Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Arizona State on December 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
2:00 PM
Women's Basketball
vs Arizona State
.png&width=31&height=31&type=webp)
The University of Utah Athletics
Quotes From Lynne Roberts Weekly Press Conference
1/30/2018 3:34 PM | Women's Basketball
Opening Statement...
"We are coming off of a tough home weekend. I thought we played Oregon State pretty well. The final score doesn't indicate how close the game was down the stretch. We ended up losing by 11, but it was pretty close the whole time. We had a great crowd, it was our Pink game and it was a really great atmosphere. We really appreciate the people that came out to both games this weekend. We have great community support and I appreciate that. I think we are getting better, but I think we played the No. 17 team and it came down to the wire with Oregon State, and then played Oregon, who is No. 7 in the country on Sunday, and didn't play our best basketball. We came out a little flat for whatever reason and didn't get the win there, but those teams are where they are at for a reason, they are both good teams. I think it is disappointing. It can kind of be a gut punch when you lose those, but the difference this year is that we just aren't very far away and I think that is why it kind of stings a little bit more. We don't feel like we are that far away from those guys, but clearly we have to get better. We have to do some things to clean it up so that next time we go toe-to-toe with someone of that caliber, that we figure out a way to win. So, we have Colorado twice this week. We play them at home on Thursday at 7 p.m. and then at their place on Sunday afternoon. This is our rivalry week and the way the women's schedule works is you play your rival, your travel partner twice in the same week. It is kind of unique. Those are going to be tough games. There is going to be no doubt that they will be fired up and ready to roll and our team will be too. I am looking forward to getting back on the court on Thursday at home at 7 p.m."
On what the positives were from this past weekend and what they plan to learn from it...
"I think the biggest thing that we need to be is more consistent, especially when you are playing such quality opponents. We had some moments of great and some moments of not so great. Against Oregon State, we were up five pretty late in the third quarter and then we went on a little bit of a dip offensively, and that affected our defense where they went on an 11-0 run to take a six-point lead. What happens in those little dips and what can we do so that we are consistent. Obviously, those other teams are going to score, but how can we avoid those kind of dips. Oregon, same thing, we start off the game in a fog and then we went on a 17-2 run or something like that to make it a one possession game. So what are those dips and why are we doing that. It can't be too much about the why's though, it has to be about fixing it once you understand what is causing it. So, I think we just need to be more consistent. We are down the home stretch here. All of these games matter. We have to figure out how to be as consistent as we can because every Pac-12 team and every team in the country is in the same boat. Your players and system are kind of what it is at this stage, so how can you be as consistent as possible. We have been learning it all year, that isn't profoundly new, but I think we saw how profoundly important it is, especially against these ranked opponents. We are right there and really close to being at that level, but we aren't yet because I don't think we are consistent enough."
On what she thinks caused the first quarter flatness against Oregon...
"I don't, but like I said after the game, that is one me. I will take responsibility for that. We have to find a lineup and a group that is going to start the games off right. There is a sense from a coaching standpoint that once the ball gets thrown in the air, it is up to the players to what level of intensity they are going to play with, but up until that point I think that as a coach you definitely have impact. Maybe I just didn't do a good enough job and that is where I have to be better in that and hold them to a standard. If you play the No. 7 team in the country, you'd think that you would be fired up, but I will say it wasn't like they were bored. If anything, it was a little bit of wide-eyed, that is what it looked like, you would have to ask them. I am not too worried about that, I just think clearly I have to do a better job of getting our team ready to roll."
On what things she would point to when talking about being close to those ranked opponents...
"I think we have all of the pieces necessary to close that gap. I think we have great post play that can score, rebound, run and defend. I think we have great wings that can shoot, attack the basket and get to the free throw line. I think we have solid point guard play that can push pace and play the tempo that we want. I think we are really good defensively when we stick to the game plan. Like I've said many times, I think Gavin Petersen does a tremendous job with our defense, schemes and scouts. I think we have depth, so that we don't have to count on one player to be the one-headed monster. I like our offense, we are pretty efficient with the ball. We are shooting a good percentage. We are averaging more points than we did last year, we are a really good rebounding team. I think we have all of the parts to be an NCAA Tournament team, I really do, but where are we lacking is the consistency. We have to be consistent with all of those things. So, if we have all of those things, good post play, good defensive scheme, good point guard play that can push pace, offense that can score, the ability to shoot the ball, we have to be able to do it for 40 minutes in big games. By big games I mean they are all big now in Pac-12 play. I don't care who we are playing and what they are ranked, they are all huge. Now we are getting into the stage where we are all elbowing and jockeying for position down the stretch for the Pac-12 tournament and post-season resume. I think we have what we need, we just have to dig deep and be consistent with it. This is kind of the dog days of season. Everybody is tired, basketball season is long, but it is long for everybody. Nobody is unique in that struggle, so I always say that in February the tough teams win. For us to win and make that step, it is about being consistent."
On Megan Huff only having five points against Oregon after a career-high 26 against Oregon State...
"She looked a little fatigued on Sunday, emotionally and physically, but she also fouled out. Three of her fouls were not great fouls, meaning earn a foul if you are going to get one, not those ticky-tack fouls. Not saying they were bad calls, I am just saying she kind of just seemed a little bit out of it, but you also have to get Oregon credit. She scored 26 points against one of the best defenses in the country, no doubt she is going to be the focal point of Oregon's defense 36 hours later."
On playing the same team twice in one week...
