Oregon-Baylor News Conference Quotes
The Oregon women's basketball team spent Sunday preparing for its second round game against Baylor, the No. 2 seed in the Tempe Region. The Lady Bears are led by two inside players, Steffanie Blackmon and Sophia Young, who will have a battle on their hands with Oregon's Cathrine Kraayeveld and Andrea Bills. Kraayeveld was ESPN.com's "Player of the Day" following Saturday's first round after scoring 23 points in the Ducks' first-round win over No. 23 TCU.
NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, First and Second Rounds
Bank of America Arena, Seattle, Wash.
Off-Day Quotes, March 20
Oregon Head Coach Bev Smith
General Comments: "Just a follow-up on the game yesterday, having had a chance just to think about it and look at some tape on it. I just feel an outstanding job by our team defensively number one, just really taking away TCU’s strengths, and looking at that defensively I think that will really help us a lot in this Baylor game. They have a great inside game and I think the difference is that they have two very dynamic post players both offensively and defensively. So it’s going to be another challenge, not only for our post players who I think are very capable defensively, but to our entire team to play Oregon team defense the way we have all year, because we’re really going to have our hands full with those players, and certainly a team that is picked to go to the Final Four such as Baylor is, is a team that has more than just post players. They have a surrounding cast of very good role players, very good shooters and they rebound the basketball very well. So it’s going to place a premium on our defense. I think we’re up to the task and now we have to turn around and look to attack as we did yesterday, and get our whole outfit ready to not only score on the inside but knock some outside shots down which will release some pressure from our inside game. I think we’re ready to do that, we had not a very intense practice today but a practice to get another hour and a half in at this gym to be familiar with it and we’re excited to be playing here again Monday night and hoping to get a few more green and gold fans up for that game against Baylor."
On Cathrine Kraayeveld’s pro potential: "Well I think her potential is incredible to play professionally. I think she’s a quintessential player at the next level, not only with her ability, but with her work ethic, her ability to do what her team needs, her ability to practice, her off-season work ethic. Coming back from a serious illness and incredible injury was just I think a tribute and a credit to the work she did in the off-season. She never missed a day, she never missed a minute to where she could get better, and I think that’s been a trait of her life as a basketball player. And I think when you have that and you have the skill and her athleticism, then I think she’s a natural at the next level. I think she’s a three player at that next level, and certainly a lot of people are looking at her quickness defensively but she’s such a smart defensive player, and has a great understanding of angles and passing lanes that until you play her, or until you see her play in that area, I mean her arms come out of nowhere to tip passes and to do things. So I think she would be a real gem to have at the next level and I know she’s still very young. She’s 22 years old and she’s going to have to compete against girls in the WNBA that are a little more experienced, but she’s such a great learner, she’s such a great student of the game that I think that she’s only going to get better at the next level. I’d love to see her play when she’s about 27 or 28, when she’s got the experience and the savvy of being around and having an opportunity to play at the next level."
On success of Pac-10 teams in tourney: "It’s very exciting. I saw Joan Bonvicini being interviewed today after her game. Being 5-0 in the Pac-10, I think we’ve really worked hard in the last two years as a conference and as coaches to work together to try to schedule non-conference teams where we’re playing teams in conferences that had a higher RPI than us to get back and play the SEC, the ACC, the Big XII, the Big Ten, I think we did a great job of that this year scheduling and winning games. Getting five teams into the tournament, there was a lot of sort of turned up noses at that, but I think having all five teams won those games, I just think it speaks to the incredible steps that the Pac-10 has taken to become a national conference. And I think that we’ve earned that respect now. That’s what we were told to win games, and we’ve done that, and now we have another big challenge ahead of us. We’re all into that next round, it would be great to see us all go even a little bit further."
