Oct. 29, 2013
WKU Lady Topper Basketball vs. Kentucky Wesleyan
Postgame Quotes
Oct. 29, 2013
E.A. Diddle Arena; Bowling Green, Ky
WKU Head Coach Clark-Heard
On having a full roster tonight...
"It was a little different. It was actually good. Myself and the staff knew this would be interesting for us, because we had to figure out different combinations, different substitution patterns, and different things. It's awesome to be able to have Ruta and Bria to be able to sub them in and out, get them some quality minutes. The same with all the newcomers. I felt that at times the newcomers did some good things and that was good for us to see. Now we just have to continue to get better. I felt like now they have this first game under their belt and we're looking forward to moving on."
On the newcomers' play...
"I felt really good. I feel like they've taken the things that we worked on in practice and tried to get better at those things, trying to adjust. I think that's the hardest thing sometimes when you get to college. For the junior college players, it's different for them. Now they have to come in and figure out the system and what we're trying to do. For the freshman, I feel like they had a good showing. The effort was there from everybody. We just at times looked a little scared and not on the same page, but that happens when it's the first exhibition game. I'm looking forward to going back and looking at the film. As the game goes on, you see certain things and I'm looking forward to seeing those things. We have to figure out the things we have to work on to get better."
On Bianca McGee coming off the bench...
"I have a 6'3" and a 6'4" (laughter from media). I'm just being honest. Last year, we were undersized. I feel like we have to make sure that every day we go in and prepare. Ruta has been playing well. It's nothing that Bianca did or hasn't done, but I think again it goes back to us now having 12 players that dress and now you have to make some decisions as a coach and as a staff. We felt like that was the best line-up."
On turnovers...
"Very high for me. That's one of the things at halftime that we discussed. I think we had ten or eleven at halftime and they weren't even pressing us. So, I think some of that was careless mistakes. A lot of it is our players still getting used to each other, trying to make a pass to someone. Ruta can't catch the ball like Chasity can catch the ball. So, the players are still learning each other. That's definitely not an excuse. Eighteen turnovers is way too many. Our goal was twelve for tonight, so we didn't meet that goal. At the end of the day I think we just have to keep going back and breaking things down so we can make sure every player understands their personnel and who's on the floor with them."
On having more size...
"It's definitely different. It's exciting. What we want to do as a staff is making sure we're working every day to get better for each and every game. Austin Peay, Vanderbilt. If we don't give Rut and Bria; Jalynn McClain played incredible tonight, she keeps getting better and better and she's really worked on it. If we don't give them the opportunity to give them minutes, when it comes time for tournament or Sun Belt, they're not going to be ready. That's the way we're looking at things. We're trying to approach for now but also for the long run."
On seeing anything pleasantly surprising...
"I don't know if I can say anything pleasantly surprised me. Not being mean, I just see our team practice, I've seen us do a lot of good things. I think the thing I was excited about is that we got a chance to play everybody. I think that everybody showed some good things. The things that we're working on as far as their roles and the things we want everyone to do. I was excited about that. Even if some of the newcomers that came in, Jasmine Crawford got in early and made a couple of turnovers but she played really good in the second half. So, you have to, I think, look at those things and you always have to take the positives out of things. Especially in a game like this.
On Chaney Means' play...
"I feel like she played incredible. She definitely, just like last year, as I spoke about, the team feeds off of Chaney. Chaney has done incredible. She's in that senior role now where she's leading, just like she led last year. She is definitely, I say this all of the time, but she's our X factor. Her taking those charges brought some energy to us in the first half. Actually, that's what I talked to the young ladies on the bench about was where was everyone else's energy compared to Chaney's. That's just her personality, that's who she is. I'm just excited that I have the chance to coach her."
