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BIG 12 CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 13, 2008Carla CortijoGail GoestenkorsBrittainey RavenKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI THE MODERATOR: We're now joined by Coach Goestenkors and her two players. And your thoughts about tonight's game, Coach? COACH GOESTENKORS: Well, I give congratulations to Oklahoma State. I thought they played an excellent game. Particularly in the first half. They did what they needed to do to win. They dominated us on the boards, and they had really a complete team effort. So congratulations go out to them. As far as my team, just a little frustrated once again; didn't start off the game the way we would like to. Quick shots on offense, and defensively our transition was not good; they got some quick early buckets. Then again, we came back in the second half, so I'm proud of our effort in the second half. However, I would like for us to put 40 minutes together. THE MODERATOR: Questions for our student athletes? Q. Carla, can you talk about the last minute and that last shot. Is that what you were looking for? CARLA CORTIJO: Right. It was five seconds left and we were down by 3, so that was the only shot -- we had to take it and nobody else was open, so I just took that shot. I was pretty confident, but, I mean, I didn't make it. Q. The charging call, how did you see that? CARLA CORTIJO: I leave that to the refs. I mean, there is nothing I can do about that, you know. But, I mean, I thought that wasn't a charge. The refs made the call; there is nothing else you can do. Q. Brittainey, after what you guys did yesterday, why do you think you guys didn't come out with a good start like Coach said? BRITTAINEY RAVEN: I think it has to do with maybe our focus. I mean, we were amped up, ready to play, but when we got out there, we got rattled by taking a few quick shots and Oklahoma State did well in transition and they rattled us and once again we got into a slump and yesterday we were fortunate enough to come back and get the win but today we couldn't. Get the win. THE MODERATOR: Best of luck. Questions for Coach? Q. Gail, so much was made about Andrea and all the things she does for good reason, but when you look at them as a team who are the players that you target in on? Did they do what your scouting report said they would do? COACH GOESTENKORS: They certainly did. And like I said earlier, I think the difference between them the first time we played and the second time and now, they're a different team. The last two times we played, other players are now stepping forward for them, and I feel like they're playing their role perfectly. We know what Green does, she goes left, and she did that all night long. We know Smith is an outstanding rebounder. She had 17 last time on us and 16 tonight. We know their strengths, and they're a tough team to stop when they're all playing their rolls very, very well. This is not just about one person anymore. Q. You have to feel like your team, even though maybe you have not had complete games, is way better than a 7-9 team. You guys are as good as any team in the NCAA now. Do you feel like you can make a mark in the upcoming tournament? COACH GOESTENKORS: I definitely think we can. It's going to be about match-ups. There will be teams that we'll match-up well against, and take advantage of our athleticism and others we won't match-up with, but I think we've built confidence up over the last couple of weeks and we can go against anybody. Q. In this run that you've had, even though you wanted to put a couple of games together, still there is something different about this team that's allowed it to get to this point. What is that? COACH GOESTENKORS: I think we're learning to play with a lot of confidence and show some character. I think when we step on the floor, we expect to win and that's always been my attitude. I. Don't care who we're playing or where we're playing, I expect to win, and I think our team has begun to have that type of mentality as well. We're becoming a tougher team, a mentally and physically tougher team than we were a couple of months ago when we couldn't win on the road. The little things where you've got to be tougher to win, and I think we've grown a lot in that respect. Q. Coach, how tough is this loss for you and what do you guys have to get fixed for the NCAA? COACH GOESTENKORS: It's a really difficult loss. I told the team after the game, if we had played our best basketball, I would be patting them on the back win or loose. But when we watch the videotape, they're going to see that there are so many little things that we did not do and we could have done and we would still be playing in the tournament. When you know you could win, that makes it much more difficult. Q. You talk about toughness. Could you talk specifically about Carla? Because I know that's something you needed more of her, and it seems like in the last couple weeks she has turned into more of a leader for you. COACH GOESTENKORS: She really has, and I think the A&M game, that was our lowest point as an individual for her and as a group. And she stepped forward for us, and I let her make more calls now and I put more trust in her. I think she responded. In the game yesterday, I felt like she would not let us lose. And in the first half she tried as much as she could to keep us in the game. So that kind of passion and desire, I think, is contagious and she's come a long way. So I'm hoping some of the other players will respond as well. Q. Gail, can you talk about Earne fouling out and how that changed the complex of the game? COACH GOESTENKORS: I told Earne, we pick up silly fouls early in the game, and she has done it on several occasions now. And she is one of our warriors and she has done some great things on the boards for us, and she is one of our smartest players, and we have to have her out on the floor. She is going to pick up fouls because she is an undersized post. She can't afford to pick up unnecessary fouls. THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you very much. Best of luck. End of FastScripts |
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