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The University of Utah Athletics
Quotes from Lynne Roberts' Weekly Press Conference
12/8/2015 12:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 8, 2015
Utah Women's Basketball Head Coach Lynne Roberts
Weekly Press Conference
Dec. 8, 2015
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Opening statement:
"It was a good week for us coming back from the Bahamas. We had a great week of practice. We had one game against CSUN, which went really well. The things we talked about improving upon, we did in terms of taking care of the ball and taking better shots, getting up and down the floor, making the extra pass and defending the 3-point line better. Those were all glaring weaknesses from the trip to the Bahamas and we did a nice job with that. The players responded. Our energy was good. It was improved in terms of playing and looking like a team. I've said all along that my goal is to improve every week and last week was just a great example of us improving as a program. We had a great win so that gives us a little big of momentum heading into this week. We play a very good Creighton team tomorrow [Wednesday, Dec. 9] and then BYU on Saturday [Dec. 12] down in Provo."
On her team's progress:
"I wasn't sure what to expect [heading into this season], but I had hoped to see the team 'buying in' to what we're trying to do. I hoped to see them learn what it really means to compete as well as the obvious improvement of X's and O's. I've seen that. They've done a tremendous job of buying in and trying to do what we're asking them to do. I didn't have a win and loss number in my head. As you're building a program, you can't get sucked into outcome-based goals. You have to buy in and have tunnel vision with the process and not get too caught up in outcome. I didn't know what to expect, but we are doing what I had hoped for. This is a good group. They want to achieve and do right. We have some potential, but we have a long way to go before we reach that potential."
On Creighton making 10.0 3-pointers per game:
"What's interesting about that statistic is in their losses, they average 9.8 makes and in their wins they average 10.2 so they're consistent with it. They've played a very tough schedule. They're obviously not afraid to play anyone. They'll compete against anyone, which I respect. They're good. I've coached teams this way where you might be undersized, but if you knock down 3's you can beat just about anyone and I would put [Creighton] in that boat. They can really get going from the outside. For us to have success against them, we have to defend the 3-point line. That's been a point of emphasis this season, in terms of improving. It's something we have to get better at and facing Creighton will be a test."
On Danielle Rodriguez being named to the Allstate Good Works Team and posting her first career double-double last week:
"Danielle Rodriguez is an exemplary student-athlete. This was the second year in a row she has been nominated for the Allstate WBCA Good Works Team, which is an award that is very competitive. It's for a very select few. It's not just about being an athlete, it's about giving back and what else you do with your platform as a student-athlete. That just speaks to her character. Everyone knows that. It's no secret that she's a great kid and a really good person. She is one of four Pac-12 student-athletes nominated, which is impressive, and then she had her first career double-double [against CSUN] with 13 points and 11 assists. It was impressive that she was involved in 24 of our baskets. That is pretty telling of her ability on the floor and off. It was a good week for her."
On her mantra of 'passing up a good shot to get a great one':
"That's one of the things I say constantly. For our system and our philosophy basketball-wise, that's a big one. That's a tagline. That's why you're hearing it from the players. They're hearing it from me a lot. To be a great basketball team, it's all about shot selection. If you want to score a lot of points and beat a good team, bad shots are like turnovers. I felt like we were forcing the issue a little bit, especially in the Bahamas, not out of selfishness, but just trying to make things happen by creating shots for ourselves and then forcing them when they're not there. That was something we watched film on a lot. Erika Bean as a freshman is going to hear that for four years, 'give up a good shot to create a great shot.' If we're taking great shots as a team, we're going to score a lot of points. Danielle Rodriguez said it yesterday [during the Lynne Roberts Coach's Show that airs every Monday from 7 to 8 p.m. MT on ESPN 700] that it's like karma. That is exactly right. If you give up for you and create a great shot for a teammate, it's going to come back around. That same teammate is going to give up her good shot and give you a great one. They're starting to get it. During the CSUN game, the light bulb came on a little bit and you saw the result of that in the stats."
On Tanaeya Boclair:
"She had the first bucket of the game against CSUN, it was a 3, but teams are keying on her [early in games] because she had such a great year last year. She's so athletic. She's six feet tall and can do a lot of things. Scouting reports are keyed on her, especially early in the games and you can really notice that teams are trying to do defensively and that can mellow as the game goes. [Boclair] is a perfect example of a player who has to let the game come to her a little bit rather than trying to get going, especially when everyone is really focused on her early in games. She can't force the issue. She just has to let the game come to her and those points and buckets will come with opportunities to score, rebound and get to the free throw line. We've talked about that and watched film. She just has to not press so hard. She's talented enough. She just has to let the game come to her and it will happen."
On Paige Crozon's performance against CSUN:
"She's capable of that. Paige is a coach's dream in that she just plays her tail off. However long she gets on the floor, she's going to go all-out and do everything you need. She's also taken a charge in every single one of our games, which is telling as well. Those are the things that don't show up on the stat sheet, but she's willing to do it night in and night out. She's one of those glue players who is a jack of all trades and can do everything for you. I'm proud of her for fighting back from injuries and it's fun to see her have success."
On not speaking to her team after games:
"I started that about five years ago, not talking with the team after games. I've just learned the hard way that after games, everyone is extremely emotional. You could win and you're bouncing off the walls excited or you could lose and you're just down. What we do is very emotional. Players want to win. Coaches want to win. Everyone is invested. Everyone wants to play well. Sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. It helps gain perspective and cool off with the 24-hour rule and watch the tape. The players have a chance to do the same. I've learned that after you give players a chance to emotionally settle down, they're pretty objective and they're able to say 'We didn't do this very well' even if we win. I've found it to really work. I can't imagine meeting after games now since I've done it for so long. I know it's unique and unheard of, but it works for me."
On playing at BYU on Saturday:
"We play Creighton first so we haven't even looked at BYU yet. We haven't even started thinking or talking about them since we play a very good Creighton team tomorrow, but in terms of the rivalry, when I was at Pacific we were in the same conference. I've been [to Provo]. I've played there. I know they're a good, well-coached team. I'm familiar with them already. The rivalry is obviously new for me, but the game is the same, so I'm looking forward to my first one."
On the progression of her offensive system:
"It was good on Thursday [against CSUN]. But being good for a season is about consistency. It's doesn't matter if it's a player or team. Once you are consistent, then you can start putting adjectives like good or great on there. Our offense was good on that one night [against CSUN], but let's see how consistent we can be with it. I'm very happy with where it's at right now. But if we take one step forward and two steps back, and we start forcing again, not reversing the ball, or not giving up good shots for great ones, then I wouldn't say we're where we need to be. If we can string two or three good games together and build some confidence and momentum with it then we might even be ahead of schedule."
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