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TONIGHT'S NOTES | |||
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ANNE DONOVAN:
We needed this win badly. It was a good one tonight against a very good team. We had a very hard fought game last night on the road. We came out really strong and to me, that’s the best thing to take from it. We needed a win for sure. We needed to prove to ourselves that we can compete and get on the positive side of some of these Western opponents.
On the 40-point first quarter:
Our defense really started our offense in that quarter. We took care of the backboard and were able to get out and run. That was about getting boards, getting stops, and getting out and running. But certainly we did shoot the ball well.
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LAUREN JACKSON:
Hopefully we can build up a little bit of confidence. Hopefully we can get better from it, learn from it, and then move on.
On the 40-point first quarter:
It felt like we could rely on each other. It hasn’t felt like that in the last few weeks. If we keep doing that we’re going to win ballgames.
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IZIANE CASTRO MARQUES:
On the 40-point first quarter:
We came out ready and we defended the fastbreak, we defended the three-point line, and everything pretty much worked.
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PAUL WESTHEAD:
On double-digit deficits scaring them:
No, not at all, but 40-17 is tough though. Nonetheless, we knew we were not out of it at halftime, even though the locals seemed to think we were. The proof is in we didn’t win the game so they (the locals) were right and Seattle did a nice job.
On why they may have come out flat:
No, to be honest I don’t think we came out flat. They were just shooting the lights out. It wasn’t like we fell down, or we missed our coverage and we had two people on the wrong person and somebody was wide open for a layup. They were being played and I’m not picking on any one, but 
Betty Lennox was just on fire.
On the valiant effort coming back:
We’ll be okay. Our goal from the All-Star break was to play consistently good, hard basketball. Tonight was one of them, even though we gave up a lot of points early. We’ll be okay if we play like that. Our players do not feel like, ‘Wow, we got a lesson taught tonight.’ They got beat and they’ll remember it. It’s not a down beat – it’s a ‘we’re okay’ kind of feeling.
On Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter:
They’re back in that hunt. It’s hard to defend them when you’ve got them on either side. Cappie is real tough going down that lane – she’s relentless. We have a lot of respect for Seattle – they’re a quality team.
On a potential playoff matchup with Seattle:
First to 100 wins. (Laughs)
On clinching a playoff berth:
It’s a nice achievement. We haven’t been there for a number of years so it’s a good feeling for the players. We’re just playing games now – we’re just trying to win every game we can. Whatever that gets us – we’re not trying to move up positions or down positions. We just want to play good and usually when you play good, you win. That’s what we’re trying to do.
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On the comeback:
We’ve kind of made a habit of falling behind the last couple games and today was just a huge deficit. We kept coming at them in the last three quarters and they made plays. They played well – they always play well at home.
On the early deficit:
I think there were certain things we didn’t do well as a group and they made big shots. What, did they make nine threes in the first quarter? Is that another Seattle record they were announcing on the scoreboard?
On coming out more aggressive in the third:
As a group, when we play aggressive and really start getting on pace, we’re tough. But it took a little bit longer today. We’ll take the wins with the losses.
On going against friend Lauren Jackson:
You know, once you get on the court, it’s basketball. We all have a lot friends we play against all year and once you get on the court, it’s just another jersey.
On Cappie Pondexter’s game:
Cappie has been playing amazing basketball, especially when we put her at the one. It gives us versatility. We fought very hard as a group tonight. Things we didn’t do well, we didn’t let that get us down. We kept coming. We fell a little short, but we have another game in L.A. and that’s all we can focus on right now.
On desiring a playoff matchup with Seattle:
We could play the Spurs, the Lakers, we don’t care. We can’t concentrate on other teams because we can’t control what they do – we can only control what the people in these jerseys do. As far as the matchups for the playoffs, we could care less.