On concerns about the end of the TCU game: "Well I had a lot of concerns but not necessarily about that. I think just looking at Baylor. You know game ending is very important for us. We did have a turnover, we did let them get that three-pointer, but at the same time I think we hit free throws to give us a comfort zone to get separation, and I think the last ten seconds we did a good job of looking after the ball and challenge their last shot. So those are all things that really boil down to experience. We don’t have a lot of experience in an NCAA Tournament. I felt yesterday we really got through some nerves, we got through some excitement, we got through the fact that we’re a team that not a lot of people expected us to be here. So looking at Baylor, I think if we’re in that situation we’re going to be happy to be in the game in a situation where we’re out front, but right now I’m looking at their scoring margin which is +9, I’m looking at their rebounding margin which is a plus. I’m looking at, as Cathrine talked about, the tempo. They really use their defense to create that up-tempo, so we’re really going to have to look after the ball tomorrow. So if we get into a situation game-ending, I think our team has done a pretty good job, except for one game maybe this year against ASU in the Pac-10 tournament where we didn’t look after the end of the game and I think we’re ready to do that."
On Baylor controlling tempo: "Well I think that’s what they’d like to do and I think that’s our challenge is we can’t let them do that. So I think at times a basketball game is a track meet and at times it’s a chess meet. I think we’re a little bit better off in a chess game at both ends of the floor. They are very athletic, one of the most athletic teams I’ve seen across the board with their post play. They’re not real big in terms of their post play but they’re very quick. That’s on offensive, but the defensive end as well. So we have to really do a good job of executing offensively and not allowing them to get any scores in transition, and I think we did a very good job of that yesterday, we’ve done it pretty well all year, and that will be a key to get back and make them a half-court offensive team."
On comeback vs. TCU: "Yesterday, even though we were down by eight points with a little less than nine minutes to go, it felt like we that a pulse on the game still. I think our team, they looked very confident and I was really encouraged in a couple time-outs where we came in, our heads were up, our eyes were looking, we had eye contact, everybody was ready. We just needed to hit a shot and have something go for us offensively. I thought we were doing a pretty good job defensively. I think switching defenses really helps our team, motivates them, gets them a little bit on the tips of their toes because they’re switching defense so they have to be really, really focused. We just needed a couple shots for us to go, and when that happened a couple things happened. We dug a little bit deeper defensively and we got the crowd into it which really helped us offensively and then we hit another outside shot with Brandi. So I think we have that potential. I think yesterday was also a game of nerves so hopefully we’re over that, we’re ready to play into the next game being a team that has focus and is not going to be hurt with that nervous kind of tension."
On match-up with Baylor post players: "Blackmon and Young are just incredibly quick. I don’t know if we’ve played a couple of post players that have that quickness when they cut, when they screen. When they get the ball they can both put it on the floor. Young certainly has a great pull-up jumper that I haven’t seen too many post players. So it’s going to put a premium on our post defense really making them work hard to get the ball maybe a little bit further out and a little bit out of their range that they’re used to playing. But they’re going to get their points, they’re going to get their looks. We just have to make sure that we challenge everything, and that we don’t give them second chances."
On if Baylor reflects Coach Mulkey-Robertson’s personality: "Absolutely. Kim Mulkey was a very small point guard with a big, big heart. She was fearless. She just played hard. She came at you. I thought she played with passion. Very smart point guard who had incredible posts to play with and I think she has developed that game around the Louisiana Tech post situation, I don’t know if you remember Pam Kelly and Janice Morris, she knew how important those two players were to winning a national championship and that young lady got them the ball. So I think that she’s used her passion and her love of the game to get her team motivated, but I also think she’s used her skill as a point guard to make her team understand that we’re not going to look to shoot the ball unless Sophia (Young) or Blackmon touch the ball, so I think a lot of that comes from her playing days."
On building for the future with this team: "We do go back to a young team, however it’s a team I think, given this year, given the way the year’s gone, given the fact that we’re into the postseason practicing and playing together and being together realizing what it does take to be an NCAA Tournament. I think you’re looking at our future with Kristen (Forristall), and I think you’re looking at our future with a young lady by the name of Gabe (Richards) yesterday who stepped up big time unlike a freshman in the NCAA Tournament. So I think those two along with our returning team our getting a lot out of this. We have a couple players on the sideline in terms of Chelsea Wagner and Kedzie Gunderson who are watching, observing, feeling a part of it. They’ll be our leaders next year. We have Brandi (Davis) coming back who I think is understanding the game and her importance to a team like ours. So I think this is going to be something that we can build on as we did last year, building on a little bit of disappointment and understanding things we needed to do to win. I think our team has a very good sense of that. We’ll be a very different team, but I think we’ll have an understanding of really what it takes and how long the year can be if we in fact follow our game plan and our season game plan."
NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, First and Second Rounds
Bank of America Arena, Seattle, Wash.
Off-Day Quotes, March 20
Oregon Head Coach Bev Smith
General Comments: "Just a follow-up on the game yesterday, having had a chance just to think about it and look at some tape on it. I just feel an outstanding job by our team defensively number one, just really taking away TCU’s strengths, and looking at that defensively I think that will really help us a lot in this Baylor game. They have a great inside game and I think the difference is that they have two very dynamic post players both offensively and defensively. So it’s going to be another challenge, not only for our post players who I think are very capable defensively, but to our entire team to play Oregon team defense the way we have all year, because we’re really going to have our hands full with those players, and certainly a team that is picked to go to the Final Four such as Baylor is, is a team that has more than just post players. They have a surrounding cast of very good role players, very good shooters and they rebound the basketball very well. So it’s going to place a premium on our defense. I think we’re up to the task and now we have to turn around and look to attack as we did yesterday, and get our whole outfit ready to not only score on the inside but knock some outside shots down which will release some pressure from our inside game. I think we’re ready to do that, we had not a very intense practice today but a practice to get another hour and a half in at this gym to be familiar with it and we’re excited to be playing here again Monday night and hoping to get a few more green and gold fans up for that game against Baylor."
On Cathrine Kraayeveld’s pro potential: "Well I think her potential is incredible to play professionally. I think she’s a quintessential player at the next level, not only with her ability, but with her work ethic, her ability to do what her team needs, her ability to practice, her off-season work ethic. Coming back from a serious illness and incredible injury was just I think a tribute and a credit to the work she did in the off-season. She never missed a day, she never missed a minute to where she could get better, and I think that’s been a trait of her life as a basketball player. And I think when you have that and you have the skill and her athleticism, then I think she’s a natural at the next level. I think she’s a three player at that next level, and certainly a lot of people are looking at her quickness defensively but she’s such a smart defensive player, and has a great understanding of angles and passing lanes that until you play her, or until you see her play in that area, I mean her arms come out of nowhere to tip passes and to do things. So I think she would be a real gem to have at the next level and I know she’s still very young. She’s 22 years old and she’s going to have to compete against girls in the WNBA that are a little more experienced, but she’s such a great learner, she’s such a great student of the game that I think that she’s only going to get better at the next level. I’d love to see her play when she’s about 27 or 28, when she’s got the experience and the savvy of being around and having an opportunity to play at the next level."
On success of Pac-10 teams in tourney: "It’s very exciting. I saw Joan Bonvicini being interviewed today after her game. Being 5-0 in the Pac-10, I think we’ve really worked hard in the last two years as a conference and as coaches to work together to try to schedule non-conference teams where we’re playing teams in conferences that had a higher RPI than us to get back and play the SEC, the ACC, the Big XII, the Big Ten, I think we did a great job of that this year scheduling and winning games. Getting five teams into the tournament, there was a lot of sort of turned up noses at that, but I think having all five teams won those games, I just think it speaks to the incredible steps that the Pac-10 has taken to become a national conference. And I think that we’ve earned that respect now. That’s what we were told to win games, and we’ve done that, and now we have another big challenge ahead of us. We’re all into that next round, it would be great to see us all go even a little bit further."
On concerns about the end of the TCU game: "Well I had a lot of concerns but not necessarily about that. I think just looking at Baylor. You know game ending is very important for us. We did have a turnover, we did let them get that three-pointer, but at the same time I think we hit free throws to give us a comfort zone to get separation, and I think the last ten seconds we did a good job of looking after the ball and challenge their last shot. So those are all things that really boil down to experience. We don’t have a lot of experience in an NCAA Tournament. I felt yesterday we really got through some nerves, we got through some excitement, we got through the fact that we’re a team that not a lot of people expected us to be here. So looking at Baylor, I think if we’re in that situation we’re going to be happy to be in the game in a situation where we’re out front, but right now I’m looking at their scoring margin which is +9, I’m looking at their rebounding margin which is a plus. I’m looking at, as Cathrine talked about, the tempo. They really use their defense to create that up-tempo, so we’re really going to have to look after the ball tomorrow. So if we get into a situation game-ending, I think our team has done a pretty good job, except for one game maybe this year against ASU in the Pac-10 tournament where we didn’t look after the end of the game and I think we’re ready to do that."
