Wildcats Comment On Their Upcoming NCAA Tournament Games
Mar 16, 2003 | Women's Basketball
March 16, 2003
Kansas State head coach Deb Patterson
Reflecting on the season ...
"We were just really optimistic we might be able to string together another real competitive stretch through the Big 12 Conference. One of our goals was to stay in the Top 20. I was just so impressed to do that, especially with the injuries we suffered this season.
About a week or two before the season, I was really concerned about how successful we might be but we really established a level of dominance.They had to be extremely resilient in the face of injury. We lost Kari Hanson before the season ever started, losing Chelsea Domenico for a two-and-one-half week period during the WNIT and losing Laurie Koehn from December all the way through, really, the conference season, by and large. Those are losses, with the roster as shallow as ours, you never could have envisioned a team sustaining the level of excellence this one did and they achieved at such a high level.
I just think it's been a fabulous season. - one of the best, obviously, if not the best, in Kansas State history. We play and a compete at a time when the game is as tough, and possesses as much parity and competition and high caliber play as ever in the game, and here we find ourselves our Top 10 program and a number three seed in the NCAA Tournament. I don't know you could expect or ask for more. When you factor in the incredible attendance that we have created here at Kansas State, I think it's a dream-like scenario.
What did you learn from losses ...
"I think you understand, if you look at the national standings, that if you can finish a league like ours and come out of your year with four or five losses, you've really had an extraordinary year. A loss is certainly difficult, but when you compete in a league like ours, you have to be prepared that you're going to take some nicks - and it's the exception if you don't. It's part of the bounce-back mentality you have to have in a great league like ours. I think our players, by and large, did a great job coming back after a tough loss."
On the play of Nicole Ohlde, Kendra Wecker, Laurie Koehn and Megan Mahoney ...
"Those four truly have brought an incredible foundation and established us as a national-caliber program. It's extraordinary the amount of minutes that they play over the course of the season relative to the teams they line up against night-in and night-out and continue to excel. I don't know that if you can find a peer group in the country. These four are absolutely extraordinary in what they bring. The success that we've had by and large has been initiated and sustained because of what they bring day-in and day-out.
On Harvard ...
We played Harvard last year. Again, they'll mix their looks. They'll play both man and zone. They're very motion-oriented in how they attack you on the offensive end of the court. They play extremely hard and smart and they're extremely well-coached."
On Arizona ...
"Arizona would remind our fans a lot of Arkansas. They're extremely athletic, big inside, they have tall, linear, athletic wings. They bring great quickness and athleticism to the court. I think (head coach) Joan Bonvicini has said this is one of the best teams she's had during her time there. They bring exceptional balance, an ability to score and create offense from their defense."
On Notre Dame ...
"Notre Dame, as always, brings great balance and obviously, a national-championship caliber program. They have a great inside/outside game (on offense) and will zone your and can play man-to-man (on defense). They can really bring a diverse game to the floor. Alicia Ratay is a tremendous three-point shooter. Katy Flecky is a great inside presence. They have a lot of balance, just a very, very good basketball team.
Kansas State forward Kendra Wecker
On their seed...
"We're excited. It's another opportunity to play and be in Manhattan. You couldn't ask for anything better than that. There are 64 of the best teams in the country and we're one of them. We're going to lace up and get going."
On Arizona...
"Coach Ethridge did say they have a really good post player, a freshman. I saw Notre Dame play on Saturday. I know some of their players. It should be exciting. Hopefully we can advance after that first round and play one of those two."
On the focus of the team after losing twice to Texas Tech...
"I think we have really refocused. We have learned a lot about our team in the past couple of week. There are some things that have been happening and some things we need to correct. And I think we're just really, really excited about getting going again. We're starting a new season and we're going to make the most of it."
On Connecticut being in their bracket...
"It's exciting. I'm happy that Old Dominion got back. Here we go again seeing the same teams, but it's exciting. Connecticut is a great team this year. We would be excited if we got the opportunity to play them. You know anything can happen. We're just playing to survive and advance and get back to that Sweet 16 and hopefully further."
Kansas State guard Kimmery Newsom
On the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament...
"I think it's a great opportunity. It's great for us to be able to play in front of our fans. I'm glad that we've got the opportunity to play again after having the (Big12) tournament and how disappointing it was. It's great for us to get back on the court, to play together, be a team and have a good time doing it."
On K-State's lost in the Sweet 16 last year...
"Of course we think about last year's game, but we've got to put that behind us and start fresh. It's time for us to start the third part of our season."
Kansas State guard Laurie Koehn
On deserving a two seed...
"I don't know. I'm not someone who's looked at it that closely to know how all of that works, but we're excited to be a three seed and to be playing here at home."
On what the team needs to do differently to be successful...
"We have to keep getting better in practice. We haven't had any big practices since the tournament, but I'm sure we're going to find those things out next week when have to get ready for the tournament and the first round. I'm sure that the coaches have that figured out and they're going to let us know. Hopefully if we can do the things they tell us to do we'll have things fixed and we'll be ready to go."
On the week of rest and then not having to travel...
