Quotes: Duke 68, Miami 53

Opening Statement

“I'm just really proud of the team in terms of how we played together and how we did the things that we wanted to do. Some excellent team defense. Obviously Elizabeth (Williams) was very productive in offensive rebounding and scoring, but she was absolutely critical defensively in the way she played our defense and the way she contested shots and really took care of the paint. Azurá (Stevens) the same thing. I'm loving her getting mismatches inside, playing great defense and rebounding, as well. It was a good game for us. We played as a team, we played together, we played smart, and I really like when we play smart. We're a very, very good team when we play smart.”

On Duke's rebounding performance:

“I think there was great aggression, and I think Elizabeth really started it. She was really fearless to the ball and very, very aggressive. I think Azurá and others – Amber Henson getting 10 rebounds – there was a sense of purpose, and I loved it. I think that's a way we can play. I think you can play that way every night. I do think it takes an incredible focus to get to that space where you can perform at that high level, but there's no question we did, and it was definitely to our benefit.”

On the intimidation factor when both Elizabeth Williams and Azurá Stevens are playing well:

“I think it's very intimidating. I think people get frustrated. I saw the look in their eyes a little bit when they're trying to match up after pressing and we just throw it inside and Elizabeth would take care of things or Azurá. It looked like it was very difficult for them to defend us, and I think when we're very hungry and aggressive, we're very difficult to guard.”

On Rebecca Greenwell's impact on the game when she's not scoring:

“She's such a competitor. Becca is always a threat. You can never leave her. You always have to find her, so she was occupying a lot of their interest. It turned out to be a paint game. There was no need to go anywhere else but the paint, so we did, and I thought Becca did a great job playing her role of defending, being aggressive and of course getting loose and hitting that three. That's the way a team game is. Eventually, we'll get inside and outside where everything flows, but that doesn't happen yet. It's only January. That's what you're doing in March and April. That's where everything is clicking on all cylinders. I felt the inside was clicking and they were doing a great job. There was only one place to put the ball. Becca understood that, so she stayed a threat and did good things.”

On Erin Mathias' impact:

“Three rebounds in eight minutes is nothing to shake a stick at. She did a great job and she was ready. She just didn't get her call second half with the way the rotation went. She knows that … I'm proud of her. She's working very hard. I feel the team has a lot of confidence in her, and I think she's feeling that. It's just a matter of time. Just keep on working hard and good things are going to happen. I don't have any doubt about that for her.”

Senior Elizabeth Williams:

On playing with Azurá Stevens:

“She makes things a lot easier. She's long. She's always on the boards. I trust if I shoot and miss it that she's going to be there to get it. I'm sure she feels the same way about me, so it's just nice to have another player in there that's really consistent and aggressive.”

On rebounds:

“I think it's been really important for us to chase those long rebounds, like you said, if we're going to force teams to shoot outside shots. I think in the past we've let those long rebounds sort of pass over our heads. I think we did a better job today of being conscious of that and really chasing those rebounds.”

On team injuries and missing players:

“I think we're kind of past that feeling sorry for ourselves stage. It's just important for everyone to do what we need to do, and I think we did a good job of staying within ourselves and playing Duke Basketball for the full 40 minutes.”

On maintaining team momentum:

“I think everyone kind of knew going in that we had the size advantage, and in the middle of the game we could feel the momentum shifting, so we just kept trying to pound it inside.”

Freshman Azura Stevens:

On playing with Elizabeth Williams:

“I think it just came with time. In the beginning, I had been playing the guard, but when I started playing post it just took a little bit of time for us to get a feel for each other. I don't know, it's easy to pass down to her. She's great, so it's fun playing with her.”

On learning from Elizabeth Williams:

“She's taught me a lot of things—so many to choose from.”

Miami head coach Katie Meier:

Opening Statement

“We took too many threes, and that's a credit to Duke. I think they invited us into a trap which we walked right into with both feet. Towards the end when we are down by a lot I forgive those threes. I think it was early in the first half where I felt like we got a little bit hopeful, and I thought we could get in the paint off the penetration, and get a little piece of the paint before we shot them, and we just didn't have the discipline we needed to have so that was disappointing because I liked this game and felt good about our game plan. But I also understand it a lot different when they're 6'5”, and 6'4”, and 6'3” and then you're going against what? Me, in practice right, not quite the same. So give credit to them on a great defensive game plan and understanding what makes our team tick and making sure it didn't happen for us tonight. They did a great job; they just cut off our lifelines. I wanted it to be a more competitive game than it was.”

On turnovers in the beginning of the second half:

“We haven't had those zombie moments much this year, you know. Coaches hate them. When you look out there and you're like wow, we look really flat with no emotion, but that was definitely one of them, and it came at a really inopportune time. Maybe I just didn't get them fired up enough at half time, and I'll take the blame for that. But this team has been amazing in their emotion, and they're fun to coach, and they have a great spirit and energy, so it is uncharacteristic, but Duke did it to us. They made us doubt and hesitate, and get caught in quicksand with their size.”

On Azurá Stevens and Elizabeth Williams:

“Well, obviously we couldn't combat it much, and the ones who could combat it were in a little foul trouble. So that made it difficult, basically it was size versus speed, and I told my team speed can win the game if we play fast and we pressure, but we didn't really bring the pressure, we didn't bring our real pressure. We were hesitant; we backed up a little bit. So size won today. Speed didn't play hard enough.”

Miami senior forward Necole Sterling:

On the first half:

“Jass [Jassany Williams] was out, she probably only played about five minutes of the first half so second half we wanted to come out and execute our game plan better. I thought we were in good spirits, at half time everyone was talking, and knew what changes we needed to make before coach came in. So I thought the second half was going to go a lot better but the first half we weathered the storm which we usually do.”