St. John's University Athletics
POSTGAME QUOTES: ST. JOHN’S WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. NO. 1/1 UCONN
St. John’s Women’s Basketball Head Coach Joe Tartamella, junior guard Brooke Moore and sophomore forward Sa’Mya Wyatt spoke to the media after falling to UConn at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.
Head Coach Joe Tartamella
Opening statement…
"Just a great opportunity for not only these two young ladies, but our program in general and for our team. Obviously you're playing against a high-level opponent, and they're number one for a reason but I thought we had some moments in the game where there's some good takeaways and anytime you get a chance to play against the best, you get stressed in many areas and it allows you to continue to teach and try to continue to get better as a team. So, we've got to now button it up and get ready for the BIG EAST tournament this weekend. But yeah, just a great feel out there and the games I've been here, you know, in the 19 games we played, it's one of the better crowds we had in terms of filling the place and I know it was probably more pro-UConn than us, but at the same time, in terms of the exposure of the game, like I said, our administration and our university backing it and including the league as well. I think it's a big step for us.”
On the growth of women’s basketball in the city…
"I think there's always been an appetite for basketball, regardless, in the city and obviously within the state. But I think there's always been an appetite. You know, I think the women's game is growing tremendously, and you look at what's been going on and obviously what they've been doing in Brooklyn and obviously what the Liberty have done in terms of the success they've had in recent times. When you just look at women's basketball in general and the exposure it's getting. We played a game here last year, it wasn't even on TV. You know, I mean, how does that happen? So, I think the city embraces it, but I think there's a lot of basketball fans that embrace it.”
On the possibility of returning to the Garden…
“Yeah, I mean, look, I would push for whatever we can. I think obviously it's depending on where it would fall, and there are a lot of factors, but yeah, it would be great. But I also love playing in Carnesecca Arena, too. There's a different feel there as well when people are basically hanging from like the rafters in there last year to see Paige and all those guys. So yeah, I obviously will look at everything and hope that we can do it. The opponent will have to see what matches up. I hope the league can look at that and kind of get ahead of it and be able to put us in a position to do it and so, yeah, for sure. You know, I think it would be great.”
On the team’s resilience and reaching 20 wins…
"I think we've shown that, we've got to be able to show that for 40 minutes of games that we play. But no, I think even today, the first five minutes of the game against them are so important and we let it get away and you try to teach them and coach them up on it and you look at that first quarter and you're looking uphill. The only chance you have is you've got to try to not be able to fuel them and we were fueling them. So I think the resilience we've had shown, because you look at the games we've lost where we had to turn around, maybe in a difficult situation, whether it was a short turnaround or you're missing somebody, they've really found a way to kind of step up and shown a lot of growth from a lot of players that we have. Yeah, I like the core group that we have out there and I think hopefully that will pay dividends as we move into the Big East tournament and postseason."
Junior guard Brooke Moore...
On playing at Madison Square Garden…
“I feel like it’s a really great thing for our program. We were really excited going into it just to play at a very historic arena. So many great players have been through there and it was very surreal just playing on that court.”
On sinking two three-pointers at Madison Square Garden…
“It felt great, if I’m being honest. [UConn does] a good job of clogging up the paint, so it allowed me to spread the floor a little bit. It felt good knocking down those threes. I was smiling a little bit. My teammates did a good job finding me.”
Sophomore forward Sa’Mya Wyatt...
On her family being in attendance…
“It’s a blessing to have that support staff behind me. They’re the ones that I talk to every day and just to keep me up, keep me in the right mindset. I’m just happy to be able to see their face just coming from Atlanta.”
On how to guard Sarah Strong…
“I would say get up on her. Have her think a little bit, just not make it too easy.”
On preparing for UConn…
“I feel like every single time they’re on our schedule, we go into the game with a winning mentality and wanting to win and knowing and believing that we can win. They’re a great team, that’s no secret. So just coming in there, embracing the challenge and just playing together.”
UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma...
On playing at Madison Square Garden…
“I was explaining to them that some of the greatest moments in sports have happened in this building. Not just basketball. My first time here, I was almost late for tip-off. I was walking around the building looking at all the pictures and reading all the captions and trying to remember how old I was when that happened.”
Opening statement…
"Just a great opportunity for not only these two young ladies, but our program in general and for our team. Obviously you're playing against a high-level opponent, and they're number one for a reason but I thought we had some moments in the game where there's some good takeaways and anytime you get a chance to play against the best, you get stressed in many areas and it allows you to continue to teach and try to continue to get better as a team. So, we've got to now button it up and get ready for the BIG EAST tournament this weekend. But yeah, just a great feel out there and the games I've been here, you know, in the 19 games we played, it's one of the better crowds we had in terms of filling the place and I know it was probably more pro-UConn than us, but at the same time, in terms of the exposure of the game, like I said, our administration and our university backing it and including the league as well. I think it's a big step for us.”
On the growth of women’s basketball in the city…
"I think there's always been an appetite for basketball, regardless, in the city and obviously within the state. But I think there's always been an appetite. You know, I think the women's game is growing tremendously, and you look at what's been going on and obviously what they've been doing in Brooklyn and obviously what the Liberty have done in terms of the success they've had in recent times. When you just look at women's basketball in general and the exposure it's getting. We played a game here last year, it wasn't even on TV. You know, I mean, how does that happen? So, I think the city embraces it, but I think there's a lot of basketball fans that embrace it.”
On the possibility of returning to the Garden…
“Yeah, I mean, look, I would push for whatever we can. I think obviously it's depending on where it would fall, and there are a lot of factors, but yeah, it would be great. But I also love playing in Carnesecca Arena, too. There's a different feel there as well when people are basically hanging from like the rafters in there last year to see Paige and all those guys. So yeah, I obviously will look at everything and hope that we can do it. The opponent will have to see what matches up. I hope the league can look at that and kind of get ahead of it and be able to put us in a position to do it and so, yeah, for sure. You know, I think it would be great.”
On the team’s resilience and reaching 20 wins…
"I think we've shown that, we've got to be able to show that for 40 minutes of games that we play. But no, I think even today, the first five minutes of the game against them are so important and we let it get away and you try to teach them and coach them up on it and you look at that first quarter and you're looking uphill. The only chance you have is you've got to try to not be able to fuel them and we were fueling them. So I think the resilience we've had shown, because you look at the games we've lost where we had to turn around, maybe in a difficult situation, whether it was a short turnaround or you're missing somebody, they've really found a way to kind of step up and shown a lot of growth from a lot of players that we have. Yeah, I like the core group that we have out there and I think hopefully that will pay dividends as we move into the Big East tournament and postseason."
Junior guard Brooke Moore...
On playing at Madison Square Garden…
“I feel like it’s a really great thing for our program. We were really excited going into it just to play at a very historic arena. So many great players have been through there and it was very surreal just playing on that court.”
On sinking two three-pointers at Madison Square Garden…
“It felt great, if I’m being honest. [UConn does] a good job of clogging up the paint, so it allowed me to spread the floor a little bit. It felt good knocking down those threes. I was smiling a little bit. My teammates did a good job finding me.”
Sophomore forward Sa’Mya Wyatt...
On her family being in attendance…
“It’s a blessing to have that support staff behind me. They’re the ones that I talk to every day and just to keep me up, keep me in the right mindset. I’m just happy to be able to see their face just coming from Atlanta.”
On how to guard Sarah Strong…
“I would say get up on her. Have her think a little bit, just not make it too easy.”
On preparing for UConn…
“I feel like every single time they’re on our schedule, we go into the game with a winning mentality and wanting to win and knowing and believing that we can win. They’re a great team, that’s no secret. So just coming in there, embracing the challenge and just playing together.”
UConn Head Coach Geno Auriemma...
On playing at Madison Square Garden…
“I was explaining to them that some of the greatest moments in sports have happened in this building. Not just basketball. My first time here, I was almost late for tip-off. I was walking around the building looking at all the pictures and reading all the captions and trying to remember how old I was when that happened.”