North Carolina State University Athletics
Kay Yow Quotes From Media Day
10/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 23, 2003
On the make up of this year's team:
"We have a really great balance between young players and experienced players. It's about even. I think the young players bring a lot of athleticism, quickness and they all shoot the ball pretty well. I think that they have a lot to offer us and they will play a part in this year's team. The greatest thing is that we have all of our players practicing. This is the first time in three or four years we haven't been hit hard by injuries at this point in time."
What style of play will you employ this season?
"We hope to get back to a strong transition game. We have a lot more depth than we've had in the past three or four years. To have that kind of depth, we can get back to our strong transition game, really up tempo for this team and a lot more pressure defense that's extended on the court. I think you can look for us to play 10 people every game and really go after it fullcourt on both ends. It's something we haven't been able to try to do the last few years because we haven't had the numbers with people injured. Right now, we're really working towards those goals."
What kind of pressure defense will you use?
"We haven't been able to even try to play out in the passing lanes in quite some time. We've had to sort of play back in the gaps so we could pace ourselves and go longer and because we just didn't have the quickness all the way around to recover from that denial position back to help position on penetration. Hopefully now, we'll be able to put a lot more pressure on. We're hoping to pressure no matter what defense we're in."
On the injection of youth into this year's squad:
"I think we needed that injection after two or three years of the rough times we've been through. I was really proud of the team last year. I felt like they really practiced hard until the end. Even in the ACC Tournament when we played Virginia in the first round, they played hard. They never got down, kept themselves up and had a positive attitude. All of that works to make an impact hopefully for this year. I feel good about what they've been able to do."
Will the team be improved?
"I hope so, but at the same time I know that other teams have improved; other teams have added some great players to their rosters; other teams have some great players coming back who I'm sure have improved greatly. We will have to prove ourselves in this conference and nobody will give us a game at anytime. There's so much strength in the ACC. Sometimes you can really look good in practice, but will they rise even higher with the competition and in the games or will it hit them in a different kind of way? That's the thing that we don't know."
What's your biggest concern?
"Injuries and health. That's based really on the past. I'm always leery of that with everything that has happened. I think if we can keep our health and we can avoid major injuries, then we'll have a chance to work hard every day on the court and work together and not have everything change so much on us. We can really build if we can stay healthy."
What goal have you set for shooting percentage this year?
"I've tried to set something that's realistic. Our goal would be if we could shoot 46 percent or higher. If we're going to keep up with it and we're going to reward ourselves for it, I want it to be realistic for them to reach it and then rise above it. I felt that was a fair goal to shoot for."
What has pleased you about the newcomers so far?
"I think what's pleased me the most is the intensity level of practice. I think our captain, Nanna Rivers, has set the standard for that. I think she did it in preseason and I think she's done it on the court. Along with her, other seniors have held that standard. The young players are just striving to stay right there with them."
Do you have a starting five right now?
"No, I don't have a starting five right now. I would say that the two people right now are Kaayla [Chones] and Alvine Mendeng are the most solid inside. Then you move to the perimeter, and I think at this time Terah James and Nanna Rivers are both right there. But we do have a lot of other perimeter players who will really challenge for those starting positions. We're going to play a number of people, so I'm not really locking in on starters, just combinations of people who play the best together."
