Nov. 6, 2002
Coach Bernadette Mattox
On the upcoming season…
“We’re looking forward to this season. Coming out of the SEC Media Day in Birmingham, I think our conference is going to be the toughest it’s been since I’ve been coach here at Kentucky. Our kids are very excited right now about where we are as a team. Our newcomers are really coming on and understanding our system. We’re very excited about the possibilities this season.”
On the point guard position…
“I think with our newcomers, Racquel Ellis and Danyelle Payne, both of them are really vying for that starting spot. The way I see it, I have two really good point guards. Each brings a different aspect to our team when they’re on the floor. I’m looking for those two to come on and really help us at a spot where we’ve had some problems the last couple of years.”
On Rita Adams moving from the point guard to the shooting guard…
“Rita gets to move back to her natural position. She’ll give us more points now because she can get out on the break quicker and score in transition. Having played the point position for two years has made her a better ball-handler and passer. With her jump shot, I think she will move her game to another level this season at the two-spot.”
On Sara Potts returning after an injury last season…
“Sara is playing absolutely great in practice. I would say she is definitely the most improved from last year. I’m looking forward to what she can bring to our basketball team. She’s a three-point shooter, she’s 6-0, so she can post up smaller guards. Her play on the perimeter should really open up the middle for our post players.”
On the post players…
“Keiko Tate has really looked good in practice thus far. Last year she came in with a lot of skills, but needed to add muscle. She’s worked hard in the off-season and has come in playing some good basketball. I think our improved perimeter play will help SeSe Helm in the middle. She won’t have to face so many double-teams, so that will help her game tremendously.”
On the incoming freshmen class…
“We add a very talented freshmen class. Jenny Pfeiffer can literally knock it down from the outside. She has been a nice surprise for us. We don’t drop off at all when we put her in the game. We’re excited about the shooting touch that she gives us. Jennifer Humphrey is 6-3 and I think she’s going to surprise a lot of people. She blocks shots, alters shots, can put the ball on the floor and is very versatile. She has a charisma on the floor that most freshmen don’t have.”
On the change with this year’s team…
“This class has had a chance to grow and mature. The maturity level of the players on this year’s team is what I’m excited about. They work hard and get after it. If they keep working and progressing, we’re going to have a very exciting year.”
On the improved outside shooting…
“Perimeter shooting was a real problem for us last year. I think the additions we’ve made have greatly helped that aspect of our game. Sara Potts and Jenny Pfeiffer especially help us as shooters. Rita Adams has the ability to knock down the outside shot. When you add Danyelle Payne at the point guard, we’ve got the possibility of having three outstanding shooters on the floor at the same time.”
On the strength of schedule being rated the fifth-most difficult in the nation…
“That’s the luck of the draw for us. The SEC is so tough that it makes our schedule that difficult. The strength of schedule goes back to us playing each other inside the conference. Four of the top-10 teams in the country are from the SEC, so that makes for a difficult schedule.”
On judging progress based on more than the record…
“You have to judge progress a little differently. You have to evaluate if the players are developing. You can’t judge it solely on wins and losses even though we want to win. We’re going to play the best we’re capable of and fight to win as many games as we can.”
On what fans will see this year that they haven’t seen before…
“We’re a more mature team, a stronger team and a deeper team. Our outside shooting is going to be much improved, giving us a much more balanced attack. They’ll see a more energized team. They’ll see more leadership, which is coming from more than just one or two players.”
On the overall play of SeSe Helm…
“She’s an All-American who should have an outstanding year this season because of our improved outside shooting. She won’t see as many double-teams. Her scoring should go up, but more importantly our team will be much more balanced. She can put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket now.
UK PLAYERS
SeSe Helm – Center
On the team’s expectations going into the season…
“Our expectations are to win, the same as everyone. That’s been our focus from day one.”
