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MOUNTAIN WEST WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPMarch 6, 2017Jerry Finkbeinerntoina RobinsonRachel BrewsterLas Vegas, Nevada Utah State - 46 Air Force - 40 COACH JERRY FINKBEINER: It was -- as evidenced, it wasn't a very good shooting game. I thought both teams played pretty good defense. For some reason, Air Force just has our number, we struggle offensively. I have to credit, easily credit Coach Gobrecht and what they do. I told on media person out here, I'm just befuddled, how can we play better against Air Force. I've always told the girls in the locker room before a game, they play 40 minutes, very disciplined group, high-character group that just plays so hard, inspirational. They do something against us that I can't figure out. I hope the other teams don't watch too closely. We had three games this year, and we struggled every game offensively against the Air Force. We had probably about five games, maybe six, gone down to the wire, and we've won probably five out of six games, these close games together. We have to figure out a way to win. Antoina made a big block and Rachel made that fast break and layup. We found a way to win tonight and that's going to give us cause for a good night's sleep. Q. Following up with what Coach said, monster block at 2:43. You come up with another block and then a rebound and a putback. Rachel had the big points but down the stretch, for both of you, was that the pivotal point in the game that swung the momentum in your favor? ANTOINA ROBINSON: Yes, Coach told us we have to get every rebound. And that was my focus. I probably didn't get every one. But the blocks and the rebounds and the fast breaks, that was our main focus. So I'm really proud of my team. Q. Watching her in terms of those two big blocks and her rebound, would you say that was a pivotal point at the end, that you needed that boost? RACHEL BREWSTER: Yeah, she gave us energy at the end of the game. She's doing what she does. Getting blocks and rebounds is what she does. Yeah, it was really good for us. Q. Coach, you mentioned you had a handful of close games and it comes down to the end. Always somebody stepping up. Were you waiting for something to happen at that point, because you're used to it? COACH JERRY FINKBEINER: I wish I would have been that calm inside. At halftime we told the girls we can't play worse shooting the ball, 17 points. Played good defense. They had 16 points. We told the girls in the second half, surely the numbers will catch up and make some shots. And the percentage did catch up with us. But Antoina's play, those kind of plays tend to be inspirational. Kind of like a dunk in a guy's game. There's an adrenaline rush, the team surrounds and picks up on those same emotions. The two blocked shots, she kind of got beat in the high post, and then she turned around and blocked from the backside, got high really quick. They're athletic plays, but they're very emotional plays. Probably helped us win the game, definitely. Q. So you came through in the end, what sort of things went wrong? Do you think it was apprehension? Was it Air Force or maybe first-day jitters at the tournament? What things did you need to shake the cobwebs? Why were they there? ANTOINA ROBINSON: I don't know, coming off a bye week. We were just a little rusty. I think everyone in the beginning was a little -- we were a little too comfortable. And we had to pick it up a little bit. We saw the score and thought okay, it's time to get each other up and make shots and keep playing defense. But I think it was that bye week and a little rust. RACHEL BREWSTER: I think, Air Force, every time we played them it's been a really close game. And I think their defense is crazy. We could hardly get any shots off and all the shots that we did get off, fortunately they were dropping. But they had really good defense and they did a good job of trying to push us out of our offense. And like Antoina said, coming off a bye week, maybe we had a bit of game rust, and maybe that's why our shots weren't going in. But I'm giving credit to the Air Force defense. Q. Coach, Eliza had her hand bandaged, at the end kind of trying to move it. What's going on with her hand? COACH JERRY FINKBEINER: Eliza is freshman player of the year, and she's really our heart and soul. She's typically a 35-, 40-minute player. And there's some things going on in the hand. And so we do tape it up very heavily. And trying to conserve her minutes. And we're hoping to be here for multiple days. And hoping her minutes can increase. But she's a tough little girl. I like to give this little piece of trivia. Last summer, she was the most valuable player in Australia's National Championship rugby game. This is just a little rugby injury. But she's as tough as they come, and she's a little bit of our heart out there. She didn't get great stats tonight, but she had a lot of fast break plays and break in the press. Her hand is injured, no question about it. Q. I thought a saw the bandages, was it one of those metal braces or splints, is that what's on her hand? COACH JERRY FINKBEINER: You've got some good scouting reports over there. Yeah, it's definitely -- there's a shell splint on it. It's very restrictive. It's her shooting hand. And it's bandaged up pretty good. It's an injury that is very, very painful. But, again, she's a little rugby player. And so it's not much, don't worry about it. Q. Turnovers were lower than the past few meetings with Air Force, and I wondered how that played in the game? COACH JERRY FINKBEINER: That was really to our favor. I think we had 22 turnovers at Air Force a week and a half ago. I think the pace of the game, credit to Air Force. We like the fast break, we like the press. There were multiple possessions on both sides that went 30 seconds. Their defense caused us to go 30 seconds. We played pretty good defense, they're patient and they went 30 seconds. Some of it was there's less possessions, so less chance to turn the ball over. I looked at the stats, blocked shots by Antoina helped change the game. Low turnovers gave us the chance to make some shots in the second half. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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