Head Coach Suzy Merchant Quotes
12/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Michigan State head coach Suzy Merchant
On what she said to the team at halftime...
Georgia Tech is a team that has a lot of talent in terms of the power piece and the athleticism piece. You see them kind of ebb and flow in how hard they play at times, and other times they kind of go through the motions. They had lost a couple of games in their last tournament, two out of the three games. I think they were an entirely different team stepping out on to our floor. It felt like they put boxing gloves on and just pummeled us, to be honest with you, for about 20 straight minutes and we just stood there and took it. We obviously decided to put some of that on ourselves. I was a little bit surprised at how we responded in the first half; I thought we were really ready for (the physicality of Georgia Tech). I was disappointed in that. That was the one thing against Notre Dame that I didn't think I prepared my team real well, was the physicality piece. When you look at Georgia Tech and how they play, they're a very physical team. They crash the boards; they're one of the best rebounding teams. I felt like we were going up against one of (MSU men's head basketball coach Tom) Izzo's teams, to be honest with you, with how hard they crashed the boards on the offensive end. I knew if we could keep them off the boards in the second half, do a better job, we could get layups at the other end. You saw our transition open up because they crash so many people. I thought we were ready for it, I was surprised with how we reacted to it, and so I'll take the blame for that. I do think those kids in the second half just really found a way right out of the gates. They had to do it right out of the gates to get (Georgia Tech) on their heels a little bit. I think when you can get Georgia Tech on their heels they tend to get a little more tentative than aggressive, and that's kind of what happened in that stretch when the momentum switched a little bit.
On why the team was able to handle losing Aerial Powers in overtime...
I think we have been doing some things in practice that has given some other kids confidence. We have been doing some drills where we keep Aerial and Tori (Jankoska) off the court, and offensively there are a couple of people that have to score the ball. We pick two people and they have to score x amount of points in a 10 minute period. So an Anna Morrissey, who is always looking for those two, we'll pick a Becca Mills, who has been posted well, but we don't always give it to her. We've been trying to develop the other kids as well, because you know Tori and Aerial are going to bring it. Tori didn't have her best shooting night tonight, but she was extremely effective because she's so competitive and can do other things, same thing with Aerial. I think some of (the drills) might be coming through a little bit, and I thought it really showed in our last two games. I know we beat people pretty handily in our last two games, but other people were stepping up and scoring the ball. Morrissey was our leading scorer last time out, so I feel like some of the drill work we've been doing, where they don't have Aerial and Tori on the floor, and they have to find ways to make things happen, has carried over a little bit.
I was a little freaked out, to be honest with you, not when she went out in overtime, but I thought they were going to throw out of the game (when she was called for the technical foul). I was so worried about that, because I didn't see what happened. Thankfully it was double technicals, but I thought she could be gone. She was sticking up for a teammate, and you always appreciate that, but you can't lose your head a little bit. I was more worried about losing her at that point. I knew eventually, with how hard she plays, with four fouls, we were gambling keeping her out there so long, but we really had to roll the dice at that point. I was just more worried about the first (technical foul), to be honest.
On how Jasmine Hines, Becca Mills and Anna Morrissey responded in overtime...
Yeah those kids really stepped up. I think Becca and Jasmine had, what, 28 (points) and 17 (rebounds, combined), and that's what we've been missing a little bit, is some post play. Not only rebounded but certainly the scoring piece. Some shots Becca was getting in the first half weren't falling, and to see her just stay in the fight and continue to focus, she had a couple big shots. That three that Anna hit was really, really big. I felt like we were able to close that gap a little bit. Those were the three that did it. They really stepped up, played within themselves, didn't try to do too much and I was really proud of them. We've been waiting to see that, especially out of Becca and Jasmine.
On if they have the physicality and post play to make a deep tournament run...
I hope so. The one thing that you do like, we have the ability on our team to spread people out or go power. That's the one blessing is that Becca Mills can play a four for us. When they went big, even out of the gates, I wanted to change our starting lineup, but as soon as I saw they put Zaire O'Neil on (the court), I knew they were just going to go right at Aerial. So I thought maybe we should put to bigs on (the court), but I don't like to freak (our team) out so I thought I'd sub a little earlier, and she handled it okay, and we ended up going zone anyway. I do like Becca and Jasmine together against certain match ups, and against certain teams that have that power game to them. I think those are two kids that can play together. Becca has learned to play a little more comfortably away from the basket, which has helped us been able to do that. When they put (Katarina Vuckovic) in, that kid's a face up four, and (Aaliyah Whiteside) is a face up, driving post man. So for Becca to move her feet enough that we can affect the ball and not get blown by, that says a lot about her and her growth and development as well.
