Post-Game Quotes: Purdue
1/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Head Coach Suzy Merchant
We had a good three quarters. We just settled a little bit at the end there, but it's a good Purdue team. They were down a man, and we were down a man. So to watch other kids have to go and step up and do some things was positive. A win is a win, right? Don't complicate winning.
On the team's play going into the second half...
Well, we talked about how are ball screens weren't where they needed to be. Attacking the middle of the zone and working on our 1- v-2. We were passing and attacking that high post, trying to stay at home just a little bit longer. We had to adjust our ball-screen defense. We had our game plan going in, but when one of their kids didn't show up it completely changed what we were doing on ball-screen defense with the four man because they were bigger so we couldn't switch that one. We had to make sure that we were adjusting that because I thought that we had some slip-ups. Also we weren't chasing tails on in-bound screens and double stags. We were getting hit on screens a little too much and saying `Hey, somebody take my man.' I don't think we were working as hard as we could have on those in-bounds.
On the team's rest going into this game...
Yeah, but it's about to end with what we have. I mean it's crazy what we are about to do. I'm trying to keep myself together with that. It's not going to be easy week to play three road games and have one day of practice for two games. It's not an easy thing, what we're going to have to do so I wanted to sub a little more. I wanted to use the time that we had to have a balance of working on stuff we needed to as well as turn it around and give them a little time off too. I thought we had a good balance of that, but we have that here coming up. We're going to need everyone on the bench for this run of four games in seven days, three on the road. To me it was kind of nice to be able to sit Arial (Powers) some, and Tori (Jankoska) some. Probably would have been able to sit them a little more if Morgan (Green) had been available to us.
On why Morgan was unavailable for the game...
She got hit in the head in practice on Tuesday. She's a really, really, really tough kid. She's broken her nose, strained her shoulder a dozen times but she just comes back out and practices like she doesn't want to miss a practice. So for her to really be struggling at something...With other kids you're like, `yeah'. She's a little thing, but she's a very tough kid. She can handle injuries and she knows the difference between being hurt and injured and a lot of kids don't. And that kid was injured today. I know this, with her, she'll be back for Sunday. She's just that kind of kid. But it's difficult because we usually have three point guards and now I was down to my third point guard and I made Lexi one as a fourth. It's not really ideal so it made things difficult. And she just changes the tempo of the game and creates so much for us in transition. I could have sat some other kids too, a little bit longer, with her. But I was glad that we had the chance to win a game without her and let her rest and do what she needs to do to hopefully get healthy.
On the depth of the team's bench...
Yeah, especially with the grind of the Big Ten season, 18 games, and with what we're about to go into, you have to have your core groups clearly. Those guys are going to be your rocks and the ones you have to rely on, but it is important to be able to get good minutes of Jenna (Allen) and Lexi (Gussert) and Hana (Vesela). I tried to play her, I thought she's had some good practices. I was trying to get her on the court with her size and some things that she can do. So I felt that getting her some minutes early was important as well. We're going to need them; there's no doubt about it. I do think we have some depth there.
On Akyah Taylor's defensive impact...
That's why her OER/DER combined is the best on our team. She doesn't try to do too much on offense. She does what she can do. She plays within herself. She knows what her role is. She doesn't take bad shots or over-dribble or turn it over that much. And then defensively, she's just a beast. She's a really, really good leader at that end and loves that side of the ball. Having her on that end of the floor is important. We have enough offense with some of the kids we have out there. We don't need five of them all the time. She's kind of the guts and glue kid as I've always said about her. And it's such a pleasure to have somebody out there who's willing to take a charge and sprint the floor the next time, or drive and kick. She does a really good job with that. Unselfish player for sure and a big part of what we're able to accomplish.
Michigan State forward Aerial Powers
On the team's expectations at the beginning of the season and their progress now
Ranking wise, we would like to be higher. But it's still a good thing we are ranked third. All we have to do is finish out strong, and because we're in such a good position. With that Maryland game cancelled, we had a few good days to give our bodies are rest, while the other girls in the Big Ten didn't have that, so we have to take advantage of that. I know we have this next week coming up and it's going to be crazy because we have so much time to rest, I think we should be fine to play.
On their strong, aggressive defense
I don't think any Purdue players scored in double figures, and that highlighted our defense tonight that we were aggressive and focused. And that's very important when facing good teams. We switched up our offensive a little bit, more of an attacking one, coming off the screens a little harder, in practice, and it helped us in the game.
On the tough, long week ahead
Even with the time off, it will be a tough grind. We came out stronger and faster today, so it showed our time off helped us. We have to pace ourselves physically in practice, but keep that mental focus. We have to go in and be aggressive in every game.
On the versatility of the bench
You guys haven't seen enough of them. We have a great skill set on the bench. We have Hana (Vesela) can shoot and dribble, and Cara's (Miller) a great shooter and can get our team organized. Jenna (Allen) can shoot and do post-moves. We have a lot of girls on the bench that can give us what we need to be successful.
On key players momentum together
Having three guards that are very versatile, me and Branndais (Agee) get in there and rebound and we can score, and Tori (Jankoska) opens the floor up because she can shoot so well, so we make it difficult to guard if you're not a very defensive team.
