Kentucky Head Coach Matthew Mitchell
Opening Statement …
“Fantastic victory tonight for our team over a very good opponent and I just loved the way that we started the game with tremendous defensive intensity and great aggressive play on the offensive end. It was clearly a game that we wanted to win and we played like we wanted to win. We played really, really hard and hustled tonight. I am really proud of our team.”
“Fantastic victory tonight for our team over a very good opponent and I just loved the way that we started the game with tremendous defensive intensity and great aggressive play on the offensive end. It was clearly a game that we wanted to win and we played like we wanted to win. We played really, really hard and hustled tonight. I am really proud of our team.”
On the character of the team that they play that well coming out of the gate after three consecutive losses …
“Yeah, I tell you, I really liked the way that we practiced the last couple of days. We were in a tough spot, clearly and had not played well and suffered some losses. For us to be able to come out and stay focused and not get down (was big.) What a great crowd for the late tip, I really appreciate people coming out, but I was so proud of these players. I thought that they came to play tonight.”
“Yeah, I tell you, I really liked the way that we practiced the last couple of days. We were in a tough spot, clearly and had not played well and suffered some losses. For us to be able to come out and stay focused and not get down (was big.) What a great crowd for the late tip, I really appreciate people coming out, but I was so proud of these players. I thought that they came to play tonight.”
On the effort of Samarie Walker, especially offensively …
“It was a big night for her and just an unbelievable effort, particularly in the first half. We have struggled so much to score against zone defenses and Vanderbilt probably does a better job than anybody of mixing defenses. I tried not to focus on what they were doing and focused more on what we were doing and how we were moving and how hard we cut and screened. I just thought the aggressive play by everybody got Vanderbilt in a lot of rotation situations and that opened up the offensive boards and Samarie was a monster on those. Really good effort and, you know, I just think that she can continue to get better. She missed a lot of layups and free throws so the effort you saw tonight I think can get better with her, as far as being more efficient. I am really, really happy because she played 35 quality minutes tonight.”
“It was a big night for her and just an unbelievable effort, particularly in the first half. We have struggled so much to score against zone defenses and Vanderbilt probably does a better job than anybody of mixing defenses. I tried not to focus on what they were doing and focused more on what we were doing and how we were moving and how hard we cut and screened. I just thought the aggressive play by everybody got Vanderbilt in a lot of rotation situations and that opened up the offensive boards and Samarie was a monster on those. Really good effort and, you know, I just think that she can continue to get better. She missed a lot of layups and free throws so the effort you saw tonight I think can get better with her, as far as being more efficient. I am really, really happy because she played 35 quality minutes tonight.”
On getting good scoring games from players other than Bria Goss and A’dia Mathies …
“The six-minute draught in the second half really turned a game that we had firmly in control into a really tough game that we had to grind out. I was really proud of the players because sometimes those are harder to close out when you start to lose the momentum. Just balance across the board. If we ever hit on all cylinders in a night we will be tough to beat. No matter how it happened, or how it needed to happen tonight, we got what we needed and that was a victory.”
“The six-minute draught in the second half really turned a game that we had firmly in control into a really tough game that we had to grind out. I was really proud of the players because sometimes those are harder to close out when you start to lose the momentum. Just balance across the board. If we ever hit on all cylinders in a night we will be tough to beat. No matter how it happened, or how it needed to happen tonight, we got what we needed and that was a victory.”
On ending the three-game losing streak …
“I am just so happy for our players because you get off to such a great start at 10-0 and then you lose some tough games and there has to be a point for them where their confidence is down. There is no question about it. I am so happy for them. Really proud of our coaching staff because we just tried to stay behind them and believed that we had a good team. I think we can continue to get better. This was a tough game for us to win tonight and I was proud we were able to get it.”
“I am just so happy for our players because you get off to such a great start at 10-0 and then you lose some tough games and there has to be a point for them where their confidence is down. There is no question about it. I am so happy for them. Really proud of our coaching staff because we just tried to stay behind them and believed that we had a good team. I think we can continue to get better. This was a tough game for us to win tonight and I was proud we were able to get it.”
On Amber Smith’s status …
“She is just not 100 percent. I just think that probably rest (will help.) She was available, but I think that probably trying to get her back at 75 percent (isn’t what we need to do), but get her back to 100 percent where she can have some explosiveness. She just doesn’t have a lot of explosiveness right now. We have a lot of basketball left to play and I know that she wants to finish her career out really strong. It just worked out tonight where we didn’t have to play her. She is ailing, but could have gone. Probably better that she didn’t.”
“She is just not 100 percent. I just think that probably rest (will help.) She was available, but I think that probably trying to get her back at 75 percent (isn’t what we need to do), but get her back to 100 percent where she can have some explosiveness. She just doesn’t have a lot of explosiveness right now. We have a lot of basketball left to play and I know that she wants to finish her career out really strong. It just worked out tonight where we didn’t have to play her. She is ailing, but could have gone. Probably better that she didn’t.”
On Maegan Conwright’s play recently …
“I thought that Maegan played a beautiful game for not playing that position in months. I thought that she was fantastic. I told her during the game, she had a couple of turnovers that she felt bad about, I told her, ‘With what was on the line tonight, coming off what we have come off and to be thrust into that position, I am very impressed.’ She needs to embrace that role and you see we are much more explosive with her in that position.”
“I thought that Maegan played a beautiful game for not playing that position in months. I thought that she was fantastic. I told her during the game, she had a couple of turnovers that she felt bad about, I told her, ‘With what was on the line tonight, coming off what we have come off and to be thrust into that position, I am very impressed.’ She needs to embrace that role and you see we are much more explosive with her in that position.”
On if this team is where he wants them to be at this point in the season …
“I think we can get better. As far as our position, we are in better position than we probably have ever been in a SEC season in the history of the school. As far as how they award the championship is based on a 16-game schedule and I love the position we are in. We are still striving to win the championship and we are still in position to do that. I am happy with that, but I still think we can play better.”
“I think we can get better. As far as our position, we are in better position than we probably have ever been in a SEC season in the history of the school. As far as how they award the championship is based on a 16-game schedule and I love the position we are in. We are still striving to win the championship and we are still in position to do that. I am happy with that, but I still think we can play better.”
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