Post Game Quotes vs. Florida
1/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 21, 2010
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Alabama Head Coach Wendell Hudson
Opening statement:
"We've had halves and especially first halves where we've played good, but at halftime we talked about playing every play in the second half like it's the last play that will decide the game. I thought the group got together and the team really got together and played every play like that play would decide the game. Defensively, we couldn't have played a better defensive game. Florida is a good basketball team and I thought we took them out of a lot of things that they wanted to do. We jumped to the ball and helped. We had more steals than we've had all year, and blocks. We had a lot of good things happen. When you have 21 assists, you know you're playing pretty good basketball."
On the play of Tierney Jenkins:
"Tierney and I talked about this before the game at the shoot around. You can look in her eyes and tell that the light switch has finally gone on in there, that every play is important. The coaches have told me every play is important now all of sudden she's playing more plays and she really did a great job. What really doesn't show up in the stats is the number of times that she helped on defense, whether or not she caused a steal, not allowing Florida to get the basketball where they wanted to get it."
On the play of Celiscia Farmer and Ericka Russell:
"I think both of those players did a great job tonight, especially Ericka who is getting back into playing shape and is playing better. Of course she can shoot the basketball. I thought this was the best game for her shot selection. She was 7-for-11 from the field and really did not force any shots. She did a really good job. C.C. (Celiscia Farmer) is just getting better and better. Offensively, there was no question at any point in the season, offensively, that she could play. The big key was defensively when she blocked a shot, caused some problems and got some tip balls and I think that's the reason why she is playing now. From a defensive standpoint, she is really getting after the ball and really helping us on the defensive end. Consequently she is playing more and we knew she could score."
On putting Florida away in the second half:
"I think all the players showed some leadership. I thought the players kind of took control of their own team and they decided that this is our team. Actually, we asked the coaches to leave the dressing room at halftime and the players talked among themselves about some of the things that they needed to talk about to get ready to come back out in the second half. We've had halftime leads before and we've come out and not been ready to play and been flat. This time we came out and we were ready to play and we played the way we needed to play in the second half."
On the team responding after the loss of Varisia Raffington:
"I thought it was great team effort on both ends of the court. Everybody contributed that played, and really you could tell that the team was growing up a little bit against Kentucky. Even though we lost the game by that margin, you could see some good things happen. We've talked about this all year. We've done a lot of good things and when we can score and shoot the basketball and not go through those four and five minute droughts, which we didn't have tonight, some teams can be in trouble coming in here playing against us."
On the game against Arkansas on Sunday:
"We've got to play one game at a time and that's what we've talked to the team about. Let's just play one game at a time."
Junior Forward Tierney Jenkins
On responding after loss to Kentucky:
"I think the loss to Kentucky motivated us. Varisia (Raffington) is out too, so it proved to us that we can win without her. She is a really good player. I think it proves to us that we can play with anyone in the SEC. In practice, we came out and decided we were going to do this. Before the game we were pumped. We knew we were going to get this win. We refused to lose, and I think it showed tonight."
On breaking out of a slump:
"Let's talk about the next game first. If the next game is pretty good, then I'll talk about being out of a slump. You can never tell from one game because you never know what will happen the next game. I feel pretty good right now. I just wanted to win, especially with Varisia (Raffington) being out. She's my roommate and buddy. I just wanted to win one for her. I'm excited about practice right now. I just want to go out there now."
Sophomore Guard Ericka Russell
On getting first SEC win:
"It felt good. We've been waiting on this win. We've been working hard every day in practice. We just haven't been getting the results. It feels good and I hope we take this win and continue to do well in the SEC."
On stopping Florida's momentum with seven straight points:
"I felt that we needed this game. I thought I could do whatever was needed to do. I just had to play my role. I really wanted this game. I'm glad we were able to get this one."
On defending Florida's outside shot:
"We knew that they had great perimeter shooters. We just wanted to be able to contest every shot. We worked on it this week with the scout team. We worked in practice on being a great defender on every possession. That's what we keyed on tonight."
Freshman Guard Celiscia Farmer
On doing whatever she could when she was on the court:
"Everything is starting to click. We've been working hard. We are continuing to be a team. We are working together. There's no "I" in team. It's something we work hard for every single day."
Florida Head Coach Amanda Butler
On the game:
"Alabama played a tough game. I'm sure the film will show us some more specific things and ideas, but it was a lot more important for Alabama to get the win today than it was for Florida and that showed in every regard. Tierney Jenkins kicked our butts from one end to the other and played like a big time player and we didn't. We didn't do a good job. You know, our guard play wasn't good. You've got to commend Alabama. They lost a player this week for the season - a very important player - and they rallied, and like I said, it was just important for them to get every rebound and make every play. I hustled us and worked us in every category, but you really just have to give them all the credit. I can't think of anything specific we did wrong on our part, we just didn't make plays and we didn't make shots and that's what you've got to do to win."
On her team being prepared against Alabama:
"We can feel like we're ready off the charts and come out and play flat and horrible like we did today and we can look not as intense and come out and play one of our best ball games. It matters who's more ready at the time of the last horn before the tipoff occurs and clearly we were not."
