Kristy Curry Quotations

We are at the turn, we are halfway around the track. It's just about respecting Michigan State and approaching like we have the other seven (Big Ten games).

We're not going to talk about that. We're going to talk about what we do have, not what we don't have.

We're going to pick and choose our spots. I think we're at our best when we're getting some transition baskets. We feel like if we can keep it in the low 60s, we've got a chance to win.

When we have that kind of balance, we're pretty good. I think we have to have four show up and we had six tonight.

We felt like if we could keep it in the 60s, we had a chance to win. We kept it in the 50s and we did just that.

We felt like down the stretch, we needed more balance. We can't be perimeter oriented and we can't be post oriented.

We explained to all of them they were going to have to get their feet set, square their shoulders, be fundamental and knock three's down.

We've tried to go to her early in games lately to get her moving. It seemed to work. I think that's pivotal for our success this season.

We have to give (Missouri State) a lot of credit, but once we got going, I think that we were fine.

When you see a team do what they did, win four games in four days, that says a lot about their will to get it done.

We were trying to emphasize the point of running things through. Down the stretch, we were able to execute. We showed a lot of character in those final minutes.

The only way we have a chance to win is taking care of the basketball and getting good looks at the basket.

We're anxious to get started, ... This team has a lot of talent and a lot of potential. Putting it all together is going to be a tough assignment for the coaching staff because all 14 players on our roster are very good. Our practices are going to be very competitive.

Make sure you give them one look at the basket and you really have to rebound. We're not going to win a jumping contest.

Let's not make a mess of this. It started with our seniors today, for whatever reason. They didn't handle the situation. We will be better from today, I promise you that. The film clips are already being clipped.

She's the most enjoyable player on our team. Our kids absolutely love her.

She's so selfless and is the epitome of what being part of a team is all about and how you handle that role. She wants to coach, and I always say the best coaches are role players.

She was able to hit some big shots. She's just had a way of changing games for us.

She's an impact player who means a lot to our team. She's on top of her game right now. She's doing a better job of letting the game come to her.

She's playing better than I've ever seen her play on film. We're going to try to limit her touches and we're going to try to bring the double. One person doesn't stop Jessica.

She continued this last month of the season to be an impact player for us. We asked her to make herself more available, don't disappear.

She has a big upside because she is long and athletic and versatile on offense. With her size and length, she will become a very good player in that league.

Obviously, I needed to kick and scream and yell tonight. If that's what it takes, that's how I'll be. I want to be all I can be for them.

Nothing is ever easy here. It's nice to walk out of this building (with a win). It's the one place in the Big Ten that I haven't won.

I wouldn't want to handle the ball against her. She's just amazing ... She really creates a presence for us. It's funny how people react to that, with coming up and trying to screen her and kids wanting to get rid of the ball, having other people bringing the ball up the floor. It's really given us a different dimension.

If we had great energy and great focus and intensity, I'm OK. I didn't think we had that the first half.

If we have that kind of balance, we'll be pretty good. We've got to have four show up and we got six tonight. ... It's nice when you can have that kind of balance and selflessness.

I got upset with them in the first half about running things through. If they do all the little things, well, we have room for improvement and we'll work on that.

I don't give out very many A pluses. She responded as a senior. I thought (it was) her energy, her demeanor, her poise and her body language; all the things this team needs, she gave us.

I have more of an issue with my post player because we covered that in practice. We cover that every year, but for some reason we seem to lose our concentration.

I felt Nikki was trying to take over the game when they were up six. The thing we were able to do was put a few more inches on Nikki down the stretch, wall her off and contest the 3. That helped us, thank goodness.

I felt if we could keep it in the 60s, we'd have a chance.

I don?t think you could ever make me believe that we would be able to do that.

For whatever reason, we weren't very good today. Obviously, I'm very upset.

We've been wanting Natasha to shoot the 3. I love it when Natasha shoots the 3 and I'd like to see her do it more.

We took care of the basketball and made more free throws (12) than they attempted (11). Those two really helped.

Katie was All-American-ish tonight with the ball in her hands. She did some great things for our team.

I talked to her this weekend in Boston and she was so excited about the opportunity.

I talked to her on the phone (Saturday) and she had a little giggle in her voice and I knew she'd be OK.

I think it shows great character and definitely a lot of toughness mentally. They obviously have great kids, great people.

It completely broke. It popped when she stepped on it and she knew something was not right. It's more frustrating for her, but we should have her back for the Big Ten tournament.

I thought Wisdom-Hylton was special to be a sophomore in this league and to be able to defend Davenport (like she did). To be as aggressive as she was offensively, I thought we did do some good things inside.

I think you have to give us credit for five turnovers and hitting more free throws than they shot. Those two really helped that area.

I thought (Traore) and Katie weren't playing as hard and as aggressive on both ends of the floor as they needed to be. They kind of said, 'Yes, ma'am,' and got after it.

I think we lost sight here. The committee has done a great job in my mind. . . . Quit criticizing and complaining because there's a good time going on here.

I thought our players responded when they needed too. Our defense is a large reason the score was what it was.

I thought our kids showed a lot of perseverance down the stretch. There were a lot of little things people did that made a big difference.

I thought our depth eventually wore on them.

I think anybody who has ever questioned our killer instinct, finally I think we're understanding what's that about.

I think it was difficult for us. The Indiana and the Ohio State (games), it kicked us right in the gut.

I think the two best teams in the Big Ten are going to go at it tomorrow night.

