Additional Quotes >> USA 90, University of Connecticut 74

Nov. 2, 2007 � Storrs, Conn.

USA Head Coach Anne Donovan
On tonight's game:
We just beat a really good UConn team. They are obviously ready for another good season here. We felt good about the win. We had to play well, particularly in the second half in order to get the win. It was fun to see (Sue Bird, Swin Cash and Diana Taurasi) come back home and see the crowd's reaction. So I feel good about that.

Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx
On tonight's game:
It was a good game, the atmosphere was great. It's something we were expecting. All UConn teams attract a big fan base. It was great to get out here and see that. And the team was wonderful, they came out here and played us hard, they played like it was a national championship game. That was good, to see them come out and be so competitive.

Sunday you'll be back in familiar SEC territory, what will that be like?
Oh man, a little bit of the same. The fans will be crazy, a little bit worse than here. I'll be tired of hearing Rocky Top. I was tired of hearing it after four years of playing in the SEC (laughs). We're going to be playing one of the top players in the country in Candace Parker and her supporting cast, which is going to help her probably get another championship again this year. It's going to be another competitive team that's going to try to take it to us.

Sue Bird, Seattle Storm
Can you talk about the plays and the cuts that you made when the game was close in the second half?
I was just reading the defense and at that point in the game I don't think I really knew what the score was but it was very close, but they are a good team. They had the crowd behind them and they had momentum. We needed to get some big stops and make some big plays offensively and everyone chipped in. It was good for us and it was good for them as well.

Can you talk about the feel you got from the crowd and what it's like to see those uniforms as the opposition?
It's fun. I was really excited for this game coming in and playing on this floor again. I was really excited and glad to be out there and play my heart out.

Are there pressures for playing for the USA?
Absolutely, obviously we came up short last year in Brazil for the World Championships winning the bronze medal. Now the talk is that Team USA is down and out and what is going to happen in the Beijing Olympics. It's constantly around our team and we're in situations where we are just trying to get together a group at different times to get training together. Compared to a lot of different countries it is a disadvantage, but at the same time I think we are the most talented and best team in the world.

Swin Cash, Detroit Shock
Can you talk about the feel you got from the crowd and what it's like to see those uniforms as the opposition?
It's always great to come back and getting a big cheer from the crowd when we came back after introductions. After that I don't think they clapped for us the rest of the game. It's good to look up and see the banners and the Huskies of Honor and see what we've done and know that we have made our mark here.

Was there ever a time during the game when you tried to pass off a little wisdom with all your success?
When you are playing tough defense and being physical with them, like when Tina Charles made that hook shot, you want to let them know that it's a great move. I saw Lisa Leslie give a high five to Brittany Hunter for making a good jump shot and sometimes you want to encourage people like that because they are making plays against athletes who have played all over the world. That's great for them and hopefully it will pay off for them down the road.

Kara Lawson, Sacramento Monarchs
Are you excited about going back to Tennessee?
Yeah, I'm really excited. It should be a fun atmosphere. They renovated the arena down there and it's supposed to be really, really nice. It'll be the first time to see the � the first women's game in the new Thompson-Boling, so that'll be good.

I understand there's no orange:
Well, it's highlighted orange. Of course there's going to be orange. Believe me, there'll be no shortage of orange. But getting to hear Rocky Top and seeing everybody will be a lot of fun. I wish Loree (Moore) was able to come with us so I could have someone else with me. I'm excited, I'm excited for it. I already told these guys after this game was over that they have to come and play because we have to win!

Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
On scoring 19 points in her second game back:
I feel better than I did the last game. I'm still rusty, I missed a lot of shots that I normally make, but it was really fun playing against the UConn girls. I think they played hard and they have a really nice team.

My focus is split with my baby, obviously, and not being able to be at 100 percent because it's only been four months. I keep seeing glimpses of what I'm going to be capable of doing so that keeps me hopeful of coming back.

Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
Her impression on this year's UConn team:
They looked really good. We were talking about it in the locker room that Connecticut would be a little different with five starters coming back and Maya Moore. For a stretch there they were playing really well. They were really patient. Sometimes playing against people who are a little older and bigger, you kind of rush things, but they were real poised and patient. They looked to be in midseason form right now.

