St. John's University Athletics
Post Game Quotes: St. John's 63, USF 51
1/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2008
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QUEENS, N.Y. - St. John's Red Storm
Head Coach Kim Barnes Arico
Opening Statement:
"I thought we played really well at times, but also played a little tight like what happened to us at UAB. We made some really big plays and made our free throws when we had to. We finished a little ugly, but it's a great win against a solid BIG EAST team."
On freshman forward Coco Hart:
"I knew she had nine rebounds at the half but didn't know until after the game that she finished with 18. She has been getting better and better and getting more minutes. She is only a freshman but she brings energy, intensity and keeps balls alive for us and that has been something that we were missing."
On Monique McLean closing out the game:
"She made some big plays tonight and that is a good step for her confidence. We have been in those positions before where we were unable to finish. She wanted the ball in her hands in the end and I think that is great."
Freshman forward Centhya Hart
On recording 18 rebounds in the game:
"Coach always wants the post players to go out and rebound instead of focusing on scoring. She wants us to go out and crash the boards. Today was that day. They told me after the game that I had 18."
On playing in the BIG EAST:
"It is exciting because the BIG EAST has so many good teams and when you hear about these teams you want to go out and show them that we are as good a team as they are."
Junior guard Monique McLean
On closing out the game:
"When I got the ball I felt like I needed to make something happen. We had designed plays for me at the end to come off screens, but it wasn't designed for me to go to the basket. I just made the shots they gave me."
On teammate Coco Hart:
"I didn't know she had 18 rebounds but I am not surprised. Coco is a rebounding machine. We have a long season ahead and she will probably average double digits in rebounds."
USF Bulls
Head Coach Jose Fernandez
Opening Statement:
"I think the only thing we brought with us was the warm weather tonight. We definitely did not play very inspired basketball. In the second half I thought for about a six or seven minute stretch we defended and were able to push the ball and get our post players involved. Besides that, we came out of the gate and were 0-for-7 from the field and they led wire to wire."
On the defensive pressure applied by St. John's:
"Our four post players in the first half were a combined 3-for-18 from the field. They didn't get doubled, St. John's sat behind the post, and they laid off the high post. We just missed a ton of shots in the paint."
On the overall play of St. John's:
"They do a good job. They don't turn the ball over. They have three perimeter kids who can create their own shot, get to the rim and shoot the three. That's what we told our team. St. John's is the No. 3 team in the league in shooting the ball from 3-point range. They have a young lady in Kia Wright who keeps the ball in her hand and she's a 90 percent free throw shooter. If there is a late clock, they can isolate her and if they are in the bonus, she's either going to get to the line or score. So you know you need to separate yourself from St. John's because if it's a close game and she has the ball in her hands, they'll be tough to defend."
On Sky Lindsay:
"Sky Lindsay is going to have a great career in the BIG EAST conference. We recruited her. She's a kid that can score in bunches. I think that she's going to be a very good basketball player at St. John's and is going to have a great career."
