March 18, 2002
Stanford University Press Conference Quotes March 18, 2002
Stanford 77, Tulane 55- NCAA Second Round
Stanford Head Coach Tara VanDerveer
THOUGHTS ON TONIGHT'S GAME:
"First of all I'd like to congratulate Tulane- they are an excellent opponent and gave us a really great battle...I thought our defense really had to step up and it did, along with tremendous individual efforts from Nicole Powell, Lindsey Yamasaki and Bethany Donaphin. We're excited to have Lindsey back and she played a great game. Bethany really got on it on the glass and the triple-double is beginning to be a common thing for Nicole Powell"
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVANCING PAST THE SECOND ROUND:
"I think that this game was a real important game for us. We've had so much success this year and had we not won this game, it would really have meant that we didn't do what we wanted to and all the wins didn't add up to anything. As the last home game for the seniors, it was really important. For our team, it was absolutely critical that we come out and play well. I think our team felt a lot of pressure and Bethany had a great game. Lindsey and Nicole stepped up huge and this is a credit to what they are capable of doing."
Stanford forward Lindsey Yamasaki
DISCUSSING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TONIGHT AND SATURDAY'S GAME:
"I definitely felt a lot more comfortable today. I didn't want to go into tonight's game worrying about things from the last game. I just was trying to be more myself vocally and try and lead this team."
ON ADVANCING TO THE SWEET 16:
"It feels really good. I think most of us feel like each game is a step toward a new goal so we weren't worried about the Sweet 16, we were worried about Tulane tonight. Now we have a few days to think about what we have accomplished and move on to Colorado. We're just really excited."
Stanford guard Nicole Powell
ON HER SECOND CONSECUTIVE TRIPLE-DOUBLE:
"Right now I'm just in awe of Bethany's 10-11 on field goals. She was really incredible tonight. Really it just shows how the well the team is playing since they are the ones knocking down the shots. I think people played really well tonight and it was a good win for us tonight."
Stanford center Bethany Donaphin
ON ADVANCING TO THE SWEET 16:
"There's been talk about how Stanford hasn't gotten out of the first weekend in a while, so it's just nice to still be playing. It's really special to our seniors to finally get over that hump in our last game at Maples Pavilion. I think our team just really came out and played for each other. That was one of our goals and I'm just proud of everybody."
Tulane Head Coach Lisa Stockton
OPENING STATMENT:
"I certainly feel like we lost to a very good team tonight. Stanford played very, very well in all parts of the game: offense, defense, their transition, they just did a tremendous job. I don't really feel like we played a poor game, but Stanford really stepped it up and played tremendously."
ON STANFORD BEING A CONTENDER:
"Yes, but I think sometimes on the West Coast we are not as familiar with those teams are we are on the East. I think they are playing very well and they have tremendous chemistry. Nicole Powell is a very good player, but it is just not her. The people she has around her are great. She would not have a triple-double if those players did not hit the shots. They have a great ability to score and I would say the are a contender."
ON STOPPING NICOLE POWELL:
"With players like that, you don't try to stop them. You just try to limit some things they do and other players around them. I don't think you can stop just her, but you have to stop their transition. If there is one thing I leave here with, is their offensive transition. It is just tremendous."
Tulane guard Sarah Goree
ON PLAYING STANFORD VS. WATCHING THEM ON TAPE:
"It is really different than watching them on the sidelines and then getting posted by Yamasaki. I think that created some match-up problems, but they are a lot quicker than what they look like from the sidelines."
ON FIRST EIGHT MINUTES OF THE GAME:
"My feeling going into the game was that we have nothing to lose, so just go out there and leave everything on the court. We did that at the beginning, but their size and transition took over. I think the team thought we could play with them, until the end of the game when we say that we were not going to come back."
Tulane center Teana McKiver
ON STANFORD'S NICOLE POWELL:
"Nicole Powell is a great player. There is so much stuff that she can do, she is just a great player."
ON TONIGHT'S GAME SHOWING WHAT THE TEAM NEEDS TO WORK ON:
"I think we are going to have a tremendous team next year. We have a lot coming back and it is hard to look at what we need to work on. Our defense is going to be important to work on, and I need to work on my free throws."
Tulane guard Kelly Nadeau
ON WHAT THE TEAM NEEDS TO WORK ON:
"After tonight's game, we need to work on our size but that is something we can't help. We have a great team and a lot of strong players are returning."