Feb. 10, 2008

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Q: You guys got within one, what was the difference down the stretch?
A: (Kristi) Smith got free, she made the little free throw pull-up. And then we turned the ball over I think three times in the last three minutes of the game. We didn't get a shot attempt, and that hurt us, to not even get a shot attempt. The turnovers hurt us.

Q:Coach Bluder talked a lot about her team being in some tight ball games. How much does experience factor in a game like that down the stretch?
A: It's big but we have been in close games, a lot of close games this year and pulled them out, especially at home. So, we're just missing right now. We have to figure out what it is. Well, I do know actually what it is. We just got to get it on the court.

Q:To follow that up, you said you know what is missing. What is that?
A: Well early in the season, we were successful when we had four people in double digits. Lately we have had two, or maybe three. But, we need four people in double figures for us offensively. We're not getting that. We have to figure out how to make that happen.

Q:What's the reason for that?
A: Honestly, we've got some people with some nagging injuries. We are not able to take and give what they were able to give before. But at the same time at this part of the season, everybody has nagging injuries. I think us being a little bit less than full strength and our inexperience off the bench is kind of catching up with us right now. Even earlier in the season when we were pulling out close games, I think we had a small margin of error. When you don't have some of your go to players at full strength, it's tough. I hate to say that because I still think we should be able to do the things we need to do. We just haven't been getting it done.

Q:What do you think contributed to the poor start in the game and how did you like the way that your team fought back?
A: I'm not sure. I thought the team was pretty fired up coming out in warm-ups and what not. But I think we missed a lot of easy shots early that I think got us a little down. But honestly, Iowa came out and they were hot. They hit some tough shots early on. Once they cooled off and we were able to get some rebounds and run, then I think we kind of got into the style or the tempo of the game that we wanted it to be.

Q:Iowa committed 15 turnovers, you only had 14 points off from them. Is there any thought of maybe you guys going in too hard to the basket on your transition game?
A: I don't think so. We had good shot attempts. We got a lot of lay-ups in transition that we did not convert. And those are baskets that we have converted at earlier times this year. I don't feel like we weren't intelligent in our transition game. Honestly, I thought we could have run more. If we would have had more people running, now we have a chance at an offensive rebound.

Q:You called timeout on that possession with eight seconds on the shot clock, and you got a violation. Do you think it was just a mistake where you forgot about the clock?
A: I don't think we forgot the clock. We took too long getting into it. We just needed to get the ball and get into the offense. I think we took three or four seconds. That was a big possession. We could have at least got a shot attempt and offensive rebound, but not good execution today.

Opening Statement
"I thought we came in here and set the tone early. We shot the ball extremely well to start the game. Johanna Solverson, I think, really took the initiative early in the game with some great pull-up jump shots. I am more happy with the way we responded to their runs. We responded well to the crowd noise. In pressure situations, like when we were up one and Johanna Solverson with the shot clock running down hits the baseline three-pointer to put us up four. That was a huge shot for us. Also Kristi Smith, she has 10 points in the last four minutes or something like that. She hits her free throws. She has a nice pull-up jumper. We took care of the ball the last eight minutes of the game. I am just happy the way we responded in what was a pressure situation."

Q: Is Kristi Smith the type of player who relishes situations like that at the end of a ball game?
A: "I think a lot of our players do. We have been in a lot of close games this year that we have come out on top of. When that happens to you, it just builds so much confidence for the next time that happens to you. When the game is on the line, I want the ball in Kristi Smith's hands. She is comfortable with it. She is either going to get to the free throw line or she is going to score. She can score off a three or she can score off penetration. She has good quickness. She is just a great player. Johanna Solverson, too, she just wants to respond in those situations as well."

Q: How big was the pull-up Kristi Smith hit off the out of bounds play to give you a three-point lead late after Penn State's three-point play?
A: "After the three-pointer by O'Rourke, the crowd got into that, and it made it a close game. Again, Minnesota, we win by two in overtime; Illinois we win by two; Michigan was a close game that we won by five. I just think that our team really didn't panic. It was a one-point lead for us with about three minutes to go, and we just said that one point is all it takes to win a game. And at that point, I think our team got pretty loose and we extended the lead."

Q: What is your general assessment of where Penn State is right now?
A: "I am really not sure where they are in the conference landscape right now. I am not sure what the remainder of their schedule is like, whether it is home or away favorable. But, for a team that has lost four in a row, I thought they played their hearts out. That is hard to do. When you have lost four in a row, and you lost on your home floor to Wisconsin, and to come out and play with energy like they did, I thought was outstanding. I might see a team that came here with a tail between their legs, but that was not the case."

Q: What is it about your team that makes you so good in close games?
A: "Well, we have a player that has been around for six years. I think that experience helps a lot. Johanna Solverson is a sixth-year senior after sitting out two years with an ACL injury. She is a mature player. She has seen a lot of basketball. Even though Kristi Smith is a junior, she has been a starter since her freshman year. We have five seniors on this basketball team. Again, I think the experience really pays off in those types of pressure situations. They have seen a lot of basketball."

Q: What kind of luxury is it for you to be able to run so many different players into the game?
A: "We felt that at the beginning of the year that our bench was going to be a strength. Tonight we out-scored Penn State 16-2 off the bench. That is a great margin. Even when we had our two posts get into foul trouble early on, we had JoAnn Hamlin step in and play the five position for us. We feel like we have the luxury of being deep. There is one thing about being deep, but we have people that can come in and contribute. I think that can wear on teams down the stretch often times because of that."