Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech vs. Iowa State Postgame Quotes
February 16, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2011
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2010-11 Texas Tech Women's Basketball
Lady Raiders vs. Iowa State (United Spirit Arena, Lubbock, Texas)
Feb. 16, 2011
Texas Tech Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Kristy Curry
On what Tech's game plan was against Iowa State
"We thought tonight was a must win, as a staff, I think that we tried to educate our team because we have not been to this point. The process of educating them on the situation as far as where we are at, the situation we have gotten ourselves into and understanding our resume. It is huge, and we are 5-1 against the north. We were both 17-7, they have five wins and now we have five wins. We have beaten the top two teams in the north. The difference comes in the fact that we are about to play No. 1 Baylor, No. 5 A&M, No. 15 Oklahoma and Texas on the road, and they are about to play a different schedule. So, I think it is important come selection time that the two wins that really come into play are going to be huge and will be Kansas State and Iowa State. I thought our kids did a really great job tonight. I am so very proud of them. They have worked so hard through so much adversity and just persevered."
On what adjustments the team made throughout the game
"We have been at that point, and I thought my coaching staff did a great job there in that huddle where they just continued to tell them we are ok, you can do this, be aggressive defensively, get stops and rebound. We made the adjustment and went zone and the kids put a lot of effort into it. They deserve all the credit. I thought we had great leadership in the huddles with Casey (Morris), Kierra (Mallard), Christine (Hyde) and Mo(nique Smalls) and everybody was talking. They had a look on their face that said hey lets make this ok. Iowa State is a great team. To me Bill Fennelly is the best coach in this league, and I hope no one takes offense to that because there are some great coaches, but to have the opportunity we knew they weren't going to go away and then to be able to finish was huge for our confidence and who we are trying to become in the future."
On Christine Hyde's performance
"It was unbelievable. I got a little nervous there when she got that fourth foul, but I felt like she was really smart down the stretch and was aggressive defensively without the foul and didn't let that affect her offense. I think that is the thing I was most proud of tonight. She didn't let her four fouls dictate her offense. She spent so much time in the gym shooting free-throws on her own. Sunday, a week ago before the Colorado game, we had gotten beat and Christine is in the gym through that adversity and both of these kids, we have so many great kids that just continue to get in the gym and work and it has paid off."
Guard Christine Hyde
On gaining momentum
"We definitely got that momentum back and we needed it back. We stayed positive, and we came together in the huddles. We were saying we were not going to let this get away from us. They had their run and then we came back and had ours.
On guarding Kelsey Bolte
"I felt like I didn't want her to score, and Coach Curry says that she is scoring 20 points a game. My goal was to not have her have a 20-point game. I felt confident that I went on her and that Chynna (Browns) went on her and then sometimes Casey (Morris) was on her, and we all took the scout into mind and we know tendencies and personalities and that worked to our advantage tonight."
Center Kierra Mallard
On her performance
"I just basically fed off my teammates. I knew from the jump that it was a big game for us. If we win this one then we have a chance. Basically my team found me, and I found them. We just played hard and crashed the boards."
On shooting from the outside
"I think that is my best game. So, I can face up and see my defender, but overall I have been working on it a lot."
Iowa State Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Bill Fennelly
Opening Statement
"I think probably the easiest way to assess this one was they came out in the first round and punched us in the mouth, and we kind of didn't bow up and fight back. I think they were very physical with us. They took us out of our offense. They were very well coached and very well prepared tonight. You can't shoot the ball as poorly as we did in the first half and have them shoot it as great as they did. We made one good run at them but even at that point when we got back in the game it is 47-42, and we miss three layups in a row and you can't do that in this kind of game. Tech played with a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm."
On Texas Tech's game plan
"They just got up into us physically and really tried to take us out of our offense, and pressure the ball handler. They really made it hard for Kelsey Bolte to get open and to cut. They doubled teamed her sometimes off of a cut. They did a really good job of that. When we got the ball in the post, we had four chances in the first half where we were having trouble getting the ball in the perimeter, so we really just tried to just get it going to the basket. We tried to get to the free-throw line, and we had four times in the first half where we had a chance to have an and one. We missed the layup and only made one free-throw. You have to play through the contact, and you have to be tougher than that. Their defensive plan was really good."
