Stone Addresses Media Monday
November 14, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Head coach Lisa Stone addressed the media Monday in preperation for the team's opening week. Wisconsin welcomes Houston for the season-opener at 7 p.m. Friday at the Kohl Center. The Badgers will face Cleveland State at noon Sunday.
OPENING STATEMENT: "Well, it feels nice to come into the regular season 2-0 in exhibition, against two state schools, and some opportunities for us to give some people some playing time and show some improvement from week to week, as well as preparing now for the regular season. The intensity will certainly rise a bit as we have a lot of games in a short amount of time. But we're healthy right now.
"Our younger players are gaining some maturation. And we're working on finding combinations. But I'm very pleased with where we're at at this present moment, looking forward to Friday. We just came out of a staff meeting all excited about some defensive things we want to put in, as well as try to expound on the things that we've done well at this point."
QUESTION #1: Lisa, you played Houston last year. I think they've lost four of their starters, including Sancho Lyttle. What can you expect from them'
STONE: "They have six or seven newcomers and, typical Coach Curl style, they're very, very athletic. They're big. We 've looked at their roster. We have one film. They play another exhibition this evening and we'll have that film as well. But they're very big, athletic, quick, strong, tremendous rebounders.
"Rebounding will definitely be a key to this game, boxing out, putting a body on somebody. They are traditionally very, very strong, back-to-back NCAA appearances, as well as 21 wins last year I think to 9 losses. But our game last year at Houston, we had a 1-point lead at the half and were outscored in the second half and allowed them to get to the free throw line. Defense will be imperative in finding success, as well as rebounding. We have to rebound, hopefully utilize a lot of different people.
"But again, Joe (Curl) is a great coach and he'll have his team prepared. It's their opener, our opener. I'm pleased that it 's at home. But we'll play a very athletic team, a team that's used to winning, and, again, a team that we're going to have to do a very good job on the boards with."
QUESTION #2: Lisa, last year I believe, if I 'm not mistaken, you lost in exhibition. This year neither one was close. Would you prefer what you had a year ago as to having this' Did you learn enough in those two match-ups'
STONE: I've said it for the last two weeks but it was more about the experience, less about the score. Again, I think we learned a great deal. I liked what I saw from our players off the bench. And having lost the game last year, sometimes you think that might help you, might trigger some urgency, our team needs some confidence and to taste success and to feel that confidence and to be able to be called into going into the game to defend a player of the likes of a Sancho Lyttle, who is no longer there, who went up for a dunk in our game last year.
"There are some players on that team that instead of being star-struck, our players now have some experience. They've tasted some success. They can see what it takes to be patient. I thought in yesterday's game we did a decent job of slowing the ball down, working the ball inside in the second half. I 'm not taking the first available defense, tune it up a bit. And I learned a great deal, and I like the fact that our players have had some experience. We are certainly not overconfident. They know that we're stepping it up a whole other notch here this week."
QUESTION #3: Will you continue to play the state schools in those exhibitions' Is that your plan'
STONE: Absolutely. I think it's great for the state. I know that Coach Ryan and I both echo the same. We actually played the same two teams they did last year, Parkside, Platteville. Tonight obviously a game with Lawrence. I think it's great for the state to have them experience the Kohl Center and be in this venue. Obviously we want to find out where we're at at this present moment, competitiveness, etc. You know, people can question and not question. I'm a big believer in the WIAC. I always have been. And I'm an advocate for the conference. If we can help them and they can help us then it's a great experience for everybody."
QUESTION #4: Do you know how you're going to decide which team you play from that conference'
STONE: "There is a rotation. I just know we play Stevens Point next year. I don't know how, if it's alphabetical. Gary Karner is the commissioner. He was there when I was there as well and a good friend, and I know they have some type of system that we use as far as a rotation goes."
QUESTION #5: You mentioned a lot of the contributions you received yesterday from your bench. How did you think Jordan Wilson played yesterday'
STONE: "I think Jordan is a senior that really wants to do well, statistically contribute in any way that she can, and she, along with everybody on our team, is learning by maybe making a mistake here and there. Impatience and over-anxiousness I think sometimes is a fault of all of ours.
On the other hand, you know, Jordan has been nothing but a pleasure. She is very willing to learn, even as a senior, and that's a credit to her. I think sometimes when you become an upperclassman, you don't want to be taught anymore. Jordan is very willing to try to improve and get better and contribute in any way she can."
QUESTION #6: Do you think with what happened at the end of last year that your team is out to prove a little bit to Houston and maybe to others that, you know, we're better'
STONE: "Well, I would hope so. I really do. I 'm excited about the readiness of our team and they'll be excited for Friday. I mean, it's really go time now. And we try to treat these last games similar, but this is really game time. We have been preparing ourselves and getting some of the kinks out.
"I'm never a big person on revenge or payback. It's just that our basketball team wants to make a statement and improve and end the season in a better position that we've been in the past, particularly our seniors. They 've not played in postseason and that's a goal of theirs, and they know that we have to do well in non-conference. And we have a very formidable foe here on Friday who's, they're the real deal. And it's going to take a lot and we'll bring our best."
QUESTION #7: Does Danielle Ward, her play in the two exhibitions, does that solidify a solid spot in the rotation' I mean, you lost Ebba a year ago and maybe Jordan not, you know, coming off the bench rather. Is Danielle in that mix right away'
STONE: "Boy, she's fun to watch. We broke that film down twice already and some of the things that this young girl can do is amazing. And she slowed her wheels down inside and letting the game come to her, but she can run and catch. And she's solidified herself in the rotation, without a question, from a standpoint of who we start and that has yet to be determined.
"I think also, I'll mention Akiya Alexander. Her play yesterday was really, really solid, very composed as a point guard, and to give us another dimension. That, again, will boil down to the question of consistency, can Akiya bring that every day. Those are things that our team will find out. We're off today, but our practices this week will be very, very intense. We'll find out who is ready, who wants to be out there. They all want to be out there on the paper, but when it comes down to the grit and the grind behind the preparation, those are the players you'll see on the floor on Friday."
QUESTION #8: So what are your biggest concerns or worries about this group'
STONE: "Well, we need to do a much better job boxing out. Rebounding is huge. In our exhibition games we were able to just athletically jump up and get the ball. We need to make contact particularly with some of these non-conference teams that we play that will just jump right over our back. We need to make contact, be more physical, continue to apply better ball pressure, lessen touches inside, better decisions offensively.
I think in transition we get a little careless at times. Again, that 's early. Those are things that we can fix. But overall, I'm very pleased. Our team is sharing the basketball. They're very coachable, very teachable. We are united in a sense of unity that I've not seen up until this point, and I like that. I like that our team really is more about team accomplishment instead of individual accomplishment."