On Baylor controlling tempo: "Well I think that’s what they’d like to do and I think that’s our challenge is we can’t let them do that. So I think at times a basketball game is a track meet and at times it’s a chess meet. I think we’re a little bit better off in a chess game at both ends of the floor. They are very athletic, one of the most athletic teams I’ve seen across the board with their post play. They’re not real big in terms of their post play but they’re very quick. That’s on offensive, but the defensive end as well. So we have to really do a good job of executing offensively and not allowing them to get any scores in transition, and I think we did a very good job of that yesterday, we’ve done it pretty well all year, and that will be a key to get back and make them a half-court offensive team."
On comeback vs. TCU: "Yesterday, even though we were down by eight points with a little less than nine minutes to go, it felt like we that a pulse on the game still. I think our team, they looked very confident and I was really encouraged in a couple time-outs where we came in, our heads were up, our eyes were looking, we had eye contact, everybody was ready. We just needed to hit a shot and have something go for us offensively. I thought we were doing a pretty good job defensively. I think switching defenses really helps our team, motivates them, gets them a little bit on the tips of their toes because they’re switching defense so they have to be really, really focused. We just needed a couple shots for us to go, and when that happened a couple things happened. We dug a little bit deeper defensively and we got the crowd into it which really helped us offensively and then we hit another outside shot with Brandi. So I think we have that potential. I think yesterday was also a game of nerves so hopefully we’re over that, we’re ready to play into the next game being a team that has focus and is not going to be hurt with that nervous kind of tension."
On match-up with Baylor post players: "Blackmon and Young are just incredibly quick. I don’t know if we’ve played a couple of post players that have that quickness when they cut, when they screen. When they get the ball they can both put it on the floor. Young certainly has a great pull-up jumper that I haven’t seen too many post players. So it’s going to put a premium on our post defense really making them work hard to get the ball maybe a little bit further out and a little bit out of their range that they’re used to playing. But they’re going to get their points, they’re going to get their looks. We just have to make sure that we challenge everything, and that we don’t give them second chances."
On if Baylor reflects Coach Mulkey-Robertson’s personality: "Absolutely. Kim Mulkey was a very small point guard with a big, big heart. She was fearless. She just played hard. She came at you. I thought she played with passion. Very smart point guard who had incredible posts to play with and I think she has developed that game around the Louisiana Tech post situation, I don’t know if you remember Pam Kelly and Janice Morris, she knew how important those two players were to winning a national championship and that young lady got them the ball. So I think that she’s used her passion and her love of the game to get her team motivated, but I also think she’s used her skill as a point guard to make her team understand that we’re not going to look to shoot the ball unless Sophia (Young) or Blackmon touch the ball, so I think a lot of that comes from her playing days."
On building for the future with this team: "We do go back to a young team, however it’s a team I think, given this year, given the way the year’s gone, given the fact that we’re into the postseason practicing and playing together and being together realizing what it does take to be an NCAA Tournament. I think you’re looking at our future with Kristen (Forristall), and I think you’re looking at our future with a young lady by the name of Gabe (Richards) yesterday who stepped up big time unlike a freshman in the NCAA Tournament. So I think those two along with our returning team our getting a lot out of this. We have a couple players on the sideline in terms of Chelsea Wagner and Kedzie Gunderson who are watching, observing, feeling a part of it. They’ll be our leaders next year. We have Brandi (Davis) coming back who I think is understanding the game and her importance to a team like ours. So I think this is going to be something that we can build on as we did last year, building on a little bit of disappointment and understanding things we needed to do to win. I think our team has a very good sense of that. We’ll be a very different team, but I think we’ll have an understanding of really what it takes and how long the year can be if we in fact follow our game plan and our season game plan."
NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, First and Second Rounds
Bank of America Arena, Seattle, Wash.
