University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn-Arkansas Postgame Quotes
11/14/2021 4:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Arkansas Head Coach Mike Neighbors
Opening statement:
Obviously they're one of the best teams in the country, they showed that. They've got one of the best, if not the best player and she showed that. Punched us in the mouth early, so hard to recover from that, but proud of our fight. Everything that we did that would have helped us be closer in the game or win the game is fixable, some layups here, some layups there, some comfort against pressure…We've got to do a better job in a lot of those areas, we can't let a team shoot almost 57 percent. But overall a good trip for us, we learned a lot about our team. I think we'll be able to go back to work on Wednesday.
On defensive performance:
They got weapons at every spot. You over help this, they make you wrong in so many ways. There's many things that go into it that it's not just one thing, but it comes down to the fact that he's assembled a squad of some of the best players in the country and play incredibly hard and incredibly together. That stresses your defense so much, demoralizes you at times because you'll do a lot of things right and bam, one thing goes wrong and it's a 3, it's an and-1. I'm glad we played this early in the year because now I think we have their attention in practice the rest of the year about attention to detail and how important it is to go at game speed in practice every day."
On response after 17-2 start:
That's what we hang our hat on, we said pregame if we can get to that first media timeout without having to take a timeout it would be a good thing, we couldn't. But that's just who they are. They knock you out so fast it's so much catch up. We're down to one timeout most of the game. You're playing on energy and belief. I'm okay with that because that'll carry us later in the year. South Carolina's on the schedule so we'll get to see them head to head but from watching TV right now I think we've seen one of the two best teams in the country live and in person. I didn't see any back-down, I didn't see any let-up, we've just got to get better. And that's okay when it's November the 14th.Â
UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma
On Paige Bueckers going scoreless in the first quarter:
I think the first quarter may have been more a function of how Evina and Christyn got started. Getting out in transition a couple times, Evina knocking down a couple 3s. So it really didn't bother me that much, that first quarter. But then, the second quarter we made an effort to get her open more. Then the more she got involved the more we kept looking for her. It kind of snowballed from there. She's pretty good right? We just don't want to forget that. That she's pretty good.
On Paige Bueckers playing 40 minutes:
Maybe I won't address it, maybe she'll play 40 minutes every game. Or at least play until I think the game is in hand. But ideally no you don't want that. But when you're playing a team that has so many ways to score, you just have to keep your best scorers on the floor for as long as possible. So that's probably why Paige, Evina and Christyn were out there so much. I don't know if every game will be like that but that's how it went today.
On the team's post players:
The same thing with all our post players, they just commit dumb fouls. They put themselves on the bench. I want to play them, I want to give them opportunities to play. But they have to help themselves too, they have to keep themselves in the game. Some of the fouls are just silly. You said it best, when Aaliyah is in the game she's impactful. But then it disrupts the flow for her, when she's in foul trouble. You're always kind of stopping and starting.
Sophomore Guard Paige Bueckers
On how she felt about the game:
I took what the defense gave me, when my teammates got me open they passed me the ball. I read what the game needed and I felt like my shot was going in and it felt good. It was rhythm.
On being more aggressive while scoring:
I always want to pass first, but since I've been here Coach has told me I had to score first if I want to pass at all. When I start knocking in shots and being aggressive, looking for my own shots, that's when it leaves others open. That's what I tried to do today. Obviously when your not getting outside shots guarding you tighter it opens up more space. It's all about reading what the defense gives you.
Senior Guard Christyn Williams
On the team's fast start:
Transition was the main focus, that's our main focus every game.
On the team's defensive:
That we foul a lot. We need to learn to keep people in front of us and keep our hands off. I think that's going to be a main emphasis moving forward. I think if we can do that we will be fine.
Redshirt Senior Guard Evina Westbrook
On the team's fast start:
We came out hot, with a lot of energy, really confident in what we we're going to do from the beginning. And then as the game went on they were able to switch it up on us, but we had a really good first half.
On playing the first game of the season:
It was great, really for the younger guys to see and watch and see how we play. I know there's a lot of first game jitters for them. For one just playing their first college game and playing in front of a crowd for the other younger guys as well. But I think the momentum we had at the beginning of the game is what we need and what we need to carry on as guys come in and out of the game.
