Colorado-TCU Quotes

Colorado Head Coach Kathy McConnell-Miller

GENERAL?“I didn't think we could top Thursday night's game. I would say this one ranks right up there as far as an exciting come back. Everyone knows how important post-season is and everyone knows how your performance in post-season carries over into the future. I think when we finally got to that overtime I just kept thinking that we've been here before and we've been competing in a conference that prepared us for tonight. I was really proud of our players and the adjustments that they made. From a defensive stand point, we really struggled to guard their penetration. They got it from rim to rim as quickly as any team we've ever played. We sent three to the offensive boards and two back and that hampered our offensive output. We're a team that likes to get second opportunities. The adjustment to play zone made them take contested shots. I felt like we played pretty good defense, but we gave up 90 points. I credit TCU I think they have an amazing team and they just kept coming. Our biggest challenge was defining the personnel and making the right match-up. We needed to make adjustments consistently on the fly and the kids fought through. They drew upon what happened in conference games and they kept their composure down the stretch.”

ON TCU'S LAST SECOND SHOT?“We don't know if they made it in time. We have it cued up in the locker room but we didn't know. IT was a proud moment when we responded, we didn't get deflated because TCU had the momentum going into overtime. We came out in overtime with more of a sense of urgency. I'm excited and proud that they came out. We knew we could get it, we have the tools, we have the weapons and we've been here before and finished in a different manner.”

ON MARQUETTE?“We don't know much about them. But my staff has been rotating the scouts and they have been on it. I'm so proud of my staff with the preparation with such a short turnaround. On top of that, the players have really absorbed it and broken it down as simply as they possibly can and these guys have really responded to it.”

Colorado Players

So. F Aija Putnina

GENERAL - “That was an amazing game. I was just playing hard and so excited to play because TCU had recruited me my junior year of high school so I really wanted to beat them. I had open shots and knocked them down.”

So. G Whitney Houston

ON LATE-GAME THREE-POINTER- “I thought the shot clock was reset but I looked up and saw three seconds so I shot it. I practice those shots after practice when everyone else is gone.”

ON HER LAYUP WITH LESS THAN 5 SECONDS REMAINING IN REGULATION- “I was just thinking about we have to get something going. I thought they were going to double me but they didn't and I took the shot and it went in.”

Sr. F Jackie McFarland

GENERAL- “I can't stop smiling. I feel there's a lot of pressure taken off because you go as far as you can. At the same time, it's winding down. Seeing how the team has grown around me, Whitney has become a great point guard the second-half of this season. Aija stepped up big, it seems every night someone steps up big. It's just fun to watch when I'm on the floor.”

ON SLOW START- “It didn't look good at that point. But after the Villanova game, that gave us all the confidence we needed at that point. Our defense was not really hooked up and ready to go at the start. I honestly don't know why we started so slow because we scouted them well.”

TCU Head Coach Jeff Mittie

GENERAL?“Both teams played well. Colorado definitely had the advantage inside. We didn't shoot as well, they went into a zone and that hurt us. It was a back and forth battle. The momentum changed so quickly- they had it, we had it. Colorado had a lot of big three-point plays. We had a good strong start but we had trouble defending the three-point shots.”

“I felt good about coaching this team. I'm really proud of us for regrouping after the NCAA's. I think that says a lot about our team. It was a good season.”

ON OVERTIME PLAY?“They got a run but we came back. We couldn't finish our plays out of the zone. It was very back and forth.”

ON JACKIE MCFARLAND?“ It was hard to defend her. She's very good. She did a really great job.”