Jan. 23, 2001
Submit your question to Coach Small!
Question:
"Coach Small, how do you think the new girls will handle the pressure of the NCAA tourney? Have some of them responded in a good way so far?" -- question submitted by Jimmy Buckner (Cottontown, Tenn.)
Coach Small:
"Thanks for your question, Jimmy. I appreciate your confidence in our team, but we still have a long way to go before the NCAA Tournament begins. We have played a very difficult schedule so far and have responded well to that challenge. It always takes time to develop young players, but I think our schedule has given them a great deal of experience which is proving to be very valuable during the Sun Belt Conference season. Thanks for your continued support of the Lady Toppers!"
Question:
"Coach Small, what do you like most about what your team is doing fundamentally? And, what do they need to work on?" -- questions submitted by Kyle Edelen (Bowling Green, Ky.)
Coach Small:
"I'm pleased with the way we are maturing and coming together as a basketball team. We are showing a lot of heart and determination, some of the same characteristics that we had on last year's team. Fundamentally, every team has a niche, and for our team, that's at the free throw line. We are currently ranked 13th in the nation in free throw percentage and we go to the line a lot more than anyone else we've played this year. We are going to be successful when we can get points at the free throw line. That means we are being aggressive with the basketball on offense and forcing teams to adjust to our style, rather than the other way around.
At the same time, we are still looking for a solid 40-minute effort from our team. I can only think of one game this season -- Tennessee Tech -- where we played a complete basketball game. Every other time, we have had some lapses in our focus and concentration which have let our opponents gain some confidence. We are continuing to stress to our team the value of each possession and how that can carry over into a solid all-around game. Thanks for your questions and keep supporting Lady Topper basketball!"
