Colorado University Athletics
Colorado vs. Colorado State Postgame Quotes
December 11, 2002 | Women's Basketball
COLORADO HEAD COACH CEAL BARRY
ON THE CU DEFENSE-"I felt like we were composed and we had very good concentration. We kept our mind on what we had to do, and that was defense. Our main focus was defense and Linda (Lappe) did a great job taking (Ashley) Augspurger out of her rhythm and out of the game. I felt our defense won this game. Our defense is the one that is going to carry us throughout the season."
ON THE CU SECOND HALF RUN-"There were a lot of big plays in this game and we had big responses for them. Kate Fagan's three, when the game was tied, was huge for us. But once again our defense was the one that came out and made the stop to get that shot. After that we went on the 20-5 run, which we couldn't have done with out our defense. "I think we forced some turnovers... we forced some mistakes. We were really able to defend them, that was the biggest key. I knew scoring points would not be a problem, the question was, 'Could we defend them?" "Our plan all week, was to play to win this game, we said this in the huddle (during our timeout). This is what you look for...There are 7.30 minutes left in the game, so you get the lead and go for it."
ON PLAYING TERA BJORKLUND-"CSU did a really good job on Tera. (Shannon) Strecker and (Joy) Jenkins did a great job on her all night long. They really put some tough pressure on her. That is when the rest of our team has to come and step up. Our perimeter players have to come and make the outside shots."
ON CU's PROGRESS-"It has been a long tough semester, but we have done well and hung in there. This kind of caps off the first part of the season. It will be nice to get a little break before we face USC.
ON THE RIVALRY-"Obviously this feels great, it is no fun being in this state and hearing about (a loss). You hear it, you read and you see all about it, so this feels good. I think both these teams are post season teams, both are NCAA tournament teams."
ON F SABRINA SCOTT-"I learned my lesson in the Villanova game when I took her off the floor. We have to have her on the floor. She can hurt you in a lot of ways. She is a player we want to have out there."
COLORADO PLAYERS
G KATE FAGAN
ON HER BIG THREE-POINTER-"We just set up in our triangle option that had been working all game. I came around and saw how wide open I was. I decided to step up and shoot it or else I would get yelled at if I didn't shoot it."
F SABRINA SCOTT
ON BEATING CSU-"It is always good to be in an in-state rivalry and it was good to be able to get the win. But they have beaten us the last three times, so they are still ahead of us as far as I am concerned. You can't put too much on one game. Personally, beating CSU is good, but they are all important
ON PULLING AWAY-"I think when they tied it, we were not playing well. We were turning the ball over and making some mistakes. When we went into the timeout, we decided to come together in a collective group and said, 'we need to play better.' After that I think we picked it up and concentrated on the little things."
F LINDA LAPPE
ON KATE FAGAN'S THREE-POINTER-"Kate's three was huge. We got a play for it (during the timeout) and she came off and hit it. I think that was something that changed the momentum from then on."
C TERA BJORKLUND
ON DOUBLE-TEAMING-"I think that was the hardest and the quickest I have ever been double-teamed. I was lucky to have those guys (the guards) out on the perimeter. It is good to know that I can kick it out to them and they can take the shots and make them when we need it. CSU did a good job, though. They had a rotation on the post going and I think that helped them, so they were always fresh."
ON LEARNING TO PASS-"I think that ability has come over the years. I have learned to recognize the double-team and kick it out. It's something that I have worked on, but I have to keep working on it to get better. I cannot get caught up in the double-teams."
COLORADO STATE HEAD COACH CHRIS DENKER
ON PHYSICALITY OF THE GAME- "I thought the game was physical. There was a high level of intensity. Ultimately, when you have that high level of intensity, it's going to be a physical game. Both teams played good defense."
ON CU'S RUN IN THE SECOND HALF-"They didn't do anything differently, we just didn't score. We would come down the floor and have chances, but we would either turn it over or not finish. If you look at the stats, we had twenty turnovers. We did not convert. But you've got to credit their defense. They did a good job."
ON CSU'S FAILED SET PLAYS-"We came out of three time-outs (with a set play). We had the chance, but we would either turn it over or just not score. It was always there, we just didn't go get it."
ON CU'S DEFENSE-"They came out and crowded our ball-handlers. Occasionally we drove and scored and occasionally we got it into the big players and we would score, but it's a problem if they pressure our ball-handlers because then we turn it over."
ON CU C TERA BJORKLUND-"I think she's a good player, second half especially. Shannon (Strecker) did a good job of guarding her. We always tell the players that the longer they have possession, the better we are doing. Late in the second half, Scott or Lappe would drive and dish (to Bjorklund). She's a good player."
ON RIVALRY-"It's a big game and we have been in big games before. It was good crowd and a good environment. You've got to be ready for these situations. We wanted to get up for it, but we didn't do it."
COLORADO STATE PLAYERS
F ASHLEY AUGSPURGER
ON PERFORMANCE-"They got in our faces and we did not handle it well. Colorado is a very good defensive team. We just did not respond well to their defense."
ON LOSS-"This loss is like any other loss we are not feeling great about it. We just have to get back in the gym and work on executing the little things better, especially on countering and getting open."
G KATIE BORTON
ON PERFORMANCE - "I think that we were not really attacking we kind of went into a shell, we just passed it around the perimeter."
ON GUARDING BJORKLUND-"Anytime you double-down on the post and they hit from the perimeter it is not something you expect give them credit they stepped up."
G ELIZABETH ENGLISH
ON PHYSICALITY-"From a guards perspective there was a lot of fouling going on, they did not have nor did we have an advantage. Overall it was a very physical game. It was not a tough environment we just did not play well."
