Post Game Quotes: Nebraska
2/14/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Michigan State Head Coach Suzy Merchant
On being outrebounded 40-25…
Defensive rebounds have been an issue for this team all year. To me, I think that is the biggest difference. Our bigs don't get in there and rebound as well as they could. Jenna played a good offensive game, but didn't get a defensive rebound in the minutes she played. Give them credit, they shot it better than they have ever shot it. There were a couple miscues in transition defense and things like that, but for the most part we were switching screens to take care of the 3-point line. We didn't have the same urgency and focus that we had in the last couple of games so I don't really understand why it is there one day and gone the next. I felt good about our prep. I thought they were into it and focused. I just thought the way we defended and how we shot the ball was very disappointing on our end, but they knocked them down so give them credit for sure.
On Shay Colley coming back…
I wasn't sure what was going to happen there. She was very tentative about wanting to play. Once she was out there she looked pretty strong and seemed like she was doing okay, so I didn't want to take her out because she was doing well. The kid had 15 points, four boards, five assists, which is pretty good for a kid who hasn't played in a month or practiced. Literally, her first full practice was the day before yesterday, so it is not like she has been up and down. She really brought a spark for us, but we just need more consistency. This team is a little frustrating sometimes because we have been pretty good defensively, and why wasn't it there tonight? It was the same people doing the same things with the same coverages. If you can guard Katelynn Flaherty the way we did, then you can certainly guard Hannah Whitish. It just seemed disappointing that the urgency wasn't there compared to the last game. But it is nice to have Shay back. I thought she looked pretty good. She was strong with the ball to the rack. I thought she did a lot of nice things for us.
On Victoria Gaines's offensive contribution…
She has been really shooting the ball well, and has been playing with confidence. She is probably the most mobile four man we have in terms of being able to switch screens. Those guys played four guards as well, so that is a difficult coverage sometimes with Sidney (Cooks) out there. I really feel like she has been doing both for us. She is playing within herself, too. She hasn't been trying to overdo things on the offensive ends. I think she takes what the defense gives her and when her shot is there, her hands and feet are ready. She has been a big factor for us for sure, so her consistency will be important moving forward.
On the seniors' lack of energy…
I asked Lexi (Gussert) that in the locker room. I said "Where was the same enthusiasm and will and fight that you had against Michigan?" It was not there tonight. The same goes for Branndais (Agee). There is no reason for that kid as a six-year senior to be 0-for. It is just a lack of focus and concentration, but I don't know what is going on there. The February fight comes from one group of people on your team. If you really want to be a successful team and play in the postseason, it comes from your seniors. It was definitely a different energy this game than going into the Michigan game which I don't understand. I don't care who you are playing. You only have one more week in this arena. This home game and the next and you will never walk out in a Spartan uniform again. It seems like there would be that same consistency in approach, but that has been part of our problem - the up and down with our injuries but also the up and down with our mental approach to the game and their physical ability to be consistent and do what they do night in and night out.
