Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU vs. UTA Postgame Quotes
November 10, 2013 | Cowgirl Basketball
Nov. 10, 2013
Head Coach Jim Littell
Opening statement
"We asked our team to take it a step up defensively after our last game, and I thought we did that. We played a lot harder. Our positioning on the floor was a lot better, and I'm pleased with the way we rebounded the ball. For the most part, we had an awareness of where their scorer was. We limited their three-point shots. We've been giving up a lot of three-point shots, so that was a big focus for us as well. I thought we did a lot of positive things. Twenty turnovers is something that we shouldn't have against a team of this caliber, and we're just missing open shots right now. We've got to get some young ladies to knock down shots. As far as execution goes, I don't have a problem. I think we're getting and taking good shots, it's just a matter of making them. I think we're very capable of scoring a lot more than we did tonight, but it just comes to putting the ball in the basket. We didn't do that real well tonight, but I'm happy with the overall effort, the step we took defensively, rebounding the ball and defending their shooters. We'll be a lot better when we start making some of those open shots."
On how Tiffany Bias has developed defensively
"We've told her to take some chances. You're going to miss some opportunities, but there's a lot more rewards. We've had her play the last two to three years at a real solid level, but we decided this year to make a conscious effort to get some run-throughs and some steals. If you overrun it sometimes, so be it. We will give up some of that, but I think it has led to a lot of breakaways. She has also been real coachable in that aspect."
On what the team will focus on in practice this week
"We're going to spend a lot of time shooting the ball and hope we get better shooting it. We're going to continue to work on what we do defensively, and we're going to add some things. We're really just going to continue to do the same things we do every day and try to get better. I thought for the first 10 to 12 minutes that we were really good, but then we substituted and kind of fell off."
On how he plans on handling the new foul rules for the rest of the year
"Again, I have no complaints. It was allowed to play a little bit more tonight, and I think it's going to be really imperative that teams, coaches and players understand the first five to six minutes of the game and how it's going to be called in order to adjust. I thought it was a lot tighter the other night, but tonight was still about the emphasis on doing the things they've been told to do. I thought for the most part that we adjusted a lot better than we did the other night. It's not about the officials, it's about us adjusting as a team from night to night."
Point Guard Tiffany Bias
On her 100th career start
“I didn't even think about it like that. Everyone keeps telling me that. It doesn't feel like 100 games. It flew by, freshman year until now and I'm just trying to figure out where my sophomore and junior year went.”
On the defense in the second half
“I think we just picked it up. We went into a drought for a second where we had a good start at the beginning and it's just getting our motor going after you come out and mixing up the groups. It's just one of those things we have to get use to with different girls coming in. I think we were fine after a while.”
On being on the same page as Kendra Suttles
“I look for her a lot. That's a 90 percent shot right there. That's what's so good about her and what's deadly. That post won't come out and check her that high so I try to get her on the break and especially on the trail. She's really good about reading the defense. I'm always looking for Kendra.”
On having six steals
“I think my motor was running a little faster than usual today at the start. I think just staying down, the coaches really harp about staying in gaps and being fundamentally sound so you'll get those easier run through. I think it just came to me. If you just stay in gaps, you'll steal will come.”
Center Kendra Suttles
On getting back into the starting lineup
“It felt good. It doesn't really faze me if I start or not. I just like to get in and help my team anyway that I can. I think it was good that Katelyn (Loecker) got in and was able to start for a little bit so she can get the feel of the offense and defense.”
On her three-point shot
“Any time I'm open I'll shoot it. I like to shoot the three. I really like to get in when I'm training and on the break and everyone is looking at Tiff running all over the place and I just try to get in there any way that I can to help her out.”
On picking up what is and isn't a foul in the post
“Coach Annan works in the post everyday about what isn't going to be a foul and what is going to be a foul. We've gotten really good at understanding how the rules are and what's going to be called. And Coach Easley yells at us every day that something is a foul, so we've gotten really good at picking up on what's not and what is going to be a foul.