On Connecticut's run to pull within four in the second half:
They made a nice run. They made some tough shots, Kalana (Greene) made a nice shot, Mel (Thomas) made a nice shot. In situations like that you just have to go with things that work, keep it simple with pick and rolls, and get the ball into Lisa (Leslie). It's nice to have Lisa back.

On Maya Moore:
She's tough. Especially when she can play the two, the three and the four. Coach does a really good job of moving her around so you don't really know where she is. She can shoot it, she can post up, she can drive, she can be the man this year. She can be tough, real tough.

University of Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma
What message were you sending to Tina Charles by sitting her for the second half?
I think it was pretty clear. We were playing against a team that does a lot of things well and you can't match up with them completely. They're a lot smarter than we are and they're a lot bigger than we are. I told the players on my team before we went out there that there are a couple of things we can't control: their talent and experience. What we do have control over was how we played, the energy level that we had and the intensity. You can't be Tina Charles and play like you're going to be the best player on the floor for the first five minutes, then play the whole first half and only get one rebound. You just can't do that. I would have preferred her to go scoreless and get 12 rebounds. You have to get yourself into the mix. She doesn't do that yet. The players on my team realize that you have to play like that or you don't play. I never want to criticize someone when they are playing poorly, but when you're not playing at the level I think you're capable of playing then you have to go with someone else.

On the play of Maya Moore:
She got 14 points and nine rebounds and she was looking around like she had no idea what she was doing. A couple times I saw her pump-fake herself into getting guarded. You got a chance to see what she doesn't know. What she doesn't know are the things that can be taught. What she already does well you can't teach. She has a nose for the ball and she has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. She wants to shoot and she can get her own shot. Every possession she wants to be involved. You can't teach that. We saw enough to see that it's only going to get better and better.

Were you happy with the way the team played?
Yes, to a certain extent. I thought we competed pretty well. I was pretty ecstatic when we made our first free throw. These are the types of things you can't control. There were four national players of the year out there, they're not stupid, they know what they're doing. In the second half we got the game going. We were down 17 at one point and we brought it to four. That's a great sign for us because the next teams we play are not going to be the caliber of this team, but they're professionals.

Tina Charles
Was the message coach sending you that you can't take one play off?
I had a lot of energy in the beginning so I was really feeling it, the energy and everything. The second half � I just have to get back on defense.

Did members of the USA team joke or compliment you through the game?
When I was out there, not really. After the game Diana (Taurasi) just told me to keep my head up and not to worry about (the loss).

Renee Montgomery
Can you address what the team took away from the game tonight?
We took away that we have a lot to learn and we have a long way to go as far as offense, executing, and defense - help defense. We also saw that we have the potential to be really good.

Was that what you wanted to take away from this game?
What I wanted to take away was a win. I guess it's OK�as long as we learn from it. I guess it always good if you learn from it and then become better after it but I really did want the win.

Is one of the things you learned from playing a team like Team USA that they never take a game off?
Definitely. I felt like any time we made a mistake they capitalized on it, whether it was a two or a three, or just anything we did wrong they just exploited it really well. They are smart. They are professionals. That's what they do. Half the team is all-stars so you expect that. We definitely learned any mistake you make you can count on it being a bucket on the other end.

Can you talk about the defense of Team USA?
It's tough guarding any of them because every time you make a little mistake on defense, whether it's your foot's up to high, or you take a glance to see where the balls at, you turn around and they're gone. It seems like they're always watching for you to make a mistake. It was hard. It was a hard game mentally today.

Maya Moore
How did it feel your first time out there?
It felt good after getting on the court and everyone getting into it and the energy level was there. It was really about getting into a rhythm and getting into a flow of playing. My teammates and I were both excited.

How do you feel you played?
Once I get more comfortable with the system, playing more games and practicing more, I become more confident and quicker. I felt like I can do better but I am ok with how I played tonight.

How was it playing with the national team?
It was incredible; standing at the free throw line, I would look over and be like wow, box out. It was an amazing experience that made me want to play harder; it really got us ready to play teams of their caliber.

On UConn players introductions:
It was great watching them introduce them and the fan reaction. This was part of the reason that I came here; the fans are amazing with their support. I found myself nodding to my saying yeah our alumni are talented and are on national teams and the fans are still supporting them.