University of Connecticut Athletics
Tulsa Post Game Quotes
1/18/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2018
"You look at their game against Texas the other night, they only played six guys for a lot of minutes. Those guys had to compete pretty hard, so I felt like tonight he (Geno Auriemma) tried to get his other guys some experience. Even though those guys are McDonald's All-Americans, they weren't as big, they weren't as long and they weren't as savvy as the juniors and seniors that started the game. I felt like that was to our advantage a little bit. Secondly, I felt like our kids kept their composure. They didn't have as many steals into transition points as they did in the first half."
"I think for our kids, based on what I saw in the locker room, it gave us some confidence going into the next game. I feel like not just from the score, but I think our kids felt like we had a lot of effort and they know to win games we have to have that kind of effort every night."
"I think she is shooting a better percentage than she did last year. She's just kind of a streak kind of shooter. When she's on she's on. Some nights she's not on. I think her percentage is better than last year though."
"As many starting lineups as we've had, I can't remember what we did. We keep stats on combinations. We've used so many combinations that sometimes the stats tell you too much, but it doesn't tell you what you are doing against different opponents. So, as long as our kids give us effort, we had 10 healthy people out there tonight, so all 10 of them gave us effort."
Forward Napheesa Collier
Napheesa Collier on how to respond to Coach Geno Auriemma's criticism after the game.
"We just have to fight more. We really need to do a better job. They did what they wanted to do, they shot threes, they got in the lane and we really need to do a better job of running our stuff and doing what we need to do."
Guard Kia Nurse
Kia Nurse on what upset her the most about this performance.
"Tulsa came out and they played a good game. They shot the ball well, and all credit to them in that sense. I think we just need to tighten up defensively and get a little better with our offensive execution."
Forward Azura Stevens
Stevens on her defense.
"I think I need to step up defensively. That's been something all year that I haven't really done a good job at, so I think it's just gonna take more focus on really protecting the rim, being there when I need to be in help, and not letting teams score so easily down low."
Stevens on what needs to change in practice.
"I think just our approach, our mentality. We just have to approach practice with a different mindset, even games. They did a good job of coming out attacking us offensively. Our focus wasn't there on defense and for stretches on offense either, so we just gotta change our mindset about things."
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UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma
Geno on injured and the players who usually don't get a lot of minutes
Tulsa Head Coach Matilda Mossman
UConn had won the last seven meetings by an average of just under 49 points, so how was this game different and what do you say to your players after this one?
Geno on injured and the players who usually don't get a lot of minutes
"Lou turned her ankle so we will know more tomorrow but it doesn't look good right now. We're trying to rest Crystal, she has some shin splints so we're trying to give her a breather. And the guys that don't play much, there's a reason and if I could have it my way. That was the most disgraceful effort I have seen in a game in 32 years."
On what bothered Geno about the game and the way they played
"It really doesn't bother me anymore, I see this every day in practice. I'm beyond bothered. I see this every single day, some days we just hide it better than others. And you know what, I give Tulsa all the credit in the world. They made shots and took the ball, we won because we have All-American players and they don't."
Tulsa Head Coach Matilda Mossman
UConn had won the last seven meetings by an average of just under 49 points, so how was this game different and what do you say to your players after this one?
"You look at their game against Texas the other night, they only played six guys for a lot of minutes. Those guys had to compete pretty hard, so I felt like tonight he (Geno Auriemma) tried to get his other guys some experience. Even though those guys are McDonald's All-Americans, they weren't as big, they weren't as long and they weren't as savvy as the juniors and seniors that started the game. I felt like that was to our advantage a little bit. Secondly, I felt like our kids kept their composure. They didn't have as many steals into transition points as they did in the first half."
Besides winning, what did you want to accomplish in a game against the top-ranked team, and what did you get out of it?
"I think for our kids, based on what I saw in the locker room, it gave us some confidence going into the next game. I feel like not just from the score, but I think our kids felt like we had a lot of effort and they know to win games we have to have that kind of effort every night."
Parker has been such a great 3-point shooter in her career, but has been struggling from behind the arc. To what do you attribute that. How do you get her back in that groove?
"I think she is shooting a better percentage than she did last year. She's just kind of a streak kind of shooter. When she's on she's on. Some nights she's not on. I think her percentage is better than last year though."
You went back to the starting lineup you used in the first game of the season, do you anticipate continuing to shuffle things up all year?
"As many starting lineups as we've had, I can't remember what we did. We keep stats on combinations. We've used so many combinations that sometimes the stats tell you too much, but it doesn't tell you what you are doing against different opponents. So, as long as our kids give us effort, we had 10 healthy people out there tonight, so all 10 of them gave us effort."
Forward Napheesa Collier
Napheesa Collier on how to respond to Coach Geno Auriemma's criticism after the game.
"We just have to fight more. We really need to do a better job. They did what they wanted to do, they shot threes, they got in the lane and we really need to do a better job of running our stuff and doing what we need to do."
Guard Kia Nurse
Kia Nurse on what upset her the most about this performance.
"Tulsa came out and they played a good game. They shot the ball well, and all credit to them in that sense. I think we just need to tighten up defensively and get a little better with our offensive execution."
Forward Azura Stevens
Stevens on her defense.
"I think I need to step up defensively. That's been something all year that I haven't really done a good job at, so I think it's just gonna take more focus on really protecting the rim, being there when I need to be in help, and not letting teams score so easily down low."
Stevens on what needs to change in practice.
"I think just our approach, our mentality. We just have to approach practice with a different mindset, even games. They did a good job of coming out attacking us offensively. Our focus wasn't there on defense and for stretches on offense either, so we just gotta change our mindset about things."
Players Mentioned
Guard/Forward
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