"It's really nice that we get to stay here and play in front of our fans. We're really fortunate to have that opportunity. And then to have this week to practice and really try to get ready to go and get everyone on the same page. It's a good opportunity and hopefully we make the most of it."
On if the best is yet to come...
"I sure hope so. It's so exciting to be at this point in the season and to be jumping into the NCAA Tournament. It's do or die every game and hopefully we come out ready to go every night."
Kansas State forward Jessica McFarland
On this being her first NCAA Tournament selection show...
"It was a lot of fun. I remember watching it last year on the television on TV and thinking that it was pretty cool. I got goose bumps when we first got out there."
On this being her first NCAA Tournament...
"I'm really excited, because when you're little you're always like "March Madness" and now you're apart of it. Everyone else was last year and now I get to join in. It's really exciting."
Kansas State forward/center Nicole Ohlde
On the biggest thing learned from the Texas Tech games...
"Just the fact that when you have a team down by seven you should put them away, do things that we are capable of, stay true to who we are, getting to spots on the floor and executing. When you get a lead just try to build off of that and get a stop and get a score."
On the seedings...
"We didn't really know where we would come in with all of the talent there is in the country right now. We're just happy that we did get a No. 3 seed and that we get to play at home. We're going to be looking forward to it."
On being in UConn's bracket...
"Right now we've just got to look at Harvard. All of the teams that are in this bracket in this region are going to be tough. Whoever we face we're going to come out and do our best."
On the season...
"I think that it has been a good season. I think that with the few loses that we've had, we've had a pretty good season. We've had fun doing it. We've got some good wins. The WNIT was huge for us. Our preseason schedule was tough and then the Big 12 is always tough. We've got some good wins. We've had a good run so far. It's been exciting."
On the difference between last year's tournament and this year...
"This year we have a lot more experience. None of us last year had been to an NCAA Tournament, so we didn't know how to handle what was going on. This year we are a little more experienced."
On still being considered a young team...
"I think we are still young. If you look at the roster, there are no seniors and with all of the sophomores we do play, we're still young, but we play like we are older. Most of the sophomores on the team are playing senior minutes. I think as far as across the board we are a young team, but if you look at how everyone plays, I think that we are an older team."
On how the Preseason WNIT helped prepare them for the NCAA Tournament...
"I think that it definitely helped. If you look back to the WNIT, when you play in that, if you don't win you go home and it's the same way with this tournament. So I think that we've had a lot of experience with that. I think that this is one of those tournaments where we are able to take those things and keep learning from them and hopefully put them into play."
Kansas State center Brie Madden
On the seedings...
"I'm excited to be in the tournament. I'm glad our name was on the bracket."
On this year's selection show compared to last year's...
"I was excited and if felt the exact same to me. It was a little different because we weren't on the screen (TV) so there weren't many opportunities to scream really loud, but when our name came up we did scream really loud. It was just as fun for me this year as it was last year."
On what she learned from the Texas Tech games...
"I've learned, for me personally, that when I come off of the bench, I have to give coach what she's asking of me right away. I don't have room to make mistakes because this is a game of production and I have to produce when I'm on the court."
Kansas State guard Chelsea Domenico
On being a No. 3 seed...
"It's exciting, because we are in the tournament. We still get to move on after we lost at the Big 12 Tournament. I'm content with the fact that we get to play. Whoever we line-up against is going to tough, because they are in the tournament also."
On having a week off before playing at home...
"I'm glad that we get to play at home. It's tough having a week off. You get hungry wanting to play. The anticipation of getting to play is so big. It will be good to prepare for each game and get our mind set."
Kansas State forward/guard Megan Mahoney
On her aggressiveness in the second game versus Texas Tech...
"The first game I play pretty timid. They called me for a couple travels early, so I shied away. I think we all have to have an aggressive mentality in every one of these games. We need to finish shots. I think that is something we didn't do at the end of the game that hurt."
On how she sees the bracket...
"You get it and you look at it and you say 'that would be an awesome opportunity'. But you can't look past anybody. I know Harvard is going to come in, bringing their best game. Notre Dame and Arizona are tough teams. They've got the big names and they are used to winning. We're going to have to be ready for what everyone brings."
On playing at home...
"It's definitely a good feeling to know that we have our fans behind us. We're not going to be traveling. It definitely is a comfort level, but it is the end of the year and every team is playing do or die, you're done. We're definitely happy to be at home."
On the tournament...
"I'm excited. A week of practice, I know that we are all going to be anxious to play. But I think that it will be a good time to get prepared and regroup for what we need to do."
Kansas State forward Amy Dutmer
On the seedings...
"Every team that we come across is going to be hard. Your record is 0-0 coming into the NCAA Tournament. To get to the championship, we're looking to get a 6-0 record obviously. I think that we are not looking ahead. We're going to take one game at a time and do our best."
On the losts to Texas Tech...
"The last game especially had an effect on us. It was pretty upsetting to lose to Tech and not make it to the championship (game) of the Big 12 Tournament. It's something we are definitely going to learn from. Just working at what we didn't accomplish in those two games. Like I said, take one game at a time and just do our best and to make it to the championship."
