Oct. 30, 2013
Head Coach Muffet McGraw
Opening Comments…
“I was very disappointed in our defense. I was disappointed with the intensity of our defense. I was disappointed with our transition defense. I was very disappointed with everyone on defense. Offensively, I thought Jewell [Loyd] played really well. She had a good effort to try to rebound more. She attacked the basket more. Taya [Reimer], I thought shot the ball extremely well. We got her in really good positions. That’s a fantastic line for a freshman in her first game. And I was really pleased with Lindsay Allen. She ran the team well. She took good shots, took care of the ball and only had one turnover. We had 16 as a group. So I was really pleased. Those three probably stuck out the most to me.”
On how Reimer was scoring…
“Well she was all around the basket. I think she got great position, we got her the ball right where she wanted it. She moved without the ball. She looked to post up a little bit more and, yeah, she was really, really successful. And the free throws too – that was big for her.”
On Lindsay Allen’s game…
“Offensively she really understands the game. And she’ll take it from the timeout to the court as well as anybody we’ve ever had as a freshman. She just does a great job listening to what we’re trying to run and go on the floor and execute it. She’s really smart. I thought she looked for Jewell early. She really tried to get her going, tried to get her a lot of shots, and obviously looked to Taya a lot too. I was just really pleased with the pace she had us at. I thought she made really good decisions with the ball. And overall just a really, really good game offensively.”
On if the freshmen are playing beyond their years…
“No, I think once they cross that line at the midcourt and go on defense they play like freshmen. I think they played better on offense. I think we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
On if Reimer will pick up the slack from Natalie Achonwa’s absence…
“I think so. I’d like somebody else to come along. We need a one-two punch in the post and right now we’ve just got that one punch. I think that Kristina Nelson gave us some good minutes tonight. When she gets in shape I think she’ll be able to really help us. But right now I think that four-guard lineup is looking good for us.”
On Natalie Achonwa’s injury…
“She had her knee scoped. So she’s out four to six weeks.”
On what she’s learned about the personality of the team…
“Well, we’re really nice. That’s what I’ve learned. We’re very, very nice. We are just sweet. It’s a very, very sweet team. They’re very cordial to each other on the court, and that’s something that I would like to change really quickly. But their personalities are very nice. I’d like them to get between the lines and get meaner.”
Jewell Loyd – Sophomore – Guard
On her varied ways of scoring…
“I’m just trying to take what the defense gives me. I know Coach wants me to get inside and be mean and try to attack the basket and just let the game come to me. I just took what the defense gave me tonight.”
On areas she feels the team can improve…
“I definitely agree with Coach. We definitely need to get meaner. We have it at times, but we just need to make it consistent. Communication is something you always can improve on, so I think those are two things that we have to do.”
Taya Reimer – Freshman – Forward
On how she got in position to score…
“I was just really trying to be in the right place at the right time. Jewell (Loyd) and Lindsay [Allen] both did a great job of looking in the post and looking for me, and I tried to do the same for them. But I was just trying to be as physical as I could down low and just be in the right spot to get those shots.”
On what her performance means…
“It’s great. It’s really exciting to play your first collegiate game, but I personally have a lot to work on and we definitely have a lot to work on as a team, so it’s good to play this game just so we can see what we need to work on. It was a great experience, but we definitely have a lot to work on, and we just have to move past it.”
Lindsay Allen – Freshman – Guard
On if her performance could have been any better…
“I definitely didn’t want the one turnover, but nine assists and one turnover is fine. With the offense that we have and this transition game that we have, it makes it a lot easier to just kick the ball up.”
On how she can be in sync with her teammates as a freshman…
“When you have future All-Americans on your team, it makes it a lot easier. They really help me, especially Kayla [McBride] and Natalie [Achonwa]. They really help my game, knowing where to pass the ball and where they’re going to be on the court. It makes it a lot easier.”