March 16, 2007

NCAA Women's Basketball
Press Conference Quotes
Stanford University, March 16, 2007

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Head Coach Rick Insell:

Opening Statement:
"We're very happy to be here. It's been a long run, but we're excited. We're ready to get started."

On whether or not the loss to Utah last year began the fuel for this year: "We really hadn't talked a lot about that. We had a great shot. We were very close to pulling off a big upset. We took a little pride in the fact we were able to play with them. We have talked about the fact that we're a little closer than people may think we are of moving our program up another notch. We all know that these two young ladies here have had a lot of success at Middle Tennessee."

On what problems Gonzaga could give Middle Tennessee:
"They're got great posts, Bowman and Hawk. They pass the ball well, they are fundamentally sound, you know, they are very steady. They're much like us. They don't have a lot of turnovers. They know exactly what they want to do with the basketball as far as their offense is concerned. Also, defensively, their strategies have worked very well for them. They've only lost one game inside their conference and they played a tough non-conference schedule. They've got a good basketball team."

Krystle Horton:

On their previous NCAA Tournament experience and how it has prepared them this time around: "Just from our experience over the past three years, this year being our fourth, I feel like it helps us prepare for the game and helps us to lead our younger players, freshmen and sophomores. Just helping them and showing them the way; how things work going into the NCAA Tournament and showing them the leadership and focus that you have to have."

On this being their senior year and there being a sense of urgency to win:
"We take this game like any other. Knowing that it could be our last game, I think that we have that in the back of our mind, but we're not thinking oh, this could be our last game. We start playing this game, and every other game that we play like it's any other. If we're focused and we're just as prepared as all other games we've been as prepared for.

Chrissy Givens:

On their previous NCAA Tournament experience and how it has prepared them this time around:
"I would have to say that, because we've been here three times before, we know the atmosphere, we know all the hoopla and all the excitement around you, and because we know how to handle it and channel it, the younger girls don't see us being nervous. So they're like, ok, it's going to be alright. Like Krystle said, we have to show them that it's a game and we know what the tournament's going to be like, everybody's going to come out and do their best. All this experience is helping us give it to our younger girls and let them see us."

On this being their senior year and there being a sense of urgency to win:
"Yeah, it's in the back of our minds, but don't think about it. Just take care of Middle Tennessee and hopefully we'll have five or six games left. We're just going to go out there and no matter what, we're going to give everything we have inside of us. If we do that, then we'll come out victorious."

On whether or not they believe Middle Tennessee still has a lot more to prove:
"I feel there's still a lot of proving to go on. The brackets we are in are giving us another chance to go out and put Middle Tennessee up on the map. It's just funny the way things work themselves out, but it gives us a chance to show our conference can step up and represent for our conference. Step up for every school that didn't think it was possible for a mid-major to come up and do the things that we have done. I feel that this is a great opportunity for us as far as being in our senior year and being able to be a part of this. We're just going to go out and play."