St. John's University Athletics
MEDIA AVAILABILITY QUOTES: St. John's Heads to the NCAA Tournament
St. John’s Head Coach Joe Tartamella, redshirt senior guard Kadaja Bailey, graduate student forward Danielle Patterson and redshirt senior guard Jayla Everett spoke with the media in advance of the Red Storm’s NCAA Tournament First Four matchup against No. 11 seed Purdue
St. John’s Head Coach Joe Tartamella
Opening statement…
“I’m really proud of our group. I’ve been here for over 20 years, including 11 as a head coach, and there hasn’t been a group that I feel is more deserving than this one. I’m happy for them. They’ve worked extremely hard since the summer. We look forward to getting out to Ohio and playing against Purdue.”
On the wait before the selection announcement…
“It’s a bit agonizing, but at the end of the day, you have to be confident in what you did throughout the year. We had to have a couple of things go our way. I think when we look back at the year, there were a few important wins, but we didn’t have a bad loss. We felt pretty good. It was a tough week. It’s tough when you’re not sure.”
On the emotions after being selected…
“I was really happy for our group. Our staff has worked extremely hard. A lot of people had a hand in where we got to. For me, to see our name back up there was great. It’s been a difficult road over the past few years, so for these kids to do what they did was exciting.”
On the addition of Jayla Everett…
“Her ability to make an impact in one year is incredible. I hope I can recreate it. We knew that she talked about loving the game, and we were seeking players who love to play. She had a competitiveness that we needed to have back. She competed, not only against the person across from her, but also with her teammates, and that raised the level of play the moment she walked in the door. To do what she’s done over the course of the year, I can’t put a price tag on it. She’s so happy that she has this opportunity. She’s done a lot here that has proven to a number of people the type of player that she can be.”
On Kadaja Bailey playing in the NCAA Tournament in her final year…
“It means a lot, probably more than I can put into words. To have a kid who stayed for five years and believed in the program that helped build her and gave her a chance to get her degree which she’ll get in May. That will be the part that I will be prouder of than anything she’ll do over the next couple of weeks. For her to play in the NCAA Tournament, means a lot. For someone who has been loyal and had grown up here, it’s exciting to see her out there as her final chapter.”
On the matchup against Purdue…
“Every team is good at this point. They play in a competitive league. They have players that can really shoot it. I think they play more guard-oriented than big-oriented. It will be a great challenge, one we’ll be ready for. They’ve done a great job this year. They have a good point guard who has really high assist numbers. We have to be what we’ve been all year and do the things we’ve been doing. Every team is good now, so we have to show up and play. That will be our first test on Thursday.
Redshirt senior guard Kadaja Bailey
On the week leading up to the Selection Show…
“We still kept our heads high, stayed in the gym, and kept practicing just in case. We basically kept playing and stayed with each other. “
On the differences between this team compared to previous teams …
“I think that this year everyone is on the same page and that we all want the main thing which is to win and stay together.
On making her first NCAA Tournament appearance in her final season with the Red Storm…
“It feels great. I always wanted to go there as a freshman, and now that I am going there in my last year, it feels great.”
Graduate student guard Danielle Patterson
On returning to Big Ten country for the NCAA Tournament…
“To be able to go back and play Purdue again, it’s going to be nice to go back to the Big Ten and play a Big Ten team, I have experience playing them. Obviously, it’s with a new group of girls, and I love playing with this group and I think it’s going to be exciting.
On the mindset following the UConn win…
“We knew we had to continue taking care of business. We knew that was a huge game for us, and we all know that, but that’s the way we try to attack every game win, lose, or draw and that’s the way we will attack March.”
On what it means to her to be selected to the NCAA Tournament…
“I think that this is something that you dream of as a kid. Obviously, you always dream about making the tournament and seeing your name across the screen. That’s been the main thing about us this year, and that’s what we’ve been saying around the locker room. We are just going to try to get some wins.”
On the differences between last year’s team and this year…
“We have a great group of girls here. I think that that’s something that has changed. We all want the same thing for each other, we all want to win and have fun doing it. If we are on the right track and we are doing that and having fun, that’s when we see the most success.”
Redshirt senior guard Jayla Everett
On when she knew transferring to St. John’s was the right choice…
“Day one. Just being here with them every day, is a whole different ballgame. It’s a whole different dynamic. I am around people that genuinely care about me and I genuinely care about them. It’s bigger than basketball to be here.”
