University of Georgia Athletics
Dallas Regional Practice Day Quotes
March 24, 2007 | Women's Basketball
GEORGIA HEAD COACH ANDY LANDERS
PRACTICE DAY QUOTES – March 24, 2007
On competing against Purdue at the NCAA Regional in Dallas:
“I think all those associated with Georgia Basketball are excited to still be playing and certainly in the round of 16. We have the challenge to play a good Purdue team and the picture of moving on from here.”
On the comparison of his team from three years ago and now:
“I think we’re a basketball team that has good balance; we’re a basketball team that has offensive abilities at each position. When two or more of those players are being efficient offensively, we’re a fairly good scoring team. Defensively, I think we’ve developed a good team. We tend to have the ability to make people miss and have the ability to have some effect on the other teams.”
On freshman Ashley Holt:
“She’s a player who has taken advantage of a terrific opportunity to come into a top-10 basketball program and start from day one. Really the first day of practice we plugged her into that slot because in the preseason conditioning it was evident that she was committed to being the best player. Basically, she made laps, literally, around people. She has a heart as big as this arena and she’s an unselfish player. We knew that those traits were the right kind and when her work ethic was on display during preseason we knew and felt like she earned it. We knew it before she even touched a basketball, that’s how impressive she was.”
GEORGIA PLAYERS
PRACTICE DAY QUOTES – March 24, 2007
Junior Forward Tasha Humphrey
Playing in the Sweet 16 and looking back on what Georgia has accomplished this year
“It’s always exciting to make the sweet 16 and every year we always try and go further. The way this team is playing and the level of confidence we have right now we have the ability to do something special and take it to the next step.”
On how much an advantage does Georgia feel that they have coming into the sweet 16, five years in a row
“I think having a team with experience is a good situation. We have a lot of people who have been here before and know what it takes to get to the next level. For those who are here for the first time, I think they have grown throughout the season and Coach (Andy Landers) has done a great job in instilling in us on what we need to do to advance on.”
Senior Guard Janese Hardrick
On what she remembers from the Purdue game they played three years ago
“I remember watching Alexis (Kendrick) making the winning shot in the corner. I also recall getting a technical towards the end of the game. We played an excellent game that day and taking that from Purdue, who was a great team at the time, was big. We won and I definitely remember that.”
On being led by freshman PG Ashley Houts and what she has seen in Purdue’s freshman PG FahKara Malone and how they contribute so heavily:
“We are actually led by the SEC Freshman of the Year. I think it is a great advantage and taking nothing away from Purdue’s point guard. I have seen her play and don’t know too much about her, but if she is still a freshman point guard at this time, I am sure that she is doing very well. Ashley is my teammate and I will have to go with her. She is an outstanding player and has done such a great job in the point guard position for our team.”
On what type of things she does in preparing Freshman PG Ashley Houts
“I really don’t do anything. She mainly gets her direction from Coach (Andy Landers). Throughout the game I just try to encourage her and tell her that he is doing a good job, which she always does. I remember against Iowa State and going up against Lyndsey Medders, Ashley did such a great job going up against her. I just think encouraging her as well as the coaches leading her through is great.”
Freshman Guard Angel Robinson
On seeing a lot of players in the SEC and going up against Katie Geralds and stopping a player of her stature
“From what we have seen in video, she is a great shooter and her teammates give her a lot of open shots. I think our defense will stop that tomorrow. Coach Landers is doing a good job figuring out how we can take her scoring out and see what other teammate is willing to step up. I think our guards will do a good job stopping her tomorrow night.”
PURDUE HEAD COACH SHARON VERSYP
PRACTICE DAY QUOTES – March 24, 2007
Opening Statement:
“Our Purdue team is very excited to be here. We look at it as a great opportunity as a young, but experienced team. As we were watching games, we just have the itch to get out and play ball.”
On Georgia:
“Looking at their statistics, they are similar to us. It’s almost a mirror image to some degree. They have great post play and have good shooters on the perimeter. Both of us have freshman point guards. We have to do things we do well and that’s playing good defense. We can’t let them shoot a good percentage. We’ve got to stay out of foul trouble and we need to take care of the ball and keep them off the boards.”
On Tasha Humphrey:
“She’s one of the best post players in the country. Her physical ability and her ability to score down low and shoot the three and obviously being able to be physical on defense, can cause problems for us. We feel that we’ve had a tough schedule and have gone against similar players to her. But until you get on the court and start battling like we will tomorrow night, you never know. She is obviously a focus of our attention.”
On Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton’s Play:
“She has the mental attitude now that she wants the ball, she wants to be that go-to player in the post. She has the ability to take people off the dribble and can score down low. That’s a big key for us. She did a great job on the boards offensively and defensively. Her teammates have encouraged her on how good she really is.”
On Taking Over the Purdue Job:
“Coming back to Purdue as my alma mater, I exude the passion and love for the university and program. I’ve always followed the Purdue tradition. When I took over the program, I wanted the players to know that we were going to continue to be successful. We did a lot of team building and individual meetings. That’s been great balance. I’m also all about empowering individuals. Katie Gearlds and Erin Lawless jumped on board early and you have to have great leaders to set the message and get everyone else on board.”
On The Freshman Point Guard Match-Up:
“I think it’s a great match-up. We’ve talked about freshman point guard match-ups throughout the season. We’ve had a few. Georgia’s point guard is SEC Freshman of the Year and I felt FahKara Malone was deserving of that in our conference. Both are the engine of the team and get the teams going. Both are good floor generals and are a reflection of their coaches.”
On Katie Gearlds’ Raising Her Level Of Play The Past Few Weeks:
“I’ve seen a different maturity and different mental toughness. Sitting down as a group after the Michigan State game did a lot for us. It’s power of the mind. Don’t listen to other people, just take care of business. Everyone tries to make negatives, but she’s an incredible player and she has really stepped up to the plate. She continues to do that for us.”
On The Team’s Level Of Confidence:
“I think that Michigan State loss did a lot for us. We had some tough games after that, but the Big Ten tournament really elevated our confidence. We came from behind in two games and won one in overtime. We are playing with a lot of confidence. There are no doubts in our minds. We’re thinking nothing but positive thoughts. There is no pressure or stress here. They are feeling good about themselves.”
PURDUE STUDENT-ATHLETES
PRACTICE DAY QUOTES – March 24, 2007
Junior Forward Lindsay Wisdon-Hilton
In looking at the last three games, Ohio State, Oral Roberts and Georgia Tech, the quick starts, is there one common denominator there that has let you guys to come out of the gate running?
“I think the fact that it’s the end of the year and it’s gut-check time. Right now you’re one and done nobody here wants to be done. We’ve got to come out a lot stronger then we have in the past and have good leads. Like Katie said we have a sense of urgency going and we’re going with that. We’ve got some pretty good basketball going that we’ve been playing all year.”
Senior Forward Erin Lawless
Impressions of Tasha Humphrey:
“She’s a real versatile post player with her ability to shoot the three and be a big presence down low.”
Memories of Georgia loss in 2004:
“Being a freshman I remember being confused, and I felt bad for our seniors. But now it’s our senior year and it’s time for Katie and I to go out and get things done.”
On Coaching Change and new system:
“I think it was just a matter of trusting the coaching staff and having confidence in them and ourselves and everyone being on the same page from the beginning and once Coach Versyp instilled confidence in all of us we were able to go with the new system and get things done.”
Senior Guard/Forward Katie Geralds
Talk about Georgia and what concerns you.
“ They’re a great basketball team, Humphrey’s on the inside, Chambers on the perimeter, they have a smart heady point guard, their ability to score in transition and rebound the basketball, they’re just a good solid basketball team, finished third in SEC. We’ve gotta be able to play or they could really take it to us.”
On Purdue defense and if they compare to anyone they’ve played defensively.
You know they’re obviously athletic, probably more athletic than we are, but we’ve faced that this year, Georgia Tech was athletic and physical. We have to be mature enough to handle if they bump us, if they hold us, we don’t know if they’re gonna play man or if they’re gonna play zone, we’ve seen them play both, we just have to be able to read what they’re playing. The best thing about our team is we’re smart and know what we’re looking for and if we’re patient and know what we’re looking for offensively then I like our chances in finding a way to score.”
Senior Guard/Forward Katie Geralds
From your standpoint, what happened after the Michigan State game (loss) and what made you take off from there?
After we loss to Michigan State, we had a team meeting, players only, discussed what we thought we should do. Personally I thought it’s not a time to panic. I had a meeting with Coach Mead and we discussed how it is more mental for me. As a player she had been there, being the star player and marketed and having that much pressure on you and to perform for your players and coaches. She just told me to relax and play ball and that’s what I’ve kinda been doing. It’s an attack mode for 40 minutes, not settling for jumpers, getting to the rim and that sense of urgency has kicked in and I’m just not ready to be done playing college ball yet.”
Katie, at what point in your career did the step back jumper become your trademark?
“ In high school, I loved going to the left and shooting a step back. When I play against quicker players, I have the height advantage so it’s kind of my shot to get off. It’s a shot I’m really comfortable with and have to use to counter opponents quickness.”
