Postgame Quotes
Jan. 31, 2012
Postgame Quotes
Kansas 68, Oklahoma 74 (OT)
January 31, 2012
Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson
Opening statement:
“We did a great job at defending the three until we hit overtime when we messed up a guard-to-guard switch on a baseline out-of-bounds play. We had done a really good job up until that point and gave up two in overtime. But give the kids credit; they fought and clawed their way back into it to get it into overtime. We didn’t have an answer for (Sharane) Campbell; she was aggressive and athletic and we just didn’t have an answer for her. I know we have 18 offensive rebounds, but I’ll be curious to see how many we converted. I’ll bet it’s pretty low; the number is good but it’s a little misconceiving whether we scored on the rebound or scored on the possession but it doesn’t feel like we converted on a lot of those. Turnovers in overtime and missed opportunities in huge defensive breakdowns turned into threes and layups.”
On the team’s play down the stretch:
“They made some plays and we didn’t. We breakdown and give up the three-point play and the out-of-bounds play; it gets inbounded behind Natalie (Knight) and it goes to an and-one, which is a three-point-play; then it’s a three-pointer on the out-of-bounds play and a three-pointer at the top of the key. When you talk about controlling what you can control, the backdoors are open. It’s a lack of focus; (when) it goes elbow backdoor, you have to be dialed in and be able to not make those mistakes.”
On struggling to keep the momentum throughout the game:
“We had huge momentum when Angel (Goodrich) saves the ball out-of-bounds and Aishah (Sutherland) tips it in and we got a big pop-and-bounce from that and then they just start putting the ball on the floor and driving it at us. Then we start to go low-clock offense and don’t get very many good shots out of it because we’re a little rushed and panicked and struggling to find Carolyn (Davis) until late. To start overtime we get the first look to her because she’s got (Nicole) Griffin on her back and we score right away. Then she takes her out and puts the big girl on her to be a little more aggressive and physical with Carolyn. Both teams had a lead and had a chance to make a run; they had the last one and held onto it the longest.”
On Monica Engelman’s three-point shot to end regulation:
“It was big; there was a big screen by Carolyn and a great in-time rhythm pass by Angel (Goodrich) and a great step-into-your-pass off of a flare screen by Monica.”
On Goodrich’s shot at the end of the first half:
“It was huge. Who knew we needed all of that to get into overtime?”
On protecting their home court:
“I think anytime you lose at home it’s disappointing. You look at all three of the losses (this season) between Kansas State, Texas A&M and tonight against Oklahoma, absolutely it’s disappointing. In this league, you have to be able to defend your home court and we have not done that.”
On going the last four minutes of regulation and last two minutes of overtime without a basket:
“We turned the ball over and we didn’t get shots; you can’t score if you don’t get shots. I think Carolyn gets the first one and Monica gets a kick-out-two and then we get some rushed shots late and then turnovers in between there.”
On what Oklahoma was doing defensively:
“We went for a huge stretch from the 12-minute mark deep into the first half where we don’t score and we’re shooting 30 percent. We weren’t very aggressive on on-ball screens and I think we got some offensive rebounds we didn’t convert. I didn’t think we attacked the ball ready to take shots; we got some uncontested shots out of rhythm a little bit and I think we could have put the ball on the floor and gone to the free throw line a little bit more than we did. We settled for a lot of perimeter jump shots early.”
On Goodrich making athletic plays:
“Just being aggressive off of the on-ball screen, she ended up creating a lot off of busted plays. She was absolutely huge in traffic, in the lane, off the glass and off the front of the rim.”
Kansas junior guard Monica Engelman
On what the team must take away from the loss:
“I think you have to learn from it, swallow it and move on. I’m excited for the things that happened, but of course, we wanted to come out on top. (We’ve got to) Learn from our mistakes. In a one-possession game, you can’t give up backdoors (cuts) or break down defensively in certain areas.”
On if this was the most intense game the Jayhawks have played this year:
“Now that you mention that, it was back and forth (the entire game) and that was fun. We didn’t go out 20 points on them or vice versa, it was neck and neck and both teams were trying to take away the first part of (the other team’s) offense.”
On why the team has struggled in the final minutes of play:
“Like I was saying earlier, it’s a one-possession game. It could be any one thing that, if it happened in the first half, it wouldn’t be a big deal but when it’s a one-possession game and time is running down, those things matter. They can get a backdoor layup and that could easily turn into a three (point play), then you’re down by five and have to start fouling.”
On how Oklahoma’s defense affected the Jayhawks’ offense:
“I think it was more so them being aggressive on the offensive end. I think that’s where we broke down and they got a little run on us, giving them some separation and then we were fouling. Number 24 (Sharane Campbell) did a good job of getting to the basket and getting fouled or other people getting rebounds and creating (plays) for other people.”
