Chattanooga vs. Austin Peay
Chattanooga, Tenn.| The McKenzie Arena
Saturday, November 12, 2022
Postgame Quotes
 
Shawn Poppie, head coach
 
Outside shot finally falling for Austin Peay
"I mean, they're getting in the paint, getting in the paint, getting in the paint. My frustration wasn't necessarily the shot she makes. It's the coverage we had to go on there. We're supposed to be in a situation to keep them on a side and we don't allow it to stay on the side and then we get into a late help situation and then dagger, you know, like, she hits him. We shouldn't have gotten to that point in the first place. I thought we had gotten away with a couple of them. She had gotten to that side of the floor, that elbow entry we're supposed to keep it on the side. So, it's an execution thing, you know, so she got a big one. I'll give her credit freshman stepped up and knocked down a big, big shot. But I think execution our end was not there."
 
Opposing playing styles between Belmont and Austin Peay – getting ready for SoCon
"I said that before the game this complete opposite. We went from skill stretch the floor out to downhill Drive, drive, drive, drive drive. Yes, I do think it'll prepare us. But I just mentioned like, we have to play harder, right, our energy and our effort we talk about it every day is worth eight points. Right? And we didn't have it tonight. If you bring energy and effort I mean, final score says 58-53 Give us eight points with energy and effort you win the game. I just exactly what I told him in the locker room. I'm really disappointed with our energy and our effort.
 
How to get energy and effort
"I think it starts you know, for me, right, I got to prepare, but then that then we got to look at our leadership. You know, I don't think our leadership things got rocky for them to start. And so they dropped Well, if they drop if our leadership drops, what are the rest gonna do? Again, I called out our two leaders in there who we are counting on to lead this group. Can't take days off, right and I'm not talking about points and all that. I love them to death, right. I love them to death. I got to challenge them because we have to get better than what we just saw."
 
On changing culture and heading in right direction.
"We're building something here. Right? And I think obviously, we're looking at results, right? We're 1-2 now. We've lost two, in a sense, tough games, but I'm coaching for what this program is gonna stand for. You know, I think that we have to play harder, we have to have more energy. And if they do that we can work on the X's and O's. Are we getting better? Absolutely. But for me, and again, I wouldn't share with the media if I hadn't just told them in the locker room is that we we're going to win here and we're going to do it one way and I can't let up until they figure that part out. And so we're not gonna let up I love them to death. We have a good group in there. We have to help lead them to get to that. So I know it sounds like I'm on them than them and it's me. I'm the leader of this program. So do I think we've come a long way I do it. Has it been heartbreaking this week? Absolutely. Have we gotten better? Yes. But we're still 1-2."
 
Abbey Cornelius, Sr., C
 
Are these games moving the team in the right direction
"First of all, they are games that we should have won. We just let two slip away from us that we should have had. It's a lot of learning opportunities to just get back to work and take some pride in what we represent."
 
Trending in the right direction?
"It stings right now, but I think we still have a long way to go, for sure. I think there's progress being made, but there's a lot more to do."
 
What worked and how to build on that?
"Our girls did a really good job of feeding me in the post. We knew that was an area that we can take advantage of, have an advantage there. Just continuing to build the inside-out game as people adjust to that will be huge."
 
Adjustment to different styles of play.
"It's a big adjustment, but our coaches, both games, they've had great game plans for us. Wednesday we did a really good job of executing. Not as much today, but we just have to trust them and trust that process because they're drawing up the perfect game plans for us."