Women's Basketball Post-Game Quotes
1/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2005
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State Women's Basketball
January 9, 2005
East Lansing, Mich. - Breslin Center
Michigan State 68, Iowa 56
Post-Game Quotes
Iowa Head Coach Lisa Bluder
Opening Statement:
"Michigan State played very, very well. They had us scouted well and they did a great job executing. I really enjoy their team. I enjoy watching them play and they play hard. I think that they probably got 80 percent of the loose balls out there because they just work so hard on getting the basketball. The balance of their team, if you look at the fact that they had four people score double-figure points, shows that they are very capable. Michigan State is a very good basketball team and, since the beginning of the season, it has been at the top of my list in terms of Big Ten predictions."
On Iowa's performance:
"I thought that we played well in the beginning. For the first five minutes, it went well. When Jamie Cavey got hurt, we lost our focus. At that point, our team saw blood and they got a little discouraged. They really count on Cavey. She is our leader, she is the person that they look to and she is a team captain."
Michigan State Head Coach Joanne P. McCallie
Opening Statement:
"Just a great, aggressive game by our team. Iowa is a very, very good basketball team. They are tremendous and a very good team. I think that our team came out, particularly in the first half, and really set the tempo on the floor."
On fan support, which comprised the fourth-largest crowd (8,512) in MSU women's basketball history:
"I really want to thank the great crowd, for which I am so grateful. The crowd made such a difference. Our team would surge and the crowd would just go crazy. I also loved how the crowd was impatient, meaning that when the Iowa got within 10 points, the crowd started just yelling at everybody."
On the degree of physicality in today's game:
"It was a very brutal game. I will say, though, that Ohio State beat that. Ohio State was, absolutely, brutally physical and they definitely got the better end of us, as you know, in that deal. So, I won't say that Iowa was the most aggressive or physical, but it was up there. Their play was very, very aggressive."
Michigan State junior guard Lindsay Bowen
On MSU's win over Iowa:
"I just think we played a really great game against a solid team. One thing that was really fun to watch was the spark that we had off the bench. People had a lot of energy today. Now, we just have to keep playing that way and stay focused."
On Spartan strengths:
"Defense was a big part of our victory. We just got up in their faces and took care of things. That is how we play. That is Spartan basketball."
On the impressive crowd:
"We had great support today! It was awesome to have that kind of a crowd. It always helps to have great support and a lot of energy from the crowd. The fans were great."
