Post-Game Quotes
3/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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2005 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball -- Minneapolis Second Round
Monday, March 21, 2005 - Michigan State vs. Southern California
Michigan State Postgame Press Conference Coach Quotes
Head coach Joanne P. McCallie on the win over Southern California:
"Just a great basketball game. I have to compliment USC; they played very well. Very aggressive. We played remarkable down the stretch. We didn't play our `A' game. We got outrebounded -- had seven offensive (rebounds), ridiculously low. Eighteen turnovers, far too many. We did have a tremendously, mentally tough team down the stretch that always believes they're going to win down the stretch. That urgency that you saw the last two minutes, we need to have that for 40 minutes. I think it's a great lesson. I'm looking forward to practice."
Head coach Joanne P. McCallie on Lindsay Bowen's play:
"She's really a competitor. When she attacks like a competitor, rather than just a shooter, she is unbelievable. That's the way she needs to attack all the time. She's extremely mentally tough; it was absolutely amazing what she did down the stretch to lead her team. It was fun to watch and great to see. I want to see her in that competitor mode the rest of the way."
Head coach Joanne P. McCallie on MSU fighting through the Big Ten tournament and the second round past USC:
"Terrific players, and they have played well all year long. They have so much potential. It's so much fun to work with them, to get them to another level. I don't think we did many higher-level things most of the game -- down the stretch, we did. They're a special bunch."
Head coach Joanne P. McCallie on USC:
"We expected them to play great, and they did. We wanted to play great, too. They're a young team, nothing to lose. I definitely want to compliment them. They got most the loose balls, offensive rebounds."
Head coach Joanne P. McCallie on MSU down the stretch:
"It's a combination of all of them, all of the hard work they've put in. Lindsay (Bowen) and Kristin (Haynie) handling the ball -- I feel extremely confident when the ball is in their hands and the decisions they make. The two-guard approach has really helped us in the time-score situations."
Head coach Joanne P. McCallie on Rene Haynes' game-winning basket:
"Rene focused like she did; I still can't believe she picked that ball up. It was such a scramble. I thought it was going to end up on the floor with the buzzer going off."
Head coach Joanne P. McCallie on the absence of a foul in the game's deciding scramble:
"There were equal collisions. I was amazed. I was -- I can't believe I'm saying this -- proud of the officials. They blow a whistle, they're going to give it to somebody, which would have been highly inappropriate at this time of the year. There were hits, but none so severe. ... There was a poetic innocence about that play, allowing that play to be determined by the players. The game was physical throughout. They were very consistent not to blow a whistle at that time."
USC Head coach Mark Trakh's opening statement:
"I told you guys, the hat worked. We had 14,000 people that really appreciated the heart, effort and determination that these kids showed. ...We were all over the place, and we deserved to win that game, to be honest with you. ... Michigan State is a great team, they are the No. 1 seed, they're ranked sixth in the country and we had them on the ropes. ... The whole county saw the passion, the pride, the determination that our kids play with. ... They (USC players) were all over the floor. ... I don't even think the Minnesota fans were cheering for us, because they were cheering against Michigan State. I think the kids won them over (with) the way they were playing the game, and I think the Minnesota fans appreciate the way our kids played the game. ... To walk out of there and see the fans of Minnesota give a standing ovation; that was awesome. I hope our two seniors take that with them for the rest of their lives. ... I am so proud of this team. We were picked to finish seventh in the Pac-10 and we were a shot away from going to the `Sweet Sixteen.' ... I think if we got to the `Sweet Sixteen,' the `Elite Eight' was a definite possibility. ... Our motto this year was `Bring it Back' and these two sitting to my left (Kim Gipson and Rachel Woodward) did a great job to bring the passion, the heart and the fire back. ... I couldn't be prouder of this team. ... They say if you leave it all on the floor, you are winners."
Head coach Mark Trakh the last 20 seconds of the game:
"I saw a bunch of bodies on the floor. It was a scrum, people diving after the ball."
Head coach Mark Trakh's closing statement:
"I still love Minneapolis. That was awesome."
Senior forward Rachel Woodward on what she will take away from this experience:
"I think, overall, it's just how well together we play. We get along so well ... just the memories."
Senior forward Rachel Woodward on if USC was outplayed:
"Not at all. If we could have gotten up a couple of more shots, that probably would have helped us a little bit, but we played with so much heart and desire. ... We won them (the Minnesota fans) with how hard we played."
Senior center Kim Gipson on what she will take away from this experience:
"Our progress throughout the season. ... Just the way that we grew together. We just became a whole. ... There's no end to the way that we interact with each other. I just hope that the team next year will remember the experience."
Senior center Kim Gipson on if USC was outplayed:
"I don't think we were outplayed at all."
Senior center Kim Gipson on the importance of the play of Lindsay Bowen:
"Very important. She's a good three-point shooter. She knocked down key shots. She has the experience. ... She came out today and did what she had to do for her team, and she was very big for them."
Freshman point guard Camille LeNoir on her overall impression of the game:
"The whole team did what they needed to do to win the game. The ball just didn't bounce our way in the end. We left everything out on the court. Everybody feels that we should have won that game. The crowd was on our side, and we just left everything on the court."
Freshman point guard Camille LeNoir on her ability to attack the Michigan State zone defense off of the dribble penetration:
"There was a point in time when my shot wasn't falling, so I decided to try and attack and see if I could get fouled. I wasn't getting any fouls called, but luckily, my shots were falling."
Freshman point guard Camille LeNoir on the lesson she will take from her first trip to the NCAA tournament:
"Just the feeling we have right now. We know that we should have won. The scoreboard is lying; we should have won that game. We don't want to have this feeling again. We are going to work our butts off in the offseason to get back to this point. We are going to get stronger, get better, so that we can win games like this.
Sophomore forward Eshaya Murphy on the team's ability to get offensive rebounds:
"That is one of our strengths of our team. Everyone can rebound and go to the boards. We all work hard on that part of the game. We are streaky shooters, so we need second and third opportunities."
Sophomore forward Eshaya Murphy on the decision to have her attack off the dribble from the wing:
"The coaches kept telling me that there was a gap in their defense; that I should look to penetrate and kick the ball off. That gave me confidence to attack the basket and try to get shots from inside."
Sophomore forward Eshaya Murphy on her assessment of the last play of the game:
"I just tried to call timeout, and I thought I was given it because I looked at the ref and they saw me call timeout. After that I stepped in and it got all hectic. After that, I just remember looking up at the clock and seeing that there was two seconds left and I stepped in for the steal. I tipped it to my teammate and she tried to make the shot, but the ball didn't bounce our way."
Sophomore forward Eshaya Murphy on the lesson she will take from her first trip to the NCAA tournament:
"We are going to work out over the summer and improve on our skills, so that we don't have to rely on a referee's call or one single play. Next time, it won't come down to the end of the game."
