March 18, 2011

Photos from Friday's interaction with the media and practice

SPOKANE, Wash. - The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament began at the McCarthey Athletic Center Friday with the Gonzaga University women's basketball team meeting with the press, answering questions and finally heading to the court for its last full practice before its first round game Saturday.

NO. 11 SEED GONZAGA BULLDOGS FRIDAY PRACTICE PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Head Coach Kelly Graves
Opening Statement:
"First of all I just want to welcome everyone to Spokane. We are excited to be a host of this first two rounds. Obviously we know that there are very fine teams here, excellent teams. The more I watch Iowa, the more I'm impressed with how they play. We are glad. I think we are expecting a great atsmophere and a good setting for women's college basketball."

Regarding time since they have had a game that has come down to the wire, any concerns?
"We haven't had very many meaningful possessions late in the game for quite some time so there is always a concern as to how your team might react in those situations where `hey we've got to get a stop on this posession' or `we've got to run our best play and get a basket.' It is a concern very similar to what we experienced last year so with daily preperation we run through our stuff each and every day, expecting at some point we are really going to have to make a play."

On what Iowa brings to the table and how Gonzaga prepares for that:
"They are a terrific basketball team and we got to see them several times on film and with each film that I watched I was even more impressed and saw greater and greater things that they did. They remind me of ourselves in some ways in that they can have four or five players who can have big nights so you can't just focus on one or two you have to focus on five at all times. They have a couple of stars. Kachine Alexander is as good a player as we're going to play all year and we've had some good competition."

"They love to dribble drive, they love to get to the rim and they can shoot the basketball. What I've been most impressed with is you can tell they know how to play the game. They are well coached, defensively they are very sound, they're fundamental, they play hard and I think they play basketball the right way. I have been really impressed watching them."

"I think my team did a very good job of being pretty neutral. We have tried to keep this pretty much like the rest of the season. We've worked on fundamentals and principles we are going to see tomorrow, but we haven't really focused a ton yet on individuals, that of course we will do today and especially in film work."

On having his team play in Spokane:
"The fact that they can all go to class this morning. They are doing the same things they would typically do on a Friday. This is about the time we practice every day so nothing has been too unusual and that can be good and bad. With that I think comes the fact that tomorrow we will have a lot of people who are Gonzaga fans and with that comes maybe a little bit more pressure than it would be for an 11 seed being on the road somewhere. We might be the underdog or however you want to look at it as an 11 seed to a six. There are advantages and disadvantages and ultimately it is about the 40 minutes tomorrow. You put everything else aside and who is better prepared and who plays better during that time, I think will win the basketball game."

On how to play the game:
"I think they are ready. It has been two weeks for us and I know that is has been two weeks for Iowa too so it seems like it has been for everybody in the women's tournament but they are excited to get out there. It is kind of like the start of the season where you get tired of practicing against each other for a couple of weeks. I know our team is going to be ready we're going to play hard and we better or it is going to be a long day for us. "

On how he runs practice in a loose environment:
"Well that is just how we play, we've always played that way. I think we're best when we play loose. Obviously we like to play fast and I don't think you can play fast and play tight. It also helps as a coach, I know that the team is in great hands. Honestly, Courtney Vandersloot is way ahead of her coach in what we should be doing and how the ball should be moving. We've always played that way and I think we always will.

Senior Guard Courtney Vandersloot
On playing at home:
"It's a little bit different just because we are not staying at a hotel and being around our home. We are comfortable here. That's a little different but once we walk in here and we see that our gym has changed a little bit it creates the NCAA environment and so it's not too bad."

On the number one concern about Iowa:
"It's hard to say at this point. Up until now we kind of focused on ourselves and we'll have today's practice to key in on Iowa. They play in a big conference. They're going to be big but we can't say much about it yet. Right now we just got to concern ourselves as when it comes down to it, it's about Gonzaga basketball."

On being seeded 11th in the tournament:
"I think we're excited and grateful that we get to play at home so 11th seed fits us perfectly."

On Gonzaga's 0-5 record against the Big Ten Conference:
"I've never really heard that until right now. That doesn't really affect us at this point. We know the NCAA tournament is a completely different season and I don't think that has any affect on this team."

On playing at home:
"We have something special here at Gonzaga. The Spokane community really does love women's basketball and so we're grateful to be able to show that to not just ourselves and whoever comes in here but women's basketball and everyone fans of the game."

