The University of Mississippi Athletics
Renee Ladner Postgame Quotes
1/7/2010 | Women's Basketball
On the victory...
"Any win in the conference is a good win. We played outstanding defense in the first half. We took their shooters out of the game. We knew that they could be extremely streaky and come back and hit you in the mouth, which they did. Fatigue plays a factor when you're trapping, rotating and playing full-court basketball. So, we have to get our level of condition better so that we can play that type of basketball. Tonight, our defense generated offense."
On maintaining the lead...
"For the most part we have been in this situation many times before where we have had a big lead, even this year, and people would make a run and we would get stunned and step back for a few moments. The difference tonight is they made a run and we matched it. We had to go back to some trapping late in the game so that we could get steals and make easy baskets. Tonight, defense and the ability to get to the free throw line was the difference in the game."
On forcing 21 turnovers...
"I think we have one of the fastest backcourts in the conference, and we should be able to force steals and turnovers. A great importance for this particular game was to get out and rotate, trap and steal. I think we have been tentative up to this point, and we spent about two days reiterating exactly what I thought we needed for this particular game. I really thought we were tentative at Vanderbilt. We had the ability to score points, we just didn't have the ability to defend. It was not as important as it has to be for this team. I believe we got their attention after the Vanderbilt game. You give up 86 points and you're going to get beat every night. The goal (tonight) was 50 (points) and we gave them 56. We'll set another goal Sunday after we've scouted Arkansas. We just have to defend. That is what our team is going to be about this year. We have the ability to score, and we have some really good scorers. We don't always expect Kayla Melson to have a 19-point night. Our scorers are pretty much Bianca Thomas, Shantell Black and Kayla is really third down the line. Since we could steal and pressure the ball tonight, we had a lot of run outs and the opportunity to shoot layups. It's one game at a time for us."
On the play of Kayla Melson...
"She's vocal, she's high energy and she plays extremely hard. She knows one speed. She doesn't know when to pull it back or to go forward. Sometimes it hurts her, but we need her to bring that kind of energy and intensity. It's her effort that makes her good and it's been good for us because the other kids are not like that. Their personalities are a little bit more laid back. They play extremely hard, but they don't play with that much energy. She gets excited for a good play. She's just always talking to her teammates and that is very important for this particular group of girls."
