Oct. 12, 2015
Head Coach Muffet McGraw Quotes
On the upcoming season…
“It’s so much fun. Every year is a brand new team. We have different issues, so many people who can score in different ways. We’ve got a great post game, we’ve got terrific freshmen. Trying to piece it together is really the most difficult thing for me. It’s like a giant puzzle.”
On the benefit of having so many returning starters…
“It’s always good when you have experience, especially in the post. It’s been a lot easier. They really know what they’re doing. They know how they can score, and they’re really working hard. That’s probably the most impressive thing with this group; this is a really hard working group. “
On the ability of the freshmen to score…
“Offense is paramount in their minds, and defense is first in mine. I think we’re really discovering this about each other a bit. I know they can score, but we’re really trying to get them to play the other end as well. So far it’s been really good.”
On the expectations for this group…
“The bar is always high. New season, still the same goals. Different team, but we still have the same goal — we want to win a national championship.”
On how to replace Jewell Loyd…
“It’s a huge challenge to replace Jewell. She was our biggest player. That’s the biggest thing that we really have to look at; who’s going to take that shot, late in the shot clock, late in the game. We have a number of options, and some really good things to work on. Lindsay Allen and Brianna Turner are playing really well. Those two are definitely going to have the ball in their hands a lot at the end of the game. We did recruit to it, so the freshmen think that they have an opportunity to play right away instead of waiting. We’re looking for them to be able to step up and immediately contribute, in big-game and pressure situations. They’re just so talented that it’s a good thing for them. “
On the freshmen…
“Ali Patberg is a point guard, she’s going to be a tremendous leader. I think she’s going to be one of the best leaders we’ve ever had as she matures and grows into her game. She is very strong with the ball, and she’s a great communicator, which is something that we really need, so we’re really excited about her. Especially being an Indiana product, she will definitely bring a lot of fan interest. Marina Mabrey, the sister of Michaela Mabrey, she is feistier, she is a little more physical, willing to mix it up a little bit more. She is really crafty with the ball, she’s somebody that is definitely going to contribute immediately in terms of scoring. She’s really hard to guard, so we’re also excited about her. Lastly, Arike Ogunbowale is so strong. I think she’s going to lead the team in free-throw attempts, because she can drive the ball and get her shot up with contact. She can finish with contact. I’m really excited about her and her ability to do different things.”
On assimilating the freshmen into the program…
“Fortunately, we had the summer, so we had two hours a week this summer. We had about six or seven workouts with them to teach them some of the offense. We also had the fall, about two hours a week also. We’ve practiced about four or five times already, and then we had a team workout or two. I feel like we’re further along than I thought we would be at this time with so many freshmen. I think they’re learning, they’re quick learners, and they really want to watch a lot of film. They’re just so excited about their opportunity.”
On Ali Patberg’s ability to the play the point guard…
“I think if I played Lindsay [Allen] and Ali together, I would play Ali at the point and put Lindsay on the wing. Lindsay is really playing like an All-American right now. She can pretty much play any spot. I like her with the ball in her hands, but I think Ali is more of a setup, traditional type of point guard.”
On how Lindsay Allen can take the next step…
“She’s just in phenomenal physical shape, which she always has been. She can play 40 minutes. We’re going to want the ball in her hands because her handle has gotten even better, her shot looks good, and her passing has been very good. Just her experience is really valuable, to start as a freshman, go to the Final Four, and not make any mistakes. She’s somebody we expect to have a tremendous assist-to-turnover ratio, and to lead the team and score a little bit more.”
On what she likes about the team so far…
“I’ve really liked their effort. We talk about the things that they can control, and effort is one that you can. So communication and effort have been the two things that have really impressed me with this team. The intensity with which they approach every single drill is impressive. There just isn’t a letdown.”
On how Brianna Turner can continue to improve…
“She needs to do more. We are going to ask her to do a lot more. She needs to be able to make that free-throw jumper, she’s really worked on her free throws, and she’s becoming a better passer. She’s worked on that this summer.”
On how to mix everyone in with so much talent…
“It’s really going to be difficult for me to figure out how to work the pieces together. Everyone thinks that having a lot of depth is a great problem to have, but really we have nine or 10 people who could play a lot of minutes. That’s a little more difficult, to see which situation each player is going to be most effective in.”
