Head Coach Suzy Merchant Quotes
1/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Michigan State Women's Basketball Post-Game Quotes
Head Coach Suzy Merchant
On their use of possessions late in the game...
I know we're limited; I get that. Starting and playing two walk-ons, I get that. It's just frustrating. Yeah, that's a team that averages 80 points-per-game and is in the Top-10 in the country with the No. 1 shooter in the nation (Melissa Dixon - 1st in nation in three-pointers made). We did everything as well as we could defensively and now, we can't catch or make a basket. We missed some wide open baskets, and I thought we had some good looks inside, but we couldn't make the layup. That's not a very good rebounding team, and I thought we couldn't get a couple rebounds that we needed to get. It's frustrating, when calls don't go our way, like Tori (Jankoska's) situation. I felt like that was a steal, but it ends up a foul. Then, that ball goes out of bounds, and it's inconclusive. I thought she got fouled on a three, but they can't look at that one. We try to miss a free-throw, and we bank it in. They're fighting. We're starting two walk-ons and have a chance to win the game. I can't be upset with them; it's just not rewarding when we don't get the win.
On the adjustments made through Big Ten season...
We just kind of refocused. We made a couple adjustments, none that really should've made that big of a difference. We've really been focusing on our offense, because we're struggling and we need more people to step up. We have like 15 different zone offenses. It's frustrating. I feel for them. I don't know what to say in the locker room. It's hard. We make more baskets than they do, more free throws than they do, more assists than they do, more blocks and it seems like we're right there. For some reason, offensively, we can't quite get it done.
On the team's energy...
I think we always have energy and intensity. I mean, the one time I will tell you that we didn't have it was when we had three people with the flu to start the Big Ten season on Dec. 28 and two days later at Indiana. We were just dead. Other than that, we've been in every situation and every fight. I feel like our intensity is there we just can't catch a break. We're right there.
On any personal lessons in this season...
That's a tough question. That's probably too complex of a question for me to answer at a press conference. I know we're doing the right things. We're right there. I'm smart enough to see Brandi Agee and (Jasmine) Hines ... I'm smart enough to figure that out. I think the one thing we've tried to do is keep looking forward and keep grinding in the fight. That's the one thing I've always tried to do. It's hard for me to say exactly what I've learned. I'm the most frustrated I've been for a group of people, like honestly. I've taken over programs that have had seven scholarship players and haven't had a winning season in 13 years. I had the first winning season and had to walk the ball up the floor, pack it in. I've done all that, so I feel confident. That's what we're doing now. We're trying to find ways to give our team a chance, to find ways to be in the game. With some of the situations, we have no true point guard. Anna (Morrissey) is doing as good of a job as she can do, bless her heart. Cara Miller is doing as good of a job as she can do. Kennedy (Johnson) is probably playing before she's ready. We have other bigs sitting there. It is what it is right now. I feel like I'm frustrated for them. That's what I've learned about myself. I feel for them. I don't know what to say to them, for the first time. Sometimes, it's about rebounding, sometimes it's about toughness, about execution. At the end of the day, they are doing everything they can to be right where they need to be and it's just not coming up for them. I feel for them. I really do. I'm frustrated for them. That's all I can say.
