Kentucky-Samford Postgame Quotes
Kentucky-Samford Postgame Press Conference
Clive M. Beck Center
Dec. 31, 2023
Head Coach Kyra Elzy
On Ajae Petty getting the fastest double-double of her career…
“We pound the ball into her. I told her one-on-one you got to shoot the ball, and you’re shooting 60% from the field. You don’t need to be a point guard. I don’t need you looking for anyone one-on-one. Turn and score if you miss the shot, go back, and get it you have the green light.”
On what the team learned in this last nonconference game…
“We learned a lot. We are resilient, and it’s been slower than what I want it, but we have made strides in getting better and that’s what you do. In the nonconference. You learn, you grow. We had to battle through adversity. So, all the things that you’re going to face in the SEC. We did it in the non-conference, and in the long run, it will pay off.”
On how the team handled Samford’s zone defense…
“Yeah, you know, Sanford has a very good team, and I thought our zone offense worked today. We got the flash today. We were able to use the X action. It does help when you can hit a couple of outside shots. But I thought our ball movement early is what we needed.”
On Brooklynn Miles upping her performance…
“So proud. I gave her a shout-out in the locker room. I thought her intensity defensively was exactly what we needed her vocal leadership she just passed on the ball. But also, I thought she adjusted to how they were playing her early in the season. When they weren’t guarding her, she would just stand today we talked to her about cutting and we’ve been talking to her all nonconference and so to see her cut, make layups make plays, and be aggressive, and that’s what we’re gonna need from her.”
On Brooklynn Miles and Maddie Scherr not becoming second and third scorers until the second half…
“You know, I thought we started rebounding and running so they were able to space the floor. I thought Maddie passed up some shots early. Just trying to feel her way off the ball screen. I thought she was open. But you know, I want her to have a field on the floor. Take it when she feels good. And not, but I thought she was more aggressive in the second half of shooting the ball off the ball screen.”
On the team’s efforts giving Samford a hard time rebounding…
“Yes, I like that. That means we tried to attempt to box someone out. We like that. So, we’ve been talking about that. So that was definitely good. Also want to give Emma King a shout-out even though you know, if you just look at the stat sheet, you’re like, oh, six points, but I thought she made some big plays. That doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. And so that’s what I’m trying to preach to this team. It does not matter who gets the credit. We just have to be able to make plays.”
Player Quotes
#13, Ajae Petty, Sr., Forward
On what was said in the locker room at halftime …
“Just not to come out flat and just continuing to play hard. The last two practices we had we did really well with our defensive intensity. Everyone was up playing defense so what we said we were trying to come back out and do.”
On Brooklynn Miles’s leadership …
“I mean we all look to her as a leader. We all have respect for one another so like if we are saying something to each other on the court, it may sometimes come off sassy a little bit, but we all know we just want the best for one another.”
On the slick pass to Brooklynn Miles on the baseline and reversing roles…
“It was fun. When we sat on the bench, I was like yeah BK that’s what I like when you do. Just cut and I will look for you. She always looking for me and always making sure I’m getting the ball, so when I saw her, I was like yeah, I’m gonna give her the ball.”
#0, Brooklynn Miles, Jr., Guard
On off-ball defense preparation…
“Well yeah, we’ve been working on it all week in practice. We work on it all the time just being in the right spot at the right time cause those things matter. As you can see. I was getting posted up by a big and Emma King ran over and got the steal. That’s what we work on that’s what we are supposed to do so it’s paying off.”
On the environment at Transylvania and communication on the floor…
“Definitely like as the season goes on and as we learn from one another, we learn how we can talk to each other because certain people take certain things different ways, and you know we try to respect that so it’s getting way better as the season goes on.”
On what change allowed the offense to be more dynamic in the second half …
“Our defense honestly. Our defensive intensity that’s what does it usually every time we go on those runs like that. Our defense turns into offense I say that all the time.”