On who will be the fifth starter…
“We’re still looking at that. Right now, Taya [Reimer] hasn’t even been practicing, so we have another spot to fill. She’s going to be out a couple more weeks, and then she’ll be back and ready to go. But right now we have some options, whether to go with four guards or to add another post.”
On Taya Reimer sitting out…
“She’s just resting her Achilles, just a rest thing.”
On attending Sunday’s Game 4 of the WNBA Finals and watching alums Natalie Achonwa and Devereaux Peters…
“I was such a proud mom at the game. I can’t cheer for either team [in the WNBA finals], I’m just cheering for Dev and Ace (Achonwa). Natalie has just had a phenomenal rookie year. She was starting for a while at the beginning of the year, but ten she had to go off with Canada Basketball. So she missed a lot of time, which hurt her development and I think Coach (Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White) has gone with the veteran players in the playoffs. But for her to have this experience, getting to the WNBA Finals as a rookie, is incredible. She finished third in the balloting for (WNBA) Rookie of the Year, and I couldn’t be happier for her this season.”
On getting to so many Final Fours recently…
“I think it’s always motivating. For me, I’m always looking at the national championship banner. I know that there are 300 schools that would love to trade places with us, but we just aren’t satisfied. We want to take that one more step.”
On this year’s Final Four being in Indianapolis…
“I think that the one thing we always worry about is complacency. You can’t expect that just because we’ve been there every year, and all the players know is getting to the Final Four, that we will get there. Some of the players don’t know how hard it was for the players before them to blaze that trail, so now it’s a matter of us establishing the culture of making sure that they know every practice is really important. Every play is really important and they don’t get a second chance.”
Player Quotes
Senior guard/tri-captain Michaela Mabrey
On playing alongside her younger sister (freshman guard Marina Mabrey)…
“It’s amazing. I’ve been given the opportunity to play with my sister again for one last go-around. She’s a great player and we have chemistry from playing all of these years together.”
On the number of “fights” in the preseason with her sister…
“Zero. There have been none so far. I can’t guarantee that there aren’t going to be any throughout this long season. We get along really well on and off the court. I’m just trying to help her and all the freshmen. Freshman year is hard. You are going from high school to college and it’s a huge adjustment. I’m just trying to help them all out.”
On who would win a fight between Michaela and Marina…
“Me. She’s a little bit stronger than I am, but I don’t think that [a fight] would happen.”
On her leadership role…
“I’ve been trying to help our team get back to where we’ve been. Last year, I took on a leadership role, but this year, I’m going to have an even bigger role. I’m just trying to help our team in every possible scenario, being there for questions on and off the court, whatever they need. I’m trying to help get our competiveness back.”
Junior guard/tri-captain Lindsay Allen
On her comfort level improving from last season…
“I think I felt more comfortable as the season went on. I was getting older and getting more experience in the system. It was a lot easier to play more freely and just play my game.”
On working towards a championship this season…
“We need to stay true to ourselves. People are going to expect us to reach those expectations, but I think we are focused on getting better every day and hopefully reaching the national championship again.”
On the potential of this year’s team…
“I think our potential is limitless. I think we are young, and we’re excited. We’re getting older and have a little more experience on the perimeter, especially in the post with Bri (Turner) and Taya (Reimer) and Kathryn (Westbeld) all getting a year older. I think we are just really excited.”
On head coach Muffet McGraw saying she is playing like an All-American right now…
“It gives me a lot of confidence, but I depend on my teammates so much as a point guard. They do so much for me confidence-wise. I take it with a grain of salt. We are still early in the season, and I’m just excited to be practicing.”
On her improvement in the offseason…
“I think I’ve improved in being more aggressive and taking more of a leadership role, both on and off the court.”
On the freshmen…
“They are really, really skilled and intense. They have a sense of urgency, and they know what to do at certain times. They are all really smart guards, so we are excited to get them acclimated to our system.”
On what she learned from two deep NCAA Championship runs that will help her this season…
“Focusing on the little things, especially in the ACC and NCAA tournaments. It’s the little things that really matter. Any team can beat any other team on any given night, so we have to focus in on every game.”
On being `hungry’ this season…
“I’m really hungry. I think when you get to the Final Four and come up short two times in a row, it lights that fire within you. Everyone on this team is really hungry and really intense and excited to make it back there.”
