Feb. 24, 2010
Vanderbilt 71, Florida 60
February 24, 2010 – Memorial Gym
Postgame quotes
Vanderbilt head coach Melanie Balcomb
On capitalizing on Stewart’s absence:
“We thought that was somewhere we could really attack and expose. We wanted to get more layups. When we drove there, their post player leads the league in blocks. So we wanted to get to the rim whether it be in the post or our guards get it off the dribble.
On Hannah Tuomi:
“She was strong, confident, and took her time. She traveled a few times, but she was trapped on rebounds. Florida is a great offensive rebounding team and I like their effort. We watch film every week and to be honest with you, she does everything. Hannah is our screen-setter and our rebound player. She seals her player so that when we drive, her player can’t get over and help. She runs end line to end line without even touching the ball. She’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever met. I love when a kid who just loves and gives everything for the game plays like that.”
On second half:
We weren’t pushing on them or getting rebounds. We were walking the ball up and getting in Florida’s tempo. It got us flat. We changed and tried to trap them because we were really concerned about the tempo.
On going 14-for-24 from the free throw line:
“We make free throws when we need them and I think we made enough to win. 1-for-2 was all we needed. We’ve hit free throws when we needed them and people who aren’t great free throw shooters have come up big for us in big games.”
Vanderbilt forward Hannah Tuomi
On game plan:
“I was just expecting to leave it all out on the floor and I just happened to be in the right place in the right time. I didn’t realize I was 10-for-10 until afterwards.
On difference between last performance against Florida (six points, three rebounds):
“I’m not really sure what the difference was tonight. I think tonight was my night. Every night, someone on our team steps up and has a major role and that was just me tonight. I posted hard and was able to get the rebound. Every SEC game is a fight.”
Vanderbilt guard Jence Rhoads
On no longer taping her hand:
“It feels pretty good. It felt weird getting used to it, but I didn’t have any trouble shooting.”
On scoring most of her 16 points in the second half:
“Florida played more man defense in the first half and it was hard to get the ball in the high post, but I got some good breakaways and good passes from teammates.”
On relinquishing halftime lead:
“We weren’t focused and weren’t paying attention. We knew Florida was here to fight. They have passion and wanted to play to the end and they did.”
Florida head coach Amanda Butler
Opening Statement:
“There were parts of the ballgame and I was proud how we battled, played, and adjusted. Otherwise, I felt we were just reacting. When you’re playing on Vanderbilt’s home floor, you have to come out strong and we were just playing catch up the whole game. (Hannah) Tuomi came to play tonight and I was disappointed with the way we played our post defense.”
On Hannah Tuomi:
“We’re having to step up and play differently in Azania Stewart’s absence and you have to give Coach Balcomb the credit for realizing a weakness we have and executing her game plan. Tuomi was so dominant and that’s a tremendous individual performance by her, but poor defense by us.”
On strong second half:
“We’ve struggled with our second half starts and our kids are doing something differently in the locker room and they did a good job recognizing the slow start in the first half and working their way out of it. You can’t put yourself in a hole on someone’s home floor.”
On Steffi Sorensen:
“Steffi just started hitting. They did a good job of guarding her in the first half, but she really came alive in the second half.”
