Dec. 5, 2010
Notre Dame Head Coach Muffet McGraw
Opening Statements …
“It wasn’t pretty but I liked it. We did a lot of good things, but there are also a lot of things that we can still learn. I thought that we made some mental errors late in the game. Our offense has been really good, and it wasn’t as good today. I think that we didn’t play our best game mentally, but I thought Skylar (Diggins) in the first half played really well. I think she had fourteen [points] at halftime. And then Natalie (Novosel) in the second half. The ball went to who was hot, and tried to work in the post a little, and I thought overall that we did good. We did some really good things on the offensive side as far as executing with Natalie (Novosel), and then I think Natalie [Achonwa] had one of the best games of the season for her, a complete game, both on defense and offense.”
On having a significant point advantage …
“We thought on Princeton [offense] we were going to get good shots. We were using the ball screens and feeding them to the basket. Then I thought we did a really nice job of seeing that opening. I was really happy with the way we ran the Princeton offense.”
On getting turnovers and seizing the lead early …
“Yeah, that was very good. We forced them into some travels, and we didn’t have a lot of steals, but I thought that we played pretty good defense to get them to turn the ball over. And then we capitalized. I thought that Skylar’s (Diggins) first six points of the game were key to just get on us on track and to get the running game going a little bit. I mean, they’re a really good defensive team. They’re physical, they work hard, they’re a good team. Like us, they’re still young and finding their way on their first road game, which was a struggle for them, but by the end of the year, Sharon [Versyp] is going to have them right where she wants them to be.”
On progressing the post game …
“You know we’ve been working on that at practice, and we were trying to get the ball during the first part of the game to Becca (Bruszewski). We ended up finding Natalie [Achonwa] inside quite a bit, so she really did some good things. But we need some scoring from the post, and that’s what I was most concerned with.”
Purdue Head Coach Sharon Versyp
On the game in general …
“Notre Dame is a very, very good basketball team. We leave here learning a lot from them. They played a tough schedule. They just really executed and knocked down shots. We did not execute and we did not knock down shots.”
On what Notre Dame took advantage of …
“We played no defense. We had no communication. We were not physical and our post players had some shots and did not finish and Notre Dame did. They are obviously a little deeper and better than we are in the category right now. “
On what has led to the turnovers …
“We are down two starters and that is the reality. We are playing games now and we are back to life. So the reality is we are down two starters. We could be better. We have to perform better. We have to execute better. We have to share the ball better. Every player has to step up a little bit because you are taking away 34 points a game, about 12 boards, and about six assists. We now have to step up and become a better team. It is reality and we have to take hits and make adjustments and become better.”
On getting movement offensively …
“We didn’t execute anything. Nothing. Every time I drew something up it didn’t happen until the very end. We actually did some things.”
On what Alex Guyton did when she was not in foul trouble …
“At times, she started posting up harder for us, but she has to start doing that on a consistent basis. It can’t be first half and second half. She played well in the second half. I thought Ashley Wilson gave us a great effort. For her coming off of her injury, and being totally out of shape, I think those first ten minutes were good for her. We got her to 16 minutes and we just have to get her to game shape. I just thought those two gave us a little bit, but we don’t have a scoring post right now without Drey (Mingo) and that might continue for the rest of the year. Other players have to step up and hopefully Alex and Ashley can do it on a more consistent basis and get double figures.”
Brittany Rayburn – Purdue Junior
On the early turnovers …
“They killed us. We weren’t able to control the tempo of the game. I think that is something you have to be able to do especially when you are on the road. I think that you have to be able to control the tempo and keep the crowd out of the game. I think that really hurt us.”
On if the reality of the team right now has sunk in …
“I think it has. We talked about it the other day. The two that went down are fine now. This is our team now. We go to war together every day, whether it is practice or the game. I think that we are in reality and we just have to deal with it. We have to adjust like Coach said. Everybody has to adjust and we have not done that yet.”
Courtney Moses – Purdue Freshman
On the early turnovers …
“We knew that Notre Dame would be a team that thrived off getting points on turnovers and fast breaks. They took advantage of it.”