POST GAME QUOTES: Tulane 59, Houston 56
2/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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HOUSTON HEAD COACH RONALD HUGHEY
Opening Statement
"We started the game with good energy, but when Marche' Amerson picked up those two fouls it took the life out of us knowing that she had to sit until the second half. We struggled against the zone moving the ball and making shots. We had good shots and good looks.
Defensively, you will break down if you have to keep guarding so much without having opportunities to be on offense and to get good shots. Coming out in the second half, our plan was to press them as much as possible, but we just couldn't do that for the entire game. We wanted to be able to push through.
In the coach's mind, we would be down seven, eight, maybe six, or tie it and then press them and be able to push us over and not be down by 17, using that so that we can try to come back. That was the difference in the game. They made some big shots at the times that they needed to make them. We capitalized on the opportunities that we had. I'm excited for them and where we can go. This is our seventh or eighth game that we have lost by three or less points. So we are right there, but we just have to make some winning plays to win games."
On the second half play
"It is something that we work on all the time. It's who we want to be for 40 minutes a game. I wish we could be that. When we are locked in we have opportunities, you're going to give up some layups, but overall, to speed the game up, makes some three's, play with energy, passion and enthusiasm; we did a great job of it. Just to have an opportunity to beat the zone up, before we got set up, beat it down the floor and play fast like that. In the first half, we couldn't get enough made baskets.
On Serithia Hawkins' rebounding game
"We were just talking about that in the locker room. I was asking the girls how is that she could get double-digit rebounds and the next closest person could be on the floor. There has to be something in you that says I can get a rebound, I can get multiple rebounds and not get blocked or boxed out by the first person and continue to go with that drive. She is just terrific in that area. I love her energy, enthusiasm and fight; that is the thing that separates her. She is destined, if she keeps this work ethic, to be one of the best players in our conference."
On Serithia Hawkins minutes in the game
"There's a reason we put her on the ball all of the time. We know she's definitely one of the longest that we've had that's on the ball, and wants to always push it on the short side of the floor. She is always engaged to do that every time.
The thing that's different is when we have her down low going to get rebounds, she can't also make three-pointers. We wish there were two of her so we could split them and do both. She's got to take more than five shots a game. We keep talking to her about that. We need to get her eight, nine, 10, and 11 shots a game, but her hustle and determination sets her apart."
On facing Tulsa after the close loss
"It's like we do every week, that's the one thing about being resilient. I love this team. They're able to shake it off and come to practice and not have a drop-off. That's the thing that I really love. They'll come back and have some moments where they're not enthused and going as hard as they need to.
In practice, I can snap them out of it and they'll jump right back into that. So we'll carry that on and take it into Oklahoma. It's a long road trip. We go to Tulsa and then turn around and fly to Temple to play a make-up game on Friday for the winter storm that they had up there, and come back after that game. So there won't be a whole lot of practice time; there will be a lot of game time and travel time. We'll have tomorrow off to watch the Super Bowl and come back to work on Monday and Tuesday to be prepared. That's the one thing I can tell you, we prepare every week to be able to play. We'll know our scouting and we'll know exactly who we're supposed to defend and how to defend them. The execution part is something we're still working on, and I have no doubt we will get there."
HOUSTON FRESHMAN GUARD Serithia Hawkins
On her fourth career double-double
"It means a lot to me. The little things count and that's why I'm able to do that."
On her plays in the fourth quarter
"I was trying my best to do little things to help us win. I know we have shooters and I was just kicking it out and rebounding for them. If they shoot and miss, just rebound for them or lay it back up or kick it out so we can get the score back up."
