March 20, 2004

Senior Guard Keisha McClinic
On a quest for respect…
“Their name [North Carolina] is out there. Our name is not as popularly known, but I think we have the athletes. If we come out here tomorrow and play how we can play, I think we will earn respect.”

On how the program has progressed since its first year [her freshman year] in the Sun Belt Conference…
“Our first year in the conference we really didn’t know what to expect. Now, after the course of the years, we’ve not entertained a team that’s been an underdog. We have to fight to compete. We have people that come in like Krystle [Horton] and Chrissy [Givens] that come in to work hard and play well with us to win.”

Freshman Forward Krystle Horton
On defending Candace Smith…
“She’s 6-6, and that will be my job all night to box her out. It’s pretty much been our job all season to box out and go to the boards and rebound hard, but it will be a bigger task tomorrow.”

On expectations placed upon her as a freshman…
“A lot of big expectations were coming from the community. Everyone wanted me to do so well. I just didn’t think about it. I came in ready to play, to do my part, and not have any nervousness or greater expectations to boost my confidence or make me big-headed.”

On her attitude toward this particular game…
“I think this is another game, just bigger. It will be very exciting. We’re finally here and we’ve got something to prove. We don’t want to go home tomorrow. We want everybody to know about MTSU.”