Bowling Green State University Athletics
From the Interview Room
January 16, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2005
Recap | Final Stats
TOLEDO, Ohio - Quoting Bowling Green State University women's basketball coach Curt Miller and Falcon players after the team's 69-66 overtime win at the University of Toledo Saturday night...
BGSU HEAD COACH Curt Miller
(What was it that allowed you to make a comeback?)
"This program sometimes gets labelled as an offensive juggernaut, and we don't always get enough credit for our defense. I feel we play very good defense, and tonight it came down to defense. When our offense was struggling, to say the least, in the first half, our defense kept us within striking range. With the exception of a little bit of frustration in putting them on the foul line down the stretch, I really felt like we were shutting them down from the field. But, overall, I can't be more pleased with the defensive effort in the second half and overtime."
(On coming back from a four-point deficit in OT, with two players having fouled out)
"I think that's what is so special about this team. Despite our youth, this team -- like it's coach -- has a lot of fire. We battle, we believe in each other and we have each other's backs. I was really proud of them. ... After a struggle at Western (Michigan last weekend), and a clash of titans (vs. Eastern Michigan Wednesday), I was worried that we might not have the right focus tonight. I can't be more pleased with our focus coming out of halftime. Our execution at the offensive end was much more determined, and we played a heck of a second half."
(When Ali Mann fouled out and you fell behind in OT, did you or the players feel that it was slipping away?)
"I don't think so. There was a question of what plays we would run, because clearly, we had been isolating Ali and going to her in crunch time. Once we made the calls, I felt a lot of confidence from them that they were going to step up and make plays. But, it was our defense at the end that won that game. And, hats off to a freshman (Kate Achter) in this environment, a local kid who knows what this rivalry is about, to make a big shot and force Toledo to make a three."
(On the steal and layup by Tene Lewis with just over a minute left in overtime)
"That was huge. We were down four, and we hit a big relocation three with Liz Honegger. Then, you step in the passing lane, and just like that their lead is gone. Tene Lewis is our best off-the-ball defender, and that was a great play to step in the passing lane and get that uncontested layup."
(On the defensive effort, and falling behind, in the first half)
"I was frustrated. Like I said, I worried about our focus coming into this game. Toledo is a tremendously talented team with a lot of energy and enthusiasm out of the young kids in their program. I thought they were hungrier; I thought they were more focused at the beginning of the game, and they took it right to us."
(On winning at Savage for the second-straight year)
"It is such a great rivalry, and it is so fun to coach in it. It just fires everybody up. We're very aware of tradition, and of the great coaches that came before. Mark Ehlen is a mentor of mine, and Bill Fennelly is a mentor of mine -- we know the history. The last thing we talked about before we left the lockerroom was, it's been 16 years since Bowling Green won back-to-back games here. The rallying cry was that it had been too long."
"Winning close games is what it is all about in the MAC. It is going to be a slugfest, night-in and night-out. You can already tell by the scores around the league; it is just going to be that way all year. I am proud of the fact that we are 3-0 on the road early in the MAC season. That bodes very well, because you have to win some road games to make a run at a regular-season championship. We can't ask for a better start than that 3-0 record on the road."
FRESHMAN GUARD Kate Achter
(On her basket with 13 seconds left in OT)
"Our coaching staff has always emphasized being confident in your shot, and wanting to step up and make big plays. When Ali fouled out, we needed somebody to step up. That was an opportunity, so I just took it."
(On getting defensive stops in the second half and overtime)
"In order to score, we have to get stops. The more we were able to get stops, the more pumped up we could get, the more the adrenaline began to flow. The crowd helped out a ton with that, too. Once we got a couple steals and stepped in front of a couple passes on reversals, we picked it up right there."
(Were you surprised by the intensity of the Bowling Green-Toledo game?)
"Not at all. Growing up, I've been to many BG-UT games, and I knew this rivalry was going to be very, very intense. I was so excited to finally get out here and be a part of it."
SOPHOMORE FORWARD Ali Mann
(On her second-half offense)
"My action was limited in the first half, with three fouls -- two in the first three minutes. It was kind of depressing, to say the least, to be sitting on that bench. In the second half, I knew I had to be careful and couldn't pick up my fourth foul. At the same time, I knew that I had to bring something to this team; I had to benefit this team. Sometimes, it is defense, sometimes it is scoring. Tonight, it was scoring, and I just came out ready to go in the second half."
(On holding UT without a field goal for nearly eight minutes late in the second half)
"Once we started scoring and cutting into the lead, it got our adrenaline going and gave us more energy on defense. In the first half, our shots weren't falling, and that makes it hard to play defense. Once we started making shots, the defense started clicking and we had more energy. We were jumping in the passing lanes, boxing out ... everything just started to happen a lot faster for us."
(How does it feel to win two games in a row at Toledo?)
"Both years it has come right down to the wire. It's the same feeling I had last year. It's just amazing to come in here and win; it's a great environment to play in. There are always a lot of fans, and it's a great environment."
