Pitt vs. West Virginia quotes
2/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 26, 2008
PITTSBURGH -
Quoting Pitt Head Coach Agnus Berenato:
Opening Statement:
"This was a great win for our program. We were struggling with injuries coming in and really needed a lift and I think we got it tonight. Mallorie Winn was inspirational in the locker room before the game and I think that really lifted us. Everyone contributed tonight too. Our freshmen were tremendous in a tight game, and the rest of our supporting cast gave us more than just good minutes. It was a great boost to our confidence to win this game."
On Pitt's defense:
"We were playing aggressive and attacking the ball. That's all there was to it really, it wasn't any kind of trick defense. We went straight man-to-man and really hung our hat on that for most of the game. We also communicated well with each other and were quick in switching when we had to."
On the importance of this win:
"It's a big win obviously. Still, I wasn't very nervous coming in. In spite of everything that's gone on in the last two weeks, I'm so incredibly confident in this team and their abilities. I knew we would get this together and get prepared for March. We're a very good team and we have the chance to do great things."
Quoting Pitt's Mallorie Winn:
On the importance of this win:
"I wouldn't say it was desperation coming in, but we knew this game was important. We needed to come together as a team and protect our home court. Earlier this week, the upper-classmen met and discussed what we had to do moving forward. We decided this was a great way to get started moving forward, playing a top-15 team at home. We knew it was going to be an emotional game and we knew we could win."
On responding to a four game losing streak:
"When you're on a losing streak, you tend to focus on the little things. You try to break everything down and just try to isolate what's going wrong. I think we really did a good job of that this week, at sort of looking at ourselves and thinking about what we could do better. We were very confident coming into this game."
Quoting Pitt's Marcedes Walker:
On Pitt's rebounding:
"Coach (Jeff) Williams stressed that to us all week in practice. It wasn't anything really different strategically than what we normally do, but I just think the effort was there from everyone to crash the glass in the practices leading up to the game. It just happened to carry over."
On beating West Virginia:
"Anytime you play them in any sport it's a big rivalry. Seeing how good both of us are this year, and the success of some of our other teams against them, it makes it a game you really want to win."
Quoting Pitt's Shavonte Zellous:
On scoring 29 points after scoring six against West Virginia earlier this month:
"It wasn't all that different than what I did in the last game. I think this time I may have attacked the basket a little bit more though. My teammates also did a great job setting screens for me tonight, and I was able to run off them and get some good looks."
Quoting West Virginia Head Coach Mike Carey:
Opening Statements:
"I give Pitt all the credit they deserve. The out-hustled and out-played us tonight. They wanted it more, they needed it. They had 18 rebounds on offense and we had 24 turnovers. We were lucky for the overtime and did not take advantage of it. We are a veteran team. We made bad shots."
On Pitt's Offensive Strategy:
"They were switching. We did not move and they did."
On the difference from the first game:
"When a team beats you bad, they get false hope that they are that good. Pitt is a very good team and they will do whatever it takes to win. Pitt wanted it and needed it."
On Pitt applying a ball press:
"We stood there and chased them. They did not cut through or use the back door. We never adjusted to it. We could not get around Walker."
On Pitt's rebounding and WVU's lack of rebounds:
"We don't block out. We preach it and scream it at practice but we don't do it during the game. Look at Pitt's offensive rebounds. They hustled their butts off. All five players on the court hustled."
On the last play of over time:
"The big thing was that we did not have a time out. We dribbled too much."
On how the defense on Zellous differed from the first game:
"They are a great team with great players. I give them credit for winning but we could have played better."
Quoting West Virginia's Meg Bulger:
On the difference from the last game:
"If a team would have held us to only 35 points we would have come out with the same intensity. We would have wanted it bad too."
On the disappointment of losing:
"It was disappointing. A loss is a loss. I am from Pittsburgh but I love West Virginia."
On being out-hustled:
"They definitely did [out-hustle us]. We played hard but we did not play smart."
Quoting West Virginia's Olayinka Sanni:
On the game as a whole:
"You have to be aware and we weren't."