Postgame Quotes
Chattanooga 60, Western Carolina 56
Chattanooga, Tenn. | The McKenzie Arena
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Shawn Poppie, head coach
Opening Statement
"First and foremost, thank you to our administration to our marketing team, Ashley Alletto and everyone involved in making tonight special. Obviously our Pink Game means a lot to us. It was neat to see a lot of pink in the stands. The starting lineups gave me chills and even a little bit of tears in my eyes with the warriors that they got to walk out and run out with our kids.
Proud of our kids for the resilient effort. It wasn't the prettiest of games. I thought we missed a lot of layups and didn't play our best but we stayed with it and found ways to make enough plays down the stretch to beat a gritty Western Carolina team and then to sit there after the game and watch the board, to clinch our first championship in a regular season was really special. So proud of our kids. Proud of what we're building here. It's obviously a great accomplishment, but we still got a lot of work to do.
On the seniors – Sigrun Olafsdottir and Jada Guinn
"They're two special, special kids to me. They opened their arms and invited us in when we first got here and didn't take any convincing even. That's just who they are as kids. They give everything for not only this program, but also this university. They do everything the right way. For them to celebrate at home, I think that made it even more special in front of our home crowd and fans. We knew we had to win tonight and we were thinking about Saturday and not having a scoreboard to watch. To be able to do it tonight allows Saturday to be really special with Senior Night. Love them kids to death. Some people say you inherited them. They feel like my kind of girls. I'd do anything for them.
On close games with Western Carolina and what makes them different
"It's hard to speed them up and the kind of a style that we don't necessarily speed anyone up. They play very methodical, space you out and when they are able to play at their pace, they are efficient. I talked about it the first time we played them. I talked about it before we played today. I've never seen in this business where a team shoots a better percentage from the floor than their opponent and is 6-20. It just doesn't math right. They make it difficult on the defensive end and then they just compete and they stick around and we were fortunate enough both times to make plays down the stretch in the fourth quarter to finish it out.
On developing winning at Chattanooga
"Our first goal was to win a regular season championship. It's one thing we did not accomplish last year. We had an opportunity the last game of the season to beat Greensboro and share with Wofford. We didn't get it done. While that was the goal, we really focused in on every game to get that first accomplishment and now we've done that. I'm so proud of them. From where we were to where we've come, when I first got here to go win a tournament a year ago and then to keep building. We don't just relax and say enough is enough. To accomplish any kind of goal you have, you feel very proud for them, for our staff, for our university. We've got three more. We want to finish out the right way and then we head up to Asheville where that's where it really matters from the rest of the way out."
Jada Guinn, Gr., G
On being a part of another championship team
"It's tough to put into words. I came to Chattanooga to win a championship. Everything that we've gone through, work so hard. We've been talking about winning a championship and for it to finally come through, I'm just so happy. So grateful.
The people that I get to deal with like Coach Poppie. He talked to me through the recruiting process about like how they're such a family and that's how they are and it's been true to that. I'm so happy and blessed just to be in this position.
On being relied upon throughout the season
"Just knowing that I put the work in. I'm happy that Coach Poppie trusts me in that position. My teammates all told me to keep being aggressive. I missed a couple of bunnies here and there but just knowing that they have faith in me, that just gives me confidence to make a play down the stretch."
