March 16, 2011
Recap | Box Score | Notes
MADISON, Wis. -- Post-game quotes from Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone and Butler head coach Beth Couture.
Wisconsin head coach Lisa Stone
On using the size advantage and playing a complete game:
“When we came out (to play), we knew that we could score early inside and then we went away from that in the first half, and allowed them to stay in the game. We started settling for quick outside jump shots instead of going inside. We're banged up a little bit in terms of a few players not feeling so well today, but this is an opportunity for us to see some young players. On that last play, the execution offensively of Cassie (Rochel) to Jada Buggs inside, that's great signs for this game and for the future.
"I'm really pleased with our team. They responded defensively. I thought Taylor Wurtz had an outstanding game, really made her struggle, and she's a really good player. Our post players on (Butler's Chloe) Hamilton did a pretty decent job as well. Overall, defensively, we're trying to get our identity back, and that's what we wanted.”
On playing the first game of the WNIT after the end of the regular season:
“The first game of a tournament is always the hardest. We had only five turnovers at the half and finished with 14. That's a bit high for us, but we had a lot of assists today - 22 assists to 14 turnovers. Lin Zastrow had seven (a career-high). That's our best passer and we wanted to make sure we got her the ball.
“It was a great team effort, a good team win, and it kind of erases the last game we had at Conseco Fieldhouse (the first round of the Big Ten Tournament). It's now a new tournament, so let's survive and move on.”
On the play of Lin Zastrow and Anya Covington:
“Ideally, we'd like (a person) 6'4” or 6'5” on the block, and she (Lin Zastrow) was able to get the ball to Anya (Covington) and she did a really good job. She was a recipient of some really good passes. We had Anya on the floor before she had a little fatigue, but when she was out there, she was really effective for us.”
On playing a good game defensively:
“I thought Taylor (Wurtz) did a really nice job understanding that (Butler's Brittany) Bowen's a kid that dribbles backwards (with the ball) and tries to take a deep trey, we saw that against Green Bay (in the Horizon League Championship game), and that kept them in the game. (Butler's Alyssa) Pittman is a good three-point shooter. Their point guard is not known for three-point shots, but they took advantage of our hands down. We certainly weren't perfect, but I thought we got it going and did the right things at the right time.”
On the team getting to play one more game:
“They (the seniors) want to play as long as they can, but for our young players, this is a time for them to get experience, and for them to understand that playing in March is what we expect. This is a great tournament, and the deeper you go – if you look at the field (of 64), it's unbelievable.”
On winning the game after the regular season:
“I'm proud of this team. I've never been prouder of a team that's endured so much throughout the season – lots of injuries, a tough losing stretch in the non-conference (portion) – we've hung in there and stayed together and banded together throughout all of it.”
Butler head coach Beth Couture
Opening comments:
"Tough match up for us with their bigs. We had a little injury problem and I know they did too, but it wasn’t their big girl. They are just tough inside.
"I am proud of our kids. I think they battled back. It was a quick turnaround for us. We just got back from Green Bay on Sunday, and you hear you are in the tournament but you have to leave the next day. So it was a tough turnaround for us to game plan as much as you need to against their big girl (Lin Zastrow). Because I think she is tough. And then we left 40 (Anya Covington) open trying to double team (Zastrow) and 40 did a good job.
"I think Wisconsin is well-coached and a good basketball team. And I am proud of our kids for giving it a run there with about seven minutes to go."
On Butler’s struggles from outside:
"I felt like we were going to have to hit threes because they are so big inside. And we had a pretty good run here the last month and done really good from the 3. 4-26, when we couldn’t miss them in shoot-around. But you know how it goes. You live and die by that, and that is what they were giving us early but we just couldn’t hit. When our post went down with the injury we became a 3-point shooting team and we just struggled."
On getting back in the game with the press:
"I felt our team had the just won’t-give-up attitude and a lot of time we have come back. Our kids are very confident pressing, but with only seven kids, you can’t do it consistently so you have to pick and choose when you do it."
On the play of Badger forward Lin Zastrow:
"We have played a lot against pretty big kids but the thing that makes her good is her touch because you can push her and bang her while she is still shooting and she can still make it. Also her hands. She catches things in there and can turn. I think she was obviously the difference. I knew going into the game if we couldn’t put a double on her quick or couldn’t put some pressure on the ball it was going to cause some problems for us. I also like her outside a little bit with the passing. I think she passed the ball well."