Off Day Quotes, March 20
Baylor Head Coach Kim Mulkey-Robertson
General Comments: "Okay, get your pads out, get your pens ready. I’m going to give you a bold prediction for tomorrow’s game: Somebody who’s school’s colors are green and yellow will win that game tomorrow. We are looking forward to playing Oregon. I have so much respect for Bev Smith. I remember when she was a player. In fact, she was on the Canadian Olympic Team when I played for the U.S. in 1984. Luckily, we didn’t have to play those guys. It is just really neat to watch her go back to her alma mater. Also, on her staff are two former players of the University of Oregon, who are coaching with her. We are going to face a very good basketball team that is obviously very confident in beating a good TCU team."
On Oregon Forward Cathrine Kraayeveld: "She reminds me of the international style of big players. They like to play facing the basket, have a perimeter three-point shot, and move well without the basketball. They can post you down low if need be. I’m quite impressed, that is the first time that I have seen her, she in a lot of ways reminds you of a Larry Bird on the female side. She may not have blazing speed, and she may not jump out of the gym, but she is hard to guard, and has figured out how to compete and make you look pretty bad defensively. "
On resurgence of Baylor basketball and importance to community: "You would probably be better talking to people who have been at Baylor and in the community longer than I have. I’ll tell you from what people tell me; we were in a turbulent time at Baylor with our men’s basketball program, and I think that not only women’s basketball but track athletes, our tennis program, our softball team, all of us have done our jobs. We did what we were hired to do, and that is to win ball games, tennis matches and win gold medals in track, and we pretty much erased all of that. As far as the resurgence of women’s basketball, in our program’s history we have only had four head coaches at Baylor. The fun thing for me about that is the other three are still living and have either emailed me, or made a phone call in appreciation of the fact, that at Baylor we have taken it to the next level. In AIUW days Baylor was very good in women’s basketball, when the NCAA took over, we weren’t quite as successful. When my staff took over, we inherited a team that won seven basketball games, was at the bottom of the Big-12, and had a major rebuilding job to do. There was no time frame put on it, how could you put a time frame on it when you compete in the Big-12 and compete against the legendary coaches that we have in that league, and the programs and the national championships that have been won from the Big-12. We went to work, we rolled our sleeves up, we understood what our strengths and weaknesses were in recruiting. We were very smart in the athletes we recruited, we didn’t waste time on athletes that we knew we didn’t have a shot at. We didn’t go after players just to say we finished in their top-five or their top-three. That doesn’t win any ball-games. We were very selective, as we needed to be, and we are sitting here today competing with those programs."
On Oregon’s size: "I have probably not seen as many big players on one team, I worry about small teams, I worry about everybody. They present a problem to us, in that they have numerous players who can play inside. We will approach it to a point where we will talk about what we think their weaknesses are what our weaknesses are, what our strengths are what their strengths are. When you reach this point, they are not going to do anything any different, and we are not going to do anything any different. It all boils down to players making plays. It all boils down to, are my strengths better than their strengths. Can you take away my strengths, can I take away more of your strengths. It is strategy of the game, somewhat, it is making plays. They are not going to change for Baylor, and we are not going to change for Oregon."
On tempo: "I don’t think we are a run-and-gun style team. I think that we have athletes that run the floor. When I think of run-and-gun, I think of undisciplined teams, I think of teams that can’t compete and win in the half-court set. Baylor can do it all, we have girls that can play the half-court game, we have athletes that will run the floor, we have post-players that do that. We bring to the floor everything we have brought to the floor thus far."
NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, First and Second Rounds
Bank of America Arena, Seattle, Wash.
Off-Day Quotes, March 20
Baylor Players
GUARD CHELSEA WHITAKER
On what she saw from Oregon in their game: "The main thing that I noticed about them was that they kept their composure throughout the game. There were times when a lot of people would have counted them out and they would make a comeback or run and they did a really good job of staying calm and running their game and playing Oregon basketball, and they got the job done."
On experience in close games: "Well hopefully we won’t play it that close because tournament time you never know who can pull a game out in the end. They’re a good team and we’re a good team and whoever wins, we’re both going to be trying to get a ten point cushion or something so we won’t have to worry about buzzer beaters and intense moments like that. We were blessed to pull those games out but it’s not a goal so hopefully it won’t happen."
