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South Carolina Head Coach Dawn Staley
On having 20 assists on 24 field goals …
“We commented on that in the locker room. I don’t think we’ve seen that many assists in a long time. Our players played well today. It certainly wasn’t any indication of the last two practices, so I guess they were saving their energy up for today.”
On the win at home…
“At this point any win is going to feel good, no matter how it looks and feels at the time. This team has been working extremely hard, and sometimes you don’t get that instant gratification from a win but I’m glad that we got this one. We needed it to stop the bleeding from the losing streak. It’s a long week ahead. We have a couple of days to work on [getting ready for] Florida.”
On C.J. Pace stepping up at the end of the game…
“We’ve been waiting for C.J to shoot the ball and shoot it with confidence. Sometimes she’s just shooting the ball because we’re telling her to shoot the ball. But when she’s in the flow, she has a really pretty shot. We’ve just got to get her to take it. We need her to shoot the ball. She’s the lone senior on the team, and she has a strong voice in the locker room.”
On team chemistry and players stepping up after the injuries….
People know that they’re going to play, and it gives them confidence. I thought our team rallied behind the injuries we’ve had. They’re playing with a purpose. They don’t always play correctly, but it’s not from an effort standpoint. They know that [Demetress Adams] and [Brionna Dickerson] aren’t able to play. It’s a learning process for all of us. We want to continue to get better.”
It’s been a team effort. Everybody is playing with more urgency. They are practicing better because they know they’re going to get in. It depends on how well they play, but everyone has a bit more pep in their step. They are young players who have never played on this level before. trying to give them the experience they need, but you can’t force it. We kind of have to force it now.”
Senior Guard/Forward C.J. Pace
On getting a home SEC win…
“I think every one needed this win. This is definitely a confidence booster for us.”
On having a lot of close games this season…
“Everybody is tired of being evenly matched up throughout the game. We want to run away with games. In the huddle everyone is comparing it to past games, but we just need to go on from this point and go forward.”
On the team having 20 assist and 24 field goals…
“We saw each other a lot more. We’ve been having some rough practices, and we `re still learning each other. We’re getting the feel for we are on the court. “
