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Duke

WBB: Duke talks about upcoming game with Carolina

Feb 7, 2009

Duke Women's Basketball Coach Joanne P. McCallie

On coaching her second game against Carolina in Chapel Hill:

"I feel like I knew about that rivalry last year and I know about it this year and at the same time, as a coach, attack it the same as any other game. I'm certainly aware of the great rivalry, I'm aware of the great opinions."

On Carolina's rebounding ability:

"North Carolina is an excellent rebounding team, they are very athletic, they have multiple people who come from multiple spots and there is no question that transition defense and rebounding will be the critical key to this game. We practiced some of that against Virginia, transition defense and rebounding, but North Carolina has more people. They have more depth and more ability to run and more ability to rebound."

On Abby's Waner's characterization of Carolina as "organized chaos:"

"I just think Carolina is a very good team. I don't know if I would use that term. I think they are a good team. They can press, they can run, they can rebound, they can shoot, they have depth and quickness. I just think they are a very good basketball team. Basically you tackle very good basketball teams the same way, which is you really focus on what we do well and you really focus on Duke basketball and what we want to bring to the table and try to impose that as much as possible. But I just think they are a very good team."

On Duke's ability to fight back going into a hostile environment:

"I think this team has been pretty consistent with the ability to fight back. If you go back to the game against Oklahoma State, our first home game, if you go back to USC, being down what seemed like a million at the time, when this team stays focused and when we stay together and really focus on what we have been doing on the floor I think that we have had really good success coming back. But I agree with you, I think the preferred way to play the game is to dictate from the beginning all the way through. But runs are an interesting thing in the game."

On any of Carolina's personnel advantages which Duke must overcome:

"Well, they have got three players that are a lot alike that are so dangerous. I don't know too many teams which have a [Rashanda] McCants, a [Jessica] Breland, and a [Iman] McFarland. I mean, that's what you call depth. The size of those players and the quickness of those players, and you know [Chay] Shegog is doing a great job for them to give them a bigger presence. I think that's a concern; you've really got to find a lot of people. Those three are some of the best rebounders out there in terms of getting to the glass really hard and they are very mobile players and I am concerned about the guards who are very good as you know, but those three are sort of the whole key to Carolina."

On the importance of tempo:

"I think tempo is always very important in any game that we play. And I think that we did a very good job controlling the tempo last night and I think that was good to do. We took hold of that tempo, and even though there were runs which favored Virginia, I still think we had the tempo for most of it. I think a team that does control the tempo keeps their composure, focuses hard and just continues to play their game; I think that is a team that can be successful."

On emotions and maturity in a game like Carolina:

"I think our team knows the maturity that you need to have. I mean you can't ride emotion to victory. You can have some emotional runs in the game, but you've got to stay composed and focused. There is just a certain place you go, a certain inner place to keep that focus because absolutely nothing can rattle an excellent team. You just have to stay with it, stay focused, and really stay composed with your teammates. I think whatever we have done in the past is the past and we have learned lessons from that. But this is the present and this is a great opportunity for us, and it's a great opportunity to bring Duke basketball. That's really fun; bring Duke basketball to Chapel Hill. That's what you want to do, and so you have to stay in the moment. All that matters is the moment, which is preparation, we've got two practices, and then we go into that game and that is what matters the most."

On her relationship with UNC Coach Sylvia Hatchell:

"I just have known Sylvia through the years. She is an excellent coach, she has had a very, very long career, a lot of wins. All of these wins just keep adding up, it is ridiculous. She's just a great coach, she does a super job, she's been at Carolina a long time and, you know, she's pretty good. She's got a lot more wins than I do."

On the game being played at the Smith Center:

"It doesn't change our approach. I agree with Abby, anytime, anyplace, anywhere is really what we believe in. So whether we are playing in Chapel Hill or in the "big place" there, I don't think it matters, I know it doesn't matter, you just have to play. Now it may matter to them, I don't know, are the fans distant? I think there will be a lot of people there. Crowds are so important for women's basketball, and it's just so exciting. I think it will be great; the bigger the crowd the better. That's what it is all about, that's what you want for women's basketball. Maybe a lot of Durham folks will come, a lot of Dukies will come. We hope our 8,000 fans come over."

