Post-Game Quotes: NCAA First Round - Arizona State
3/17/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
2017 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round · Arizona State vs. Michigan State
Colonial Life Arena · Columbia, S.C.
Postgame Quotes - March 17, 2017
POSTGAME QUOTES - MICHIGAN STATE
Suzy Merchant, Head Coach:
Opening Statement
"We are disappointed; certainly that first half is not who we were as a team throughout this year. We just really didn't get settled in at all that first half. I thought our second half, especially that fourt quarter, that we really competed and got after it a little bit, and had some respectable moments. Tori did what she has done all year for us: 26 points, eight rebounds, three assists, just the will to win, compete, and be up for the challenge. I was proud and disappointed for her, but I'm so proud of how she has represented Michigan State for four years and the season she has had has been incredible."
On the team's slow start…
"I just didn't think anyone really wanted the ball except for Tori. I didn't think we made good
decisions; we turned it over too much. That's probably the biggest thing. That's what happens when you start two freshmen out there. I just don't think they responded well. We didn't rebound at all. We didn't have one offensive rebound. Give them credit; I think they got in us a little bit. We just didn't handle that as well. We have been practicing against it; we knew it was coming. It wasn't like it was any secret when you watch how they play. I thought we would respond better. I thought we were more prepared than what we showed in that first half. And they hit shots they don't hit; they got kids that shoot 20 percent making threes. I think in that first half when those kids were hitting shots it got us off kilter a little bit."
On coaching Tori Jankoska for four years…
"That's a loaded question. That's a great kid first. I've coached a lot of kids. I've never had a kid get more pound-for-pound, ounce-for-ounce out of her body and ability than that kid. She's from a small little town, and her commitment and passion to be great and being in the gym all the time is off the charts. She is incredibly competitive. I think at MSU you are a Spartan, you are some kind of a warrior. That kid is a warrior. She just represents everything you want in a program I don't care if she went anywhere in the country she would be that good of a player. She's just that kind of person. She took a team that had no experience back and tons of injuries and just put the team on her back. To watch her take her experiences and as good as she, caring about the guy to her right and her left I think says a lot about her and her character. She's a top-10 draft pick; there's no question about it. She's a winner."
On the experience her team has coming back…
"I think it's important; we have freshmen out there a lot with Coco (Victoria Gaines) and Taryn (McCutcheon), and then Mardrekia (Cook) played a lot, Nia (Hollie) was out there quite a bit. Those kids played minutes; they have had their moment. It's about consistency. Some of them have had injuries, but it is about consistency and bringing that mental and physical edge, and I think they learned. You like to think they were ready, but they are still freshmen. I know they have logged a lot of minutes, but it's a different stage. It's a bigger situation. I thought they responded throughout the year and got better and better. I just think that first half they were just too rattled. I don't take Taryn (McCutcheon) out that much, but I felt like I needed to just to get us calmed down a little bit."
Tori Jankoska, Senior Guard:
On Arizona State's defense…
"Everywhere I went there were two people on me coming off the ball screen. There were two people there. But we weren't getting stops in the first half, and I get a lot of my points in transition and when we're not getting stops we can't get rebounds and push the ball."
On her career at Michigan State…
"Playing at Michigan State has been a dream come true for me. Playing for Coach Merchant, with my teammates for the past four years, I really couldn't have asked for a better college experience than I got playing for this program."
Taryn McCutcheon, Freshman Guard:
On the team's motivation for next season…
"It was a blessing to get here in the first place, but obviously now we are more hungry for next year. We're not satisfied with where we got to, and we're going to work really hard in the offseason knowing we're young and that we don't have the experience a lot of others team do, not necessarily freshmen but transfers too, and we're going to come together and be more hungry for next season.
