Some quotes from the Gamecocks after their 72-40 first round win:
Aliyah Boston:
On the game:
"I think it was a good game to get back in the swing of things and just competing against other people. A couple things we need to clean up just making sure we're looking at our passes and making more secure passes. Everyone is going to talk about our free throws, but they're going to fall."
On Sania Feagin:
"She's been really consistent this past week and a half especially after the tournament. I think it just looks good. She's been dominating practice, calling for the ball, posting up hard and just looking to score. I think tonight she was able to do that."
On Norfolk State's defense:
"Their zone, they did a great job with it and continuing to be active with it. They stunted on one side trying to keep us there, so us just trying to have to make the adjustment. They're just a physical team that crashed the boards really hard."
Zia Cooke:
On the game:
"I think it was a decent win for us, but I think there's some things that we have to clean up and work on."
On the second half:
"I think there were just some things that we needed to clean up, and we were able to execute that in the second half. We just knew within ourselves that we had to step it up."
Also said "I don't think we should think about it too much and get our heads in it," when ti comes to the free throw misses.
Victaria Saxton:
"I just think that we came out here a little bit rusty, I think we were just knocking the rust off considering we haven't played in awhile. But I think we came out there and we played pretty well and we handled our business and won with our game plan.
"Just continuing to be in ourselves and not worrying about that rust. Just knowing it's going to happen and getting through it."
On the halftime message:
"She just told us 'we're being us, we're good.'"
On the free throws:
I think we're going to be good. I'm not worried about it honestly.
On Norfolk State:
"I think they're a good defensive team, and they played how they always play against other teams. I think they just gave their all."
Kierra Fletcher:
On the second quarter timeout:
"Just you know that we needed to clean up some stuff a little bit. I think with us not playing for a couple weeks, I think we came out a little bit rusty. We definitely turned it around I feel like in the second half."
On what turned it around:
"Just boxing out more. They got a lot of their points came from second chance points off of their offensive rebounds and our turnovers, so we just needed to clean up what we were doing. Our halfcourt defense was fine, we just needed to finish out the possessions.
On the free throws:
"We're not going to dwell on that at all. We haven't played in a couple weeks, but we know the free throws are going to start falling."
On Norfolk State's defense:
"They were showing us a lot of different looks, but I think we adjusted pretty well to it. They were stunting us in their zone. They gave us a tough game."
Raven Johnson:
On her jump finish in transition:
"I was looking at LA and she was looking at me, so I knew it was coming and I was ready for it."
On the game:
"I feel like we started off slow, but we picked it up in the second half. We needed this game to prepare us for the long run. I feel like we're learn off this game."
On the halftime message:
"She told us to just keep it simple because she felt like we were playing for the crowd with the oohs and aahs and stuff. She told us to keep it simple. The person who will touch the ball, the first person who meets the ball, it will find whoever needs to score."
Talaysia Cooper:
On the game:
"I felt like we didn't come out strong, but at the end we started playing our game."
"Our energy picked up and we stopped taking them lightly because they showed us that they came to play in the first half so we had to show them that we did too."
Said the message at halftime was that they were taking Norfolk State too lightly.
Chloe Kitts:
On her first time playing in March Madness:
"It felt good. I'm excited for the rest of the games and the rest of the tournament."
On if there was rust:
"We still worked out on our own especially when we were at home, so I feel like we just needed to get back playing somebody."
On halftime:
At halftime she just said we needed to outrebuond them and stop turning the ball over. Just like telling us, we're good and to just keep pushing.
On Sania Feagin:
She's doing very good. We're all so proud of her. Every day at practice she brings practice and encourages everybody and every day she keeps getting better and better and more confident out there."
Olivia Thompson:
On the game:
"It was kind of a rocky start, but I think in the second half we came around and started coming together. I think our bench is extremely dominant and something that really, really sets us apart from everyone else. Just the way that they were able to step in and kind of take care of business in the second half is very special."
On Sania Feagin:
"Sania is a spark. We have a lot of sparks on this team, and Sania is a big one. She's always ready. Whenever her name is called she just gets in there and she dominates and I think that's something that's really great about her and we have a number of players on this team that are the same weay She really brought it today. We really needed her, and she was the start to that turnaround."