Senior Guard Abby Waner

On how the team played in the game last night versus Virginia:

"Well, it depends on what point you were watching the game. It was two different games. We came out and got down 13-2, I think we scored two points in six or seven minutes and that was perhaps the worst offense that we've had all season. Then we reeled off 79 points after that in about 30 minutes or so. We shot 60 percent from the field in the second half. I don't think we've shot like that yet this season. We played some of our worst offense and then the reason that we played some of our best offense was because of our defense. Overall, we had a very complete 30 minutes, which is a start, because we've wanted to put together 40 minutes on the road. We'll take 30 and the win."

On the preparation for North Carolina:

"We haven't really thought about it yet. In this conference, as we've learned, you definitely cannot look ahead. I'd be lying if I didn't know that we are playing Carolina on Monday. They also beat Virginia fairly handily, and we saw that game on the bus so we know that Carolina is capable of the same things that we are. In terms of specific matchups, I think that Carolina has much quicker guards than Virginia does and so I think that there will be a different look from the guard matchup. Tomorrow we have a late practice at 12:30. I think we'll probably go through the series of film, practice, weights. We've definitely been doing a lot more weights this year, and for Coach P [Joanne P. McCallie] it's not so much the physicality of weights as it is the mindset that it brings. It's more of the mentality, knowing that we have that in our arsenal, I think that's huge especially against a team like Carolina where we're going to have to be strong because it's going to be a physical game."

On the North Carolina defense:

"They're known for their organized chaos approach to defense. Ever since I've been here, they've been athletes with long arms and they are all over the court. That's what Carolina does and when you play that way, you can cut back on a lot of mistakes. You could be in the worst defensive position possible but you could still get a steal just because you're playing hard and getting the offense flustered. The way to attack Carolina is to keep our poise and composure and play just a physically as them. I think that's something that we're going to talk about tomorrow especially in terms of their three quarter court press, which they thrive in. There are definitely some things that we're going to want to study tomorrow."

On rebounding and what it will take to be successful against North Carolina:

"It's going to require pride. I think of our men's program when I think of rebounding. I watched them do a rebounding drill the other day and I was afraid for their health. I thought someone was going to walk off the court with a broken nose, and they probably did and would be back in the next play. When you watch them play against Carolina, they play the same way. Rebounding is a matter of pride, and when you talk about pride, you talk about the rivalry. I don't want to hear from people that live in this area about Carolina beating us. If it's going to signify anything, rebounding is going to signify the rivalry."

Senior Carrem Gay

Are you starting to feel excited for the upcoming game?

"I definitely feel it, [UNC] is a big rival. It's a time for us to showcase our abilities, especially being on ESPN on Monday night. We get to have fun, playing against these girls that we play against all the time, I'm excited about it."

How well do you know some of the players on the other team?

"I played against some of the other girls in high school. I played with them, in the All-America games. I know some of our teammates have close relationships with the players on the other team."

Sophomore Jasmine Thomas

Will rebounding be a factor in the game in particular with the way the two teams play?

"Rebounding will definitely be a factor. They have good height and size, they all take quick shots and we don't want to get into the quick-shot battle with out getting rebounds because then it gives them a second-chance opportunity. Definitely securing a rebound off of a press or a transition defense is going to be big for us."

When you're about to play against each other, do you avoid or talk more to the friend you have on the opposing team?

"I'm the type that doesn't necessarily avoid; I'm just so focused that sometimes you can't get into that. They'll be there after the game, and you can talk to them and go out, but before the game, I'm pretty much focused on my team."

What happened in that game last year at UNC and how much of it is still with you, where you recall that you didn't get all your chances?

"I can still remember the game, but honestly none of it's really with me any more. I think we are a different team and in that game we lost focus. Instead of buckling down, we fell apart. That's something we do not plan on doing again; we've worked on it, matured, and we're better at staying together when times get tougher."