March 13, 2010

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery

RENO, Nev. -

Louisiana Tech Quotes

Head Coach Teresa Weatherspoon

On the game:
"Our kids played their hearts out today. We played a tough Nevada team yesterday, Fresno State today who is very aggressive, but this team doesn't give up. They're resilient and they fought hard, and the key was who wanted it more, and today we did."

On Jasmine Bendolph's game winning shot:
"They had been switching all night (off screens), so it was just a matter of finding the right shot, and we did that."

On her team's strategy:
"We tried to create more movement and not allow them to get their help side open. We were able to space it out and that really helped us."

Senior Forward Shanavia Dowdell

On shooting threes and her performance:
"I don't know what I was thinking. I just stepped out and took the shot, and it went in. We worked really hard to get to this point, and I just did whatever I could to help my team win."

On physical play in the post:
"I was getting beat up down there. I had a bloody nose, but I just had to play hard and not give up and try to find the open person when I didn't have a shot."

On fatigue:
"I was tired at the end, but as Coach said this is our life and our season. We all wanted to go to the Big Dance so we just pushed through it."

Junior Forward Adrienne Johnson

On the key to today's victory:
"The key today was valuing every possession, playing defense and getting rebounds."

On today being a must-win game to go to the NCAA Tournament:
"We've worked hard since the preseason and weren't ready to go home."

Fresno State Quotes

Head Coach Adrian Wiggins

On the game:
"Congratulations to Louisiana Tech. It was a good tournament win for them. It was a hard-fought game. We just came up short in some areas. I'm very proud of our team and our program. I'm just thankful this is not the last basketball game we'll play this year. I'm looking forward to the next step."

On the loss:
"We still have our goals ahead of us. We wanted to be the WAC champion, and we are. We wanted to win the WAC Tournament, but we came up a little short."

On whether his team deserves an at-large NCAA bid:
"I do (think we do), but I'm not the final say. If you look at the top five teams on the West Coast, we are one of them. Our RPI shows that we are one of the top 30 teams in the country. We've played the toughest schedule we could."

On what his team will learn from today:
"It was a great game. They're physical and teams are physical in the NCAA Tournament. It was a reminder of how physical the game can be. We got outrebounded by 14. That's not acceptable. It will help us refocus on that area."

Junior guard Jaleesa Ross

On the game:
"We're definitely upset. It hurts to lose of course, but I'm proud of our team and how far we've come. We have bigger goals ahead of us."

On the key to today's game:
"We've got to rebound harder to advance."

Senior forward Joh-Teena Filipe

On moving forward:
"It will be physical when we get to the NCAA Tournament. You play teams that are twice as strong and twice as fast. It was definitely an eye opener."

On how her team feels:
"Everyone's down and upset. When we get back to practice, we'll find a way to pick each other up and look forward to what's next."