March 10, 2009

EASTON, Pa. -
Head Coach Tammy Smith's Opening statement: "I give all the credit to these guys. They came in when we recruited them knowing what our expectations were and where we needed them to take us and they have not let us down for one minute. We've set this goal for ourselves and these seniors are a big part of it. At the end of last season we were very disappointed at not making it further in the conference tournament and right away after spring break we met as a team and we talked about what we needed to do better this time so that we could possibly win a conference championship. Our season didn't go as well as we had hoped it would. We were in the preseason WNIT and we played some really tough games and we thought that was going to be a stepping stone for us and that it would prepare us for the Patriot League season, but we let us some games slip away from us. It was tough mentally on us--on myself, on my staff, on the players--just because they had such high expectations of themselves and wanted everything to work their way but everything happens for a reason. We got through the season and it's been like a rebirth. We gave them off Sunday and Monday after American (in regular season finale) and they came in on Tuesday before the tournament and it was just like a different energy. There was more focus, there was more intensity. We had talked to them about the importance of the tournament, to let the season go and that it was a new start for everyone. I credit them because they never stopped believing, from the time they've gotten here, and it's not just this season. It's three years prior to this. They could have very easily said forget it, we can't do this, it's too much. So now, they put our younger kids in a position where now our expectations from here on out are going to be tremendous. These younger kids now have the expectation of getting to the championship game all the time. We still have some things to do but we're very excited to be in the championship game against Lehigh."

On Lehigh: "I've watched as much film on Lehigh as these guys have. We know each other pretty well. I thought in the last game in particular there were a lot of things we needed to do better and we will this time that we play them. We've got to get out on their shooters immediately. We have to do a better job in our transition defense. We've got to limit their scoring opportunities and we have to make sure we keep them off the boards. We have to keep our composure on the offensive end; we can't settle for quick shots. We've got to control the tempo of the game to be successful."

On her approach this season and whether the team is a "Cinderella" team: "I'll take Cinderella. I don't care--whatever you want to call it, I'm just glad to be where we are right now. I'm thrilled to death. I know I've shared this before, but I had to take a look at myself and how I was approaching the games. In the past, I was always on these kids but I promised these guys at the end of last season that I was going to figure out a way that they were going to perform at their best. I watched how if I reacted one way as compared to another way what the outcome was. What I noticed was I had to ease up a little bit. I don't want to put added pressure or added stress on them because they have enough. I respect them tremendously and I want the best for these guys because they're the ones who put the work in."

On whether the momentum carried over from the American win into game against Navy: "I think it was a good thing. It was good because we had played so well against American and while we didn't have our legs as much as we would have liked to (against Navy), we got back into that gym and we just carried over that momentum and that intensity. I think it was a great thing we were able to get back on the court as quickly as we did. Now we're going back to Stabler as the underdogs but we're going to go in and play relaxed and just play the game."