Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Women's Basketball Media Day Player Quotes
10/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 18, 2006
Senior Tri-Captain Forward Katrina Grantham
On responsibilities as a senior on the team...
We like to think that everyone is an equally important part of the team. No senior is more special than a freshman. As a senior, you have the most experience with the program, the knowledge of what is important to Coach P, and how to win championships. It's a lot of responsibility just to get everyone up to speed and make sure the freshmen know what is going on. We need to share our experiences with everybody so that we can all get on the same page.
On her focus during the off-season...
I had a season-ending knee injury last year, so I had to work really hard to get back in shape and get my knee strong and my legs back to the strength they were last season. Besides that, I've worked on my shooting a lot. I feel pretty confident in my defense, it was more a matter of conditioning defensively, but offensively, I got more aggressive and comfortable with my shot.
On bringing the intangibles to this team...
I embrace that role. I like the blue-collar role I have - setting screens, playing good defense, and boxing out. All those things that aren't in the box score I take pride in.
On using her role as an example to the freshmen...
It's hard coming out of high school because most of the people on this team were the best player on their team in high school, scoring most of the points or grabbing most of the rebounds. We're really trying to teach that attitude and embrace the role that you're given on this team and take pride in having the blue-collar work ethic mentality.
Senior Tri-Captain Guard Rene Haynes
On what she's learned from seniors from the past...
There have been some great seniors before me, and I think I've learned how to lead and guide, show the underclassmen how Michigan State plays ball, how we're blue-collar, how we work and how we hustle. They have provided great encouragement and still come back to support us, and they're always there to talk to. That's what I want to be - I want to be there for my teammates, there to talk to, and show how we can succeed together.
On the team's hunger to return to the Final Four...
We're starving. I think that we're going to pull it together. All we can do is work harder every day in practice and get better and better, and use that as motivation. That's our goal, that's where we want to be.
On how this year's team can repeat and surpass last season's success...
This is altogether a new team. I think we have to find what drives us and go from there and know that challenges are going to come our way, in practices and in games, and we need to learn how to cope with it and work together.
Senior Tri-Captain Guard Victoria Lucas-Perry
On her role as a senior...
It's a little different being a senior captain than a junior captain. You take more ownership, more leadership, and you know a little bit more. You try to pull the freshmen along, get them involved, let them know the program philosophy, what it means to be a Spartan, and what it takes to be a champion.
On what she's learned from previous captains...
I've learned so much from people like Kristin Haynie, who took on a vocal leadership role her senior year. When she said something, you always listened, because what she said was usually pretty important. Liz and Lindsay led by example. They were always doing what it takes to get the job done, and always working hard.
On the team chemistry...
You can't really compare any team, each team is different, each team fits together differently. All we can really focus on is this year, how this team fits together. As of right now it looks good, I think all the stuff we've gone through has not only made us stronger but better as a team, and it has helped us pull together.
On getting back to the Final Four...
Once you've been there, you've got to get back. You know what it feels like, you know the excitement, you know what it takes, you know the feelings you get when you get there.
On being a team that others are going after..
I think you have to take every opponent one at a time. Every time you step on the court an opponent wants to beat you. Anytime in the game the other team is going to be after you. I think we just need to stick with each other and focus on getting better and doing what we need to do to win, no matter who our opponent is.
Senior Forward Myisha Bannister
On the team so far...
We are still trying to gel together. We're looking pretty good, and everyone's looking to score, which is good because we're all in attack mode.
On how the freshman are adjusting...
It's always fun, because they're freshmen and they don't know what's going on. Sometimes they have a hard time learning stuff, but it's a team thing so they catch on quick.
Goals for the season...
Personally, I just want this to be an outstanding year for me. For the team, I want to go as far as we can because I want to go back to my hometown, Cleveland.
How the team is working to get back to the Final Four...
We're just going to take one game at a time, one practice at a time so that each day we're getting better.
On getting back after her knee industry...
It's been very hard. It's been a struggle, but I'm pushing through and I get treatment every day. It should get easier one day.
Junior Guard Courtney Davidson
On her expectations of the team for this year...
I expect us to do really well. We're young, as far as playing experience, but we have some great players, very athletic, super-quick. We have Mia Johnson, who's going to be a great attribute to our team. We have a shooter in Alisa Wulff. You have a 6-9 freshman and two great freshman guards with the returning starters, that's a great team. We're young, but I think we can get the job done if we just come out and work hard.
On her role on the team...
Right now my role is just making sure we stay focused as a team, to help some of the younger players to learn the Spartan way, and when I return to just contribute on the floor, to distribute the ball, just the normal things that a point guard would do.
On the team's greatest strength...
I think our greatest strength will probably be beating our opponent down the floor. I think we have a lot of quickness. Our post players can run, and we have very quick guards. I think that if we beat our opponent down the floor and get easy buckets, it will help us in the long run.
Junior Center Laura Hall
On how the team will look different this year...
I think we're going to change up our offensive structure this year. We graduated two phenomenal seniors in Liz Shimek and Lindsey Bowen. A lot of the scoring revolved around them. This year, I think we're all standout players. No one is going to lead the show or take over.
On having to go to the new offensive scheme...
I really do think change is good. Obviously, this year it's a whole new team. Everyone is going to expect a lot of new things. Coming from that standpoint, I just feel that with what we have to work with now, that's going to be what gets us through this year.
On continuing on after the high expectations of the last two seasons...
This year, we have four phenomenal seniors. This year, from what we've learned from previous years, we can take that, plus every tool that we have and teach the underclassmen.
On whether the Spartans can continue to stay in the national spotlight...