On the addition of the outside shooting…
“I’m excited about it. We have Jennifer Pfeiffer, a freshman and Sara Potts is healthy. We have Rita Adams, Danyelle Payne, Racquel, and Kristen Grassi. They are all outside shooters which will spread the defense out and give the post one-on-one, which is what we love.”
On how the outside shooting will help her game…
“I think it’s going to make our team better, period. We’ll get more three-point shots and more domination in the paint. It’s just going to make our team better all the way around.”
On what’s different about SeSe Helm this year…
“More determination. I’m never going to give up and we have a team that’s united.”
On playing in the SEC…
“We’re playing in the best conference in the country. Being in this conference makes you not only better on the floor, but off the floor because you have so many challenges. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
On the strength of the schedule…
“We always have a tough schedule. I guess you could say we’re use to it. My freshman year I came in not expecting to play that much. We know what it takes to win now and that’s what we’re looking forward to doing.”
Rita Adams – Guard
On staying in Lexington this summer…
“A few of us stayed close this summer and we learned a lot about each other. We got to play together and see players do things we might not have known they were capable of before. We were able to really push each other to get better and work toward our goals.”
On the upcoming season…
“I think this year will be a lot of fun. This being my last year, I’m really looking forward to doing everything I can to help this team win. That’s what we all want — to win. We’ve got some newcomers this year that should help us — they can shoot the “three” or play in the post. And our returning players have gotten better and stronger. We’re just going to go out and do everything in our power to win games.”
Racquel Ellis – Guard
On playing the point…
“I have so many shooters around me. I have to know when to pass and when to shoot. I can shoot the ball, but I have to know when to take advantage of that opportunity.”
On her confidence in her shot…
“I have confidence in my shot. It’ll help because if they pack in on defense, and I start to make my shots, they’ll loosen up on the post and I’ll just go back in there.”
On why she left East Tennessee …
“I just got a little home sick. That’s about it. I had fun and started, but I just got home sick. Plus I felt like I could play at a higher level.”
On how the outside shooting will help the team…
“We’ve got Sara Potts back from her foot injury. We’ve got (Jenny) Pfeiffer, the freshman, and we have Rita (Adams) who can move back to the two-spot, which she dominated last season. She also can drive which will open up the post and allow people to make their shots.”
On being closer to home…
“It just means I’m closer to my family and they’ll be able to come see me play, which is important to me. I’m really comfortable here with the players and the environment. UK is a great school and we have a great coach.”
Jennifer Pfeiffer – Guard
On her strengths as a player…
“”I love to shoot the ball. I’m definitely a shooter. My shooting is probably my strength, but I’ve also worked on other aspects of the game to raise my level of play.”
On who she looks up to on the team…
“I look up to everybody on the team. They’re older than me and more experienced than I am. Everybody that was here when I came on my official visit, I looked up to them all. These are my future sisters, my family and I look to them for guidance and everything else that goes along with the roles that they play.”
On the attitude of the team…
“It’s very positive. We know that we’ve worked very hard this summer, especially since August. We are looking forward to the season, we know what goals we want to reach and we think we have a good shot at it this year.”
Jennifer Humphrey – Forward/Center
On the adjustment from high school to college…
“It’s very exciting. It’s harder than high school but the adjustment has been good because I came this summer and was able to get used to what we were going to do. It’s been a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to playing in the SEC. It will be challenging.”
On how she is treated by the returning players…
“They’ve taken me under their wing. They’ve taught me a lot of things I didn’t know which has helped me improve my game. I feel like I’ve known them a lot longer than I actually have. They’ve accepted me well.”
Sara Potts – Forward
On the maturity of the team…
“You can tell a difference in the way we’ve been practicing lately. A lot of the girls have been working hard over the summer. Mentally, we’ve all toughened up. The losses last year might have contributed to that. Every time you lose it makes you want to win more.”
On what she’s excited about this year…
“I’m excited that I’m healthy and that I can help our team out more. This team is really focused on winning games. We know more about what it takes to win this year.”
