St. John's University Athletics
Selection Monday Quotes (March 14, 2011)
3/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 14, 2011
Head Coach Kim Barnes Arico
On making it to the NCAA Tournament:
"Well we're just excited to have the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament. It's the greatest tournament in America and we feel privileged to be one of the top teams in the country and to be playing. Texas Tech is going to be an incredibly difficult matchup. They're a Big XII program that really had a tremendous year this year. That's going to be a tough game and if we have the opportunity to be fortunate enough to move on then we'll look further ahead to Stanford. We'll take that as it comes though."
On her thoughts all day leading up to the selection show:
"I was a little nervous and uneasy but I think you never really feel comfortable. I tried to keep as busy as possible all day. I did a couple of errands to try and keep really busy and not think about it but of course in the back of your mind you have these thoughts that you might not get in but I thought our resume was strong and we play in the best conference in the country in the BIG EAST. I felt pretty confident that we would be selected into the NCAA Tournament."
On getting St. John's women's basketball to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years for the first time since 1983-84:
"It's a tremendous accomplishment. I think that is phenomenal for the players and this program. It says a lot about the consistency. The hardest thing as a coach is to get that level of consistency year in and year out. I'm incredibly proud of what our young ladies have been able to accomplish. They deserve this honor and that is tremendous."
On how crucial defeating West Virginia in the BIG EAST Tournament was for the team:
"We really finished the season well. We had some good things going by beating Georgetown and Rutgers at home, but then it was really tough going down to West Virginia in a must-win game for them. Those couple days leading up to the BIG EAST Tournament really gave us an opportunity to prepare for them again. When we have a chance to do that our kids can get really focused and do a tremendous job. We did an outstanding job in that West Virginia game. We were able to pull out that win and I think that kind of sealed it for us in terms of making the NCAA Tournament."
Senior Guard Sky Lindsay
On going to her second NCAA Tournament:
"It's definitely exciting to make it to the NCAA's for another year. I'm so proud of my team. It's a great year for St. John's. We're going to go out there, play hard and try and make it as far as we can."
On her day leading up to the selection show:
"Actually my heart is still beating fast. I am so excited because it's my senior year and we're going to California. I've never been there before so it's a great site to play at. Earlier today, we had a the men's pep rally. All day today it has been an exciting day for St. John's."
On getting St. John's women's basketball to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years for the first time since 1983-84:
"St. John's has come so far since my freshman year. We made it last year, and now my senior year; but not my first two years. We've come so far from when I first came to the university. I'm so proud of how far we've gone and St. John's has a great future. After I graduate, in the years to come, this program is definitely here and here to stay. I'm just so happy for St. John's and we're doing great."
On how crucial defeating West Virginia in the BIG EAST Tournament was for the team:
"We definitely knew not to take this for granted. We know that it is tough to get into the NCAAs. Everyone is trying to get in and we weren't sure if there was going to be nine or ten BIG EAST teams in the NCAA Tournament and they only picked nine ... that big game against West Virginia helped us a lot. God was with us and our fans were with us. I'm happy everything worked out as well as it did."
Senior Forward Centhya "Coco" Hart
On making it to the NCAA Tournament:
"I'm happy and I'm excited that we've made it two years in a row. I feel like we're going to make a good run in the NCAA Tournament ... overall I'm excited."
On whether making the NCAA Tournament last year made it less nervous to watch the selection show:
"I was still nervous. I'm still excited because I didn't know what to expect. We could get upset or we could upset somebody and make a run in the NCAA Tournament so you never know."
On winning games down the stretch to help their chances of making the NCAA Tournament:
"I feel that the team realized that we were falling back on our success from last year. I feel that the games in January were a wakeup call. We really wanted to come back to the NCAA Tournament and those games woke us up and we really turned it up a notch. To win against West Virginia was a big win for us. Since I've been here we've never beat them so to beat them was the greatest win ever for me. It really woke us up and showed us what our team was really about."
On getting St. John's women's basketball to the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years for the first time since 1983-84:
"To graduate is great to me and I'm excited about that. To come back to the NCAA Tournament two years in a row is great. After all the things me and Sky have been through just makes me so happy for Sky and myself as well because we put a lot of work in. We have seen different teams with different styles of play and we're comfortable now with our teammates and I hope we do well in the NCAA Tournament."
Sophomore Guard Shenneika Smith
On making it to the NCAA Tournament:
"I'm excited and just glad we made it there. It's the first time in a long time that we've gone back-to-back to the NCAA Tournament ... We're just going to go out and play hard. We're going to `California!"
On her emotions leading up to the selection show:
"I was just sitting there waiting. A couple of names were called and after a few BIG EAST teams made it I was thinking "whew, that's about six of them already," so I was nervous but when our name was called I was really excited."
On being two-for-two in going to the NCAA Tournament at St. John's:
"I just think we go out and play every night. We try to tough it out and win every game that we can. Being two-for-two is great. Coco [Hart] has been here for four years and she's two-for-four and that's a good record too. I'm just happy for them and to see this program get back. We sent Joy [McCorvey] and Kelly [McManmon] out last year with a bang and now we get to send Sky and Coco."
On having a late season surge to put the team in a position to make the NCAA Tournament:
"We just thought about getting to the big dance and what we had to do to get there. Beating West Virginia was very important for us not only for the NCAA Tournament, but because we lost to them earlier that same week so getting a win against them was a big deal for us. We can't have a team beat us twice in the same week. Our focus was to go out there and beat them so knowing that we had to beat them to get to the tournament was added motivation."
On whether making the NCAA Tournament last year will help the team this year:
"It definitely will. We got a chance to see what it was like last year so this year we want to take another step to the Sweet 16. We lost in the second round last year so this year we really want to play hard. We have some veterans that already know what to do and will help the freshmen and help us too. Sky and Coco keep our heads together because they are the heart and soul of this team."
