California Press Conference Quotes
March 21, 2008
Head Coach Joanne Boyle
(On being at the tournament) "We’re just excited to be here playing at home obviously being in a routine being able to stay home, also having our fan support here through both California and Stanford hopefully with our fans and just really looking forward to a great game tomorrow night. They are a great team I know they haven’t been here for a couple of years but they have had some big upsets and some big wins in their conference and in non-conference play, I’m just looking forward to getting off to a good start tomorrow night. "
(On the match-up) "We’re different their post players aren’t traditionally what we see in the Pac-10, more finesse, like to play outside a lot; face-up, take you off the dribble, shoot the three, so it will be a tough match-up for our post players. And just solid guard play, you know they have people who can score from the outside and they have people who can get to the basket and I think they are a very well balanced team."
(On east coast dominance and west coast teams making a statement) "Win! If we can win a couple of games, I mean our goals from the beginning of the year and obviously for Stanford their goals are what ever they are, for us was to get to a sweet sixteen. We thought we were competitive enough to do that this year; we tried to prepare our schedule to be able to prepare us to get to this point. So we are really looking at this weekend as a tournament weekend for us, two back to back games and hopefully we are able to accomplish that goal."
(On growth over the past year) "I would say three years of a lot of young kids having to play a lot of minutes and seeing success along the way.? Building our schedule every to be a little bit tougher. I think going against competitive in the Pac-10 night in and night out and just the growth of them maturing from 17 year olds to 20 year olds. Just understanding that process and I think you have to go throughout to really come to a point where you understand it and I think they have been able to really grow the team over the last three years and in particular this year."
California Forward Ashley:
(On post match-up) "Pretty much what coach just said, it’s a little different than what we normally play but we’ve been working hard in practice and we’re getting to their style of basketball and it should be a good game."
(On Joanne staying with the team) ‘She laid a foundation and then we built on it. I think that’s what we enjoyed with her and she love’s to watch us play and much as we love playing for her."
(On being in the tournament the past two years) "I definitely think with age; we are all juniors now or sophomore’s and we are playing harder and much better basketball at the end of the season. I think that if we keep working hard, our past history will do us well in the future."
California Guard Alexis Gray-Lawson:
(On Joanne staying with the team) "Coach does mean a lot to us. Just her staying and being apart of this program meant a lot to us, because it shows us that she really saw something in us. She saw that we could be national champions one day or even this year. So we were glad that she stayed."
(On sitting out last year and playing this year) "I’m excited; you know I was actually at the tournament last year. I was watching from the side lines, it was kind of tough, but my teammates said, come back this year and we are going to get back to the tournament and we did. I think it is just all of our jobs to come into the game and stay focused."
California Center Devanei Hampton:
(On getting out of the first round games) "Stay out of foul trouble."
