Opening statement …
Kentucky Head Coach Matthew Mitchell
“Well, you have to give Florida a ton of credit for out-hustling us in every way imaginable in that second half. They really showed they wanted to win the game and we did not have it today. It was really disappointing from our standpoint. We had to fight really hard there in the second half to try to make something happen and we just couldn’t do it. I am really, really disappointed and just hope we can get back and try to regroup and learn something from it. Really, really tough second half there for us there and really disappointed in our effort.”
On Lavender Briggs getting hot in the third quarter and why we changed to a zone defense…
“Well, you know it’s a tough indication for us when we won’t guard the ball and then we try to give a couple of possessions there of zone to just mix it up a little bit, and maybe if we can refocus. Sometimes the really talented player can get in rhythm and so you try to give them a different look, but I just thought she was tremendously aggressive and worked really hard. I’m sure she was disappointed with her play in the first game and it looked like she came out today ready to prove something today and we just didn’t have it on defense. I’m so disappointed that we couldn’t muster up a better effort, but you give that kid a lot of credit. She played like she wanted to win there in the second half.”
On the absence of Rhyne Howard’s rebounding …
“Well, she is a talented player and she is able, athletic and is a good rebounder. I think more so today, one person wouldn’t have made a difference. If you give that kind of effort, it is just really, really gonna be tough. We are not a great rebounding team in the first place, and so when we have anything less than a real focused, tough effort we’ve shown that we struggle. We got absolutely smashed on the boards today. It’s really, really disappointing. It’s a real lack of effort there on the boards so we’ll have to see if we can bounce back from that.”
On our guards attacking…
“I think the formula for us, what we’ve seen from guards or wings or posts or anybody, is that the first thing we have to do is come with a real focused, consistent effort for 40 minutes. Even in the first half when we were able to make a little run there at the end and make a 10-point lead, I just didn’t think we were really hustling to our capability. We’ve said this over and over with our team when we hustle, we have a chance to win just about every game when we really, really hustle and when we don’t, we are the exact opposite. We have the chance to be beaten by anyone. It had been a while since Florida had won a game and we just did not give the kind of effort that we needed to win this game. They gave a tremendous effort and you just gotta give them so much credit. I thought they started to sense they could win this game and they put forth some effort we just could not answer.”
On Bernadette Locke-Mattox being recognized…
“Yeah, I have so much respect for her, and I was just getting into college coaching when she was the head women’s coach here. I was very, very interested in basketball, so I remember when she was hired on the men’s staff as well. We had a great time, you know, before the game. We were able to honor her with our team. Talk about what a trailblazer and impactful person she’s been in the game. She was a great player and then became a real significant figure in the game through coaching college on the men’s staff here at Kentucky, and then our head coach for a number of years, took us to the NCAA Tournament. And then, she was a very successful professional coach. She is a woman of great accomplishments and I haven’t met many people as classy as her. I was really honored that she was here today, and it was a real treat to be able to spend some time with her.”
On your teams focus on their three-point shooting
“Yeah, we needed it today. You know, you look at our stats today and 3-of-20 is not gonna get it done for us. We generally make around nine a game. So, you know, we missed those 18 points badly. We definitely offensively, to be at our peak, we need to shoot the 3 better than we did today. Today was one of our worst days of the year shooting the 3. So even when Rhyne’s not playing, it’s a big weapon for us, and we need to do a better job there.”
On the team bouncing back after disappointing loss
“One thing that I did tell them, is that we have hustled more than we haven’t this year. So, I’m quite certain that they’re disappointed and that we’ll come back determined. We had a tough, tough game with Alabama down in Tuscaloosa so they will be very formidable on Thursday night, so we’ll have to put this one behind us quickly, learn the lessons and come out with some grit and toughness during our preparation, and see if we can bounce back. It’ll be an important game.”
Kentucky Student-Athlete Quotes
#32 Jaida Roper, G, Sr.
On the fourth quarter of the game…
“I think we just came out and we lost a little focus. We were well capable of getting this done today, but we took our foot off the gas. It just wasn’t our day. We just gotta sustain our effort all four quarters and learn from that.”
On playing without Rhyne Howard…
“I feel like everybody has the mentality that we need to step up. Everybody knows that she is a key contribution to our team. We were well equipped to get this win done today. But everybody has to step up, and we all knew that. That is what we have to do to win games.”
On adjusting to playing with new teammates this year…
“I feel like the talent level is no different. Maci Morris and Taylor Murray, they were really talented. I learned a lot from them leadership wise, on the court, playmaking wise. They’re really great players. Sabrina Haines and Chasity (Patterson) I feel the same. They’re really smart, and as a point guard, it’s really good when I don’t have to tell them how to read screens, curl, or flair. They already know how to do that. Playing with high IQ players is always a bonus as a point guard.”
On looking ahead to the postseason…
“I feel like, as a team, we’re real disappointed with this one, especially since we know what we’re capable of. Everyone has bad days. I think Coach (John) Calipari said it the other day, everyone has a bad day. Today was just not a good day for the lady Cats.”
#15 Chasity Patterson, G, Jr.
On Florida, outrebounding Kentucky…
“They were just very physical with us in the post. We didn’t box out, and we should. That’s on us. That is totally on us.”
On her defensive skills while being the smallest on the court…
“Just being very physical with my hands and stuff. Getting on the ball and putting pressure on the ball. That is something I try to focus in on and bring to the team. Just focusing in on reads and stuff. Helping my teammates out, being a helping teammate.”
On her multiple steals throughout the game…
“I have seen my potential on defense, just seeing myself get steals like that. That kinda gets me going, and my team going, and the momentum. Every game I just try to focus in on that. Trying to get a steal to get us going. Every game we aren’t going to be as sharp as we need to be on offense. We have to bring that intensity every time on defense.”