Nov. 13, 2016
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Penn State Women's BasketballPenn State vs. Saint Peter'sNov. 13, 2016
Coquese Washington | Penn State Head Coach
Q: With such a dominating performance today and up by so much at the end of the game, why leave in the starters?
A: We always have to have a floor general out there and we happen to start our 3-point guards, so one of them is going to be in at the end of the game.
Q: Drexel made 11 3-pointers against you guys on Friday and today Saint Peter's only made four, what adjustments did you guys make to limit the 3-pointers?
A: As Lindsey Spann noted, we just had a little bit more energy on the defensive end. I thought that we had a lot more communication on the defensive end. I think that in our game against Drexel we just had some miscommunications that led to some wide-open 3-pointers and Drexel is a team that will make you pay if you give them open 3-point shots. We have some experienced players on this team but we also have a lot of young and inexperienced players and putting them all together sometimes we are bound to have some growing pains and adjustments. It was good to have a game like this with a quick turnaround. Yesterday we didn't have a physical practice, it was more of a mental practice where we sat and spoke about things because of the game on Friday and to see them be able to transfer what we talked about to game day, I was very pleased.
Q: Last season you guys had a lot of slow starts to the beginning of the game, but today you had 39 points in the first quarter. What is it like to build that lead and then maintain it?
A: It's fun and a little less stressful when you know that you can come out and put points on the board. One of the things we want to be doing is being aggressive and attacking. I think that our depth, and as Teniya Page said, when you add some of the players to the team that we have this year in terms of bringing Sierra Moore back, having Amari Carter on the floor, adding Jaida Travascio-Green and adding Siyeh Frazier, it gives us a few more options that we are able to stay fresh, sub in and keep the tempo going the way we want it to go.
Q: How important is it to be getting that production from the freshman and Amari Carter this season?
A: I think that it is critical. Certainly having their presence enhances the way that we want to play. The more confident they can get, the more comfortable we can get and establish our identity early on in the season, I think that this is only going to help us when we get to Big Ten teams.
Q: What does the 900th win mean to you?
A: It is humbling to be part of such a tremendous legacy. When you think about all of the coaches that have come before me and what they have done for this program and for women's sports at both Penn State and nationally, I am just thrilled that I can do my part to add to that legacy.
Q: Between Drexel and today's game you said you had a mental practice and obviously that gave you positive results today, why did you think that was necessary?
A: The girls will probably want more of those but that's not happening. We had a lot of our starters play a lot of minutes in the Drexel game. Teniya Page played 39 minutes, Amari Carter played 32 minutes, Sierra Moore played 32 minutes, Kaliyah Mitchell played 27-29, plus all of the travel, I thought that it was necessary to rest our legs for the early game today.
Q: What did you see in today's game that is going to be key going forward?
A: I think our pace is key. Playing at the pace that we want to play at and putting the pressure on other teams to keep up with us. I think that if we can maintain this pace and keep this pace, which comes with added depth and development from our bench so that when they come off the bench and onto the floor, they will be as productive as they could be.
Q: After the exhibition you talked about the pace that you saw was not the pace that you expected from the team, is this kind of pace something that you are expecting from your team now?
A: Well we are not where I want to be yet, but we are getting there. I think that we are closer than we were two weeks ago against Bloomsburg, but we have got to not have the lows and some of that comes with our bench and young kids developing and gaining confidence and skills. We are getting there.
Lindsey Spann | Sr. | Guard
Q: Lindsey (Spann), you had four points on Friday and 31 today. What was different for you today?
A: I think it was just focusing on the things we talked about coming into this game. We wanted to play a fast, up-tempo game. I just got out there and transitioned and my teammates found me so I was able to score a lot off of the passes.
Q: What was something different you saw between Friday and today's game?
A: I just think as a team we had a lot more energy and were really focused. We played with a lot of intensity. We fed off of that and didn't let our opponents effect what we were doing. We were able to control the tempo of the game.
Q: It's the 900th win for the program. What's it like to be a part of that history?
A: It's a great feeling to be a part of such a dominant program. To be a part of a program that is a legacy and with all the people that came before us, makes it something to appreciate.
Teniya Page | So. | Guard
Q: Teniya (Page), you averaged 37 minutes per game last year and today you only played about 27 minutes. What's it like to have teammates who can get in the game so that you can get some rest throughout the game?
A: It's great. Especially when I get to come out and watch how the game is going on from the sidelines, then when I come back in, I can try to make adjustments myself. I'm really excited to have Sierra (Moore) and Amari (Carter) back and have Sieyh (Frazier) and Jaylen (Williams) added to the mix.