Murray State University Athletics
NCAA Saturday: The Job At Hand
3/22/2008 5:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Murray State women's basketball team got down to work this afternoon in College Park, Md., preparing for its upcoming NCAA Tournament game against No. 9 Duke.
The Racers (24-7) had one final bit of fun, taking in the sights at Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore, before getting down to cases this afternoon in its scheduled practice. Prior to that practice, the Racers took part in a half-hour press conference at the Comcast Center.
In practice, the Racers went through a number of drills, with media members on hand, including the ESPN crew of Pam Ward, Nancy Lieberman and Holly Rowe, who spoke with MSU head coach Jody Adams following the practice.
Murray State will play Duke (23-9) on Sunday at 6 p.m. on ESPN-2 and ESPN-U.
Comments from today's press conference with MSU head coach Jody Adams:
Opening statement:
"We're extremely excited to be in the NCAA tournament for the first time. I am extremely proud of this team. With a new coach coming in, these guys have done a tremendous job of leading us back to the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference and making the necessary changes we needed to make to win that championship. We're extremely excited to be here and have the opportunity to play a great team like Duke."
On the feeling of the team:
"I want the girls to relax and enjoy the experience. I've been there and done that as player and an assistant coach. Not too many people end up being in this position. Maybe tomorrow, I'll be worried about them being nervous."
On playing against Duke's 2-3 zone defense:
"They do cover a lot of space and that zone is very big. Hopefully, we can get into the cracks and make some shots. They have a great zone. I expect my team to do the things we've continued to work on in practice. The bottom line is: when you are playing a great team, you have to make great plays, and there's always an opportunity for second and third shots, so we'll continue to hustle after missed shots."
On defending Duke's post players:
"I tried to get some of our men's players, but they were on Spring Break. (Laughing) Obviously, I don't have that type of size. My practice players aren't the size or have the same speed as Duke. We have other things that we'll counter with, and that's the way we'll go about things. The biggest thing is: we put on our shoes the same way as Duke. I don't believe my team is scared at all. I believe we may be nervous at the beginning, but we'll work through things as we go. Duke is talented, and they always have top-100 kids on their roster and All-Americans."
On what makes Ashley Hayes a special player:
"First of all, her mindset; she doesn't back down, and she's a true competitor. She's level-headed. She sees things for what they are, and she's very real with making decisions and comparing herself to other people. Ashley has put in the time and she has put in the work. She's a phenomenal player, and we're very fortunate to have her here at Murray State. She'll be one of the best to ever come through Murray State."