On how the team sustains its good energy throughout the game:
“We are highly motivated; we want the ‘W.’ I think that we are really buying into that and even though we’re tired, or whatever is going on, you’ve got to keep playing through that. So I think we find energy and motivation from what we want (to accomplish).”
Kansas junior guard Angel Goodrich
On her half-court shot at the first half buzzer:
“It’s been awhile, actually, since I took a shot like that. I didn’t think it was going to go in because, first of all, she (my defender) was right there. I was a little shocked it went in. But it felt really nice to go in with some momentum.”
On why the team has struggled in the final minutes of play:
“We went through a couple of slumps in this game. We weren’t knocking any shots down on offense and then they would come down and knock down shots. We can’t let that happen. We’ve got to take care of things on defense and then we can get something going in transition.”
On the mood of the team:
“We’re very disappointed. We felt like we should have had this game. We made mistakes, and for us to do that, we let each other down. It hurts. We’ve got to stick together as a team.”
Oklahoma head coach Sherri Coale
Opening statement:
“To sit here and say I’m really proud of our kids would be the ultimate understatement. To do what we did tonight against a very good KU team, who played well, without Vegas (Aaryn Ellenberg) being involved is pretty remarkable. I thought our character, our resolve rose to the surface late in the game. We had some huge plays from gutsy basketball players—character kids who stayed with it and kept believing under the watchful leadership of Whitney Hand. She’s such a stalwart. She continues to keep the attitude, the mindset on the floor and in the huddles. That stuff is important and we just played together down the stretch. Kansas fought like crazy and (Monica) Engelman hit a huge shot, but she was open. We were open and didn’t hit ours. That was huge and then for our guys to have to play so many minutes and play five more (in overtime), I’m just really proud of them.”
On Oklahoma freshman Sharane Campbell’s play:
“I’ve said multiple times before that she’s had big games, I love coaching this kid (Campbell) because she wants to learn and you can critique her and it doesn’t affect how she feels about herself. That’s a huge part of being able to coach kids. She benefits when we praise her because she values criticism and she’s a worker. She missed a couple layups in the Missouri game. She came in the next day and made 50 layups going full speed because she missed two in the Missouri game. Tonight she made a big left-handed layup going full speed. She gets the fact that you work on what you aren’t good at and it rewards you. I don’t think she would have ever thought she could play 36 minutes as hard as she played tonight, because she can. We know that and now she knows it.”
On outrebounding Kansas with a short bench and a small lineup at times:
“It is odd. There are some strange combinations. What we have tried to do is stay as simple as we possibly can because we’re asking freshmen to not only play a lot of minutes, but to change positions. That’s really, really hard. Kay-Kay (Kaylon Williams) is a natural rebounder. She’s a gifted athlete. She’s still not great at blocking out, but she’s really good at rebounding and she has a knack for getting that timely rebound. That’s something Joanna McFarland has and when we don’t have her in the game, Kay-Kay (Williams) has proven she has the nose for it as well. These freshmen are continuing to develop. They keep impressing me and we’ll be so much better for it even though it’s exhausting. When Jo (McFarland) does return to the lineup we will have some seasoned folks.”
On Kansas gaining the momentum going into overtime:
“I don’t really know how that happened. Undoubtedly, they had the momentum and that is one of the things that is so hard to squash. They had the momentum in the middle of the second half where they had the effort plays on the ball going out-of-bounds save and get a basket. There were three plays in a row where we turned it over and I wondered then if we could snatch momentum and put it back on our bench. We were able to somehow. We had all the momentum and then they make the final three and it jumps all the way back on their side. You start to wonder, in this environment, can you possibly get it back? I think some of that comes from because we are so thin, that this is who we are. We have to go make plays and do things in practice that we don’t really relish doing because we don’t have enough bodies, so you just expend yourself. That’s what they did in overtime.”
Oklahoma freshman guard Sharane Campbell
On her play tonight:
“There’s really not much to say other than playing hard. Like (head) coach (Sherri Coale) said, I didn’t know I could play that long. Usually I’m tired within three minutes. Now, it’s all mental. It’s really just me playing like I’m supposed to play. I’m supposed to be an energy player and that’s what I was.”
On how much this win means for the team:
“It means a whole lot. When I was on the bench DaShawn (Harden) told me, ‘Hey come on you have to win this for me and play hard for me. You only have a couple more minutes.’ I just had to do it for DaShawn (Harden) and Jo (McFarland) and just the whole team in general. I just got to do it.”