I really think this team can stay at this level. We're going to be in our fourth practice today, and I can honestly say, from day one, everyone meshed really well together. We're getting along. From this point, if we keep contributing, then we'll just keep feeding off each other and it will be an upward slope.
Junior Forward Alisa Wulff
On the team's expectations...
We have a good group of seniors in front of us - Victoria, Rene, Katrina and Myisha - and they're going to lead the way for us. But the great thing about the team this year is that it's going to be a whole team effort to get it done. We're going to need everyone to contribute on the court and that's what is going to make this team so special.
On the team's strengths...
This is probably the most athletic team we've ever had. Our speed is going to be our No. 1 strength - we're really fast up and down the court. We have a great freshmen class coming in. They each bring different strengths to the game, and they're all going to bring a lot to the table this year.
On the team's versatility...
Everyone needs to contribute for us to be successful. The fact that we can have post players contribute outside, and outside players that can contribute inside is really going to make us a dominant team.
Sophomore Forward Lauren Aitch
On her summer...
Definitely just working hard, and just bringing my grades up in the classes we had over the summer. I did pretty well in those. It was relaxing, but a lot of hard work.
On her preparation for the season...
This year I think I'm a little bit more about business. I definitely want to contribute more to the team, and just handle myself a little differently this year.
On her improvements over the off-season...
Well one thing that I've noticed that I like a lot better is the strength of my hands, both my left and right hands, it's just a lot better. Handling the ball is a lot easier, and my patience is much improved.
On what she expects of herself this year...
Well, I expect to do a lot of things this year, but you grow every day, and I think I'm just going to take every experience for what it is and go from there.
Sophomore Guard Mia Johnson
On having to sit out a year after transferring...
It was really difficult, but at the same time it was a year to learn the system and the program. It's difficult any time you have to sit out, but it gave me a chance to learn and pick up on a lot of things.
On her role on this year's team...
My role is basically just to play and I hope to be a leader. I have a scorer's mentality, and I think it's a good thing. I try to let the game come to me, but I definitely have a scorer's mentality.
Sophomore Forward Aisha Jefferson
On the team's expectations...
We always have high expectations every year. They're pretty much the same expectations every team has here. It's just a part of our program's tradition.
On how she's improved after a successful freshmen season... I think I've improved mentally a lot, especially after sitting out for injuries. As a team, we've gotten a lot closer and other players have had to step up in place of those who are injured. I think I'm a smarter player this year after I sat out and was able to see things without actually playing.
On the team's versatility...
That's a good aspect for players to have, to be versatile. I have a chance to play guard this year, which will have its advantages for this team and it can help us a lot, especially defensively because we can have a bigger lineup this year. I still have a lot to learn, and as I get back from my injury I'll be working with the guards, but I still have my passion for playing in the post.
Freshman Center Allyssa DeHaan
On the difference between high school and college...
Every thing is more quick, fast paced, exciting and intense, but it's worth it.
On dunking...
I'm still working on it, developing it, but it should be a part of my game. I never dunked in a game or in practice, but if I just grabbed the ball I could go up and dunk it.
On her role on the team...
I just have to do what they tell me to do. One of my biggest roles right now is rebounding and blocking shots. There aren't many girls out there taller than 6-7, so my role right now is to guard the paint and not let anyone in.
On making an immediate impact...
I've got a lot of competition within the team right now and we have a ton of talented seniors, so I hope I can have an impact.
Freshman Guard Takeya Fortner
On what practice has been like so far...
Practice is going very well so far. It's real quick and we are learning a lot of things. Everything is moving so fast, and that is something I have to adjust to. We are already going into our fourth practice, but I'm ready to adjust and I know that is something I have to do.
On learning from the girls who have been on the team for awhile now...
They've helped me a lot with everything. They shared a lot with me that will be going on before I entered practice, which was really helpful. With all of their help I knew what to expect from Coach P and it has made things easier for me since I had an idea of what would be going on. They are by my side and help me out. They're also on my back a lot because they say I have a lot of potential, but that's something I deal with.
On her expectations for this season...
I want to be able to contribute to the team the best way that I can. I want to come out here and play hard every time.
On the change from high school to college...
The biggest change is that everything moves so fast. The coaches are a lot harder on you, but that's something I am working on and getting used to.
Freshman Guard Mandy Piechowski
On adjusting to college basketball...
It's actually been a huge adjustment, just because you're a lot busier, you have a lot more to do, you have a lot more responsibilities. It's not just practice and go home, and you don't have to think about anything else. You're taking home practice films, learning all the plays, learning new drills. Nothing slows down, so it's just the whole process of taking the time out yourself to also go through everything. It's a lot more time, but obviously you know why, because it's a much bigger program and it means a lot more.
On being recruited...
When I was being recruited, it was before they made it to the Final Four, but you could tell with the way that Coach P does things that she has big expectations and she gets her teams to meet those expectations through hard work and dedication. You could just tell that no matter what team she had she was going to take them far.
On MSU's program...
I would say that the summer was more of a feeling-out process, but I definitely love my teammates. We're all like sisters. Coach P makes the whole family atmosphere with the dinners, and even when we have recruits here, we're always together. Everything we do is always together, there's no breaking up of the team, which is good for playing on a basketball court because we're there as a whole, and we do everything together.
On various challenges of college basketball...
Some of the challenges are when you go through a drill and you have to be the leader, and you don't even know the drill yet. Just trying to communicate what you do know and then watching the seniors to see what it is they're communicating to the other people on the floor is tough. Rene and Victoria are the other two girls who are playing point in the other drills, so I'm definitely learning a lot from them. That's the biggest challenge that I've taken on. I thought that I was vocal as a high school player, and now it's just that you have to be louder.
