Feb. 6, 2005
USC Head Coach Susan Walvius:
Opening statement: “We found out on Friday that Lea Fabbri’s father was ill and we put her on a plane immediately. Angela and Stacy played well today at guard filling in for her. We have to learn how to win. We have to finish the games by executing whether its on the boards or anything else. We had individuals trying to be a hero. Their spread zone worked very well against us. We made a run and our transition game worked well. We have beat the majority of the teams for a while but the third five minute period of the second half has been very important. Today, we didn’t do a good job of rebounding in that period.”
Comments on rebounding: “We have done a good job this year. I am disappointed today that we were ball watching. You have to fundamentally get a body on someone. Melanie ran the floor well and hit the boards well. It’s just really disappointing about the rebounds though.”
Comments on players staying in the flow of the game: “It’s about vocal leaders. Shaun Gortman and Jocelyn Penn weren’t vocal leaders when they were freshmen and sophomores either but they were ready to step up their final two years. Our kids are really good students and they are excited when they come to practice. They are very respectful and they are easy to control at practice. We have to communicate to each other get the job done. The team should be coming together but it’s not happening.”
Auburn Head Coach Nell Fortner:
Opening statement: “It’s a good win for us. We fought back and got the win. It was a really bad shooting night for us. Alexis Ogubie didn’t shoot the ball well but she gave USC some problems. Brackett hit a good shot and we got a run to end the game.”
Comments on USC closing the games: “I understand that completely. It is tough to do it because of teams in the SEC and USC has a very young team. You have to keep plugging. The shots didn’t fall but their isn’t much that you can do when that is happening. You have to keep trying and eventually they will be knocked down.”
Comments on the road win: “We were down six or eight and to do it on the road is very special. There have been times when we were in the same situation at home but came up short. I believe our team took a step forward today. I saw something in the team’s eyes the last five minutes that we played and I really liked what I saw.”