On anything missed about being on the road:
"Being at home is special and it helps us to get into a routine. But I have to say if it is something I would say I'd miss the team meals today."

Senior Forward/Guard Janelle Bekkering
On Iowa's Kachine Alexander:
"She is definitely a very athletic guard. She is one of their top rebounders so I definitely think you need to box her out as a main player for that. I guess we will go through more stuff today in team practice about more personnel."

On playing at home:
"Definitely a great atmosphere I think tomorrow night. It'll be a sold out crowd and it's just going to be fun to play in. Everybody is getting into it. It will be a good atmosphere and we're excited to play."

On anything being missed about being on the road for the tournament:
"I don't really miss anything about being on the road. Being at home is a whole another thing and I think it's a lot better. I'll be really excited to play at home and get started tomorrow." 

NO. 11 SEED GONZAGA BULLDOGS LOCKER ROOM QUOTES

Junior Guard/Forward Katelan Redmon
On the advantage of playing at home and playing better at home:
"We are used to the court obviously and (Iowa) has never played here before so we do have that above them. But it's always just fun to play at home. We're always better at home because we're so used to the court. We know the environment so there's a little bit of an advantage there."

On whether Iowa has an advantage inside:
"It's always an advantage having a little bit more size inside but we're going to be able to fight back."

On the tournament seeding:
"In my opinion, seeding doesn't really matter. (Iowa) is a great team but we're a good team and it's going to be a good match up all the way around."

On a high scoring game and fast-paced tempo:
"I hope it's a high scoring game. I love to get up and down the floor. It's always a lot more fun when it's a high scoring game so I hope we get the pace going. Once we have the rebounds secured, we're going. You get the ball in Courtney's (Vandersloot) hand and you're going down the court because you know you might be getting it."

On playing with Courtney Vandersloot:
"I love playing with Courtney. She's a great point guard. She sees the floor well and you know that she's going to get you the ball when you're open so it's a lot of fun to play with her. You always have to be ready to shoot when she's out there. You have to have your hands up and know where she's at because the ball could be coming at you and you don't even know it."

On importance of getting off to a good start and getting the crowd into it:
"It's always important to have a strong start. You don't want to start the game slow because before you know it, you could be down 10 points and you're playing catch-up the rest of the time so you have to come out strong."

On the experience from last year's trip to the Sweet 16:
"It's always great to know that you can do it and a lot of the experience from these other players here have been in that position before so hopefully this year that experience comes in."

On watching film on Iowa:
"Honestly, I knew nothing about them. I don't pay a lot of attention to the east coast, so we have to find out a lot more about them. The coaches have definitely watched a ton of film on them. We'll be looking at film this evening and going through all of that. You tend to let the coaches go through film more and they'll break it down for us."

Junior forward Kelly Bowen
On Iowa:
"They're a good basketball team. They're very solid and fundamental. They have some good players and it's going to be a very good contest here on Saturday."

Senior Forward Claire Raap
On the NCAA tournament:
"We have goals for how far we want to go or what we want to do. Tomorrow's the first step to it and you have to take care of that before moving on."

On Iowa:
"We are learning who they are and how they play and doing the best we can to defend them and play our game and have a good time and take care of business tomorrow."

On the experience at Gonzaga University:
"It's kind of funny because it seems like yesterday I was a freshman. Then you think about all the games and the people you've played and the places we've traveled to play. It is my senior year and it has been awesome. I love it here. I love the people that I know, my teammates and my coaches. Even the people I will know in the future. There are connections all over, nationwide, where you can run into GU fans."

NO. 6 SEED IOWA HAWKEYES FRIDAY PRACTICE QUOTES

Head Coach Lisa Bluder
Opening Statement:
"We're just obviously thrilled to be here. The NCAA tournament is the dream of every player to be able to participate in this event and we're certainly very, very excited to be here. We know we got a very tough challenge playing Gonzaga on their home floor and not only because of that but because they are great team. This is a team that I think most teams that have played against them would argue they are an 11 seed. We know they are much better than that so we know we have our work cut out for us."

"We're a long ways from home. We don't have many fans that could make it here. I think the selection committee got Idaho and Iowa mixed up but hopefully we'll get that straightened out before we leave here."

