UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME QUOTES
NO. 15 KENTUCKY VS. ALABAMA
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6
MEMORIAL COLISEUM – LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
KENTUCKY HEAD COACH MATTHEW MITCHELL
Opening statement…
“Well, just a huge victory for us tonight. So proud of the team, total team effort, needed everybody to show up and play really, really hard. We made a ton of mistakes in the game but found a way to win and just so proud on a night where it was tough – Alabama was tough. They played really hard and we played hard and we’re just really happy to win, so excited for our players tonight, they worked hard to earn this one.”
On if this was team’s best overall performance since Rhyne Howard’s injury…
“Well, we had to do it together and with your back against the wall after a really lack luster performance Sunday and so easy for doubt to creep in on you and just a really tough Alabama team, I think it’s an amazing effort for us to bounce back from just that terrible disappointment of Sunday, and they found a way and they came back energized on Tuesday and Wednesday, worked hard, had a good session today and found a way. It was hanging in the balance there so many times and we just found a way to get it done.”
On how important it is for team to learned to win without Rhyne…
“It’s – the games still count no matter who is playing and their important games and we’re trying to be the best team we can be and so I think we’re learning a lot during this time. I think you’re seeing a lot of players step up and give some tremendous performances where – the last time we played this team, she had 43 and we didn’t win going away. I mean this was going to be a difficult game for us and so for us to find a way to gut it out tonight and just did a tremendous job on the defensive end and critical moments, got some key turnovers and able to convert those into points. I thought that was important. Made our free throws tonight when it really counted. Very, very important, so real proud of the team to try to keep getting better as we await Rhyne’s return, but we got to keep fighting and playing until she does get back.”
On his thoughts on the team’s effort tonight …
“Much better. We had a good opening to the game from a rebounding perspective so, again, we were outrebounded five, but we were +11 on turnover margins. So, if you’re just competitive on the board and then count turnover margins, it’s a good spot and just came out with some energy on the offensive glass tonight, really proud of that and a much better performance but we worked hard at it. We’ve had some tough practices and we’re not the kind of team that can lack focus and energy and effort on the rebounding area and so I thought we played with a lot more energy tonight.”
On Alabama’s disruptions of big shots to stay in the game …
“We had some good moments on defense, and I thought Alabama had a really good game. I thought they played tough. We were able to get a couple of eight-point leads there that I thought where maybe we were going to build on and kind of get some separation, but they just made some tough, tough shots. They have to be proud of that. Seventeen turnovers to our six and then 21 points for us off the turnovers is just the name of the game. Helps us so much when we’re missing our leading scorer when Alabama played really tough defense and we didn’t shoot the ball that great tonight, but we were able to manufacture some offense from hustle on defense and that’s a great development.”
On Sabrina Haines’ late defensive play…
“That was a huge play for her. A lot of her big moments have been some three pointers, she made some tonight, but that was a huge defensive play. She got in there and just made a crucial point in the game. She was able to get in there and it was definitely in the balance. Any kind of little edge you can get coming down the stretch is important and that was a great play and I’m so proud of her for making that play on defense.”
On KeKe McKinney’s defensive presence…
“She was a great presence. Five blocks, incredible timing, incredible tenacity, just staying after it. They were big plays because their kids were in there and in range to make some layups. Every play in this kind of game where it was so close and the margin for error is so thin, were big plays.”
On the upcoming game against Arkansas…
“They’re a very explosive team. They can put up points and they can put a team out there that can score at all five positions and they really put a lot of stress on your defense so it will be a tough one to get ready for and I’m sure they have a great crowd and they have a very good team this year so it will be a big challenge.”
On Rhyne Howard’s recovery process…
“She had a good week in the cast, so the cast came off and things looked good so no set back during that week. So, we’re on track for the mid-February return. The last week was an important week in the cast to see if the pinky lined up well and was healing well, so really good update from the cast coming off. Now she is in a splint and that’s what she will be progressing back to playing in. So now it is a matter of if you can catch, can you get some movement and get going. So very positive update and no set back, so we feel like we are on track and we’re much closer. It is still kind of a moving target. It depends on how she responds this week and she’s very anxious and motivated to get back.”
KENTUCKY STUDENT-ATHLETES
#1 Sabrina Haines, G, R-Sr.
On her turnaround performance from last game against Florida…
“I think it was huge, not only for my team but for my personal confidence. When you’re in foul trouble, it is hard to get in a rhythm. I talked to my coach, both Coach (Kyra) Elzy and Coach (Matthew) Mitchell, about how I can avoid those situations, so I really tried to apply those and luckily I was able to stay out of foul trouble this game.”
On your clutch performance down the stretch…
“Well, I didn’t know I was going to hit the ball. To be honest, my hands were just there and so if she would have ripped it and got past me, she would have just blown past me. Luckily, I tipped it and then I see both their players in my peripheral vision with everything in them to try and catch up to me and I was starting to freak out, then I just hit the layup and it went in, so, thank God.”
On the intensity of practices…
“They are no piece of cake, let me tell you that. We all have bought into the philosophy – exactly what Chasity (Patterson) said, we have to focus on ourselves and the fact that they want practices to be harder than the games, and I think that has really helped us to be honest. The fact that we’re able to just get in and go. It really helps us get better this week we really focused on rebounding and just got out-rebounded really badly by Florida. We really hit it hard and continue to hit it hard, so that’s what’s going to make us better.”
On playing 38 minutes, and could you play 40…
“Whatever the team needs, whatever Coach Mitchell needs me to do I got you.”
On the focus getting closer to the postseason…
“It just makes us remember that every game is key. Every single game no matter who you are playing, no matter what the ranking in the conference is, anyone can beat anyone because this is the SEC. We just have to take it one game at a time, one day at a time, and the fact that when we do that and work on ourselves and are able to get these key wins, that is what is going to set us up for success.”
On their Adamstown warm-up shirts and their meaning to the team…
“I think Jaida (Roper) really covered it all. Black History Month is just huge and the fact we are able to wear Adamstown across our chest is just huge for Kentucky, but just huge for us personally and especially being women of color, the fact we have just so many opportunities today is just amazing and we continue to fight battles to this day. Just the fact that we are able to learn from both our ancestors and these people who were so brave in the past is just amazing and the fact we are able to honor them is amazing.”
#32 Jaida Roper, G, Sr.
On their Adamstown warm-up shirts and their meaning to the team…
“It just holds great value to us. We take the responsibility of following that path and those people, they paved the way for us and we are real thankful for them. Thankful for everything they have done for us to be able to be in the position that we are, we take it to our chins. It’s our responsibility to keep pushing forward. I think all of us have a strong connection with this month and these shirts and these names across the front of them.”
#15 Chasity Patterson, G, Jr.
On the importance of this game and future big SEC road games…
“It was definitely important to come back and bounce back. We got in the gym and we just focused on us. Every time we get down like that and we have a disappointing game like that we just always focus on ourselves and just try to move forward. We can’t dwell on it, we just all got in and focused on ourselves and pushed forward and we are just looking ahead at the next game, making sure that this day forward we just be ready. We can’t have days where we come in not ready to play and starting slow, so that’s what Coach Mitchell emphasizes every day, come on we have to go, cause we can’t get down in the first half and then try to come back is just too hard.”
On the big road test against Arkansas this weekend…
“Definitely. We got to have the mentality to just come in and focus in on us and just hitting first; punching first in their home. It’s going to be a big road game for us, just getting our game plan ready and battling It out.”
