George Washington University Athletics
GW/Massachusetts Post-Game Quotes
2/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 12, 2011
NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
February 12, 2011
@GW 62
Massachusetts 46
Post-Game Quotes
GW Coach Mike Bozeman
Opening statement
"I thought that was more of the complete game that we're shooting for. We're getting a lot done in practice in understanding how we're supposed to play. The girls are doing a great job of executing that. The mental toughness category, which concerned me most early in the season, I think we've gotten much better. I'm talking about the tough rebounds toward the end of the game, the urgency, getting the ball to the shooters. The scouts are being adhered to, and the girls are really coming together as a team. I'm just proud of how they're fighting through adversity."
Were you concerned that you'd be able to finish this game, unlike Wednesday at Charlotte?
"I wrote `close the half' on the board before the game, and under that, I wrote `close the game.' We played pretty well at Charlotte, so that was just a part of the growth we're going through right now. We really had the opportunity to do something at Charlotte. I think it showed the team a lot of confidence, because they held on when UMass tried to make a little run. The Charlotte game was definitely on my mind, but it wasn't about beating the same things. It was making sure we didn't make the same mistakes."
As with other games, you tried to slow the pace, in part due to your short bench. Are the players getting used to that kind of tempo?
"We definitely slowed the pace, and I'm pleased with the way they responded. We pressed not to force turnovers, but to slow the pace. We wanted them to have to pass a few times so that we could go back into our zone and rest our legs. That's definitely part of the coaching strategy we're using."
After struggling early and losing players, you've won three of your last four and played well at Charlotte. What's clicked for the team?
"Anytime you lose the numbers we do, and you have to make that number of adjustments to your rotation, it's going to cause a struggle. We've gotten to the point where we've settled in on it, and gotten a couple of players back. I've got to mention Kristin Aldridge - in 17 minutes, she scored a bucket, got a rebound, and had three assists and no turnovers. That's huge. I'm impressed and touched by all the effort my team is giving me right now, and I couldn't ask for anything more. I'll go to battle with these girls night in and night out anytime."
At about 16 minutes left in the game, you had some tough fouls and really started to fire up the crowd. Can you talk about what happened?
"We had a couple of tough calls go against us, and I felt like the team could use a little adrenalin from the crowd. I was pumped up and that was my way of expressing my frustration, and I thought I'd turn it into some joy with my fans. I thought it pumped the team up and gave us a good lift there. So I appreciate the hometown crowd; they really helped us out in that stretch."
Sophomore guard Danni Jackson
After the Charlotte game, did the team have extra motivation to close the half and win the game?
"I think it's more just us feeding off of one another. We played well at Charlotte; they just started hitting shots. We just came in here with the mindset of winning the game, and that's what we did."
Do you feel like you're a different team than you were at the beginning of A-10 play?
"Very different. Like Tara and Coach said, we're really playing together. It's fun, actually, so that's a big part of it."
Junior forward/guard Tara Booker
You seem to have come on and played well lately. What's helped get your game on track?
"I don't know of anything in particular that's really clicked. A big part of it is it's the end of the season and playing through it. I sat out all season last year; I don't want to sit out anything else. I'm just playing through some pain right now."
You have two of the league's top teams [Temple and Xavier] coming up. Where do you see the team at this point?
"The way that we've been playing, we're definitely coming together as a team. We're getting used to playing with each other, we're getting that chemistry and the experience at the end of the season that we didn't have earlier. Right now, we're playing great basketball together. It's actually team basketball. I feel really positive going into the next two games."
