Quotes
Jan. 26, 2008
Recap | Final Stats | Notes |
Postgame Quotes<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Texas A&M 58, Kansas 51
January 26, 2008
Head Coach Bonnie Henrickson Quotes
On the game:
“They got too many offensive rebounds and we committed too many turnovers. We were able to keep their field-goal percentage down, but we couldn’t get them off the boards. Our turnovers were just poor passing decisions. We didn’t execute and we didn’t make them work in the press. The little things really hurt us. Danielle Gant is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league and she made us look awfully soft.”
On the Texas A&M second chances:
“It was a point of emphasis for us to try to keep them off the glass and eliminate second-chance opportunities. We said at halftime that if we wanted to win the game that we would have to box out. We just never had an answer.”
On the second-half offensive struggles:
“They changed to a full-court man-to-man defense. We had a bunch of silly plays against the press. Honestly we didn’t have very good guard play. You have to get that against a defense like this and we just didn’t get it tonight.”
Senior Forward Taylor McIntosh
On the game:
“Compared to the games that we have played, we competed more than 20 minutes. It is just frustrating because it is something that we can control, like boxing out. We have given up a lot (rebounds).
On the Texas A&M defense:
“We did struggle with the pressure. We have been working on that lately in practice to be better in the press-break. That is just another frustrating thing.”
On the team’s attitude:
“We just have to keep on fighting and not get down on ourselves. We are in a bad position right now, but we can turn it around. Last year we started out bad but then we kind of turned it on and finished strong. We don’t want to wait too late but we can definitely regroup.”
Freshman Forward Krysten Boogaard
On her defensive improvement:
“Bonnie has said that I need to keep my feet moving all the time. Sometimes I kill my feet and that is when they get around me.”
On the upcoming game against Oklahoma:
“We just need to box out and rebound better. They had 21 offensive rebounds tonight and that is not good at all. We need to do a better job rebounding against Oklahoma and Courtney Paris.”
Head Coach Gary Blair
On Kansas and Coach Bonnie Henrickson:
“I’ve watched Kansas basketball for five years and you all are so close to turning the corner. I think she (Coach Henrickson) is doing well. Your ballclub is always as good as your point guard play. Point guards can make average players better, that is what’s happening at OklahomaState right now. And I think that is the key (with Kansas). How do you catch up? It’s tough. Sometimes you have to roll the dice. I see her staff out there recruiting hard, and they are doing it the right way. And folks, there are some out there that don’t do it the right way. But Kansas is doing it the right way and it’s going to work for them. But you have to realize one thing, there is not a whole bunch of players in the state of Kansas, so sometimes you have to go outside (the state) like your men’s team did.”
On the game:
“Obviously, you can see that we are not playing near as well as how we played last year. Why are we not? Because the league is better and everyone is defending us better. We felt pretty good after the first half when we got totally outplayed in the first half and we were only down by one and (Takia) Starks had only scored four points. The difference in the game is when we went to small ball. And then our press kicked in. In a press, it is not all about the steals, its about the atmosphere it creates and you all (Kansas) were probably shooting a little bit too quick into your offense. I thought we played a solid defensive game in the second half. We are just trying to find our way.”
On his team’s toughness:
“So we just had to get in there, it was very similar to the Colorado game, but this team has a lot of pride. We didn’t get these rings by luck, we earned the rings, just like your men (Kansas men’s team) have earned all of their rings. We were playing for our life. If we would have lost this game and perhaps the next one, you could have spelled W-N-I-T across our jersey and we do not want to go back there. We’ve done that noise. What we have to do is fight our way back up that ladder.
On Krysten Boogaard:
“She hadn’t done squat in conference and we thought we could play behind her. We usually front. She dominated. She dominated my All-Big 12 (La Toya) Micheaux. She dominated my backup. Give that kid a lot of credit. This is the best five player (Krysten Boogaard) that I’ve seen since (Crystal) Kemp got out of here. This kid has a great future, and she just has to get a little bit of confidence.”
