Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Sherri Coale

Opening statement:
"I thought our first half was really good. We played really hard and we played well together. We shot it really well and when we decided to go into the post really good things happened. Defensively, they had three points with six or seven minutes remaining in the first half. I thought we really communicated well and it was tough for them. The thing about the way we guard, if we do it right, it may take them 28 seconds each possession down, which is kind of why in the second half when things started to slow down, the pace was the same as it was in the first half. It felt like everything went slower but it was really the same. We just really didn't give them anything easy. Overall, I thought we blocked out, which was better and that was a huge point of focus today."

On playing with an inspired effort:
"I was pleased with our attitude and approach to the game, but I've never not been pleased with it. I feel like last Wednesday night we kind of got punched and then we couldn't keep up, but their attitude was really good. The second half today we're trying so hard we're like tackling each other. We're just trying to get it right."

On the five-player substitution early in the second half:
"We appeared to be playing flat with no energy and no emotion. We weren't having major defensive breakdowns, we weren't having horrible offensive possessions; we just had no fire and they know that's unacceptable."

Junior Center Nicole Griffin

On her progression as a post player:
"I've gotten a lot better. We work on stuff every day in practice. We worked a lot over the summer, especially when we do guard-post breakdown and we work specifically on your favorite move and stuff like that with the post players. I've gotten a lot better and a lot more comfortable, so when I have more pressure, more pushing, a lot of those shots fall when they normally wouldn't. So I've gotten a lot better."

Senior Guard Whitney Hand

On rebounding:
"I think that was the one thing we all said to do. I was like, `I'm blocking out.' I even challenged some of them to carry my bags if one of them beats me or whatever. And it was obvious that that was why we lost Wednesday, so that was a big emphasis. Really, they only had eight offensive rebounds and they missed more than they made, I think. So it was good. It was much better."

On the team's progression after a loss last week:
"I was really, really pleased how we came out. I think we came out with an awesome attitude. Warm-ups were good -- they were very methodical and that's how we need to approach it. Obviously, I'm not pleased how we came out the second half; but at the same time, they turned their intensity up and we just couldn't score. So had we put those shots in the basket that we normally make, it would have felt a lot different, I think. But this is good. It's a good win. They only scored 33 points; it's a really good defensive game. And again, we blocked out; we won the rebound battle, and that was another emphasis. I thought pretty much we took care of what we needed to before we go to Hawaii."

Head Coach Lisa Stone

On the game:
"First of all you've got to credit Oklahoma, they're a very good team, on their home court, certainly. In our first three games in our first season here at Saint Loui,s they're all on the road, and you've got Oklahoma as a daunting task. I told our players it's less about who you're playing and more about us and trying to get better. Obviously, we had some good looks at the basket in the first half. It took us a long time to score but it was pretty good.

"The flood gates certainly didn't open but we found ways to execute in the second half. I'm pretty proud of our kids, it was 28-23 in the second half. If it's 28-23 and you're walking in at halftime you're pretty proud. So we have to learn from that, take the positives from this game and move on. We have to start valuing the basketball and that's been plaguing us so far this season. It's a new system -- new offense, new defense, new staff, new everything -- and I give our kids credit, they improved in certain areas. I thought we handled adversity better than we'd done the past few games and we competed in the second half.

"Sherri (Coale) was nice to us and I appreciate that and she shook my hand and said we both have a long way to go and there's no question about that. I respect her and her staff and this program a great deal. We'll learn from it, we'll watch, we'll learn from them, we'll learn from ourselves and move on. It's a non-conference game, it's a loss, and it hurts but, again, credit Oklahoma they're a really really good team. They're only going to get better, they can really shoot it."

On Oklahoma jumping out to early lead:
"They made shots. I didn't think they missed in their first 20 attempts. (Aaryn) Ellenberg is fun to watch. She can jump, she can shoot, she can penetrate, she handles the ball really well. So we need to find her in transition. But I thought early on, when you play that defense like we did, the principle is you play five versus the ball. I thought we didn't give up any lanes. But they got open and with (Whitney) Hand in the deep corner and that you can't help too much."

Players Mentioned

Nicole Griffin

Whitney Hand

Sponsors

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Postgame Quotes

Related News

Players Mentioned

Nicole Griffin

Whitney Hand

Related Videos

Sponsors