Our guards did a wonderful job defensively. We knew if we could hold them under the averages we would be in good shape and that is what we did.

Our team expected to win when nobody gave us a chance. We're hurting. But I couldn't be any prouder of this team. You have to give them credit there to make a play. We didn't have time to make one.

Our trainers are telling us it could be two weeks, it could be four weeks, it could be six weeks. We are going to wait until she is pain-free.

Our bench was big. We struggled there for a while, but right now we seem to be back on track with the little things whether it's box out or a lose ball, whatever it be.

My only focus is with this team. We'll talk about it after the season. This is typical of the past four springs.

We need our fans in the stands at Mackey on Tuesday. I am asking fans to make it a priority to get to Mackey to see our team play for the last time this season at home, but, with their help, not the last time in the tournament.

That would have been critical to us. It was a gutsy play by her. Thank goodness she was set.

That was the big question from the media so I guess I had to talk about it. I don't think it was me harping on it but when there is something not going well that seems to be the focus. It wasn't always pretty, but this team has found a way to win.

I was really pleased with our presence on defense down the stretch. I thought we had a lot more energy and a lot more pop in our step. (Missouri State) is a great little team and came in playing freely, but once we got going I thought we were fine.

We just want to represent Purdue and just represent our fans and ourselves. That's the bottom line, just continue to just drive every day and take it one game at a time.

You just have to constantly remind them of their goals. A lot of the reason why we were on the bubble last year is because Illinois came in here and beat us on our home floor. If that won't motivate them, I don't know what will.

Without any question, I think they had a point to prove tonight and certainly made a statement. In the previous two games, we just didn't play well and I really respect the way they came out today. I think they had something to say and they said it.

Yeah, I think we were able to cut it to five and have a chance. You've just got to make plays down the stretch and we weren't able to do that.

We have still, still got to have better play from our bench. It's something that has been existent, non-existent.

We had made it a point to get more out of our post and at halftime, Erin (Lawless) and Lindsay (Wisdom-Hylton) were 1-of-7.

We have a lot of respect for Missouri State. We have a history with them, and we're definitely not going to look past them.

We've missed her more than people understand but you don't complain about the things you can't control.

We have to let it go. We just put a huge target on our backs, if I had to guess.

We just didn't have that tandem. They had two and we had one (post player). That was the difference from the first game. Debbie Merrill is much more of a presence right now.

We'll probably take a deep breath. I'm hungry, so I'll probably go get something to eat. Make sure the two little ones have their baths and are in bed, and then we'll watch North Carolina.

We have the utmost respect for Penn State. When you beat Texas Tech, you are a pretty good basketball team.

We aren't going to win a foot race. We aren't going to win a jumping contest. ? We are going to have to try our best to control the tempo and play at our pace. We need to pick our spots.

We were in the same situation last year, so I know how it feels. My goal every year is to get five or six teams from this conference in, so I hope that happens.

We had a point to prove. We made a statement. We were tired of overtimes. We had something to say and we said it.

We're at our best when we have great balance.

We're entering a new season and have a lot to look forward to.

You look at the call under the basket, and I don't want what I say to be misinterpreted. I like to put a lock (on what I say) and save my money. I got to get some groceries this week.

Today really matters. If you want to compete for a Big Ten title, we can't lose today.

We're just excited to be in, definitely with the fourth seed, which we figured we might be. We have so much respect for Missouri State. We have a lot of respect for their program and we're excited for the opportunity, as I'm sure they are.

We're just eager to take the floor and actually be in a game setting. We've had two good weeks of practice, and I think we're ready to play.

We showed a lot of character in those final minutes. It was great effort and energy. It was a sense of urgency at that point, a huge sense of urgency, and we were able to capitalize.

When we lost her, I think people underestimated her importance.

Fans in Mackey Arena this year will be treated to some unbelievable basketball, ... We plan on putting our best foot forward night-in and night-out. We want and expect to win, and we know we'll have to be at the top of our game each time we take the court.

We've had two good weeks of practice. I think we're ready to play.

We've got a lot more to lose than they (Michigan) have to gain. We're fighting for a Big Ten title. We don't want them to take that away from us.

We will be better. I can promise you that.

Turnovers were a big problem earlier a year ago and we have matured so much. We really took care of the ball and looked for that extra pass in the second half.

We talked about its 20 minutes and today really matters a whole bunch. And it's a sense of urgency and the fact that if you want to compete for a Big Ten title, this can't happen today. We can't lose today.

We just played a team that has everyone returning. We were 3-1 against them a year ago and I said they were the most talented team in the league. There won't be a tougher task on the road than this.

We just wanted to make sure that we tried to we limit her touches. We shaded her in our zone. We wanted to change our defenses up and I think that was more disrupting.

We had the scare of our life a year ago, being on the bubble in February. We don't want to relive that experience.

We don't want that to happen. If it does, it does. It was not our goal. A lot depends on what happens across the country. I'll feel bad if it happens.

We control our own destiny. It's going to be a matter of will down the stretch and who wants it the most.

We're going to try to make sure we play our tempo.

We cut it to five and then to three and I thought we had a chance. But you've got to make plays down the stretch and we were unable to do that.

Down the stretch we were able to execute a little better and get a stop or two and finish it. I thought our team showed a tremendous amount of character and guts down the stretch.

There's so many things as a coach that you see. The room for improvement is huge for us, and we'll come back and work on that.

The shots that she's taken were all good shots and that's the difference. She has done a great job lately of being able to control the tempo more and making better decisions in our half-court offense.

The team that is most consistent will win this league this year.