Post-Game Quotes: Northwestern
1/17/2024 9:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Head Coach Robyn Fralick
Opening statement…Â
Proud of our team win tonight. I think winning is hard and winning in the Big Ten is a challenge. I loved our start to the game, really setting the tone for the game. A lot to learn, especially in the second half we just didn't have the same focus on the defensive end, so that's something we can learn from. It was fun to see the ball swinging around and fun to see the ball going in.
On making sure the team came out strong…
Well, every team in this league is a good opponent. In our league we all know each other a little bit better too. Coming into this game, Northwestern had the same amount of conference wins as us. We knew we had to dominate the details. You have to be dialed in, gotta be an every-possession team. Northwestern is a little unique in that two of their scorers are post players, and they're big.Â
On the team's ability to bounce back after a loss…
I just think every game you learn something. Whether you win or lose, there's always something to learn. The reality is that the best teams get better as the season goes on. The best teams make adjustments and make improvements. Coming off a tough game at Ohio State, there's a part of us that feels motivated by that. It's easy to say just a few possessions, but a few possessions is a big difference. Being better a few possessions, you have to be in pursuit to do that. I think we're a team that has to be consistently able to learn and continue to get better, because in this league you have to be able to bring your best.Â
On the overall ball movement…
It's fun to play that way, and we were built that way. We were built to move it and share it. We create a lot of offense through ball movement. We create a lot of offense through player movement. Look, passing is cool. When that becomes contagious, when it's really just the team giving up a good shot for a great shot, it kinda just becomes part of who you are. It is also how we play, so it was fun to see us sharing it how we did tonight. 26 assists to eight turnovers, the other night against Ohio State we had nine; that's obviously continued to be important for us.
On the intensity of the next twelve games…
If you want to play at a high level, if you want to play in the postseason, you have to be an every-possession team, and you have to be an every-possession player. The league demands it. The game demands it. It's too good of basketball with how many good coaches there are in this league. The reality is, if you can get a team and a group of players to buy into the intensity and the awareness of every possession, then good things happen. I think we've got to get better at that. I thought our second half we didn't do that. The reality is, if you can do that, if you can get a team to do that, you are always gonna give yourself a chance.
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On Jocelyn Tate and the energy she brings to the team...
I didn't think it was funny when she got called for that [technical foul] though, but yeah, her energy's great. I think something that stands out about Jocelyn is when she plays she's all over the court. She's got a great motor, super versatile, she kinda always has a nose for the ball, she's a kid that wins possessions. We look at, we do a lot of stuff with advanced stats and leverage and it's kind of nerdy basketball stuff. She always impacts winning. She impacts winning because she's got a motor and really she's super highly engaged in the game."
On the sacrifice Julia Ayrault has made as far as position and what it's meant to this team...Â
Well it's interesting because what can seem like a sacrifice really in a lot of ways has been a blessing. Obviously she's had to learn some new things and change up where she's typically played, but I also think we found a really good spot for her. She has a really unique skill set and at that spot she has thrived. I'm proud of her for embracing it, but I also sometimes think we find silver linings in opportunities. She's definitely done that and she's made the most of it.
On the energy that everyone on the team brings to the court...Â
It's a kids' game, everyone playing at this level started playing as a kid and I have a 10 and a 7-year-old and they are starting to really get into basketball and to see the game through that you see that it is a kids and sometimes we get in the way of that. So if you can keep that joy that you had as a kid dribbling the ball around I think that you just get better because you spend more time in the gym working on it.
On DeeDee Hagemann's ability to get the offense going...Â
She's a great passer, has a really good feel, can see the court and can make good decisions. So much of being a point guard is almost seeing teammates before they get open and she does a great job of that. She does a great job of seeing where help came from and really putting people in a position to score.
