OU Sounds Off on Second Round

March 24, 2008

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The University of Oklahoma women's basketball team went back to work Monday morning in preparation for its second round NCAA Tournament game against Notre Dame.

The Sooners worked through the particulars of its matchup against the Fighting Irish on the court at Mackey Arena before taking questions from the large media contingent following the teams playing in the Oklahoma City Region.

Four-seed Oklahoma meets five-seed Notre Dame at approximately 8:20 p.m. Central Tuesday, March 25. The game will start 30 minutes following the conclusion of Tennessee-Purdue and will air on ESPN2 and the Sooner Sports Radio Network.

NCAA Tournament Central

Head Coach Sherri Coale

Opening Statement:
"We're obviously very excited to still be alive, to be facing Notre Dame tomorrow night. (We're) excited about the opportunities that await us and know that Notre Dame is a very, very good basketball team. Very talented, play very hard. It was an obvious thing when we were sitting courtside watching them last night, how hard they compete. So we know that they'll present a great challenge but we're prepared for it and excited about the opportunity."

On interaction with Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw in the WBCA:
"I've actually had quite a bit of interaction with Muffet in our Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). She does a terrific job for us as a legislative rep. She's done a great job trying to fight for things that represent all that's good with women's college basketball -- trying to maintain the integrity of our game and to protect student-athletes and to have their welfare at best interests at the same time. The thing I love about Muffet is that she wants to take care of business and then be done. We love it. She's: `What do we have to do? Let's go, knock it out and move on to the next thing.' There's no messing around with Muffet. I appreciate that.

"We've had a nice coaching relationship. We share some commonalities -- raising children and trying to do that whole gig at the same time. Nice to have a friend who shares the same challenges that you do."

On getting several players involved with the offense in Sunday's first round game:
"We have a lot of guys that can score. We have a lot of talented players on our team and, I think, sometimes when you have a player like Courtney Paris, a prototype, a player that the game of college women's basketball has never seen ... what's her consecutive double-doubles streak? 91. OK, that's never happened before. It's ridiculous; it's incomprehensible.

"When you have her on the floor with you, sometimes, as a player, you can lose your identity. You can forget that there are lots of things that you are really, really good at, too. Because, you think, if I don't throw it to her, what am I? I mean she has 91 consecutive double-doubles ... and then you forget that you have all kinds of things you can bring to the table as well. (It was) just an opportunity to help them remember what they're capable of, all the guys around her."

On her thoughts of the crowd support when playing against an Indiana school in Notre Dame:
"Well, we're not in South Bend, we're in West Lafayette and there are a lot of basketball fans in West Lafayette. I know that Purdue plays right before us and, hopefully, a lot of those folks will stay around and it will be a good crowd at that a lot of people will be chanting `Boomer Sooner!'"

Ashley Paris

On the comfort level of the team after winning a game:
"I think it has more so to do with just our practice over the last couple of weeks and how we prepared. We just feel pretty prepared for the tournament. I think that's helping us be more relaxed."

On the anxiety the players feel before an NCAA Tournament game:
"It was obviously exciting. My heart felt like it was falling out of my chest yesterday before the game. It's just exciting to be here. It's something we don't take for granted. We're just ecstatic about being able to go to the next round."

On becoming a go-to player in Oklahoma's offense:
"I'm a junior now and, obviously, we lost a lot of experience and talent in Leah Rush. I just think when Courtney gets in foul trouble especially, or when we she needs a break, it's important for me to kind of be what she was when she was on the court -- be a scoring threat and a defensive threat for our team."

Danielle Robinson

On if Notre Dame playing four guards presents a matchup problem:
"We have enough guards on our team to matchup, I think, with any team in the country. I think our speed and our height will definitely help us."

On the anxiety that players feel before an NCAA Tournament game:
"It was also exciting for me. I remember me and Ashley (Paris) talking before the game about how we were so nervous. Especially being a freshman, you know, just the experience is incredible. Our ability to come out yesterday and just play hard and just represent that name on our jersey was good for us."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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