Post-Game Quotes
No. 12 Syracuse vs. No. 13 Providence
Game 1 – First Round, March 2, 2012
XL Center – Hartford, Conn.


Syracuse Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Quentin Hillsman
Opening Statement:
“Obviously I am happy to be sitting here after a win. We knew this would be a tough game. I just pulled our team together and said, ‘the thing that makes us successful as a team is going hard inside to Iasia (Hemingway) and Kayla (Alexander). Let’s get back to that and do the things that we do pretty well.’ I give my kids a lot of credit because they came out and fought hard. Obviously coming into this tournament you have to make some decisions. Either you are going to play hard and fight or you are going to lie down and go home, and they fought hard. Our goal for this game was to get to tomorrow. We know who is there and we are excited. It’s an honor and privilege to be playing and coaching college basketball. We don’t take it for granted. We are very grateful to be here. I thought our players just played hard and gutted it out. The first half we shot 20 percent and I told our players we can’t win shooting 20 percent. They came out strong in the second half and I’m really proud of their play.”

Kayla was six-for-six in the first West Virginia game, what is the message to the guards and the rest of the team to make sure she receives even more touches tomorrow?
“Pass the ball to her or come out. It’s that simple. That’s just how we play. We’ll keep throwing the ball down there. I give Kayla, Shakeya (Leary), and Iasia a lot of credit because they have to take a lot of physical credit in this league of play, and inside-out is just how we play. We have to continue to throw the ball into the open and try to play at the rim.”

Junior Center Kayla Alexander
Early on in the game Lauren Okafor and Teya Wright were having a little more success against you down low, and then later in the game you were dominating in the low post. What do you think was the difference as the game progressed?
“At half time coach was telling us she’s getting really good position, you need to push out of the paint. We took that and ran with it and did what we had to do in the second half.”


Senior Forward Iasia Hemingway
When you were on the bench in the second half watching your teammates starting to have more success by the block, is there anything that you saw and thought ‘this is how I am going to attack and have success?’
“Definitely, (Shakeya Leary) was successful being patient and going up strong. On the bench I was cheering her on and telling her at the same time to go up strong, catch the ball, keep the ball high, go up and finish.”



Providence Postgame Quotes

Head Coach Phil Seymore
Opening Statement:
“I thought the young ladies worked hard. The effort was there but we just couldn’t keep them from scoring. We had a chance when it was 29-28 and we just couldn’t get a bucket.”

What do you take from this game heading into next year?
“I actually don’t know what is going to happen next year. I told the team to continue to work hard, work on their game and focus on their academics. Where I’m going to be next year, I’m not really sure. It’s important to come together and work hard to improve as a team.”