Everybody ready? We're going to open up the brief statement, coach and we'll take some questions after that.
Yeah, appreciate you guys being here. Great turnout tonight. appreciate our fans. Obviously a really tough game. To be honest with you. I thought Baylin played more physical, grittier than we did. I felt like there was stretches where we showed some fight. In some grittiness. But we just we didn't have it tonight. It's just one of those nights they shot the ball really, really well. We gave up way too many clean locks. Their best three point shooter had 14 attempts from the three point line. And I just felt like there was a lot of 5050 balls and I had to go back and watch film but I just felt like they were quicker to quicker to the ball than we were and obviously disappointed. You know, I think the message in the locker room is just the importance of getting yourself physically emotionally ready to go to battle every night. The SEC it's so wide open this year. You know, I think it could be absolutely anybody in that top six. And you gotta go work for it though. I think probably the most disappointing thing to me is I feel like we practice maybe harder than what we've learned today and you know, that's the galley. They've worked way too hard and do so much more than what's required not to bring the best that they got. You know, I think between the lines but that second or the third quarter I felt in the bursaries, opportunities that they could have ran away with it. But we found a way like I said, there were spurts that we really competed and and fought back and move the ball well and, and, and then the the start of the third was a tough one. They go to the free throw line, babbled rebound their ball and then we follow a three point shooter so we just you know, it was just like it continued on from that first half but you know, hopefully mom was okay, I thought mama obviously defensively really created some some challenges and got some good steals for us I thought really pushed well in transition and you know, we're still young, we're still learning coming off a tough loss at LSU and we come home and didn't play the way they wanted. They wanted it they there's no doubt this means a lot to them, but we've got to pick yourself up and and continue to learn and grow because it's a long SEC season.
Robin, do you think the management having some of that better leadership is you know, you talked about playing it's hard to practice that they kind of get that message into something maybe you don't need to actually tell them they probably know.
Yeah, I do it good. So I say this regardless of that scoreboard, I love to win a battle with these girls, you know, just the standard that they have for themselves the way they challenge and support each other. They're, I mean, it's the hardest working group I've ever been around. So it doesn't really make sense that we would bring that little edge to us tonight. And you know, the game favors I think the more aggressive team and I just, I thought they were in when you don't come out with it. It's really hard, I think to work yourself to get to that point. And we tried and we had stretches and you have to give him a credit. I mean, they shot really well. I thought they had some good rhythm looks. But even with that being said they shot the ball really, really well.
You know when you guys did manage to get it to tie at halftime and 41 You know what do you feel like kind of shifted there that was able to put you guys back in it?
Yeah, I just felt like we were we're playing a lot like I felt like they were so aggressive defensively and just really bullied us and we talked a lot about you know, it's a team that switches one through four and there's gonna be some some opportunities on some of our screening action and just the importance of being the aggressor playing and transition and I thought they bullied us a little bit and forced our offense really high. had a hard time getting those ball reversals, but when we were playing and moving the ball, you know, a lot of good things were happening for us but I also think defensively we had some some really good really defensive possessions but we didn't sustain it for 40 minutes.
Coach when I went coach Craig was in the he was talking about being able to go inside the paint, get some of those inside outlooks perspective. Some of those backside threes, just what did you see on the defensive end of the forum that led to them being able to go man
or zone. There's a lot of times that we happen to be in no man's land and you know, we talked about, you got to find a job and so on that weak side, you know, yeah, you want to jump to the ball, but if there's no job to do, and you get a shooter on your side, at some point, you know, just that communication, that sense of urgency to get out and I thought that happened to way too many times that we just we didn't know where the shooter was when we're in zone in that communication, that sense of urgency to be passing around a shooter. And then man, I just felt like we got caught a lot kind of in some overwhelm situations and in no man's land and she doesn't need a lot of time or space and she got some really good looks
for Grayson Haley when you're going through a six point offensive third quarter Just what are you seeing are some of the looks and that's great fair.
I mean, like Coach said they're making it really tough. We didn't do a very good job of, you know, what we wanted to do as far as taking advantage of their switches and getting sevens. I think we finally figured it out. And so it could work, but it's just too late. I mean, but then at the end of the day, if offensive and falling and we talk all the time that we have to pride ourselves on defense and we didn't get it done on that end either. I mean, it doesn't really matter about the offensive end if we get stopped and we didn't get that done.
Yeah, I agree with Frankie. Just our offense, we get a little stagnant and we knew what we were expecting and looking for we practice and so I think it was just having the mindset that we could go out and execute. And then if that wasn't being executed it all it all translates to even so making sure we get stops and not letting them have second chance opportunities on the boards.
Rob and I know obviously unfortunate that you went down with an injury at the end of that game but you know, model how much does she you know, brace in his office, especially in transition?
Yeah, she's just really having a special you're really proud of her. She's it's fun to watch her get out and go and transition and just her her court vision is pretty darn special and you know, probably doesn't get enough credit for you know, just her grittiness on defense and the way she defends and yeah, she's just praying that you know, she's gonna be okay. I haven't talked to the doctor yet. So I have no idea what that looks like. But just speaking on what she's doing for our team right now. She's the engine I think that makes us go. And it's been really fun to see her and have such a special senior year. For
Haley, we talked about Dembele especially her ability to pass the ball she had 10 of your 13 assists. Well, that's incredibly impressive. What can the rest of the team do to spread that rock around and get the ball to open shooters?
Man I think we have so many great shooters on the team. It's just like sitting on a good shot and passing it up for a great shot. So you know when Mama drives the paint and kicks, I think really sitting on that shot, fake and fun and even better shot for each other.
Coach was a really strong start for both teams. You both have shot over 70% from the floor and not a single Miss between Haley and grace is that fast pace part of the game plan or just something that naturally happens when the shots are falling?
I think something that we spent a lot of time on in the offseason and continued so far this season is just we want to play up tempo. You know, we want to run. We want deep outlets. We want to get out and go in transition and I think that's when we're at our best
for grace. That's SEC schedule. It's grueling, it's tough. You face two very good teams. What are your thoughts now that we're getting into the mix of SEC play?
Yeah, it's a good question. I think it's just learning to adjust. I mean, especially in non con we kind of had different timings of games. So understanding that we have this two days or three days where we get to really just recover. I think taking advantage of that. And then also we definitely have some bets on this team. So just looking up to them and talking to them and understanding that we have to be super locked in in this league and it's anyone's it's anyone's game any day. So I just think it's exciting, but it's also a lot of work but I think we all really enjoy it. And I think this game is just gonna help us lock anymore. We'll take one or two more if you guys Alright, thanks. Thanks, you guys.
