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Get the scoop on the Monarchs by checking out Tuesday's practice quotes from Ticha Penicheiro and Adrian Williams-Strong.

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Do you view games against Eastern and Western Conference teams differently?
Ticha Penicheiro: "Every game is important and we look at every game as a must win because you start counting down at the end of the season and you think about wins and losses and you can go up one or down one in the Western Conference standings on any night. So we don't look past any game."

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It appears that you are shooting more. How is your shot feeling?
"I think it's natural. It's something I am more comfortable with but I really don't force anything. I'm just trying to read what the defense gives me and I'm just more comfortable with my outside shooting. If they stop that, then I'm penetrating, if they defend that, I'm passing the ball, so I'm just reading the game and the defense."

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How has the team responded in this week's practices?
"I think we've had two great practices. They were hard and everyone responded well. We move on and we know L.A. is a great team. I felt like we gave it away a little bit, but we learn from it and move on and get ready for Connecticut."

How have the past two days of practice been?
Adrian Williams-Strong: "They've been really tough but we're just trying to go to the next level. Coach (Boucek) is just pushing us to that level. We're not fighting it but it's hard. Physically it's tiring and mentally it's draining, but it's only going to prepare us for the games. So we're just going to go home, we have the day off tomorrow to rejuvenate and then we'll come back ready to work on Connecticut stuff on Thursday."

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One of the focal points of practice has been transition defense. What kinds of things do you do to work on that?
"We just have to get back. The one thing you can do to improve it is get to the free throw line. The second thing we do is when someone shoots, you have two people that get back and then it's up to us. It's just that we have to get back. It's not something we physically can't do. When we're playing these teams they are sagging, leaking out and we have to get back fast."

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Is there a correlation between offensive rebounding and getting back in transition defense?
"Instead of sending four people to the basket, we'll send two. Or, if Nicole is in or La'Tangela is in or (a small forward) who can rebound, we'll send three to the basket. If not, there's really no point of going in for an offensive board when they're getting back and going in transition. So defensively, as a post player, I'm supposed to rebound along with the other post player on the offensive end, and then get back as soon as possible. And the guards, we just need them to get back."

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