March 18, 2007

Head coach Rick Insell

(Opening Statement): [Marist has] got a good program, they've done a good job. They're real fundamental. They're like some of the teams in our conference. They take care of the basketball, of course, I think they're No. 1 in the country there. They're going to present some challenges to us that other teams haven't. We're excited about being in this situation and we'll get a chance to play for going to the Sweet 16, and that's what we came here for.

(On playing Marist in the second round): Well, being a second-year Division I coach, I'm just past the rookie stage, but being in the game for 30 years, you really don't worry about who you play. In our situation, our coaching staff had been scouting both teams and we knew Marist had a good team and we had seen film on them. We had watched Ohio State several times this year and had talked about them in practice. But it was a great game to watch. Both teams really played hard. They were playing to get to the next round and Marist happened to have the better game last night and very deservingly won the game and I was happy for them. And I was sad for Jim [Foster, the Ohio State coach]. Jim's been a friend of mine and I was sad for him, but I was happy for Marist. Not that we wanted to play them any more than Ohio State, because our attitude and philosophy is that we really don't care who we play and I think our young ladies have shown that. We played Maryland, we played Tennessee, we played Old Dominion and Georgia and Minnesota. You don't go picking and choosing, you just go out and play because we're Middle Tennessee and that's our philosophy.

(On Marist's ball-handling skills): They've got three good guards that take care of the basketball, initiate offense and get their big people involved. It's going to be a challenge, but we've got some great teams in our conference who've got good guards. Our conference prepared us for this team. And our pre-conference schedule with the guards that Maryland and Tennessee and Georgia have got - not that they're better than Marist, but it's prepared us for this game.

(On any expectations of Marist's defense): What they do is pretty good. They beat one of the better teams in the country last night. They are well coached and they respond to their coaching and they don't give in and they don't give up. They're kind of like our team, and I was really impressed with the way they played last night, I really was. And I was really impressed with their coach, also. He did a great job changing things and keeping the staff involved and the team involved with what was going on on the floor.

MTSU guard Chrissy Givens

(On the opportunity to play for a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history): Everything that's happened has been a great opportunity for us in our senior year. I like to call this season a year of firsts, we broke a lot of records this year, and I feel really good that we're going to break this one too and get the opportunity to play in the Sweet 16.

(On Marist's ball-handling vs. the MTSU press): All season long, coach keeps telling us that once you've met that first challenge, it's a little easier to meet the next one and the next one. And we look at this as a BIG challenge. Their taking care of the ball versus our aggressive defense. We've met [challenges] thus far, and we don't see anything stopping us from meeting this one.

MTSU forward Krystle Horton

(On the opportunity to play for a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history): I feel the same way as Chrissy does. This has been a history year for us and I feel like this is a great opportunity for us to go ahead and step up to the next level and then keep it going to the next level.

(On Marist's ball-handling vs. the MTSU press): We've pressed all year long and I feel like this game will be like no other. I think this is the first team we've played where their turnover margin is [this] good. I think that it will be challenge for us and them also.