Pat Summitt Teleconference

Lady Vols play host to Notre Dame Saturday

On Christmas holidays and Old Dominion game...

"I thought considering that it was a game going right into the holidays, we did some good things. ODU played well in the first half but we managed to open it up. Alexis Hornbuckle, Candace Parker and Shannon Bobbitt did some good things. Our pressure and our defense generated offensive opportunities. As you close out for the holidays, you anticipate that they won't play as well as you hope, but well enough to get the job done. I'm glad they got time off; it was a much needed break."

On Notre Dame...

"We are looking forward to playing Notre Dame. I've been looking at some tape on them. We have to get right back into playing mode, playing another BIG EAST school. It was a tough game last year in South Bend. We have to be ready to play."

On watching film of Lady Vols thus far in the season...

"I think we are a team that at some point in time has to understand that by playing in spurts, you're living on the edge. We have to be more consistent, in particular our bench play. Alex Fuller has been terrific, that's why I started her in the second half at ODU. She's consistent and our best bench player. I've been pleased with Cait McMahan as well, she has done some good things for us. What we're looking for is to be able to count on the players off the bench; not that they have a major impact in the game but to keep us at a certain level and be consistent while they are on the floor."

On the objective of this first practice back from the holidays...

"We're trying to prepare for Notre Dame and to talk about and work on some things that we need to get better at. Looking at tape we need to be more consistent, and our rebounding at both ends. I think our presses are good, we could tighten our traps. Offensively, I like what we're doing, particularly with ball movement. In the half court game we could be more patient. Our transition offense has been improving. Our ability to get people to turn it over has generated points for us. As we get into conference play, we won't be able to force so many scoring opportunities."

On timing of the Notre Dame game and continuing this series...

"We haven't talked beyond next year, but this is a good series for us and something we'll address at some point in time. I look forward to continuing the series if both parties agree. I like playing teams that have strong programs outside our league and Notre Dame is one of those. Coming after the break, kids would rather play than practice, that's for sure. I think with the type of schedule we play up til now, and with two road games right before the break, it will be nice to come back home for our fans over the holidays. This should be a good time and good crowd for us."

On team needing a break...

"It's a difficult time right before you go home for the holidays. Typically we as a staff have to talk about keeping the team focused. We addressed that a number of times, that they needed to have the maturity, leadership and focus to finish out. Because ODU hadn't been as successful, players can look at a record and not an opponent. We emphasis that you have to respect every opponent and not just look at their record. This team realized in the first half that ODU came to play. We had leadership and stepped it up in the second half, but credit ODU, they did some good things."

On the younger players grasping that concept of not underestimating opponents...

"I'm not sure they totally understand it, we talk about it. Teams look one way on film and their intensity level differs in the actual game. As we go through the season, they will understand it better."

On Lady Vol guard Shannon Bobbitt...

"She is looking to score more and she needs to, particularly when we have numbers and we've created some opportunities for her to take it to the basket and to keep pushing tempo and being aggressive. We didn't place a lot of emphasis on her initially to do that, I wanted to see her organization and leadership for this team, first. Right now she seems comfortable with what we've asked her to do and confident and that gives her a little more freedom to score as well."

On Notre Dame...

"I've looked at their style of play and what they like to do in the half court game. They appear to be a team that plays well together. Defensively I expect to see a little more zone than man, but Coach McGraw has been known to mix that up. I'm more worried about us defending them than their defensive scheme. I anticipate zone and a team that plays in the half court."

On the potential of seeing more zone defense in opponents...

"I anticipate that happening, people will be trying to slow us down. We have to have our own game plan about how we can speed up the game. I feel this team has speed and quickness overall but we have to be committed to speeding things up. It's an attitude and a mindset. This team has done a great job of staying quick. This team is a lot faster than last year. They need to understand that we need five people committed. It's glaring when a player is not as inspired, things break down and obviously some combinations are better than others. We like to go deep and rotate players."