Feb. 8, 2001
Head Coach Tara VanDerveer
Opening statement:
I think Oregon is an excellent team. I thought they really worked hardand came out and played really inspired. It took a great effort from ourteam. I thought we really worked hard defensively and did a pretty goodjob on the boards - outrebounded them. I think every game we've won inthis streak (6 in a row) has been because we've rebounded and playedpretty good defense. We didn't take care of the ball as well as wewanted to, but we made key shots when we needed to down the stretch.
On pace of game:
I thought it started out fast in the beginning, and then I think that wejust need to be a little more patient in the second half, which Ithought we were and really tried to work hard to get a good shot.
In what ways have you improved since the last time you played Oregon:
I think it's a real credit to the character of our team - when we playedOregon last time, in our locker room, it was what I call free fall. Weweren't really doing anything right or anything well. And a real creditto our team and how hard they've worked and their determination andimproving the things our coaching staff has identified for them toimprove on, staying with things really well and digging themselves outof a hole.
If we can keep going -- this is like for us the Oregon game last year,which was a great comeback -- our season is that game. This just pointsto it - our comeback from last time. We played horrible the first time.Not just the people here. I think someone that's really helping us a lotis Enji (Enjoli Izidor), helping us run our team. She's poised, she'sdone really good job playing a new position, doesn't ask who she'sguarding, what she's doing, just goes out there and plays. I think she'sreally helping Nicole (Powell) a lot. It's almost like we're dependingon Nicole to get a double-double.
Lauren St. Clair (team-high 14 points)Difference on how you feel after this game and the last time you playedOregon:
I think it's pretty obvious, we went up there and we got blown out. Wehad just gone through injuries and stuff. And Tara said we had fallendown, and I think after that we really started to turn things around -after the Oregon trip. And like Tara said, that's what shows thecharacter and strength of our team and we can overcome any obstaclespeople present to us. Today was great. Everyone stepped up, everyone didtheir job, everyone played well and it was a great team effort.
Describe the three-point shot you made after Oregon cut it to one:
That's my job and I'm glad that I helped my team.
Tara VanDerveer Last year it was difficult for your opponents to play zone defense withJamie Carey and Lauren St. Clair. After Lauren hits the three tonight tocut it to one, is it making it difficult for you to exploit match-upproblems:
I think we can do a better job against a zone than maybe we showed. Ithink Enji (Izidor) has really improved her three-point shot. Nicole's(Powell) a lot better than what you saw, she's been playing a lot ofminutes for us. She can hit big threes for us. Lindsey's (Yamasaki) athree-point shooter. We do have other people that can help us against azone. But they have to help us at the defensive end and rebound too.
Lauren hitting that three, that to me, I expected it, to be honest withyou. I'm happy, obviously, but of course I thought it was a big-timeshot, but she's been doing that for us the whole time she's been atStanford.
On wins like this, you've got to grind it out against a really goodteam, and you come away with a W. Can that sort of speak to the factthat you guys are just winning games now:
I think Oregon is a really tough team. This is a team that's gone on theroad twice and this is a great win for our team. It speaks volumes aboutwhere our team has come from, and our team could have faded when they'dmake a run. But our team really understands it's a game of spurts. Wewere able to execute our game plan, quite honestly, to a T. The thingsthat we identified to our team that we needed to - we stayed player toplayer the whole game, we did not allow Jamie Craighead a three-pointshot, and I think that's great defense. Our team listened and didexactly what we asked them to do. We struggled a little maybe justrunning our offense. I think we can do better and we're working on it.
What adjustments did you make on the perimeter tonight:
I think going into playing Oregon last time - really the strength oftheir team is inside with Wolvert and Mowe and Meharry. Craighead's anexcellent three-point shooter, Shreve's a nice shooter - we allowed themto get hot. Then, we were isolated one-on-one inside. Coming into thisgame, we just said Craighead is not going to hit a three on us. Laurenand Lindsey and Enji guarded her - anyone that was on her, they knewwhat their job was and they did it. I'm really proud of them. I think itwas great concentration. We had some shots not go down for us, but weran some really nice plays and scored. We struggled a little bit withour continuity offense, but I think that will come.
What got Oregon back in the game:
They went back in to Wolvert and she is a very tough player inside. Wedidn't allow them the three, but we didn't help as much as we needed toon Wolvert and she got some one-on-one scores.
Nicole Powell On Lauren St. Clair making the three-point shot, were you looking forher: Running back down the floor, I was so relieved. But like Lauren said,that's her job. We expected it, she's a big-time shooter so we look forher because she's the best shooter on our team. We've got to know whereshe is out on the floor and try to get her the ball.
Enjoli IzidorWhat do you think it is that's sparked your game in the last couple ofweeks:
My mom always tells me it's positive thinking and I never reallybelieved her. Things hadn't been going so well for our team and for mepersonally. I knew I needed to step up at the point guard. I wasn'treally comfortable with it at first, I had never played point guard for.But I think every day in practice and every game, I keep getting moreand more used to it. I like it a lot better now.