Postgame Notes
Chattanooga 66, Bellarmine 67
Louisville, Ky. | Knights Hall
Thursday, December 12, 2024
 
Head Coach Deandra Schirmer
On tonight's heartbreaking loss to Bellarmine.
"I'm really gutted for our team. Our team has been hit by a lot of adversity, and they haven't flinched. They're coming out, they're showing up, and we're fighting and fighting hard. They (Bellarmine) came out early and were hitting every shot, and we were able to withstand that force initially when they came out like that. Our defense really propelled us through the second and the third. In the fourth, it was a pressure point for us. We knew that having our point guard out was going to make the press tough for us, but we've gotta make better decisions down the stretch. Our group is so close, and I'm just gutted for our group. I thought they did everything to deserve this win tonight and when they battle like that and we're making big shots and making big plays, as a coach you just want to find a way to win it for them. When the game is decided on the other side of the court and you have no timeouts left, it's just tough."

On out-playing Bellarmine for all but the final ten seconds of the second half.
"I think when we had it down the stretch there was a moment where Si (Sigrun Olafsdottir) was going to shoot free throws and the team was celebrating, and I had to remind them that hey guys, the game's not over. I think teaching maturity as we go along is tough, but also that's my job. My job is to prepare this team no matter what team we put out on the court, and I'm not gonna lie I'm taking this one pretty hard. Not having those timeouts when we needed them down the stretch and using them for a breather in the third, I wish I would've had them at the end. I just wish I could've found a way to win for them."

On Bellarmine's Erin Toller hitting those last two three-pointers to win it.
"Hats off to her, that was a hell of a shot to win the game. That's the game of basketball. That's the game we sign up for. As heartbreaking as it is on this end, I'm sure we're gonna have some heartwarming wins on the other side. As a coach, you know you're gonna have those ebs and flows, and it feels like right now we're taking a lot of punches. We really wanted this for our group to really be able to get a confidence boost. To lose it in the way that we did and for it to be as heartbreaking as it was, I really feel like we're going to need to see the big picture. The big picture is we didn't lose the season tonight on a game winner. It feels like it, and it really feels like it losing four in a row. I have to check myself as well. But the best teams don't get too high and they don't get too low. Going into this game I was trying to get our team motivated where hey, we've got it with what we've got, and I think they gave me everything they had in that game. I just wish we could'e came out on top for them."