Cal at UW Quotes
February 22, 2001 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2001
California at Washington Feb. 22, 2001
Washington Head Coach June Daugherty
General Remarks: "Cal is one athletic team. They are the most athletic team in the league and they play so hard. Obviously this second time playing them, they played very well. They were much more balanced than the first time we played them. I thought defensively we made them have to work for shots in the zone and we were able to out-rebound them. It was a tall order against their athleticism but we shot very well tonight and because of that we were able to get the win, but it was a tough fight all the way."
On Megan Franza (scoreless in the first half): "She just had to relax. We reminded her she needed to relax and that there were a couple things she could do offensively and as far as her assignments in the zone, staying in front of people with their quickness. She's quick enough to do that. Defensively she got herself going with a couple steals, got running, and that made her feel more comfortable."
On Giuliana Mendiola: "She played like a veteran. She hit some big shots and showed a tremendous amount of poise. We lost the lead and were a little flat in the first half and she hung right in there. She kept demanding from her teammates to keep moving and stick with the offense, stay focused and she did a good job of not only showing poise and continuing to find the open person and move the basketball. I liked her aggressiveness. When the shot presented itself and she felt comfortable and on balance she took it and that was huge for this victory."
On Cal: "That is the best 11-12 team I have seen in a long time. For us to have beat them down in the Bay Area I thought at that time was one of our biggest wins that we would look back on. And that is true now because of their athleticism and how hard they play and how well they are coached. I don't know how important this is because every game is so important this year."
Washington Guard Giuliana Mendiola
On the California defense: "I was concerned a little bit, but I think our team has been working against pressure for so long. I thought we held it together well and we went on our own run and pulled it out."
On Megan Franza: "I don't think they really shut Megan down. She said she would look for me and she did a good job doing that. I think she came out in the second half knowing the team needed her."
On her career high 22 points: "I just know my teammates have confidence in me. I'm not going to stop shooting, I had some good shots and my teammates kept looking for me. I was just taking the shots when I had them."
Washington Guard Megan Franza
On her scoreless first half: "I was struggling in the first half. I couldn't hold on to the basketball. I let it get to me, frustration wise, I tried to shake it off every time. I concentrated on relaxing during the half. I came out there and I was going to make sure I could try to make a good pass if I couldn't hold onto the ball. Defensively, I wanted to make sure I was helping my team. Then things just kind of got going."
On her 21 points in the second half: "I just wanted to step-up and not get turnovers. I knew it was going to be a tough second half. I really wanted to come out there and play well. The team did kind of need me to step-up better than I had in the first half. We had people hitting big shots all over the place though."
California Coach Caren Horstmeyer
On the game: "Washington proved to be mentally tough, especially in the last five minutes of the game. We played pretty well at that time but weren't particularly composed. Washington stepped up and hit big shots and really showed they wanted the game.
This team leads the conference in assists, so they can always find a shooter and step up and hit the shot. Then tonight they took away some of the things we wanted to do. Bottom line is they did what they had to do to win the game."
Defense: "Our defense has really been a strength and we weren't' particularly good in the last eight minutes, which hurt us."
California Guard Courtney Johnson
On the game: "I don't think we had the confidence and excitement we usually have when we play and it affected our game."
