Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU-WMU Post-Game Quotes
March 10, 2004 | Women's Basketball
March 10, 2004
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -
BGSU HEAD COACH CURT MILLER
"It was a great game -- a game of runs, certainly. We jumped out to a big lead and they made runs at us. You could have seen a Bowling Green team quit tonight. I think you saw a lot of wide-eyed freshman a little overwhelmed at times today in The Gund, and they've been the backbone of our team. But you never saw any panic out of our two tremendous senior leaders in Stefanie Wenzel and Lindsay Austin."
(On Austin's game-winning shot)
"For the second time against Western Michigan this season, we decided to go without a timeout late in the game. I knew Lindsay would have the ball in her hands, and at this time of year, I certainly think you win or lose with your seniors. I was very comfortable that Lindsay could go and try to create, and make a play for herself. Last time she had the game-winner against Western, she made a shot. Today, she made an incredibly tough shot, and we are very, very excited about moving on."
"Kelly Kapferer's play was huge today. She gave us an inside presence. People fail to realize that she is also a part of that senior class. At one point, she decided to take a year away from the game, but she was brought in as a recruit with Lindsay and Stefanie. She would be graduating this year if she hadn't taken a year off from basketball. It's not a surprise at this time of the year that teams win when seniors play well. And, when your seniors struggle, you will notice teams getting eliminated from the tournament. Kelly is a fourth-year student, even though she is a junior, eligibility-wise."
(Was there a time when any of the upperclassmen said anything after WMU came back?)
"They are not tremendously vocal -- they let me rant and rave (in the timeouts). But, you never saw them panic, and they demand a presence on the floor. When they huddle, and have their own meeting, they probably make some better decisions than I do. But, Lindsay and Stefanie would not let us go down without a fight."
"Western is so talented in their zone defense. They seem to lead the league every year in deflections and steals. Our turnovers (today) make you want to pull your hair out, but that's why they are the defending MAC Tournament champions. They've got a tremendous coaching staff, and a tremendous defense. It took that lead to give us the confidence that, even through their runs, we were going to be able to step back up and make plays at some point. I was disappointed that we couldn't attack them better inside. But, when you lose a (Liz) Honegger for most of the game with foul trouble, that takes an inside presence away. We didn't attack the inside of their zone the way we had planned, but hats off to Western Michigan. Their defense is tremendous."
"I was surprised that we jumped out (to a 19-point lead), but I kept reminding our team that they would make runs at us. They're a good enough team that you miss two or three jumpers, then they'll get a deflection, and all of a sudden you haven't scored for four or five minutes. You knew Western is too talented, with or without Casey Rost, to roll over. That team is a champion, and talented enough to win it all again."
"I'm ecstatic that Bowling Green is now a 20-game winner. This may be the most selfish thing I'll say all year, but I still think we have to be the feel-good story of the year. We were borderline bad two years ago, and we are now a 20-game winner, heading to the semifinals of the conference tournament with nothing to lose. We are playing fun and loose, and we can't wait to come back tomorrow for the (BGSU) men's game and cheer them on. I have a tremendous team to work with. Despite the wide-eyed approach of the freshmen today, I think they'll settle in, and I think you will see a better performance from the freshmen."
(How will you prepare for Miami, the number-one seed?)
"(Miami head coach) Maria (Fantanarosa) talk every day on the phone. I don't know if she'll give me any secrets, though. But, they are a tremendous team, and I joked with our team that we will have to be very tough, and will have to figure out how to get tougher over the next two days. Because, Miami will pound the ball inside against us, and they have so many weapons. But, we believe in what we do, and we will play BG basketball and not change dramatically. They are the only team to beat us by over 10 points since Christmas. We have been in every single game since Christmastime, and we feel that we can bring something to the table to stay with them."
(What was the reason behind the early BG run?
"We were rebounding the ball very well. We weren't out there making every shot, but we got a lot of offensive rebounds that led to easier baskets or multiple possessions. We also ran the ball better earlier in the game, and our early looks in transition against their zone were so critical. When they can get their defense set, they are very good, so scoring in transition was key. And, we got those second chances. When we look back, we'll see that the rebounding played a big story in this game."
(When did the regular-season buzzer-beater vs. WMU first cross your mind?)
"At the end of the game, after it was over, I realized, "Oh my gosh, Lindsay did it again.' I'm a young and naive coach at times, and I was celebrating like we had won the national championship. And I didn't mean any disrespect to (WMU coach) Ron (Stewart) and his great program, and I hope he didn't take it that way. But, seconds after the game, it hit me that we had just done it again. And, to have a senior do it, there's not a better feeling in the world."
"I've been around the game for 14 or 15 years now. A lot of times, you are drained at the end of the season. Right now, I am as energized as I have ever been, even (as an associate head coach) with a Colorado State team that was ranked fourth in the nation. I do not want this season to end. This is a great bunch to coach and be around, so I was ecstatic."
BGSU SENIOR GUARD LINDSAY AUSTIN
(On her game winning shot)
"I got the ball, and I knew the time was coming down again. When I glanced up, I think there was something like three seconds. I just tried to create space for myself, enough space to get it off and, luckily, I did and it went in."
(On BGSU's three three-pointers late in the second half)
"After (WMU) had a nice run close to the end of the game, those shots were there for us, and kind of gave us our own momentum."
"We always try to come out as hard as we can and create tempo and carry that through the game. It is much easier to start well than to try to pick up some momentum later in the game."
BGSU JUNIOR FORWARD KELLY KAPFERER
(On playing more minutes, due to teammates' foul trouble)
"I didn't feel any pressure; we've had that situation a few times in the past. It was just an opportunity for me to hold the rope for my team and do my part off the bench. Before every game, coach Miller asks me, 'What are you going to bring off the bench?' It just happened that I got a few more chances than he probably planned."
(Did your inside play open things up for the three-pt. shooters?)
"I hope so. I would like to think that, if they can worry about me on the inside, it will open it up on the outside. It's a give-and-take situation. I'm sure they respect our three-point shooters on the wing, but to get three in a row out there was huge for us."
WESTERN MICHIGAN COACH RON STEWART
"I'm proud, I'm just very proud. Someone that gets no credit from the media, in this league or anyone else is Maria Jilian: 40 minutes, 40 minutes, 40 minutes, 40 minutes, 40 minutes, 40 minutes."
"We really went through the first half where we really never totally executed."
(On Maria Jilian and Carrie Moore)
"They're extremely emotional, but that's what makes them good."
(On Moore vs. Mann and Jilian vs. Austin)
"Yeah, there was some personal motivation there. There's not much doubt about that. Look at the numbers. Not bad for an honorable-mention point guard."
WMU FRESHMAN GUARD CARRIE MOORE
(On her second-half offense)
"In the first half it wasn't working for me. I think I was thinking a little too much. Second half, I just let the game come to me and it worked."
(WMU quotes courtesy Mid-American Conference office)