On post players’ strengths: "Their speed and quickness, they can pass as guards every now and then. They’re so fast and they run the floor and they beat the guards down the floor sometimes. That’s a blessing, everybody can’t have post players on their team that can run that well and we’re just blessed to play with them. That’s their strength is running and finding each other, feeding each other the ball, and good defense, they’re just all-around post players."
On last year’s Sweet 16 loss: "I kind of look at that game like it’s in the past and I don’t really focus on that. I think it was more showing the world that Baylor can play with the best teams in the country. Because of that game last year I think we got a lot more recognition this year and we know how good we are. We know we can play with anybody, it’s just a matter of going out there and doing it. So I don’t really focus on that game. It’s last year. It just shows us how far we have to at least make it before this is a satisfactory season."
On what kind of game she expects it will be: "Well I think we would want to get up and down the court and try and score as many points as possible, and I’m sure Oregon will try and slow it down and play more of a half-court and use their size and their big girls inside. So that’s our goal is to run them."
On confidence in perimeter play: "We’re very confident. We’re going to start with our post players because they’re the bread and butter of our team so we’re going to start and get them touches, and you never know which guard or a combination of guards are going to go off. So they have to be concerned about each and every guard out there because you never know, it could be Latoya (Wyatt), it could be myself, it could be Chemeka (Scott), it could be (Angela) Tisdale, I mean you never know who’s going to score for us out there. Our posts, their game is consistent every night, and 10-12 points from one or two guards, that just makes us a little bit stronger."
On the home atmosphere for Oregon: "Well, we can always go back to playing in Lubbock, because I don’t think there’s a crowd anywhere in the country that compares to Lubbock. They sell out every night and none of them are with you and they all hate you and they’re just screaming stuff at you, so we’re pretty used to playing in front of crowds like that. We can thank (Texas) Tech fans for that. We’re not really worried about the fans, we know they’re going to be screaming and supporting their team. We just have to tune that out and play our game."
On how much responsibility is on the point guard: "Everything, because no matter how good Sophia (Young) and Steffanie (Blackmon) are, if I don’t get them the ball, then it doesn’t really matter, does it? So I have to take care of the ball and get the right people the shots and the right time and handle the heat coming from Coach Mulkey and worry about the fans, and if I turn the ball over everyone’s looking at me, I realize that. And that’s my job to be calm when it’s real turbulent out there. I take that upon myself that I need to get my team going whether it’s defensively, or if I start the game with a turnover like I did in, Oklahoma? Texas? Somewhere, both. We pretty much had a bad game. So I just need to set the tone and make sure that my head’s in the game and getting the right people the ball."
GUARD CHAMEKA SCOTT
On last year’s Sweet-16 loss: "I think last year’s game kind of set the bar for this season. We got to the Sweet-16, it was such a great feeling that I think if nothing else it really motivated us to get back to that stage. I also think that that game itself just gave us a lot of things that we can feed off of as we go further in the tournament in terms of wanting to get past the Sweet-16 and not just getting there this year. We set goals a lot higher based on that game so hopefully we’ll meet our expectations."
On what kind of game she expects it will be: "I think we do really well when we run the floor so that means getting more points in transition. That’s Baylor basketball. I think the 91 points yesterday was good for us because it came from everybody and we have the ability to just score from all angles and so the higher the score just means the more active we’re being and that’s always a good thing"
On confidence in perimeter play: "I think our post play kind of feeds our confidence on the perimeter. You see them in there banging with people and getting shots off and getting to the free throw line, things like that, you kind of think I need to hit some shots and get some pressure off them. A lot of times they’re the ones giving us the pass. Inside, backside, just working and finding each other and getting the perimeter shots, it helps us all in the end."
On the home atmosphere for Oregon: "That’s something we’ve come across before. I even think our Kansas State game at the conference tournament was just as bad fan-wise. As long as you don’t make it a factor in the game it doesn’t have to be."
On Oregon’s size: "It’s definitely an advantage to them and I’m sure they play to that strength of their game, but like Chelsea said, we have some advantages too that we’re going to throw at them, so hopefully it works out."
