UT Lady Vol Coach Pat Summitt answers questions about previous games and those next on the schedule
On performance against Texas...
"The Texas game was a really good road test for us. We worked in practice and placed a lot of emphasis on our transition defense and our board play. We were more aggressive physically and had tougher action, particularly in the paint. We had more finesse. It's so important for our front line people to be able to score for us and generate easy baskets. In the second half I thought we did a good job of that. I thought between Candace Parker, Nicky Anosike and Alex Fuller that a lot of good things happened inside. We played extremely well and made a lot of tough shots and big shots in that game. Overall our defense was much improved."
On school being finished for the semester...
"I know they are glad to be out of exams, sometimes it's tough to get them focused. With two games this week, they understand what they need to do. We had a great practice yesterday and that was something I was a little apprehensive about, but they took ownership and we had good leadership."
On the games this week against West Virginia and Old Dominion...
"West Virginia appears to be playing very well. Certainly within their starting five they've got balance on the offensive end. Defense becomes a top priority for us. It's a series we started primarily with Alexis Hornbuckle in mind so we could play them home-and-away before she graduates, so I'm excited she has this opportunity. We are playing an opponent that we're not the familiar with and it's always a challenge to play outside your conference, but we're excited about this series.
Old Dominion is always a team that is up to play us and we have a long-standing rivalry and match-up with them. These are two games that are important and we want to close out with wins before the holidays. We have to be ready to play in both of these games."
On the importance of going into the break with momentum...
"Well, we've been in situations many times where we've gone home for the holidays with a loss, it's tough and not any fun, I can tell you that. We want to continue to play better and to improve in each and every game. It's always good to be able to go on a break on a positive note and hopefully this team can do that."
On Sidney Spencer's development...
"When Sidney came here, she had a different physique; she was thin and unimposing physically. Mentally she was proud to be here, but she didn't have the confidence and the mindset of coming in and being a scorer for our team. She had to grow into that role. That is what has been great to watch. You watch players come in and you never know which of them will buy into the system and work in the off-season. She has a great work ethic, which I knew when I recruited her and got to know her family. It was clear to me that she loved the game and wanted to be a big time player, but I'm not sure she thought she could be initially. The one thing I've had to do in the past is to threaten to take her out and give her a minimum number of shots to take, but not this year and it's been tremendous. She's aggressive and if you look at her offensive game she's attacking and she's got her step-back move, she's taking the ball to the hole and she's been terrific this year from three-point range. She's playing with tremendous confidence, but also with the understanding that she has to be a go-to player for this team."
On Spencer's three-point shooting...
"I don't want to jinx her, she's just been terrific. While I knew she'd shot the ball well, when you look at the percentage, it's hard to believe she can do that. We've played some tough opponents. I know at Texas they tried to key in on her. I was pleased with her movement off the ball. She's much more active and she has the size to shoot over most of the people who guard her. Her size at the three is difficult to guard. I have to give her credit; she took on the challenge of filling in for Shanna Zolman. I told her she had to be our Shanna and knock down the threes, stretch the defense and get on the boards; she was not rebounding at all. She's responded in that area as well. With Sidney, I'm excited for her and for what she brings to our team. It's a different dimension, even just comparing her to Shanna, because of her size. She's added her step back move. She has a tough step back move and she used that at Texas to knock down shots. I think she rushed in the North Carolina game and she learned from it. She missed lay-ups and wide open threes, she got overanxious. At Texas she really settled down."
On the surprise of Sidney and the Lady Vols leading the nation in three-point percentage...
"I really did not know what to expect, because we were going into this season with three new perimeter players. That was the unknown about our team, would we be able to hit the outside shots. As we got into practice, I got a clearer understand of what Shannon and Alberta could bring and where we were with Cait. Cait can make threes and play off the dribble like Bobbitt. As a team overall, I'm really pleased with the balance that we have. In particular, to not hesitate, take and make shots in all positions. Alex Fuller has really stepped up. She was terrific in the Texas game and after watching the George Washington game, I thought she was the best front line defender that we had. A lot of players have stepped up from last year and obviously our new players have made a big impact."
On WVU's balance...
"They play well together. To me, that's more difficult to guard than having just one key player. I think that's something that we're starting to see with our own team. WVU brings to the court a commitment to be a solid team, both offensively and defensively."
On the importance of bringing Alexis back home (to West Virginia) next year as a senior...
"That's been our philosophy, it's a priority for us if they chose to come to Tennessee, to give her family and friends and people in that area of the country to have Alexis back home and to have a homecoming. We try to do that for each and every player that has come here from out of state and obviously that is quite a few players. These players made a choice to leave home and join our family at Tennessee. The sacrifices student-athletes make to leave home, we feel we should reward them by letting them go back and play in front of their families and friends. We appreciate their decision and commitment to be a part of the Tennessee family. I always enjoy games like that because it's truly a homecoming for them. Sometimes they are really nervous and sometimes they have their best games. I just think it's important to do that for our student-athletes that wear the orange."
On newcomers' reaction to road games...
"It's been a gradual growing process in which I think that in particular, Shannon Bobbitt, Alberta Auguste and Cait McMahan have grown with each challenge on the road. In particular, Arizona State was a great environment, it was loud. I thought Alberta played a great game, but both Shannon and Cait were a little over-anxious at times and unsettled offensively. At North Carolina, Shannon and Cait were much better and I certainly saw a big difference. At Texas they both played with a lot of confidence and poise and ran our team. I thought it would be January or February before they settled down but they've shown a lot of leadership and maturity in adverse situations in terms of crowds."
On Candace Parker's potential as a player...
"Candace is a different player than she was a year ago, and I think that's from her USA basketball experience, playing with all the pro players. The coaches played her primarily in the front line. It was good for her to work with Tina Thompson on the low block and at the four spot and to see Tamika Catchings' work ethic and she played with a lot of great names in the game. When she came back, she was much more confident and self-assured of what she could do on the court. I think she has expanded her game and she can play multiple positions for us. I think she is an exciting player and I think her challenge for her is to keep that intensity, especially on the defensive end and on the boards, because to me that's where she could be so imposing. I've really challenged the entire team in those aspects of the game but I do think that she is making strides in those areas."
On WVU's Sparkle Davis...
"We looked at her coming out of high school and she certainly brings the athleticism and the skill to challenge us. For her, she's gone in and made an impact and that's always a priority for us to bring our defensive intensity and to contain. We don't always go into it thinking we have to stop people but in this case we need to really be alert and contain her."
On the Tennessee men's team this year...
"Last night was unbelievable against Oklahoma State. That was a terrific win for them. I've been able to watch a majority of their games. The intensity that they bring on the defensive end and how they attack offensively and disrupt people; it is a lot of fun to watch. I've challenged my team to look at what they do defensively and how all five players play so hard and don't take any possessions off. That's a great example for us to be right here and be able to watch them. They've been an inspiration for us."
On the possible restrictions or banning of using male practice players...
"I don't want them to go. They've been instrumental in helping women's basketball players improve. I know I was one of the first to use males as practice players. I grew up playing against my older brothers and they made me a better player. We have a better game because of the use of practice players. I think it would be a huge mistake to lose that. A lot of people have indicated that it would help some of the teams that are not in the top-20, but I totally disagree with that. At any level, you benefit from the challenge day-in and day-out of going against these males that are there to benefit the teams that they are working with. Our guys check their egos before they get on the court; they genuinely want to help us. They've been a very important part of the women's game. It's not like everyone can't do it, perhaps some coaches don't want to take the time to do it, but it is well worth it."
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