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Duke Coach Quotes: Duke 83, Austin Peay 42
3/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Duke Press Conference Quotes
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie
Opening Statement
There were some very good things for us in this game in terms of our intensity, our defense and our rebounding. At times in the first half we were a little bit too casual. The second half was a lot better and it was good to play a lot of different players and different combinations. I'm looking forward to game two.
On getting freshmen into the game
That was a great opportunity. You don't always get that. I was very proud of our first group, how they dictated the tempo particularly in the second half. We did get a lot of minutes for our first-year players and they need to understand what this tournament is all about. That was a very, very good thing. Without Abby (Waner) playing that created some minutes as well, because obviously she's going to play an awful lot. That was a good thing for us. We had some good moments and we had some learning moments. Overall though, pretty good.
On Abby Waner
She has a knee sprain, and she has been rehabbing it really, really aggressively. She's day-to-day, so I can't really speculate. She's such a competitor so she's been working really, really hard. We're fortunate that it's just a sprain and that it doesn't involve other things.
On Duke's effort
In every game in this tournament you cannot be out-hustled in any play in my opinion because all the teams are very, very good and they're here for a reason. You can't control everything but you can sure control hustle plays. I think we did that in the second half beautifully.
On the possibility of playing Michigan State coming into today
I think that the difficulty was not knowing. We were all set for Austin Peay and for what we were doing, but (Michigan State vs. Middle Tennessee State) was such a good game. I think that knowing the outcome is better than not knowing so you can focus on your opponent. We're going to head into game two from here.
On having a blowout win vs. winning a competitive game
I think both are good, but I think the key is that you have to identify with your team. Our second half was indicative of how we want to play and the most important thing is to get back to that. When we were in the ACC Tournament, we were playing on all cylinders almost. You didn't see much of that in the first half, but you did in the second half. I can only speculate about Duke in the sense that I know what we have to look like to be at the highest level. That's an important role; to be in to what your team is supposed to look like.
On the distractions
I was just trying to focus. After the game, it's a piece of cake to talk to people. Before the game I was not wanting that because that is not what I would do before any game. That's just not what I do. After the game it's great to see people. We're just really focused on healing, getting better, and trying to play at a certain level.
On playing Michigan State
For me it's just about understanding where we are right now. I'm just really proud of what they've done. I've just got to focus on scouting them. I have not looked ahead so I can't really say much about them. Yes, I know their personnel but you're talking systems now. I know they've had their share of adversity, and obviously they rebounded in what appeared to be a very tough Middle Tennessee game. A one-point game speaks to a very tough game. As far as I'm concerned I think that it's great for them, but the most important thing is what we need to do.
On perhaps having an advantage playing against her former team
Again it comes back to systems. Don't get me wrong personnel are important. Al (Brown) does a great job with a scouting report in terms of the personnel. I'm looking for tendencies and things of that nature to get to know them as a team, so I've got a lot of work to do tonight. I've just seen bits and pieces of them, but that's totally different than coaching. Coaching is about looking at a coach's system and that will be my focus. That's just what we do. It'll be game two and we need to be ready to go.
On keeping in touch with her former team
Only with ones that have graduated. It would be inappropriate for me to do so with current players. Victoria Lucas-Perry, Catrina Grantham, Liz Shimek, Kristin Haynie, but no one current.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie
Opening Statement
There were some very good things for us in this game in terms of our intensity, our defense and our rebounding. At times in the first half we were a little bit too casual. The second half was a lot better and it was good to play a lot of different players and different combinations. I'm looking forward to game two.
On getting freshmen into the game
That was a great opportunity. You don't always get that. I was very proud of our first group, how they dictated the tempo particularly in the second half. We did get a lot of minutes for our first-year players and they need to understand what this tournament is all about. That was a very, very good thing. Without Abby (Waner) playing that created some minutes as well, because obviously she's going to play an awful lot. That was a good thing for us. We had some good moments and we had some learning moments. Overall though, pretty good.
On Abby Waner
She has a knee sprain, and she has been rehabbing it really, really aggressively. She's day-to-day, so I can't really speculate. She's such a competitor so she's been working really, really hard. We're fortunate that it's just a sprain and that it doesn't involve other things.
On Duke's effort
In every game in this tournament you cannot be out-hustled in any play in my opinion because all the teams are very, very good and they're here for a reason. You can't control everything but you can sure control hustle plays. I think we did that in the second half beautifully.
On the possibility of playing Michigan State coming into today
I think that the difficulty was not knowing. We were all set for Austin Peay and for what we were doing, but (Michigan State vs. Middle Tennessee State) was such a good game. I think that knowing the outcome is better than not knowing so you can focus on your opponent. We're going to head into game two from here.
On having a blowout win vs. winning a competitive game
I think both are good, but I think the key is that you have to identify with your team. Our second half was indicative of how we want to play and the most important thing is to get back to that. When we were in the ACC Tournament, we were playing on all cylinders almost. You didn't see much of that in the first half, but you did in the second half. I can only speculate about Duke in the sense that I know what we have to look like to be at the highest level. That's an important role; to be in to what your team is supposed to look like.
On the distractions
I was just trying to focus. After the game, it's a piece of cake to talk to people. Before the game I was not wanting that because that is not what I would do before any game. That's just not what I do. After the game it's great to see people. We're just really focused on healing, getting better, and trying to play at a certain level.
On playing Michigan State
For me it's just about understanding where we are right now. I'm just really proud of what they've done. I've just got to focus on scouting them. I have not looked ahead so I can't really say much about them. Yes, I know their personnel but you're talking systems now. I know they've had their share of adversity, and obviously they rebounded in what appeared to be a very tough Middle Tennessee game. A one-point game speaks to a very tough game. As far as I'm concerned I think that it's great for them, but the most important thing is what we need to do.
On perhaps having an advantage playing against her former team
Again it comes back to systems. Don't get me wrong personnel are important. Al (Brown) does a great job with a scouting report in terms of the personnel. I'm looking for tendencies and things of that nature to get to know them as a team, so I've got a lot of work to do tonight. I've just seen bits and pieces of them, but that's totally different than coaching. Coaching is about looking at a coach's system and that will be my focus. That's just what we do. It'll be game two and we need to be ready to go.
On keeping in touch with her former team
Only with ones that have graduated. It would be inappropriate for me to do so with current players. Victoria Lucas-Perry, Catrina Grantham, Liz Shimek, Kristin Haynie, but no one current.
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