Tennessee quotes
11/15/2010 10:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
TENNESSEE vs. CHATTANOOGA
Nov. 15, 2010
Post-Game Quotes
CHATTANOOGA HEAD COACH WES MOORE (opening statement):
"You have to start by giving them a lot of credit. They came out and knocked down shots and pressured from the three point line. When you come in to play Tennessee you hope that maybe they don't shoot the ball well that particular night, and you can do a decent job of trying to keep them off the boards. Unfortunately they filled it up, shot the ball extremely well, did an unbelievable job of reading the floor, creating defensive pressure in the passing lanes and really took us out of running any type of offense. So I have to help my kids handle that kind of pressure. You have to give them all the credit... Unbelievable on both ends of the floor and its going to be a special year for them."
(On the play of Whitney Hood): "I thought she really stepped up and we are going to need that if we are going to compete in the conference at all. After being off a year, it takes a little bit of time to get back into game situations and it was very encouraging, so we can build around that. We don't have a whole lot of size, so Whitney is really important in what we are doing."
(On the playing Tennessee): "It wasn't a whole lot of fun. I knew they were going to present a whole lot of problems for us. We are short-handed right now, we're really small inside, inexperienced on the perimeter and we have a lot of things that are going to have to get better in the next few weeks if we are going to compete in January and February. I told the team afterwards we are going to work our tails off, do what we can this year and down the road."
REDSHIRT JUNIOR FORWARD WHITNEY HOOD (On staying confident in a tough game): "Coach just says we have to get in the game. We were coming in to play Tennessee and he told us to continue to compete and keep playing hard."
(On putting this game behind her): "It is definitely a learning experience. All we can do is get better and when we practice on Wednesday we have to focus on the next game."
TENNESSEE HEAD COACH PAT SUMMITT
(Opening statement):
"When you shoot the ball as well as we did, that gives us a lot of confidence. I was more excited about our commitment on the defensive end. That's where we've put a lot of emphasis, and obviously, it's a big priority. You never know when you'll have an off-night shooting the ball, so you have to be ready to go in all aspects. We got a lot of people playing time, which is good. We're off tomorrow, and then we have some games coming up which are going to be challenging, so that should be good for us."
(On adding Meighan Simmons and Kelley Cain to the starting lineup):
"Meighan has really demonstrated a commitment on both sides of the ball. She can push the basketball, and she's obviously never seen a shot she didn't like. I like most of what I've seen from her. I think she's inspired most of her teammates. That's why we wanted her in the lineup. I thought Kelley did a really good job of running the floor last game, so that was our thinking as a staff."
(On the team's inside-out game):
"Inside-out is a really good option for us. Kelley has good hands and a soft touch. I'm pleased with her development, and I think she makes a big difference for us in the paint."
(On Simmons' impact in her first two games):
"I knew she was a great athlete. but I didn't know she'd have this kind of impact. She's very skilled and very confident for a freshman. I think she's the quickest guard we've had except maybe Shannon Bobbitt. Bobbitt had a great shooting touch and was a great passé,r but Meighan is just a notch quicker. We're really pleased that she is at Tennessee."
(On Simmons' athleticism):
"It's early, but we want her to keep doing what she's been doing and keep getting better. Our team really embraced her when she came in. The one thing about this team is that there are no selfish players. They're all givers, and they all want to win. That's key for us."
(On playing time for different players):
"I wanted to distribute the minutes. My coaching staff helped us do that. I wanted to look at everyone and give them an opportunity to show us what they could bring."
(On the team setting a school record with 15 three-pointers):
"I do think we have some really good three-point shooters. That covers up a lot of warts, but overall we're still going to be committed to playing inside-out. We can get a lot of good looks with that. The players are in the gym a lot, and I think they are really committed."
(On Vicki Baugh not playing tonight):
"It's day-by-day. Obviously, I think the weather isn't favorable for her. We're not taking any risks whatsoever."
(On the offensive ball movement):
"I thought we were very unselfish and kept the ball moving. We didn't get it stuck in many players' hands, and they really shared the ball well for the most part. They have to feel good about how they played tonight."
SENIOR GUARD ANGIE BJORKLUND
(On how good it felt to play well offensively): "I think after the Louisville game, we really watched a lot of film. I thought the guards did a great job of moving without the ball more and playing more inside-out instead of one-on-one. We played more as a team. I thought we did a great job."
(On having Kelley Cain as a threat inside): "Kelley as a threat inside is huge for us. Not only is she's going to score in there, but if they double and triple team her, it opens a lot of things up for us. It's kind of like pick your poison. Are you going to go for Kelley inside or the three-point shooter on the outside?"
(On Tennessee having so many weapons): "I think when you're surrounded by so many great players, it really helps. Our bench came in and did a great job scoring. It was an overall team effort."
FRESHMAN GUARD MEIGHAN SIMMONS
(On elevating her level of play): "My teammates are always encouraging me and telling me, 'When you're open, shoot the ball.' I think that kind of boosts my confidence up, especially in a game because then I know they are depending on me to hit open shots."
(On if she was surprised about being left open): "Actually, yes. I was surprised. But, when you're open, you're open. You have to shoot the open shot."
(On if she feels her confidence growing): "I do. It's not only in games. It always starts in practice. I think practice makes perfect."
SOPHOMORE GUARD TABER SPANI
(On her impressions of Meighan Simmons): "She's got a very aggressive mindset. I think that plays to our team's advantage. She's shooting the ball really well. She's really helped us offensively."
(On the unselfishness of Tennessee's team): "We have great chemistry. We're all really close, and we all have the same goal. We know that we want to get to Indianapolis and compete for a championship, and we realize that we're going to need every player to bring their game and their best to the table. We all try to play to our own strengths and bring what we can. We always have someone to go to. That's a huge advantage for us."
