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Women's Basketball
vs Countdown to Craziness
Quotes: Duke 71, Boston College 51
1/17/2016 5:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Duke Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie
Opening Statement:
Opening Statement:
“Yeah I just really like our energy, it was a really great defensive game and energy, I thought we were savvy defensively, and did some good things offensively as well. I really like the big crescendo in the fourth quarter, I think that is really important and we would love to see that from everyone. I though Amber [Henson] was steady, aggressive, smart, I loved her steals but not surprised because she anticipates so well, and I thought she lead us defensively in a very good way. I loved how Becca [Greenwell] was in attack mode defensively as well as offensively. I thought Azurá was super as well, so we just have to keep working on things and keep getting better and it was a good game.”
On the use of a half-court trap:
“We just were kind of working on some things and I thought the team did a great job switching out some things we did from the half court, and played aggressive really trying to take them out of their sets and their ability to set up. Defensively the pressure was very good as you know at time we lost 23 [Kelly Hughes], but then again she earned some of those threes; they were very deep. So for the most part our defense was very strong, and anytime you hold anybody to 51 points or below that is pretty good.”
On the team's rebounding performance:
“Azurá really lead us there, she was a monster on the boards and really getting after it, I think seven [offensive rebounds], and Oderah [Chidom] getting three to lead us there. Rebounding wise it is nice to be dominant at 37 to 21, just to really pound at the boards and use our abilities there so I think that is important. We are still trying to get to the free throw line a little bit more, and while the percentages are a bit odd there is a place to score more points. Overall assists we want more, and assists to turnovers got to flip it has to be more like 20 to 12, so we will continue to work on that.”
On team feel:
“I think what is neat about this team is that they are kind of finding what is right for them. As you prep for a game some people be need to more loose and relaxed and some people more focused. It is all different, but I think the team is starting to understand what it takes to prepare and to really get themselves in a good space in which to play. So the team is really fun to coach today because there was activity everywhere, I had to turn a couple of people down for running at 13 [Alexa Coulombe]. But you love it when you have to turn down instead of turn up. So if anything today I had to turn things down so it was a really good team performance so that was good.”
On injuries and the new rotation:
“I thought it was a special nine players, everybody was ready to play. I thought Crystal [Primm] off the bench was very strong. I thought Faith [Suggs] was as well. Everybody was ready. I mean injuries are part of the game. They are events outside of our control and I think that the team responded really well to that because we have people that can really go and you just have to make the most of it which the team did. So I hope Angela [Salvadores] and Lyneé [Belton] will be back for Clemson, because they have to work to get back as fast as they can. We are fortunate that there was nothing on those MRIs, they are just ankle sprains so we can work with them. Hayley's [Gorecki] situation is a little bit different unfortunately, but regardless of what is thrown at you it is how you respond, and this team responded extremely well today.”
Redshirt Sophomore Guard Rebecca Greenwell
On the communication between switching and moving on defense:
Redshirt Sophomore Guard Rebecca Greenwell
On the communication between switching and moving on defense:
“I think we learned a lot just from playing them last year. They got a ton of threes off of us, and we just tried to communicate more. I think we did a great job getting the next pass and scrambling. We disrupted their feet, and that is why they missed some open threes. I think it helped just talking to each other.”
On pulling the game out in the fourth quarter after the one-point lead:
“It just came down to defensive stops. Yeah, the last couple games have not been good for us, and I think we are just tired of that and ready to move on.”
On the difference in offensive output in the second half:
“I tried to be more patient. I was not getting a lot of shots that I wanted in the first half, and if I was, I was not connecting. I tried to slow down, come off screens tighter, and read the defense instead of just flaring every time and mixing things up.”
On getting stronger as the game went on:
“I slowed down and took what the defense gave me. Kyra [Lambert] threw nice, quick passes, and Amber [Henson] set good screens. My teammates really helped me out.”
Graduate Student Forward Amber Henson
On how overplaying lead to bad shots and turnovers for Boston College:
Graduate Student Forward Amber Henson
On how overplaying lead to bad shots and turnovers for Boston College:
“They are great shooters, so we just wanted to make them do something that they are not comfortable doing, which is putting the ball on the floor. Even if we overplayed them and let them dribble past us, we had confidence in our rotation and scramble that we could still get there. That really disrupted them.”
On getting more playing time and being a pressure valve:
“I think it is big. I am excited to have more minutes and help my team in any way that I can. I mean every game we have to be ready for doubles and triples on Azurá [Stevens] and face guards on Rebecca. It is really important that the rest of us be that pressure valve to take away a little of the pressure off them, so the game gets easier as it goes on.”
On the makeup of the team:
“I came back with a whole new energy. I think we have all of the pieces here and everything we need. We just have to figure out how to fit those pieces together and become a well-oiled machine. Honestly, we have had some difficulties, but it can only go up from here. We are excited about where we are going to end up.”
On how guard penetration helped with easy looks inside:
“When they are penetrating and drawing the defense, it makes it a lot easier for everyone. It is great when they can do that. It gives me a lot of easy shots, which I really appreciate. It is always great when everyone is doing what they should be doing, and that makes it a lot easier for everyone else.”
On rhythm in the high and low post:
“We love playing that way. A lot of teams are going to try to go four out and stretch us out, but we have a huge advantage inside. We ran three posts working the high-low. We did it a lot last year and bringing that back was like 'Okay we are getting back into this.' It is a great feeling to really exploit the size down low.”
Boston College head coach Erik Johnson:
Opening Statement:
Boston College head coach Erik Johnson:
Opening Statement:
“I was impressed with Duke today. Obviously, Rebecca Greenwell and Azurá Stevens are two of the best players in our conference, and they proved it tonight. I was disappointed because I know our team is better than that. We are so much better than what we were in the past. With this Duke team being really young and having some holes, we were really excited about our game plan. However, the game came down to toughness and discipline, and that is on a coach. We have got to do a better job at preparing our team for the toughness of the ACC, and preparing our team for the discipline it is going to take to when a game at this level. Our team has come a long way, but a game like this also makes me acutely aware of how far we have to go. I am proud of our players for a lot of things; that third quarter, I thought was a great performance. We came out and got great shots. We played with energy, we played with intensity, and we took it at them. The other three quarters, clearly, Duke was the aggressor. Duke was the team that was tougher, more discipline, and that is something as a coach that I have got to fix.”
On the change in the third quarter:
“In the third quarter we went at them and we turned press offense into transition. We said if there are two people on you, then there is somebody open out there, let's go hit her and attack. I thought our team did that well. The hard part is that it is not always the same person. I cannot always diagram it for them as we have some young players handling the basketball, and they do not always see who is open. We were much more aggressive in the terms of attacking pressure, and that made a big difference.”
Players Mentioned
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