St. John's University Athletics
POSTGAME QUOTES: St. John's Women's Basketball vs. No. 19/20 Marquette
St. John’s Head Coach Joe Tartamella, guard Unique Drake and guard Skye Owen talk to the media after St. John’s 57-56 win against Marquette
St. John’s Head Coach Joe Tartamella
Opening statement…
“Terrific game. I thought it was ugly, but that’s how we have to play. So proud of our group for coming back from a difficult game out of Creighton who is very good just like Marquette is. I really thought the resilience we showed through the game – I liked the pace early, felt good about where we were at half and coming out in the third we were able to withstand the tide a little bit they made their run. The way that we closed, the stops we had to get, the plays we had to make. I told these guys I couldn’t be prouder of them. We have been building, we are getting better, still have a long way to go and we are going to celebrate tonight then we have to get ready for a team that has been playing as good as they have played all year in Providence on the road. But man, what a game. So proud of Unique [Drake] and to watch her have this type of game and this type of moment and what she’s been building to for five years has been pretty special. Skye’s [Owen] has been a big part of what we have been doing and we need her to continue to do that…What a game for us to be able to win against a great opponent and someone who has been playing really well.”
On playing with a seven-woman rotation…
“Jalilah Donald and Skye [Owen] are getting more minutes. Phoenix [Gedeon] is becoming a player we thought she could become in certain ways, she had a big putback today. She makes mistakes and I get mad at her but she’s fighting and she’s playing. I think we are more connected as a group and that is what’s showing. I hope this validates for our team that they can win. I tell them that anyone can beat anyone at this point. You look at the scores, you look at the teams [in the BIG EAST] it is all over the place outside of UConn blitzing everyone at this point and certainly they’ve gotten some people back that they didn’t have last year. You look around the league and you look around the country and you have gotta be ready to play. We felt like being at home we had a chance tonight to have a great opportunity and I’m glad we seized it and didn’t let it slip away.”
On the contributions across his team…
“To be able to look at this and Skye [Owen] and Jalilah [Donald] play 20 minutes each, it puts us in a good spot. Jill [Archer] had a tough night, you know she’s banged up and she’s playing through it but she creates a lot of things that don’t show up on [the stats sheet], but we need Ber’Nayh [Mayo] and Tara [Daye]. Tara did exactly what I’ve been asking her to do for a while where she was able to get that ball in the lane and make a play using her athleticism. Ber’Nayh made a move that I thought was terrific for her to finish and Jaliah was strong and played tough. That’s what we saw from these kids and hopefully, it can springboard us to continue to play the way we need to and show up to practice with a mentality that every play matters and everything that we do is important. We’ve gotten there certainly a little longer than I thought it would take us but we’re getting there. When you can have the way Unique [Drake] played and you know what you can get from Jill, but when those guys step up, it helps big time and that’s what you need especially in our league over the course of however many games you’re going to play in a season.”
On what the win means for his team…
“I’m not going to downplay the fact that it is a really big win, just for our group more so than anything. For the bigger picture, it matters obviously, but just for our group in general and that locker room for them to feel that. The guys that had it last year know what it feels like and the new players now feel that, putting validity into what we are trying to preach every day and that it works. It's huge, you get a ranked team on your home floor, how many times do you get that? Not a lot. For us to be able to seize the opportunity is huge.”
Redshirt Senior Guard Unique Drake
On taking over games this season…
“During the game, it’s about staying resilient and knowing we had to get stops. In the huddles, we were just telling each other to stops and stay together that’s the main goal. As for the season, my coaches trust me and my teammates trust me so just being the player that they need to be has gotten me to where I need to be.”
On her shots to go ahead towards the end of the game…
“Honestly, I just knew I had to make a play for my team. So, if I got the space I just put it up and it went in the basket.”
Sophomore Guard Skye Owen
On her offensive game tonight …
“I feel like I was looking to knock down open shots, but also set up my teammates tonight. I feel like that’s what I did.”
On what has changed from the start of the season…
“I feel like there hasn’t been a change. We still have the same energy when we go into practice each day and we are coming together as a team finally and starting to gel more.”
Opening statement…
“Terrific game. I thought it was ugly, but that’s how we have to play. So proud of our group for coming back from a difficult game out of Creighton who is very good just like Marquette is. I really thought the resilience we showed through the game – I liked the pace early, felt good about where we were at half and coming out in the third we were able to withstand the tide a little bit they made their run. The way that we closed, the stops we had to get, the plays we had to make. I told these guys I couldn’t be prouder of them. We have been building, we are getting better, still have a long way to go and we are going to celebrate tonight then we have to get ready for a team that has been playing as good as they have played all year in Providence on the road. But man, what a game. So proud of Unique [Drake] and to watch her have this type of game and this type of moment and what she’s been building to for five years has been pretty special. Skye’s [Owen] has been a big part of what we have been doing and we need her to continue to do that…What a game for us to be able to win against a great opponent and someone who has been playing really well.”
On playing with a seven-woman rotation…
“Jalilah Donald and Skye [Owen] are getting more minutes. Phoenix [Gedeon] is becoming a player we thought she could become in certain ways, she had a big putback today. She makes mistakes and I get mad at her but she’s fighting and she’s playing. I think we are more connected as a group and that is what’s showing. I hope this validates for our team that they can win. I tell them that anyone can beat anyone at this point. You look at the scores, you look at the teams [in the BIG EAST] it is all over the place outside of UConn blitzing everyone at this point and certainly they’ve gotten some people back that they didn’t have last year. You look around the league and you look around the country and you have gotta be ready to play. We felt like being at home we had a chance tonight to have a great opportunity and I’m glad we seized it and didn’t let it slip away.”
On the contributions across his team…
“To be able to look at this and Skye [Owen] and Jalilah [Donald] play 20 minutes each, it puts us in a good spot. Jill [Archer] had a tough night, you know she’s banged up and she’s playing through it but she creates a lot of things that don’t show up on [the stats sheet], but we need Ber’Nayh [Mayo] and Tara [Daye]. Tara did exactly what I’ve been asking her to do for a while where she was able to get that ball in the lane and make a play using her athleticism. Ber’Nayh made a move that I thought was terrific for her to finish and Jaliah was strong and played tough. That’s what we saw from these kids and hopefully, it can springboard us to continue to play the way we need to and show up to practice with a mentality that every play matters and everything that we do is important. We’ve gotten there certainly a little longer than I thought it would take us but we’re getting there. When you can have the way Unique [Drake] played and you know what you can get from Jill, but when those guys step up, it helps big time and that’s what you need especially in our league over the course of however many games you’re going to play in a season.”
On what the win means for his team…
“I’m not going to downplay the fact that it is a really big win, just for our group more so than anything. For the bigger picture, it matters obviously, but just for our group in general and that locker room for them to feel that. The guys that had it last year know what it feels like and the new players now feel that, putting validity into what we are trying to preach every day and that it works. It's huge, you get a ranked team on your home floor, how many times do you get that? Not a lot. For us to be able to seize the opportunity is huge.”
Redshirt Senior Guard Unique Drake
On taking over games this season…
“During the game, it’s about staying resilient and knowing we had to get stops. In the huddles, we were just telling each other to stops and stay together that’s the main goal. As for the season, my coaches trust me and my teammates trust me so just being the player that they need to be has gotten me to where I need to be.”
On her shots to go ahead towards the end of the game…
“Honestly, I just knew I had to make a play for my team. So, if I got the space I just put it up and it went in the basket.”
Sophomore Guard Skye Owen
On her offensive game tonight …
“I feel like I was looking to knock down open shots, but also set up my teammates tonight. I feel like that’s what I did.”
On what has changed from the start of the season…
“I feel like there hasn’t been a change. We still have the same energy when we go into practice each day and we are coming together as a team finally and starting to gel more.”