On flying to Spokane to play Gonzaga on its home court:
"We're glad to be in the NCAA tournament but we certainly understand how tough its going to be playing on anybodys home court is much more difficult than playing on a neutral court. I think you can ask 320 (NCAA) Division I coaches, they will give you the same answer so no we'd rather be playing on a neutral court but at the same time Gonzaga has been great host. (Spokane) is a beautiful city. We're always glad to be expose our players to different environments and different communities. We're going to enjoy this one as best as we can."

On their style of play whether its defense or a lot of zone:
"We mix things up a little bit. We like to play both."

On Gonzaga and Courtney Vandersloot:
"We played some good point guards. Samantha Prahalis from Ohio State is considered one of the better point guards in the country but I would have to say is I think Courtney is the best that I've seen thus far. Watching her on film, I'm sure she'll live up to everything in person but I think she is the best point guard that we've seen this far this season."

"They're so fast. I watch film and they're chasing off the sweeper girls off the other end within transition."

On possibly sending a player to defensive back and whether its been done before:
"We've played Penn State who is an extremely quick team and Ohio State who can push the ball very well so we've faced it before and we've done it before. It is not something that is totally unusual to us."

Senior Guard Kachine Alexander
On the matchup with Gonzaga and Courtney Vandersloot:
"I think it's a good matchup for us. They pretty much start like four guards. Their four is pretty like a guard and our four is kind of like a guard so I think it will be a good matchup for us. We like to get our and run and they're really good at transition."

"Courtney Vandersloot is a great point guard. It's going to be a fun matchup for me. She is leading in assists and she runs their team so it's going to be a good matchup and my teammates are going to be there to help out."

On coming to the west coast:
"It's kind of like last year when we came to the west coast. It's always fun because we don't get to come on this side of the country very often. We usually stay in the midwest or sometimes go to the east coast but it's really fun to come out this way when you get to see new cities. For me, I've never been to Washington so it's fun to come to a new city and it's just a great time out here."

On whether the game will be decided by defense or offense:
"I would say defense. You got to slow down Gonzaga. They are a very good transition team and I think it's really going to come down to that half court and who's better in the half court. Coach Bluders and all of our coaches separately stress that is getting back in transition and kind of making it that type of game. We want to get out and run too so it's going to be a fast pace game but you got to stay under control as well."

Sophomore Forward Jaime Printy
On playing Gonzaga and Courtney Vandersloot:
"They have a lot of guard play and they like to get out and run but we like to get out and run too. Kach (Kachine Alexander) is excited to guard (Courtney Vandersloot) and we'll definitely have her back."

On coming to the west coast:
"I think the the experience last year in heading out to Stanford and what we did out there will help us a lot this year because we have almost everyone back from our team last year."

On whether the game will be based on offense or defense:
"I always think the big thing for us is our defense always triggers our offense so if we can get our defense going our offense will definitely come." 

NO. 6 SEED IOWA HAWKEYES LOCKERROOM QUOTES

Sophomore Center Morgan Johnson
On what she sees with Gonzaga:
"They are a really up-tempo team. They like to push the ball. They do everything they can to work the transition and our main thing is to take that away from them."

On how to defend Gonzaga:
"You know we just need to be faster, more aggressive and then settle them in to a half court. That would be good for us I think."

On any advantages Iowa has:
"They're a little bit shorter. I think their tallest player is about 6'2," so yeah we definitely have a couple with 2-3 inches on it so it will be good."

On playing at Gonzaga's McCarthey Athletic Center:
"We just take the silence as a good thing. We have to really feed off that. The negatives of their crowd makes that our positive. We're really excited to quiteing the crowd out here."

Junior Guard Kamille Whalin
On Gonzaga and how to defend them:
"I think it's important for us to get two people back in transition. Their point guard is the key to their transition so we have to make sure that we try to pick her up and slow her down a little bit before she hits the paint."

On Gonzaga's Courtney Vandersloot:
"She's the type of player that one person just can't handle the entire game. She's a high-energy player. She can run-run for 40 minutes if she has to. We just have to make sure that all five people are helping out."

On Kashine Alexander versus Courtney Vandersloot:
"I think it's going to be an exciting matchup. Kash is a defensive minded player. It's going to be a good matchup watching those two go head-to-head."

On playing at Gonzaga's McCarthey Athletic Center:
"They're going to come out with high energy ready to go so we have to match that."

On playing in a similar environment to last season:
"Last year was a key experience for us because we went far away from home and played Stanford on their home court. I think we will know what the environment will be like and it's a similar type of gym so I think that will definitely play to our advantage."