(On the game) We just couldn't get over the hump. You can't have 25 turnovers and expect to win a basketball game. Those 25 turnovers cost us 30 points. We gave up too many second opportunities. That continues to hurt us. That's becoming an Achilles heel for us. But we've got to keep fighting, play smarter and be more patient. We've got to learn to take care of the basketball.
(On cutting the lead) We actually started near halftime by cutting the led down to seven points. We felt like we had started making a positive turn. We got our composure back (after 11 turnovers in the first quarter) and started playing with confidence. We cut down on turnovers, but we failed to that coming down the stretch.
(On the play of Dawn Staley) Well, she played really well and that's what any player does when you are traded from a certain situation. You always look forward to playing that team. Dawn (Staley) is a special player -- she's smart, she's been around for a long time and she knows what she needs to do be effective on the floor.
INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM
TANGELA SMITH
(On overcoming the deficit) We had to patient in our offense and
we were creating a lot of turnovers on their end, but they got back in it
because we were making a lot of turnovers and let them get a lot of second
chance points. We had entirely too many turnovers. We didn't take care of
the ball tonight. We were down by two and they got an offensive rebound and
put back so the timing of the turnovers really hurt us. We have to take
care of the ball during the whole game, not just certain parts. We have to
play from the beginning to the end and we didn't do that tonight. On the
positive, we showed a lot of effort. In other games we were showing a lot
of effort, but I think we did today. We just can't get down in the games.
We need to be the team that's up so that we don't keep have to keep trying
to get back into the game. We let the other team control the whole game and
the temple. That's something we need to do from the beginning.
TAMMY SUTTON-BROWN
(On the game) Turnovers have been something that we struggled with all year
and it's something that we need to cut down on for us to win games. That's
something we need to concentrate on, they scored 30 points off of our 25
turnovers. That's the game right there. If we keep them in the half court,
we come out on the positive end of it, but we turned the ball over way too
much. We need to concentrate and focus, especially down the stretch.
Offensive rebounds killed us. They were just putting them back up and
that's something we have to dig down deep and know we are going to get a
stop on every possession down the stretch.
(On what it's going to take to get a win) Heart! We have a four-game road trip. Heart, that's what it boils down to. It doesn't matter where you are playing or who you are playing. You just have to want it more.
