Post-Game Quotes
2/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 12, 2011
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
POST GAME QUOTESHEET
Pitt 70, USF 66, February 12, 2011, at Petersen Events Center
Quoting Pitt Head Coach Agnus Berenato
Opening Statement:
"It was just a great win for us. We felt that this was a game we really wanted to win for our program, our team, for the university, and for our alumni here today. This was the first time we ever invited them back to have an alumni game. I think the girls really came out with a sense of pride knowing the alumni were out there in our gym and for the great majority of our alumni it was the first time they had ever been on our court. They told all these war stories of the Fitzgerald Field House and the Cost Center and it was very entertaining. To have our alumni back and to get a win with them here was great. Also, Coach Duratz, our guest coach, reminded us that he was 3-1 and his only loss was against South Florida and this was revenge.
I thought our team really gutted it out and hung with it. We got down a couple different times and we didn't fold our tent, we stayed really calm and methodical. Actually, when we got down it wasn't because of any miscommunications, I think we had some great shots that we missed and one of their girls made a bank-shot that made me say 'Are you kidding me?' That's the kind of shot that when it goes in you feel you're destined to lose but when she made it I didn't feel that way.
We played this game, especially in the second half, possession by possession by calling sets and changing the defense so much. Taneisha Harrison was awesome, she was in the zone. She stayed really involved and active on offense. She really was feeling it.
Chelsea Cole and Porche Grant were number one and two in rebounds per game in the Big East. I told Chelsea and the team yesterday it was the battle of the beasts on the boards and we're going to see who the real beast is tomorrow. And for her to come out and grab 17 rebounds and for Grant to only grab five was great, we needed every one of her 17 rebounds to pull off this win.
I thought our free throw shooting was poor in the first half, we missed too many. But when it mattered we hit every free throw in the end.
Again, I thought it was a great win for the program.
On the focus during recent winning surge:
"Something we've really emphasized is attacking the basket. During the first half South Florida had 10 points from the free throw line, we only had six. We feel that when we attack the basket good things happen. In the second half, we really turned it around ending up with 20 points from the free throw line.
On great play in second half:
"I thought we really cleaned up our defense and stopped fouling. Offensively we really battled and attacked the basket. We shot 57% tonight, that's pretty good. We took 24 less shots than them, that's amazing. The shots we took in the second half were mostly from our sets and that way we know where the shot is coming from. That brings much more confidence to a player knowing when and where they will shoot the ball. That was key for us."
On USF dominating the offensive rebounds:
"As a coach, absolutely it's frustrating. I think when we went to our zone they really got a lot of offensive rebounds and when we switched out of that in the second half, we did a much better job going man-to-man."
On all-around solid play:
"Ashley Anderson did a great job; she came in and scored 10 points. Jania Sims went 7-for-7 from the free throw line and ended up with 15 points. We had four people in double figures and we had to have four players in double figures. Shayla Scott was great defensively tonight. She really clogged up the inside. She wasn't scoring a lot of points but defensively she was clutch in the end with a couple of key rebounds.
On switching defense:
"Today was probably the most we've ever switched defenses but some nights you have to do it. Last night I told the team that tonight would probably come down to one possession. Today we changed defenses a lot and besides one possession where there was miscommunication for the defense, which we got a steal on that possession anyways, besides that everybody knew what they were doing on every possession and that's key in a close win like this. That could have never happened two months ago. Everybody is starting to understand each other."
Quoting Pitt's Chelsea Cole
On the ability to come from behind multiple times in one game:
"I think it takes more of a mental toughness than anything to know we have to get a stop and get a score and keep going from there."
On the end of her career as a Panther being so nearby:
"I think having our alumni here last night talk about all their stories about when they were here and just knowing that's going to be us once it's all over really puts it into perspective that its almost over. So we have to ride it until the wheels fall off."
On the focus during the recent winning surge:
"I think the focus has always been our defense. We go through different defenses in practice and just retaining information and applying it during game."
Quoting Pitt's Taneisha Harrison
On the team's improved ability to come from behind:
"I think it's a testament to how far we've come. It shows how hard we are working in practice and how the freshman are improving and the seniors are getting better."
On the end of her career as a Panther being so nearby:
"It's bitter sweet that the season's coming to the end. I think we are really focused on getting these last few wins in the conference and then going up to the Big East tournament and getting a few upsets up there."
