Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU-IUPUI Quotes
December 31, 2002 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
BGSU HEAD COACH CURT MILLER:
"Going into the game, we knew that IUPUI was a team of runs. They're very talented, with (Tiffany) Kyser and (Jessica) James, and they've got some very capable inside scorers. But we preached to our kids that they're also a team that we could shut down for stretches of four or five minutes. (We told them) if we're down, stay positive, because we'll get those stretches where we can come back, or extend the game and put it out of reach. And, it came true tonight. Even though they scored on us very effectively in the first half, we stayed confident and believed in the game plan. And, we found those stretches in the second half that led to the win. That's (IUPUI) a good ballclub; I think they just got a little tentative when their shots didn't fall in the second half."
"It was a little disappointing (in the first half), because we're number one in the conference in field-goal percentage defense. We take pride in that, and that's where we want to be. So, when you go in at halftime and see they've shot 58 percent from the field, you're a little panicked. But, they got some easy ones on putbacks, and we felt like we were doing the right thing defensively. You're never totally going to shut Kyser down, but you can guard her a little more and try to contain her. We stuck to the game plan, and to our kids' credit, they believed in what we were trying to do. And that field-goal percentage defense was great in the second half; it was back down to 30 percent."
"This was an emotional game for us. This win gives us a winning non-conference schedule for the first time since the 1997-98 season, and the six (non-conference) wins marks the most in nine years. That was in (our players') ears, and we told them that this would be a will of effort tonight. (The team) that made more scrappy plays and rebounded better was going to win this game. We haven't outrebounded a team this talented on the boards since I've been here. That was a tremendous rebounding effort, especially in the second half, and I can't be more proud. If we rebound like that, we will win some MAC games."
(On Marisa Smith's three-point field goal just before the first-half buzzer:)
"That was a huge momentum shift; maybe even the back-breaker. They had as high as an 11-point lead in the first half, and now they go into halftime only one up. We're feeling good that we've survived a half where their best player was on a roll and they shot a high percentage. That was a huge momentum boost, and how about those freshmen? (We got) 22 points out of the three freshmen. Britt Anderson was huge, not necessarily statistically, but in giving minutes to Fran (Miller) to be able to play in foul trouble. Britt gets a hand on a lot of balls (defensively), she boxes out, and she played great. Marisa's points were tremendous, and Jill (Lause) had a great night. I couldn't be more proud of the freshmen. They're growing up in a hurry, and that's a great sign that we're getting that kind of contribution from our freshmen."
(Were you surprised to get such production from Jill Lause?)
"I'm not surprised; she's talented, and I expect that offensive production from her. I'm a little surprised that she rebounded the ball as well as she did, and I'm a little surprised that she did so well defensively. That's what has kept Jill off the floor a little bit (in previous games). Her offense is always there, and we expect her to make shots and have an effect on the game at the offensive end. But, when she has blocks and rebounds and plays defense the way she did, she has a future in this program for a long time."
"It's always a tough adjustment for post players -- for men as well as women -- from high school to the collegiate game. They go from being physically bigger and stronger in high school to playing against grown women who are bigger, stronger and faster than they are. It's a maturing process, and I think we've seen Jill mature from game one to game ten. She's giving a higher effort, she's more physical, and she won't back down, and that's just the maturation process of a freshman post."
BGSU FRESHMAN JILL LAUSE:
"I knew, coming into the game, that I would have some big shoes to fill with Pam (Brown) out. Pam is a go-to girl. I just tried to prepare as best I could to come in and fill her shoes."
"I had a pretty good week of practice leading up to this game. Coach Miller has really gotten on me to step up my intensity in practice, and I think that's really helped me prepare for the college game."
"Coach Miller has said all along that we (the freshmen) were going to have to come in and make contributions, and we were going to get minutes as freshmen. I was prepared for it, but I think I needed to get some games under my belt. With Pam out, I knew I would have a huge opportunity to prove myself, to go out there and show what I can do."
"Coach had said all week that we needed to rebound and get after it on the boards. What really hurt us (in the first half) was that they were getting putbacks and second-chance opportunities, and we weren't boxing out. Coach got on us in the lockerroom, and we knew that the only way we could beat this team was if we hung with them on the boards. I think everyone had the mindset, going into the second half, to get on the boards, play more aggressive and play as a team."
"Marisa (Smith) hitting that three-pointer right before the half ... really pumped us up and gave us momentum. We really didn't look back from there."
