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BIG TEN CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 4, 2011

Sharon Versyp

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

Penn State Â– 73
Purdue - 61

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Purdue, Coach Versyp along with Courtney Moses and Brittany Rayburn.
Opening statement, Coach.
COACH VERSYP: We knew, obviously, Penn State's playing great basketball. They're a very aggressive team that can score the ball pretty quickly. They did a great job in transition offense where we did a poor job, and then we fouled them a little bit too much today. And they knocked down their free throws. So congratulations to them and for the entire tournament. Hope things go well.
THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Brittany, you had that seven-point lead late in the first half; they closed within one. How much did that throw you guys off rhythm a little bit?
BRITTANY RAYBURN: We just didn't take care of the ball. We had three turnovers such that it really changed the momentum for them. And they were knocking down shots and we were making turnovers and it really changed the game.

Q. Courtney, did you feel at all like open looks were harder to come by against them? It seemed like they tried to pick it up defensively a little bit more maybe than the first couple of meetings.
COURTNEY MOSES: Yeah, they were definitely hungry for this game. And they got after it on D. But I feel like we did a better job of breaking the press and getting down, just took a while to get into our offense once we got into the half court.
But once we would slow down and execute, we were getting the shots we needed.

Q. Brittany, second half, when you guys did score, come up with a big play, they seemed to match you. Or they seemed to match that on the offensive end. Just getting some defensive stops there, was that an issue eventually as you look back on this game?
BRITTANY RAYBURN: Most definitely. I think we got into a scoring battle with them in the second half. We stayed the same distance for a while. But for us we just need to get a couple of big stops and continue to score and that would have changed things.

Q. Brittany, did you guys feel all right from a fatigue point of view? This was your second game I think in basically less than 24 hours.
BRITTANY RAYBURN: Yeah, I think so. I mean, we have a deep bench. We played plenty of people. And I think that we should have had the advantage being, you know, playing already and this being their first game.

Q. Courtney, you guys have a long break between games, and does this loss in any way take away the momentum you guys have accumulated the last two weeks or so?
COURTNEY MOSES: You know, I really don't think so. We just have to regroup, refocus. Take care of our bodies. And just looking forward to what's next.

Q. Coach, obviously playing IU yesterday, not just being a game, being a rivalry game like that, does that have any impact on how you came out today, maybe being a little tired in that second half?
COACH VERSYP: No. I think if you have to play two teams that you've beaten twice, it's just tough, bottom line. And we're in great shape. We have a deep bench. And they played well.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Brittany and Courtney.
Questions for Coach Versyp.

Q. Their defense a little tighter than maybe it has been in previous meetings? And you guys seemed to be running the shot clock down under 8, 7, to get only one look at the basket. How much did that factor into what you were doing?
COACH VERSYP: They played us all man to man. They haven't normally done that. And we knew that they would do that. So we were prepared for that.
But usually they're a zone team. And they do a 50/50. But they played man to man. We were prepared for that. But they did. I mean, it's obviously when you're hungry and teams beat you twice, you know, you're going to get out and play some great defense.
And they doubled a little bit down low. So they made some adjustments. And I thought we were fighting there for a while, then we couldn't get stops. And I thought that was a big key.

Q. Talk about how this impacts your NCAA Tournament hopes at this point.
COACH VERSYP: I wouldn't know.

Q. The end of the first half, I think you had two opportunities maybe to get it to 8, couple of missed free throws and Chelsea missed a layup there, and they got some momentum. Do you feel like it could have been different had you maintained a six- to eight-point lead instead of their littler run there in the final 60 seconds?
COACH VERSYP: Definitely. You talk about when you're ahead by seven or eight, we still have to understand that's when you want to move the ball around, you want to stay real poised, use some time, use the shot clock, if you have free throws, make your free throws, and when you have wide-open layups, you've got to make those.
And sometimes just missing one shot can bring things down or three calls in a row totally changed the momentum. So it doesn't really matter the circumstance. But that was huge. I mean, we really needed to keep that.

Q. Do you feel like you still have some momentum from these last two weeks the way you played?
COACH VERSYP: Definitely. That's what we talked about in there. It's sad because we're finally playing the basketball that we should have been playing in the end of January.
And so we just want to keep coaching and playing with these kids, because the last three, four weeks has been a lot of fun, and where they're capable and being healthy.
And so I really feel like we have the momentum, and now we just have to, like Courtney said, take care of our bodies and still practice, day off, practice, day off, get that rhythm. We've done it before, three years prior to, except last year, so feel real good about it.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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