No. 5 Stanford edges Women's Basketball, 72-59, in season opener
Nov. 11, 2011
Final Stats |
Notes |
Photo Gallery 1
AUSTIN, Texas - AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Longhorns boasted four players in double-digit scoring, but they could not keep pace with No. 5 Stanford in the second half, as the Cardinal pulled out a 72-59 victory on Friday night at the Frank Erwin Center in the season opener for both teams.
The Longhorns used eight first-half points from both Cokie Reed and Chassidy Fussell to enter halftime trailing just 35-30, but UT wasnever able to reduce Stanford's lead to less than four points during the second half of play.
Stanford shot 47 percent in the second half, and owned a 44-20 scoring advantage in the paint. Chiney Ogwumike led Stanford with 16 points and 14 rebounds, including 10 offensive.
Fussell led the Longhorns with 17 points, and Reed finished with 11 points in her first on-court action since 2010. Reed missed all of last season with an injury.
Yvonne Anderson added 13 points, and Anne Marie Hartung came off the bench to score 10 on 3-of-5 shooting.
The Longhorns return to action on Monday, Nov. 14 against Southeastern Louisiana in an 8 p.m. contest at the Frank Erwin Center. POST-GAME COMMENTS Texas head coach Gail Goestenkors Opening statement: I am just really disappointed. I felt good about this game and our preparation, so I am just disappointed we did not come away with a win. I saw some good things with our low post game. They ended up having to double Cokie (Reed), which I think is going to be good for us that she is going to demand a double team. Now, we've got to learn what to do with it, and that is not something we have really worked on, and obviously we will. Need to pass out of the double team and our guard spot and be a little more aggressive.
We just did not do a good job on Amber (Orrange) in the first half. We just let her go with her left hand to the basket, and then Chiney (Ogwumike) on the offensive glass, she just really killed us on the offensive glass with her 10 rebounds, and her putbacks. So, overall, I think our defense was pretty good, but those offensive rebounds really hurt us down the stretch. This is a great opening game for us. I hate that we lost it, but I know we will learn so much and grow so much from it, so we will get better. That is the great thing. On shooting from three-point range: We are good shooters. Yvonne Anderson, Chassidy Fussell and Ashleigh Fontenette have all been knocking down the three in practice. Today, it was not falling for us. So that is the part where they've got to be ready to shoot the ball. If people are going to double on Cokie, they are going to get wide-open looks. So, it's picking and choosing when they shoot, being ready to shoot and expecting to make it. Center Cokie Reed On what she learned from this game: I learned a lot. I learned that I need to look for my guards when the double team does arrive, and I told them that. I got beat a couple times on the duck-in, and I am pretty sure (assistant coach Ron) Hughey will call me out on it in film. But, just to be back, it felt pretty good. I played (a career-high) 31 minutes and I have to learn how to stay on the court longer without getting tired. Guard Chassidy Fussell On how she felt during her first game this season: I think I came up a little too hyped for this game. I did not really have the jitters. I do not really know what it was. But, dribbling (the ball) off my leg, that is just not me. So, I am a little disappointed in that, coming out with a bad start. Overall, I feel like everybody on the team can be better than this game.
POST-GAME QUOTES - STANFORD Stanford Head Coach Tara VanDerveer Opening Statement: First of all, I think that this was an excellent test for our team. I just want to compliment Texas. They gave us a great battle. They're very physical. They have some really big post players in there with Ashley Gayle and Cokie Reed. I'm really proud of our team and how we battled. Coming in here without Nneka (Ogwumike) after losing Jeanette (Pohlen) and Kayla (Pedersen), we saw some real poise from Amber (Orrange). I thought she did a great job. Chiney (Ogwumike) was staying with things really well. (We had) rebounding and just overall great team effort and excellent energy from everyone on the bench. On Nneka Ogwumike's injury: We expect her back shortly. I think she's doing really well. She's feeling really good. So we're hoping she'll be back for Sunday, if not for Thursday. We're expecting Sunday. Sophomore F Chiney Ogwumike On playing without her sister, Nneka Ogwumike: I think it would have been nice to play with her on this court. It's always fun to play on this court. We have great history here. But I think it was a great mental test for me personally and our team, too because we've worked hard. Our motto for the year is to "do whatever it takes." Sometimes you face adversity-someone may be out one practice; someone may be out one game. It doesn't matter who is out. We bring the same energy. It was a great test for Stanford Basketball. They really, really competed every second of the game, so I'm just fortunate that our team stepped up together. Freshman G Amber Orrange
On playing without Nneka Ogwumike: Well, I guess coming in I was nervous, but I just tried to focus on the team and what the team wanted me to do. I thought we played really well together. We played really well as a team.
|
|
|