On the First Four match-up against Purdue…
“I think it's going to be a great challenge. It’s March. You can’t underestimate anybody, just like they can’t underestimate us. They are a very good team, with nice shooters As long as we stay locked in, we are going to be okay and it’s going to be a great game.”
Opening statement…
“I’m really proud of our group. I’ve been here for over 20 years, including 11 as a head coach, and there hasn’t been a group that I feel is more deserving than this one. I’m happy for them. They’ve worked extremely hard since the summer. We look forward to getting out to Ohio and playing against Purdue.”
On the wait before the selection announcement…
“It’s a bit agonizing, but at the end of the day, you have to be confident in what you did throughout the year. We had to have a couple of things go our way. I think when we look back at the year, there were a few important wins, but we didn’t have a bad loss. We felt pretty good. It was a tough week. It’s tough when you’re not sure.”
On the emotions after being selected…
“I was really happy for our group. Our staff has worked extremely hard. A lot of people had a hand in where we got to. For me, to see our name back up there was great. It’s been a difficult road over the past few years, so for these kids to do what they did was exciting.”
On the addition of Jayla Everett…
“Her ability to make an impact in one year is incredible. I hope I can recreate it. We knew that she talked about loving the game, and we were seeking players who love to play. She had a competitiveness that we needed to have back. She competed, not only against the person across from her, but also with her teammates, and that raised the level of play the moment she walked in the door. To do what she’s done over the course of the year, I can’t put a price tag on it. She’s so happy that she has this opportunity. She’s done a lot here that has proven to a number of people the type of player that she can be.”
On Kadaja Bailey playing in the NCAA Tournament in her final year…
“It means a lot, probably more than I can put into words. To have a kid who stayed for five years and believed in the program that helped build her and gave her a chance to get her degree which she’ll get in May. That will be the part that I will be prouder of than anything she’ll do over the next couple of weeks. For her to play in the NCAA Tournament, means a lot. For someone who has been loyal and had grown up here, it’s exciting to see her out there as her final chapter.”
On the matchup against Purdue…
“Every team is good at this point. They play in a competitive league. They have players that can really shoot it. I think they play more guard-oriented than big-oriented. It will be a great challenge, one we’ll be ready for. They’ve done a great job this year. They have a good point guard who has really high assist numbers. We have to be what we’ve been all year and do the things we’ve been doing. Every team is good now, so we have to show up and play. That will be our first test on Thursday.
Redshirt senior guard Kadaja Bailey
On the week leading up to the Selection Show…
“We still kept our heads high, stayed in the gym, and kept practicing just in case. We basically kept playing and stayed with each other. “
On the differences between this team compared to previous teams …
“I think that this year everyone is on the same page and that we all want the main thing which is to win and stay together.
On making her first NCAA Tournament appearance in her final season with the Red Storm…
“It feels great. I always wanted to go there as a freshman, and now that I am going there in my last year, it feels great.”
Graduate student guard Danielle Patterson
On returning to Big Ten country for the NCAA Tournament…
“To be able to go back and play Purdue again, it’s going to be nice to go back to the Big Ten and play a Big Ten team, I have experience playing them. Obviously, it’s with a new group of girls, and I love playing with this group and I think it’s going to be exciting.
On the mindset following the UConn win…
“We knew we had to continue taking care of business. We knew that was a huge game for us, and we all know that, but that’s the way we try to attack every game win, lose, or draw and that’s the way we will attack March.”
On what it means to her to be selected to the NCAA Tournament…
“I think that this is something that you dream of as a kid. Obviously, you always dream about making the tournament and seeing your name across the screen. That’s been the main thing about us this year, and that’s what we’ve been saying around the locker room. We are just going to try to get some wins.”
On the differences between last year’s team and this year…
“We have a great group of girls here. I think that that’s something that has changed. We all want the same thing for each other, we all want to win and have fun doing it. If we are on the right track and we are doing that and having fun, that’s when we see the most success.”
Redshirt senior guard Jayla Everett
On when she knew transferring to St. John’s was the right choice…
“Day one. Just being here with them every day, is a whole different ballgame. It’s a whole different dynamic. I am around people that genuinely care about me and I genuinely care about them. It’s bigger than basketball to be here.”
On the First Four match-up against Purdue…
“I think it's going to be a great challenge. It’s March. You can’t underestimate anybody, just like they can’t underestimate us. They are a very good team, with nice shooters As long as we stay locked in, we are going to be okay and it’s going to be a great game.”