Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU NCAA Selection Show Quotes
March 16, 2015 | Cowgirl Basketball
OSU Head Coach Jim Littell
On being in the NCAA Tournament
"I'm just excited to be in the tournament. Anytime that you can get to the NCAA Tournament, that's what you work for in the offseason and during the summer. We got off to such a rocky start and I'm proud of our kids for hanging in there. When we got off to a 2-6 start, there was some doubt, but the kids hung in there. We got better as the season progressed. We got strong and I'm proud of what they have accomplished."
On OSU's third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance
"I think that shows there has been some consistency in the program and that we have raised the bar. A few years back we were thrilled that we got in the WNIT and won the WNIT championship. After that we talked about raising the bar and getting into the NCAA Tournament, we did that. We lost to Duke in the second round and then went to the Sweet 16 last year. We want to continue to try and raise the bar here and be a perennial NCAA team every year."
On playing Florida Gulf Coast
"They're a great team. They are very hard to guard. It is a difficult matchup, they'll play a five-guard system and spread the floor and drive. It's an unconventional lineup. It'll be tough for us, it's a tough guard for us. They are very unconventional the way they play, but very efficient, very effective and a very well-coached team."
Liz Donohoe
On the game being in Florida and the number of fans Florida Gulf Coast will have
"I'm sure they will have plenty of fans. But we played on the road well before and we played well in the tournament. If we prepare and execute well I think we will be just fine."
On the emotions of her last tournament appearance
"It's still as exciting as it was two years ago and it's sad that it's the last one I'll be participating in as a player. But I think we are looking forward to it and it's going to be exciting."
On fighting through adversity this year
"We fought through adversity and that's always good going into a tournament. We played well at times too and that will help us when we do face adversity during the game, which we will. And we know we can fight and overcome that."
Brittney Martin
On facing Florida Gulf Coast again
"They are hard to guard, but at least we know what they are about and we know what they do because we played them once before. I'm excited."
On the emergence of Roddricka Patton
"She just bring everybody up. She brings that energy to our team that we have been looking for and that no one else can really bring. I think she kind of gets the crowd going and she gets everybody involved. I think that's really what has changed us and our energy has been different since she has become our point guard. And that's something we needed."
Roshunda Johnson
On wishing for a warm weather location
"We actually all prayed to play in Florida to be honest."
On not having Tiffany Bias this time around
"I think it's still going to be an aggressive game. It probably will come down to the wire, but we are still going to play hard. I mean we have decent players. We have Roddricka, who lifts up the whole crowd and she basically brings all the energy to the team and she gets everybody going. When Brittney Martin gets going it's pretty hard stopping her. Shaq (LaShawn Jones) is just a force on both offense and defense. Then Liz can just shoot the ball. I mean it will be a pretty good game."
On the feeling of the team
"I don't think we feel different, but the way we have been practicing I think that we have a good feeling about this tournament and i think that we can go really far."
Roddricka Patton
On being part of the selection show watch party for the first time
"It was amazing. Of course, it was a blessing from God. But it was really exciting going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time."
On Coach Littell praising her play
"It means a lot. It means that he respects me a lot and it means a lot to me that he said that."
On the transition of coming from junior college to now watching the selection show hoping to get in the tournament
"Coming from playing a lot of minutes and then coming from sitting on the bench a lot was tough. I just had to get my mind right and tell myself to do something about because you can't be sitting on the bench anymore."
