Postgame Notes

Feb. 11, 2012

Oklahoma Head Coach Sherri Coale
Opening Comment:
“All wins in the Big 12 are good wins and we are very happy to get away with one today. I have a lot of respect for Robin (Pingeton) and the job she has done with that program. Those kids don't play like they are in last place in the Big 12. They are hungry and they play with a great deal of confidence. Unless you have ever been in that situation you don't know what a difficult thing that is for a coach to do -- to get a team to play with that kind of belief. I am really impressed with how they compete. We are very fortunate to get away with this win.”

On the tempo in the second half:
“I didn't think our tempo was good at all in the second half. We pushed pretty well in the first half. We got some open looks. I think the little run where we got some transition baskets was at the start of the second half and then we were done. We were finished. There's a fine line there between playing too fast and being in a hurry and then playing too safe and too passively. We just lost our ability to balance on that fine line.”

On the importance of making shots:
“I think when you don't make baskets it sucks the life out of you. For anyone who has every played, you can be so tired and then make a three and you could guard Kobe for the next possession. That is just the way it happens. When you miss and miss and miss suddenly your feet weigh 400 pounds apiece.”

On playing No. 3 Connecticut Monday:
“We are excited about the opportunity. Our RPI and strength of schedule is already floating to the very top of the bucket and it is not going to go anywhere but up on Monday night. Those are situations that you put yourself in to grow. You played the number one team in the country twice and we could have played a whole lot better both times. Did they have something to do with that? Absolutely, but so did we. That is the part we are concerned about. We want to take care of our business on Monday night. Connecticut will do what Connecticut does. They will be well prepared. They will fight and they will play hard and execute. That is who Connecticut is, that is what they do. We want to figure out who we are. What do we do? This one on Monday is all about us.”

Oklahoma Redshirt-Junior Guard Whitney Hand:
On her mentality in a close game:
“I felt like they were obviously scoring and we didn't really have an answer. This whole year I have been trying to train myself saying, want these shots. That was kind of my mentality at the end of the game.”

On playing UConn:
“I just want us to lose ourselves in the game. I want it to be a story of us fighting really hard together and having fun and not playing scared. I really want it to be a dog fight. I want our team to show up and to be tough enough to take it and give it back.”

Missouri Head Coach Robin Pingeton
Opening Statement:
“Sherri [Coale] does a great job. You guys have a great fan base. You all have some very talented players. I was proud of our girls. Obviously, we're going through tough times right now as we are trying to rebuild our program. I'm proud of their effort. We haven't been very good on the road, and we really challenge our players to continue to compete and play at the level they did today.”

On game plan after getting within one point of Oklahoma's lead:
“We wanted to give ourselves a chance and get some good shots. I thought we had bad shot selection. We had a turnover on back-to-back possessions. It was tough. Give credit to Oklahoma. Defensively, they are quick and athletic. They guard hard. Part of it is just understand the poise you have to play with on a possession.”

On play after forward Christine Flores fouled out:
“It definitely hurt us. She is obviously a key part of what we are doing. She wasn't shooting the ball extremely well tonight, but it's just her presence. She's another 3-point shooter for us, and I think adjusts shots in the paint. She's our most experienced player in situations like this. It was a tough one.”

On design of final play:
“We knew it was going to be hard to get a 3 off, and we were okay with settling for something under the rim too. The first option is for Morgan Eye. [Whitney] Hand was guarding her and we knew she would do a good job. We just wanted to ball screen and roll the big kid in the block.”

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors