March 19, 2011

Recap |  Box Score

March 19, 2011

Marist Coach Quotes
Iowa State vs. Marist
March 19, 2011 • Cameron Indoor Stadium • Durham, N.C.

Marist Head Coach Brian Giorgis

Opening Statement:
"This was just a tremendous win for Marist College and our program. Iowa State is a very talented basketball team. This was the team that I saw in our Vegas tournament, where everybody stepped up and played well. We only had seven turnovers, we had balanced scoring, and we went through our conference relying on one person, but today it was a total team effort. It was just a tremendous effort for our players."

On Kate Oliver's performance:
"Kate would be the prime example of a person that played the way that she needed to play on the biggest stage. She has been a little inconsistent at times, but she takes and makes good shots; and she seems to step up to any challenge that we have. She stepped up and guarded a kid from our conference that was the leading scorer and rebounder earlier in the year, and she ended up outscoring and rebounding her twice. That's the kind of effort that she put in today." On any concerns going in to Monday night's game:
"There are always areas that we need to improve on. We will see who wins today, and I assume that Duke will win, but we don't know that much about them. We have done our scouting, and if Duke wins then will we will get ready and come up with a game plan, and go into the game fast and loose. We've worn a target on our back for the last 20 games because everybody in our conference wants to beat us, so it's nice to have that target off our backs. We came out and played like we did in Vegas and we played to win, not to lose. It's great to watch our kids execute the game plan like we drew up. I don't know if we were the most talented team on the floor today, but we sure played like it." On the effectiveness of their defense:
"We have two guards in Erica Allenspach and Elise Caron that enjoy guarding the other team's best perimeter shooters. Once Erica knew what her job was today, she played well. We weren't too worried about the guard play of anyone on the team and inside Brandy [Gang] does well for us. They had a lot of size on us, we go 6-4, 6-2 but they go 6-7, 6-4. It was fun to try to match up against the different people, and our bench has done well all year. They didn't get as many minutes as usual today, but when they came in they did really well for us." On how the team plays more as a team this year:
"I think the biggest thing is that we don't go into the post one out of every two possessions like in previous seasons. Iowa State probably got the tape of our conference tournament when Erica played lights out, so they were focused on not letting her beat them today. She just does so many other things rather than scoring, like get five assists and no turnovers. She made that huge play in the second half where she stole the outlet pass and we got a layup out of it, and that's just vintage Erica. She only took eight shots, but she still was efficient. She did great defensively, and that's what our team is about .We got great play from our bench today, and that's just what we are. If we play Duke or Tennessee Martin, we're going to win as a team, or lose as a team." Sophomore Kate Oliver's
On her performance:
"Hopefully I can come out on Monday and have an equally good performance." On possibly facing Duke in Monday's game and what to expect:
"It's definitely going to be a challenge, that's for sure. I mean, we can really come out as good as we can. We have to prepare ourselves as best we can. Hopefully just get in their way a little bit, know their tendencies, be able to stop it a little. I mean, we can only do as best as we can on the day. We'll see." On what the team did defensively to stop the post players:
"Well mostly we knew that we had to keep them off the boards, with their size especially. But we knew they were going to be very physical and really get after the rebound. So that was defiantly our main focus. But also knowing what they were going to be doing on the floor, because they're great inside scorers. We knew that they were either going to be going for a baby hook over us or a turn around jumper, so just preparing to know what they were going to do. On importance of making shots to end Iowa State runs:
"I think it was crucial. I think if we had given them any more leeway, that would have just given them the confidence to really come at us even harder if that's possible. I mean they gave it a great run towards the end there. But it was definitely crucial to hit those shots."

Senior Erica Allenspach
On their performance in the first half:
"Well everything [was going right] at that point when we got up by 20. But we knew the game wasn't over. But we needed that run I think for our confidence and we finally got off to a good start. We talked about we just needed to make shots. If we were going to lose the game it was because we beat ourselves and we didn't make shots. Everyone stepped up. Leanne [Ockenden] came off the bench and made two big threes. We were just playing with confidence at that point in time. Everything was working."

On the team's three-point shooting in the first half:
"Not since we had Jules [Julianne Viani] I think [have we shot that well]. But I think we beat them with their own game. We would probably expect them to go 8-for-17 from the three the way they shoot the ball. But we were just making shots. We were confident. Elise and Brandy both I think made big threes to open the game, especially Brandy. But we were just taking the shots they were giving us, and like I said, we were confident."

On her defensive performance:
"I think she was definitely the toughest person I've guarded in four years. She was very physical coming off a lot of screens. I just knew I had to stay on her hip. Coach Giorgis gave us a good preparation to check the two-dribble pull up both ways. So as soon as she put that ball down the second time I was right there hoping to get a tip on the ball or just a hand up in her face. But she's a great player. She's 6-1 that was tough to guard as it is. I had great help. The guards were switching and the posts were giving good hedges, so I was just trying to stay with her as much as possible."

On this win compared to winning a tournament game her freshman year:
"Just the same I think. You get that first one, you try to match that feeling, but there's nothing like the first one. But to get Kate and the rest of the freshmen, sophomores and juniors their first win, I think it feels unbelievable."

On her team still being able to score when she was shut down:
"I think that's why we're as good as we are because we area team. I think we go deeper than most teams in the country. We go four or five deep and we never let down when we go to our bench. Coach in his pre-game speech, this morning I think, I'll go with this morning, he said that we were going to need four or five scorers because we're going to have to make shots to beat them. When we beat DePaul we had to score points. When we beat Louisville we had to score points. I think everyone just stepped up."