Junior forward/tri-captain Taya Reimer
On the team’s potential this season…
“We have a lot of great freshmen coming in. I think we have just been working really hard and we have great team chemistry. Our goals never change, no matter who’s here. It doesn’t matter what year it is — we are always working toward that national championship.”
On where she saw her greatest improvement during her busy offseason…
“Mentally, and from a maturity standpoint, I’ve tried to become a leader. That’s going to be one of my biggest roles this year. I’m working on that, being more vocal on the court, and having more consistency.”
On changes she will have to make to be that leader…
“Consistency is going to be a big thing, as well as leading by example. I need to be more vocal on the court. It’s about knowing where I am supposed to be and where I’m going to be and making sure I know where everybody else is going to be, especially in the post.”
On the new freshmen…
“Their work ethic is impressive. All of them are talented; all three of them were McDonald’s All-Americans, but they have been coming in and keeping that work ethic and level of intensity high. That’s something that Coach McGraw really pushes us to do — to keep up our work ethic and energy during practice.”
On fellow Indiana native (and freshman) Ali Patberg…
“She is a great player, and she had a great high school career. I’m just really excited to be able to play with her, instead of against her.”
On her strong finish last year and what she will do this year to continue that growth…
“I think continuing to grow mentally is the biggest thing that I did last season. I became more consistent and I’m trying to do that more, become more of a vocal leader on the team.
On how she defines consistency…
“I know what I need to be doing on a consistent basis. Knowing that I can be rebounding and defending no matter what, even if my shot is not going in and not falling. I can help in the post and make sure everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing, where we are supposed to be.”
On last year’s loss in the national championship game…
“Especially for the upperclassmen, it’s been a wakeup call. For me personally, after two years of having the same result, it’s been a kick in the butt in the right direction. It’s gotten us to put in extra work and gotten us in that extra gear. We have great team chemistry, we’ve all been working very hard, and we all know what we want to get accomplished this season.”
Sophomore forward Brianna Turner
On her biggest impact this year…
“Definitely on the defensive end, blocking shots and running the floor on offense as well.”
On what she learned from last year’s run to the national championship game that she can take into this season…
“Playing hard the whole game. I know last year I would get tired and kind of take plays off. This year, I want to play hard the whole game and take no plays off.”
On what she is focusing most on this year…
“Posting up stronger this year and maintaining my position on the block. I’ve also been working on my free throws and my jumper.”
On what it’s like being a sophomore leader…
“I’m helping the freshmen out. It’s hard for them adjusting. It was hard for me last year. This year, I feel more adjusted and I’m not as nervous, so I’m going in more confident.”
On the challenge that she isn’t always the best player on the floor, as she was in high school?
“It’s definitely a challenge. In high school, everyone is the best player on their team, but in college, everyone is as good as you (are). You really have to work on other aspects of your game.”
Freshman guard Marina Mabrey
On being reunited with her sister…
“It’s a great feeling. We have a really good connection. She’s a really good leader and that’s helped me a lot with coming in and transitioning, (especially) when I don’t know all of the plays. She’s a really good director, especially with me being her sister.”
On how she and her sister get along…
“Actually we are really close. We really don’t fight very much except for the occasional `you stole my shirt.’ On the basketball court, we direct each other and know where we are going. We help each other out and she treats me like a regular teammate.”
On how she describes her game…
“It’s different from Michaela’s. I’m a little bit aggressive in a sense. I like to play really close defense and drive to the basket. I make hustle plays and do all of the aggressive things.”
Freshman guard Ali Patberg
On this year’s freshmen…
“I think we’ve done well. It’s a lot, adjusting to school life, living on campus, the difference in the speed of the game, the mental side, but I think we are picking it up well every practice and getting better every day.”
On the freshmen keeping the bar high and expectations for the season…
“It’s about just learning from our mistakes and growing. Realizing that it’s a process and we are supposed to mess up and it’s supposed to be hard. We have each other’s back and we keep pushing each other when we have a bad day. I think it’s about collectively coming together and learning from our mistakes.”
On her expectations for herself in her freshman season…
“It’s a learning process, and I’m going to hopefully grow every day and see where I am. I’m going to play and work my hardest.”
On college ball being an adjustment…
“It’s hard. We are used to going into high school practice and it being not as hard. Every player is really, really good here, and the tempo is really good. Mentally, we have to be tougher. We can’t come in thinking about other stuff, and we have to be focused from the beginning to the end.”