KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Lady Vol head coach Holly Warlick met with the media on Saturday, as Tennessee (16-8, 5-6 SEC) prepared to head to Columbia, Mo., to take on RV/RV Missouri (19-7, 8-4 SEC) on Sunday afternoon.
UT and the Tigers will meet for the second time this season at 4 p.m. CT (5 ET) Sunday at Mizzou Arena. The game will be televised by ESPN2 and broadcast on the Lady Vol Radio Network.
Both teams enter the contest having won four of their past five games, with Tennessee defeating Auburn, 73-62, on Thursday night in Knoxville and Missouri taking down No. 5/5 Mississippi State in Starkville, 75-67. MU claimed the initial meeting with the Lady Vols, 66-64, in Thompson-Boling Arena on Jan. 6.
Head Coach Holly Warlick
On traveling to Missouri:
“It is a tough environment. They are coming off a big win over Mississippi State, and they beat us. So, we have a lot of incentive. We gave up a lot of 3-pointers the last game (vs. Missouri), and that cannot happen. You cannot give up 3-point chances against Missouri. If you do, things are not going to be good. They are going to get some, but those shots need to be contested, and they need to be between 10 and 11 shots.”
On the keys to limiting the Tigers’ 3-point shooting:
“We have to stay locked in on their player, switching, court awareness, talking and communication. We got lost a couple of times when they screened, so we have to guard our players. It is a one-on-one game for us.”
On UT’s second half against Auburn:
“It was effort, energy and playing hard. It’s making that talent go to work, and if we don’t do that, we are an average basketball team. You have to play hard; you have to get rebounds, second chance points and steals. I thought in the second half against Auburn we took advantage of those opportunities.”
On what changed coming out of the half:
“I did not talk too long at halftime, let’s put it that way. I got their attention. It is easy; you have to play hard… and that is what I got across.”
On the team’s effort:
“I think some of the people on our team are perfectionists, and they want to do everything by the book. Sometimes (basketball) is not by the book. If the ball is going out of bounds, you have to get it. If the ball is on the floor, you go get it. You take charges. It is the little things that help your team. I can be denying and that can cause a turnover for someone else to get. We don’t do it all the time, and we have to get to the point where we do it every time.”
On switching up the rotation:
“It is a game feel, but I didn’t get the feel to get more people in against Auburn. We had to get the win, and that group was going and producing.”
On how important this game is:
“I think all games for us are important. We have to come out swinging. If we come out the way we did against Auburn… why would we? We have five games left, and we need to be focused on each one and take care of business. Every game is important to us.”
On Zaay Green’s improvement:
“She is learning our system more, understanding better shot selection, understanding her points on defense for us, and rebounding for us. She has grown up just by getting in and playing the game. She has always been super quick, but she is understanding and getting control of that quickness.”
On signee Jordan Horston being named a Naismith Trophy Top 10 semifinalist:
“I know how good Jordan’s basketball skills are, but she is an even better person. She is well-deserving, she has worked her butt off to get where she is, and nothing has been given to her. I am really proud of her, but she is one of those kids that has worked to get where she is. She is a solid kid. I love to be around her, and she does great things in her community. These kids are coming here for the experience and to compete at the highest level. They are solid, and they want to be here, which is great.”
On Cheridene Green’s post play:
“She helps take our game to another level, and I think now you are seeing a Cheridene Green that has overcome all of her injuries and is healthy now. She is in a swing where every game she is getting better and better. She is hitting her stride, and it could not be at a better time for us.”
