Weekly Teleconference

COACH SUMMITT ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA IN WEEKLY TELECONFERENCE

Coach Summitt addresses upcoming games against Texas and Temple.

Nov. 24, 2004

Lady Vol Head Coach Pat Summitt

Recapping the opening three games, including last night's win over George Washington as well as upcoming contests against Texas, Temple and Duke

"I think our opening game at Chattanooga was a good one in terms of the intensity that we brought, particularly on the defensive end. I thought our defense and our board play stood out above the rest of our game. Offensively, we capitalized on turnovers and rebounding to get our transition game going. I thought we were stagnant against the zone early, but picked up our pace, but all-in-all we did some good things.

"Against N.C. State, I didn't think we brought the intensity, which greatly affected our tempo in transition and forced us to generate our offense in the half court game, particularly in the first half. We found a way to win against a team I think might surprise a lot of people due to their inside game as well as their speed and their quickness, which was obviously stronger than that of Chattanooga.

"Last night against George Washington I thought we did a lot of good things. I felt we handled the change of defenses they presented us, and I felt that offensively we got into a much better rhythm. We got to sub and take a look at our young post people. As we head to Texas, I felt that would be very important.

"After looking at their Georgia tape, as you talk transition offense, Texas is one of the best with transition in the country, and I think they rely heavily on their defense and board play to create easy opportunities in transition. I know from our last three outings with them that's where I felt they had the advantage was from baseline-to-baseline and just getting up and down the floor and getting quick looks. But in the half court game with the play of Tiffany Jackson, they certainly have an anchor inside, because she has established herself as a great go-to player. Heather Schreiber and Jackson are a tough twosome to defend on the front line, so it's definitely going to be a real challenge for our team. We have to understand that we have to take care of the basketball and have to be able to play 94 feet. I can envision a track meet against Texas.

"Temple...I'm obviously excited to start this series, but I haven't had a chance to look ahead to them and don't intend to. Dawn Staley has been a great player and has done a great job of building the program there at Temple, so we look forward to the beginning of the series. And of course we have an opportunity early on to play against a team of the talent and experience of Duke. So obviously we have a lot to prepare for, but we need to keep our focus on just one game at a time."

On the development of freshman Alexis Hornbuckle:

"You have to speak to Alexis' size at the guard spot and her skill in being a very confident handler of the ball. She has a great change of speed and has both a lot of savvy and a great change-up that allows her to be a tough player to defend in transition. She gets her head up and sees people, and she has an ability to break down the defense both in the full and half court game. Alexis has been a joy to coach because she works really hard every day. She sees the game very well, and as a big guard she can get to the glass to score or rebound. She has a terrific nose for the ball. I'm excited for what she's already brought to the court for us, but her future and upside are just tremendous."

"I really think Alexis is a player that has played a lot against the guys. She's been in the gym playing against those guys and has had to learn how to be successful against bigger players and those who can match or more than match her athleticism. That's why I think she does have a lot of savvy to her game because she's had to figure out in her mind how to be successful with her game in that situation."

Commenting on a different offensive philosophy at Texas this season:

"Obviously Texas spreads you out. They have the look of a four-out, one-in. The question is, `can you guard Tiffany Jackson one-on-one or even Heather Schreiber one-on-one?' and it's going to take a player and a half. Their spacing allows them to get a lot of good looks inside. They are a team that's always been very committed in playing off the dribble. Certainly, the spacing allows them to put the ball on the floor and create more opportunities for themselves. They make their teammates better off penetration. I think our biggest challenge will be the tempo. Tye Fluker is in a starting role and is going to have to get up and down the floor. That to me will be one of our biggest concerns going into this game...our transition defense."

On the ability of Hornbuckle to expose a weakness in Texas' defense:

"Based on the game against Texas last year, it was obvious that they broke our perimeter defense down time and time again. Their dribble penetration really took us out of the game, because we didn't do a very good job against that. I think we have to be a team that can contain the dribble and a team that knows, if we break down, we have to have early help. Nina Norman had her way with us, and Jamie Carey was outstanding. We didn't have an answer for them, or at least we didn't provide an answer throughout the game."

On moving the Texas game from mid-December to Thanksgiving night:

"When I looked at moving the game, I said there was no way we needed to do it because we would need rest and preparation time, but at the same time I thought, what a great window of opportunity for this game and for these two programs. We obviously have had a great rivalry that has extended over the years and been one of the best in the women's game. We are all clearly excited about playing them."

On playing four games in seven days and what the team's plans are for Thanksgiving:

"We are just traveling today, and we are not doing anything related to basketball. Tonight, we'll have Thanksgiving dinner as a team and as a staff. It's not ideal, and I'd love to have been able to have a practice, but I just felt like we're going to need our legs. Obviously, when we play Texas we understand we have to get up and down (the floor), and we'll just go through an hour of preparation and scouting tomorrow. I told them I don't want them watching any tapes today, and I want it to be a day off."

On the rivalry between Texas and Tennessee:

"Texas is certainly a program that has withstood the test of time. Jody (Conradt) has been the one constant in the program, and when we started playing against Texas we had a lot of catching up to do. We learned a lot of lessons early on going up against their defensive pressure. They've always been known as an aggressive, passionate defensive team and a team that generates a lot of opportunities from their defense. We were on the receiving end of the pressure and had some ugly games when we started playing them. They taught us some lessons on how you play this game. We've had a lot of great games, and they've had the upper hand on us in the last three games, so clearly the respect for Texas is there. As a coach, I admire the consistency Jody has been able to maintain."

On a possible rivalry between herself and Coach Conradt:

"I don't think it's about coaches and the number of wins. For me, it's about the team I'm coaching now and trying to help them as they go through the season and getting them ready for an opponent like Texas."

On Shanna Zolman's play this season:

"Shanna is a more confident player and is much better without the basketball. Her play without the ball sets her up to catch and shoot a little quicker. She's reading defenses better without the ball. Secondly, she's more aggressive putting the ball on the floor. Last year, she wasn't as creative off the dribble. She's done a great job in transition not settling for a pull-up, but creating and getting to the basket and getting the ball to her teammates. Defensively, I'm really pleased with her one-on-one defense. Obviously, she's not the quickest player on the team, but her commitment to play good position has allowed her to be very effective."

On the play of Nicky Anosike:

"She just outworks people. She's outworked a lot of her teammates already as a freshman. Every day she just comes in and brings intensity - she's passionate about the game. I like the fact that she is aggressive, because I think she generates a lot of intensity and emotional play and makes everyone else's intensity better. She loves to play on the defensive end."

On the freshmen pushing the veterans:

"You can look at it either way. Tye'sha Fluker is probably running a little faster since Anosike got on campus. I think that's good to have players from within your own team to motivate other players. You hope you don't need that, but it certainly hasn't hurt us. I think our chemistry has been good and they (the players) appreciate the fact that we have more depth at every position."

On the playing rotation versus George Washington:

"I wanted to get Sybil Dosty in the game. Of course, she's been out of practices and I didn't play her against N.C. State because of the time and situation we were in, and I thought Anosike was playing very well for us. I also felt that I wanted to divide the minutes and give the starters a little less playing time, and when Fluker got into foul trouble that took care of the inside game. I really feel that this team can go nine deep - 10 deep if we rotate three post people, which I'll probably do a little more as we move forward and as we determine what Dosty is going to bring as opposed to Anosike. I think there are going to be times when we'll need that type of rotation, and Texas may be one of them just depending on the tempo of the game."