(On tonight’s loss) We were in it for a minute but in the third quarter it seemed like we lost our aggressiveness. We let them get second opportunities and against a team like this, you can’t allow them to get second chances at the basket. We did what we wanted to do the first half. We created turnovers, got easy opportunities off the fast break and we did a good job on the boards but in the second half it just wasn’t the same.
(On what it will take to finish games) We have to learn to play forty minutes and not twenty-four. We have too many breakdowns. Tonight it was more about rebounding. I think we took care of the basketball for the most part, we had 17 turnovers and that’s still too much, but that’s a little less than what we’ve been doing. We created points off of turnovers, which is something that we’ve haven’t been doing in the past, but second opportunities really killed us. On free throws they got second opportunities, on missed shots they got second opportunities, and then they hit big shots after those things took place.
(On what the Sting need to do different after the All-Star Break) We need to think of something different. We can’t keep going down the same road and coming up short. We need to collectively come together and understand what we’re trying to accomplish and to not continue making the same mistakes over and over. It’s become redundant. We need to be mentally into the basketball game. You can’t think you can just go out there and play physically; you need to be mentally into it. That’s where the two to four minutes of the fourth quarter comes in. When other teams pick up their tempo, you need to be able to match it.
INSIDE THE LOCKER ROOM
MONIQUE CURRIE
(On tonight’s loss) We played a really good first half and then in the second half we just had good moments. We let them get the momentum, they got a lot of offensive rebounds, second chances, and with a team like that it’s hard to beat them.
(On what needs to change for the Sting in the second half of the season) Everyone needs to refocus, take a step back and see what we can do to contribute individually to help this team win. We’ve been playing a lot better towards the end of the first half of the season so hopefully we can continue to play hard and close out some of these games.
(On if she feels pressure to step up in close games) I think we all need to step up. Everyone needs to do a little more, I know I need to do a lot more but it’s encouraging that we’ve been able to come a lot closer to some of these teams. If everyone steps up their game it should help us a lot.
