George Washington University Athletics
11/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 10, 2006
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
GW 72
UMBC 58
Post-game comments
GW Assistant Coach Mike Bozeman
What's the status of Coach McKeown?
"He's having some flu symptoms and has been down for three or four days. It was kind of a game-day decision as to whether he was going to come today. We prepared either way, but he's still under the weather."
You had five players in double figures. What does that say about the balance of talent on the team?
"This team's identity is going to be something like that. We have a lot of interchangable parts. On any given night, someone can get hot and score a lot of points."
Is Chantelle John getting more comfortable with her role?
"Yes, that comes with being a sophomore. She's got her 'sea legs' now. American basketball has a whole different physical expectation than what she was used to in Canada, and then to be playing at this level of college basketball took her a little while to get used to."
How would you describe the success of the defense today?
"That press is Coach McKeown's baby. We run it so much in practice that you have to be leery when a team shows certain tendencies and you overanticipate or go for chance opportunities that a disciplined team will kill us on. I was more concerned with executing it properly for later on rather than for just today."
Were you disappointed with the perimeter defense?
"That was a point of emphasis for us. We knew they were three-point shooters. Three to four of those shots were blown assignments that allowed them an extra second to get the ball off. I was disappointed in that. That's something we can make adjustments on."
Lisa Steele played seven minutes. Will that be about her average as the season goes forward? "We hope to get her in a little more. The fear is that we have her out there too long and she suffers a relapse of her foot injury. So we're just testing the waters and as long as she feels well, you want to leave her out there. But you don't want to have her out there that one extra minute too long."
Sophomore Chantelle John
How different is it to be playing with more experience this season?
"This year, I know what to expect. Last year, I was very nervous. Now, I'm always ready to get out there and play."
Does it help your game to go up against Jazmine and Jessica Adair in practice?
"Definitely because they bring it to every practice, every day. Going up against the best is only going to make you better. It makes competition during the games easier."
Has it been difficult to make the transition from Canadian to American college basketball?
"It's been hard because it's a faster game. I've had to adjust to that, become familiar with Coach McKeown's system, and playing some of the top teams in the country. But the pace of the game is the biggest thing."
What do you see as being your role on the team?
"I want to improve my scoring and rebounding. I had 11 points today, but only five rebounds. I definitely have to get both of those up because we have some tough competition coming up like Tennessee."
