University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn-UCF Postgame Quotes
1/27/2019 7:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Head Coach Geno Auriemma
On today's play as a team:
"If you execute the game plan and the ball gets where it needs to get at the time the ball needs to get there, you end up with a pretty good shot. The way we came out with energy and edginess was a big factor. When we play like that on the defensive end the offensive tends to be sharper."Â
On setting the tone:
"The game plan for UCF is usually that they want to control the tempo of the game with their defense and then they can control the tempo of the game with their offense. That way they can control the game on both ends of the court. What is different about UCF is they are trying to get you to turn it over, and want to get a lot of steals in a game, but then they don't try to hurry up on offense after getting those steals and score high in a game. So when we can get up on a team like that it forces them to play faster, and typically they do not want to play faster. Our approach today was to get a shot early on the possession as often as we can. I don't think they were surprised we pressed them, but I thought it was the right thing to do."Â
On first-half shooting:
"When you are playing a game and everything is half court then every possession becomes life or death. Then the only shot you are getting are tough looks that can be open but there is still a lot of pressure to make them. Today because of our offense we got a lot of great looks early on. We made a bunch during the stretch when we blew the game open. UCF is not an easy team to get open looks against that's why we have to get them early in the possession because I believe the longer it stays close, the tougher they can get. We ran the floor pretty well today, and our transition game was good because we had people to throw the ball to up ahead."Â
On the progression of Crystal Dangerfield:
"Kids come in as a freshman and depending on their position they can be used to having the ball on the entire possession on their previous team. Here you actually have to pass the ball to other really good players, and then every decision you make gets scrutinized. It gets a little bit overwhelming. Crystal had to find herself, just like Megan Walker did. Both players came and were good but didn't yet understand what really really good was and what it took to get there. Every little thing set Crystal back as a freshman and now she won't come off the court no matter what, it doesn't matter if it is practice or a game. She has found herself and when really talented kids do that...the sky is the limit. She is in a really good place right now."Â
Senior Guard Katie Lou SamuelsonÂ
On the team's strong first half:
"We wanted to come out strong, this is a really tough opponent, they are the second best team in conference. So we wanted to make sure we came out with the right attitude and didn't take them lightly."
On what the team is working on leading into Louisville:
"The biggest thing is we are seeing things we have been practicing translate into the games. We have been working on our defense a lot and changing our defense into quick offense and today it seemed like we were really able to do that whether they missed or made it. We really emphasized that and it's good to feel like everything is coming together."
Sophomore Guard Crystal DangerfieldÂ
On her game:
"Definitely setting the tone, and then defensively just being disruptive. They have a guard over there that a lot of their things run through and we wanted to take her out of the game. I want to credit my teammates, they were helping me out with that. But that was my matchup and I took some pride in that."
On Coach calling this her best game as a Husky:
"Yeah it was fair, it was rare but it was appreciated by him. This was a big game, and I knew I wanted to set a tone and have my teammates back me up, and I think we did a great job, everybody."
Senior Forward Napheesa Collier
On why they played with more effort and energy today:
"Coach has been really challenging us all year, especially leading up to this game, that we need to have more aggression and more energy. So, I think we just decided that we were going to do that today and that's the same mindset that we need to have every game."
On how Megan has improved, and how Geno told her to emulate Napheesa:
"When I was a freshman, he told me to do everything that Morgan Tuck did. So, he picks someone that he thinks has built trust with him, and you try to emulate them. That's exactly what I did when I was a freshman. I think Meg has definitely learned from last year, and you can see the huge steps that she's taking. I think you're going to see even bigger things from her this year."
UConn Forward Megan Walker
On how Crystal played today:
"She can really pass the ball. One pass kind of shocked me at the beginning of the game, but we need that from Crystal. She brings that every day, every game, every practice."
On what she has learned watching Napheesa play:
"Learning the post position is a little bit different, so that's where Phee comes in to help, with my back to the basket. How she ducks in hard and holds her position. I feel like that's helped me a lot, just modeling Phee and how hard she goes."
