University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Post-Game Quotes
11/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
POST GAME QUOTESHEET
Pitt 59, Seton Hall 51
November 4, 2011
Petersen Events Center
Quoting Pitt Head Coach Agnus Berenato
Opening statement:
“It was really great to see my team come out and take the court. Congratulations to Debra Walker. I’m really proud that we were able to have a guest coach who was able to represent our administration. I also want to mention our honorary captain, Maggie Elder. Talk about inspiration. Everything is day by day with Maggie, but her spirit was up. She was excited and fired up, and I think that that is something we can do besides win the ball game."
On the team’s overall play:
"I was really proud of the team because we were down for a great majority of the game. There were 12 lead changes and six ties and with a very young team you don’t know how they are going to respond especially when the team is made up of all freshmen and sophomores. I thought Marquel (Davis) really stepped up and got really critical steals. She turned up her defense and was able to score on the offensive end. We asked to girls to be aggressive, and Marquel helped start that and she attacked the basket. I wasn’t happy that we were settling for the jump shot. We were settling for the jumper and nobody was going in for rebounds, and I felt like every time we took a jumper from the three point line, Seton Hill would come down and convert it. We have a lot of work to do, but complements to Seton Hill for coming in prepared. Obviously, it was really bittersweet for me. It was extremely emotional when I saw see my daughter get a rebound that was breaking our back. There is no love lost when it comes to competition, but I thought that Seton Hill really stepped up to the plate and gave us a great game. It was really nice to give this young team an experience on the court with the fans and the band and I’m just really proud of them at this point.”
On where her rotation stands for Hampton Game:
“We have eight days left to practice so anything can change before our next game. We haven’t had the time to play with each other, so the more we get to play each other the more we’ll be able to see. The team doesn’t know the explosiveness that Marquel has, the coaches know. The team doesn’t know that Ashlee (Anderson) can turn it on at any time, the coaches know. The team doesn’t know what (Brianna) Kiesel is capable of, the coaches know because we’ve seen her and the other freshmen play in high school. The biggest thing I learned today was that these ladies stuck together, and we asked the team to turn it up a notch and go back to their defense and I thought in the second half we really created a lot of opportunities and force a lot of turnovers. We were able to score 23 points from offensive turnovers, and that started with Keisel and Marquel’s steals.
I feel like we could have scored more, but we turned the ball over and I think some of those turnovers are going to happen when you have such a young team. The freshmen mistakes are going to happen, but unless are players make these mistakes, they aren’t going to know not to do it. It’s called experience and the only way you get experience it to keep playing together. I will say that I am a lot more confident on our outside shooting than what we showed tonight. We just need the opportunity to get into the main court and get some shots up. Overall, I was really happy that we were able to pull it out because for thirty six minutes we were losing the game. But it’s not about who’s losing for thirty six minutes, it’s about who’s winning in the last second.”
On the pressure the team applied defensively in the second half:
“We have really worked on our defense and we want to be known for our defense. We have a lot of work to do after tonight, but we have some quick twitch athletes and we think we are capable of more getting up on ball defense, one pass away, cut the cutter, etc. We want to have a defensive presence and this in turn will create our offense. This is what won us the game in the end.”
Quoting Marquel Davis, Sophomore Guard
On what lit the fire late in the second half:
“My teammates kept telling me to keep playing hard and to keep talking. Even when I came out of the game, I was sitting next to Loliya (Briggs) and she said ‘just attack the basket and get the team back together.’ I think the encouragement from my other teammates allowed me to come in and bring it hard, not settling for certain things, such as the jump shot.”
On early jitters, being the youngest team in the country, and learning during the game:
“I think we get a lot of jitters when we got down because Seton Hill was playing so well, but we were able to come together as a team and calm down. We were able to refocus our minds to get back into the game. We were able to stay together as a team. If anyone put their head down there was someone to say ‘keep your head up’. Compliments to Seton Hill because they definitely came out to play hard and it was a good opening to the season."
Quoting Brianna Kiesel, Freshman Guard
On the fast break in the second half that put the game out of reach:
“Yes I did (feel composed on that play). I saw both of my teammates running ahead, Marquel (Davis) on the right side and Ashlee (Anderson) on the left side, so I knew if I was going to drive and kick it would be an easy layup and I had confidence in them that they were going to get the easy bucket.”
On early jitters, being the youngest team in the country, and learning during the game:
“Yes, I was nervous. I had a lot of jitters as it was my first real college game. I think my teammates really helped me get through the game. There were a couple times that I was in a lull, didn’t really know, but my teammates kept me going. I really appreciate the team pulling out this win for us. Although, Seton Hill did give us a run for our money and I really think they played hard. We knew during scout that they were going to come out hard and I think we both played hard as opponents to each other.”
