Colorado University Athletics
Kansas State-Colorado Quotes
March 03, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Colorado Head Coach Kathy McConnell-Miller
GENERAL-"I think with every game we play expectations are high for the performance and for the outcome of the game. The wins and losses are not reflecting the desire, commitment, and the work ethic of this team. Unfortunately, we can't win on senior night. We got off to a great start, but Kansas State made a couple runs, and we couldn't answer. It was a tough shooting night for us and they rebounded the ball well. They hit shots in the second half. It was a rough night and it's not a game that I feel good about. We've got more work to do and more games to play."
ON BIANCA SMITH COMING OFF THE BENCH- "Bianca likes coming off the bench. She likes the time to get the feel for the game. We talked about it yesterday, and liked the matchup with Meagan [Malcolm-Peck] on [Ashley] Sweat. She was longer and it was a better defensive matchup. It was something we talked about and Bianca felt comfortable with it."
Colorado Players
Bianca Smith, Sr., G
GENERAL- "Like coach said, we did get off to a great start. We just have to focus in the next few days to be able to maintain that fast start for 40 minutes, and being able to maintain that level of play for 40 minutes. I think we are a better team than our record reflects and we just have to keep working, and get a win at Iowa State and make a run in the tournament."
ON INJURY TO BRITTANY SPEARS- "I think that her injury did hurt us a little, because she was on such a great roll at the beginning of the game. I think she scored our first six points and then she went down. We got stagnant on offense. Brittany provides a lot of penetration for us, which opens us the floor for shooters.
ON THE LOSS- "I think it is tough. Not only is it senior night, and I think any senior would want to go out with a win on their home floor. But also because we thought we could get this win coming into the game today. We were confident."
Kansas State Head Coach Deb Patterson
ON WIN AFTER 5-GAME LOSING STREAK-"We are so grateful, it has been a long stretch for us and we knew it would be very tough coming in here. When you are competing in the Big 12 playing the 10th, 11th, or 12th team, it doesn't matter who we are or who our opponent is, you are going to get a great game every night. It was just important that we kept being accountable on the defensive end of the floor and I think that got tougher and tougher as the game wore on. Obviously Britney (Spears) and Alyssa (Fressle) were very, very good tonight and Bianca (Smith), being a senior on senior night, was going to step up her game-which she did in the second half."
ON FIELD GOAL SHOOTING IN SECOND HALF-"For us it was really big that our posts stepped up and wanted touches. I thought Jalana (Childs) and Branshea (Brown) really helped us with that. I think that gave us a chance for our guards to get a little bit of rhythm and get some confidence. That is something we haven't seen. We have really struggled scoring the ball and so tonight the play of Jalana and Branshea was really critical for us. Even if they didn't go get a basket, just their touches helped take some pressure of us."
ON GETTING INSIDE SHOTS-"We have been working really hard on it. Jalana was aggressive tonight, they played behind the majority of the possessions and I expected her to score. Tonight she really answered with good over the top shots. "