Aliyah Boston:
On the game:
"I think it was a good game to get back in the swing of things and just competing against other people. A couple things we need to clean up just making sure we're looking at our passes and making more secure passes. Everyone is going to talk about our free throws, but they're going to fall."
On Sania Feagin:
"She's been really consistent this past week and a half especially after the tournament. I think it just looks good. She's been dominating practice, calling for the ball, posting up hard and just looking to score. I think tonight she was able to do that."
On Norfolk State's defense:
"Their zone, they did a great job with it and continuing to be active with it. They stunted on one side trying to keep us there, so us just trying to have to make the adjustment. They're just a physical team that crashed the boards really hard."
Zia Cooke:
On the game:
"I think it was a decent win for us, but I think there's some things that we have to clean up and work on."
On the second half:
"I think there were just some things that we needed to clean up, and we were able to execute that in the second half. We just knew within ourselves that we had to step it up."
Also said "I don't think we should think about it too much and get our heads in it," when ti comes to the free throw misses.
Victaria Saxton:
"I just think that we came out here a little bit rusty, I think we were just knocking the rust off considering we haven't played in awhile. But I think we came out there and we played pretty well and we handled our business and won with our game plan.
"Just continuing to be in ourselves and not worrying about that rust. Just knowing it's going to happen and getting through it."
On the halftime message:
"She just told us 'we're being us, we're good.'"
On the free throws:
I think we're going to be good. I'm not worried about it honestly.
On Norfolk State:
"I think they're a good defensive team, and they played how they always play against other teams. I think they just gave their all."
Kierra Fletcher:
On the second quarter timeout:
"Just you know that we needed to clean up some stuff a little bit. I think with us not playing for a couple weeks, I think we came out a little bit rusty. We definitely turned it around I feel like in the second half."
On what turned it around:
"Just boxing out more. They got a lot of their points came from second chance points off of their offensive rebounds and our turnovers, so we just needed to clean up what we were doing. Our halfcourt defense was fine, we just needed to finish out the possessions.
On the free throws:
"We're not going to dwell on that at all. We haven't played in a couple weeks, but we know the free throws are going to start falling."
On Norfolk State's defense:
"They were showing us a lot of different looks, but I think we adjusted pretty well to it. They were stunting us in their zone. They gave us a tough game."
Raven Johnson:
On her jump finish in transition:
"I was looking at LA and she was looking at me, so I knew it was coming and I was ready for it."
On the game:
"I feel like we started off slow, but we picked it up in the second half. We needed this game to prepare us for the long run. I feel like we're learn off this game."
On the halftime message:
"She told us to just keep it simple because she felt like we were playing for the crowd with the oohs and aahs and stuff. She told us to keep it simple. The person who will touch the ball, the first person who meets the ball, it will find whoever needs to score."
Talaysia Cooper:
On the game:
"I felt like we didn't come out strong, but at the end we started playing our game."
"Our energy picked up and we stopped taking them lightly because they showed us that they came to play in the first half so we had to show them that we did too."
Said the message at halftime was that they were taking Norfolk State too lightly.
Chloe Kitts:
On her first time playing in March Madness:
"It felt good. I'm excited for the rest of the games and the rest of the tournament."
On if there was rust:
"We still worked out on our own especially when we were at home, so I feel like we just needed to get back playing somebody."
On halftime:
At halftime she just said we needed to outrebuond them and stop turning the ball over. Just like telling us, we're good and to just keep pushing.
On Sania Feagin:
She's doing very good. We're all so proud of her. Every day at practice she brings practice and encourages everybody and every day she keeps getting better and better and more confident out there."
Olivia Thompson:
On the game:
"It was kind of a rocky start, but I think in the second half we came around and started coming together. I think our bench is extremely dominant and something that really, really sets us apart from everyone else. Just the way that they were able to step in and kind of take care of business in the second half is very special."
On Sania Feagin:
"Sania is a spark. We have a lot of sparks on this team, and Sania is a big one. She's always ready. Whenever her name is called she just gets in there and she dominates and I think that's something that's really great about her and we have a number of players on this team that are the same weay She really brought it today. We really needed her, and she was the start to that turnaround."
