St. John's University Athletics
Postgame Quotes: No. 2 Connecticut 70, St. John's 54
1/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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Jan. 4, 2015
Head coach Joe Tartamella
Opening Statement:
"I was very happy with our effort, especially in the first half. We did a great job of executing some of the things we were trying to do against a tremendous team with some great players. It's always fun to get a chance to play against Connecticut and get the opportunity to go up against one of the top teams in the country. Our players were ready for that opportunity. We did our best to make them score in ways that they previously hadn't, but it was very hard. I thought our kids fought real hard throughout the entire game so I'm very proud from that standpoint. We were relentless on both ends of the court and that's what we've been talking about doing all year. I thought we showed that to the country today."
On trying to stop UConn All-American Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis:
"We did our best to try and limit her. I thought Danaejah [Grant], for the first time having that task, did a nice job for us. She's just very difficult. She can post up and she has a good savvy to her. She was one of the biggest keys to the game and we tried to limit her as best we could."
On the Red Storm taking part in the Maggie Dixon Classic:
"It's exciting when you look and see how far the game has come. I've been given an opportunity as a head coach because of all those who started this movement and build this game before me. Watching our players out there and the joy that they get from playing is a special thing. This was a good crowd out there today from the times that we've come here for this event. It was a great day to celebrate women's basketball and I'm glad that we were able to be competitive and play a great game. Hopefully people enjoy what we did out there."
Junior guard Danaejah Grant
On playing at Madison Square Garden:
"It means a lot. As they say, it's "The World's Most Famous Arena." Just to be able to watch the NBA players and our men's team play on this floor, and then be able come out here and compete is a tremendous opportunity."
Junior guard Aliyyah Handford
On UConn's run early in the second half:
"I think they capitalized on our turnovers. We also helped them by coming down and shooting after one pass. That's what they wanted us to do and it helped them get on a run."
