sync she is right now and she got one big offensive rebound in the second half in front of our bench. Regardless of the score, she is doing stuff lately that has become a part of who she is at both ends of the floor."
On the UConn bench:
"One of the issues with our bench is that, other than Kiah Stokes for a long period of time (three plus years), everybody else, this is relatively new to them, while Soniya Chong has done it a little bit. You can see that Kiah is the most comfortable…this is her role. It what she wants her role to be and she is playing it to the hilt. The other guys, I think Abby is making the most progress. She is becoming the most consistent. She is the one that I think made that biggest jump from a month ago to now. Soniya comes and goes. Of the three players that play the most minutes, I would say that is my assessment right there."
UConn Senior Center Kiah Stokes
On your block performance tonight:
"I think so. There was one thing, especially Kevin, I don't know if you guys know him but he sits on the bench, and he said, "Kiah you have seven blocks so often, can't you just get ten?" That was one thing where you don't think about it, but once I noticed I was getting a few, I started to think that I wonder how many I've got, maybe I can get a few more. That was the approach I brought."
Were the blocked shots the part of the triple-double you were most proud of?
"Absolutely, the blocked shot is one thing that I know I can do and I love to do it. To get a triple-double with blocks as the third category is pretty awesome. I had no idea that I set the record for most blocks as a UConn player either."
On what it means to put up those numbers:
"I think it is awesome, words can't really describe it, it is just a great feeling. Knowing that my teammates really had my back in there, encouraging me, is something that is special too. A lot of teams have players where teammates might get jealous with all of the attention, but my teammates are really supportive and that is the best part about it."
On Kiah Stokes' triple-double tonight:
"She is being assertive. Whenever you see that, it's great to see it and the fact that she had a triple-double tonight…she is a person that you want to see have a triple-double because she has been here for four years. You want to see someone like here who has worked hard and gotten better those four years get some recognition, some individual recognition, and she is an important piece of our team."
East Carolina Head Coach Heather Macy
On how the team responded to the challenge of today's game after the game in North Carolina:
" I give UConn a lot of credit for tonight. They're an incredible basketball team. I was disappointed in our performance tonight."
On what UConn was able to do during a big first half:
"I thought we turned the ball over. Our choices were very poor, and that resulted in baskets for the other side."
On whether or not you agree with those who think Geno runs up the score:
"No, no. He's got a great basketball team, and they play incredibly hard for forty minutes."
On how playing UConn prepares the team for the remainder of their schedule:
"Well UConn set the standard in our league. We're all just trying to play catch-up."
