Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Sherri Coale

On the game:
"It was a very solid defensive performance up until the last little bit. We got lost in transition a couple of times, but for the most part a very solid defensive performance against a team that is very, very hard to guard. Kansas State missed some shots that they probably typically make, but there's always a little defense involved in that with how they're feeling to get those shots, like if they're out of rhythm or rushed or contested and those types of things. I think our performance tonight really began with what we did on the defensive end, and then in the second half I thought we started to look like the team I remembered offensively. Sharing the ball, changing sides of the floor and just looking more confident and more poised with each and every possession along the way."

On Nicole Griffin's presence in the paint:
"When you can establish that immediately it's effective. We always tell our post guys that if they have to double guard you, then we can do whatever we want. And they had to make some gambles on if she caught it were they going to double down. Are they going to trap? Are they going to come from the weak side? And that opens things up on the perimeter. What I thought she did a good job of, though, was being patient and poised and picking her times to receive the ball and be in a position where she could do something good with it."

On if this game is reassuring after the recent losses:
"We were certainly better. I remember early in the second half I thought, 'Ah, I recognize you. I remember that.' We were just sharing the ball and playing with great poise and great cadence, and that is exactly what we needed to see tonight. I thought our sureness with the basketball was just critical with 14 assists and 10 turnovers. Those are great numbers. We will take those any night."

On what has changed in Nicole Griffin's play:
"Basketball is not a very complicated game. It's a simple game, but it's hard to teach that and it's hard to learn that because so many things change so rapidly. For Nicole (Griffin), the thing I noticed tonight was she would not only take advantage of the help defender, she was also making the right reads on her own defender instead of premeditating like when I catch this I'm going to drop step and score. She would catch and see which side the defense was on. She finished with a jump hook. She finished getting all the way to the rim. She had a drop step and she had a turn-around jump shot tonight, so it was really just an expansion of the different ways she can score, and all of those things happen when you get simple. It gets easy to read when you feel really good about your game and when you play at the right pace for you. I know you guys hear me talk about that all the time, but that's when Morgan is so sure with the ball is when she can see things develop and change. That's where I think Nicole (Griffin) has grown the most is she is able to see. She is at a place of poise and quiet where she can look around and go 'Oh, she's over this way.' That part's simple, but it's hard in the throw where you can be able to do that."

Junior C Nicole Griffin

On her improvement:
"I would say I'm confident, yes. Especially with the previous games where I have been doing a lot better in being more patient which is the key for me getting better. That's my main focus and I've gotten a lot better at that.

"My position, where I catch the ball and how patient I am, plays a big role into how I score the basket. If (my defender is) deep in the paint and I'm waiting and checking to see if there's a double team, it's easier for me to score than when I'm off the block and I'm rushing and there's people doubling down. Those two things are big for how I score."

Junior G Morgan Hook

On post players catching passes to create more confidence:
"It's not only them catching it, it's them demanding for the ball and that's what Nicole [Griffin] has been doing such a good job at. She'll call for it and she'll show me where she needs it and if she's ready for it she's going to catch it. If I know she's calling for it then I know she's confident enough with her position so I just throw it to her."

On observations of the offensive play from the point guard position:
"We just played with more rhythm on offense and that's why our shots were falling. We passed to Nicole whenever we wanted to. It was an inside-out game and I think overall our spacing and everything like that was just where it needed to be."

Senior F Joanna McFarland

On importance of establishing the post:
"It's very important. We want to be something where the team has to guard us. They have to worry about the post. Our guard play is really great and we have great shooters, almost every position on the court can make three's. That's really important in turn. Everybody on the court can score. If Nicole has to have a double team, that opens up a lot of things for our offense. In the post I think that's where we have to be effective."

On relief of a win after two consecutive losses:
"Tonight was fun and that's what we were trying to do. We were trying to take a deep breath and go back to having fun because that's what got us here and that's what we were really thinking about."