"It is unique. The one thing that is different is that these games are really going to matter, they count and are very important in terms of standings. The unfortunate thing in playing twice in the same week is if you have an injured player or something is going on, or you have a stomach bug going through your team, you are playing the same team with those variables. A lot of times, lets say we are playing Washington and Tori Williams is injured, but the next time we play them in four weeks she is back, so something like that. Luckily right now, we are at full strength, but last year when we went to Colorado we didn't have Tanaeya BoClair, she had a sprained ankle and we lose that game and then we came back here at beat them. So it just adds a weird little nuance to it that coaches don't love, but everybody deals with it and it is even. Because of the way the schedule works and our Pac-12 Tournament being the week before the men's, there really isn't a week in there to play your travel partner only once, so that is why we do it. It is what it is and you just have to accept it and dive into it."
On how they prepare for playing the same team in two games...
"Colorado is very well coached and they have a young team. They took over their program a couple of years ago, so they are still building too, but they play hard and they are going to want to beat us. I think you prepare for two games, but you kind of recalibrate after that first one and see how things went. No doubt there will be adjustments made by both staffs after Thursday night, just in terms of seeing what they are going to do. It is kind of like chess in that way. In the NBA when they play the best of five in the playoffs, you are making adjustments as you go, so there is a little bit of that. You can't really predict what your adjustments are going to be until you see both coaches and teams show their cards a little bit."
"We are coming off of a tough home weekend. I thought we played Oregon State pretty well. The final score doesn't indicate how close the game was down the stretch. We ended up losing by 11, but it was pretty close the whole time. We had a great crowd, it was our Pink game and it was a really great atmosphere. We really appreciate the people that came out to both games this weekend. We have great community support and I appreciate that. I think we are getting better, but I think we played the No. 17 team and it came down to the wire with Oregon State, and then played Oregon, who is No. 7 in the country on Sunday, and didn't play our best basketball. We came out a little flat for whatever reason and didn't get the win there, but those teams are where they are at for a reason, they are both good teams. I think it is disappointing. It can kind of be a gut punch when you lose those, but the difference this year is that we just aren't very far away and I think that is why it kind of stings a little bit more. We don't feel like we are that far away from those guys, but clearly we have to get better. We have to do some things to clean it up so that next time we go toe-to-toe with someone of that caliber, that we figure out a way to win. So, we have Colorado twice this week. We play them at home on Thursday at 7 p.m. and then at their place on Sunday afternoon. This is our rivalry week and the way the women's schedule works is you play your rival, your travel partner twice in the same week. It is kind of unique. Those are going to be tough games. There is going to be no doubt that they will be fired up and ready to roll and our team will be too. I am looking forward to getting back on the court on Thursday at home at 7 p.m."
On what the positives were from this past weekend and what they plan to learn from it...
"I think the biggest thing that we need to be is more consistent, especially when you are playing such quality opponents. We had some moments of great and some moments of not so great. Against Oregon State, we were up five pretty late in the third quarter and then we went on a little bit of a dip offensively, and that affected our defense where they went on an 11-0 run to take a six-point lead. What happens in those little dips and what can we do so that we are consistent. Obviously, those other teams are going to score, but how can we avoid those kind of dips. Oregon, same thing, we start off the game in a fog and then we went on a 17-2 run or something like that to make it a one possession game. So what are those dips and why are we doing that. It can't be too much about the why's though, it has to be about fixing it once you understand what is causing it. So, I think we just need to be more consistent. We are down the home stretch here. All of these games matter. We have to figure out how to be as consistent as we can because every Pac-12 team and every team in the country is in the same boat. Your players and system are kind of what it is at this stage, so how can you be as consistent as possible. We have been learning it all year, that isn't profoundly new, but I think we saw how profoundly important it is, especially against these ranked opponents. We are right there and really close to being at that level, but we aren't yet because I don't think we are consistent enough."
On what she thinks caused the first quarter flatness against Oregon...
"I don't, but like I said after the game, that is one me. I will take responsibility for that. We have to find a lineup and a group that is going to start the games off right. There is a sense from a coaching standpoint that once the ball gets thrown in the air, it is up to the players to what level of intensity they are going to play with, but up until that point I think that as a coach you definitely have impact. Maybe I just didn't do a good enough job and that is where I have to be better in that and hold them to a standard. If you play the No. 7 team in the country, you'd think that you would be fired up, but I will say it wasn't like they were bored. If anything, it was a little bit of wide-eyed, that is what it looked like, you would have to ask them. I am not too worried about that, I just think clearly I have to do a better job of getting our team ready to roll."
On what things she would point to when talking about being close to those ranked opponents...
"I think we have all of the pieces necessary to close that gap. I think we have great post play that can score, rebound, run and defend. I think we have great wings that can shoot, attack the basket and get to the free throw line. I think we have solid point guard play that can push pace and play the tempo that we want. I think we are really good defensively when we stick to the game plan. Like I've said many times, I think Gavin Petersen does a tremendous job with our defense, schemes and scouts. I think we have depth, so that we don't have to count on one player to be the one-headed monster. I like our offense, we are pretty efficient with the ball. We are shooting a good percentage. We are averaging more points than we did last year, we are a really good rebounding team. I think we have all of the parts to be an NCAA Tournament team, I really do, but where are we lacking is the consistency. We have to be consistent with all of those things. So, if we have all of those things, good post play, good defensive scheme, good point guard play that can push pace, offense that can score, the ability to shoot the ball, we have to be able to do it for 40 minutes in big games. By big games I mean they are all big now in Pac-12 play. I don't care who we are playing and what they are ranked, they are all huge. Now we are getting into the stage where we are all elbowing and jockeying for position down the stretch for the Pac-12 tournament and post-season resume. I think we have what we need, we just have to dig deep and be consistent with it. This is kind of the dog days of season. Everybody is tired, basketball season is long, but it is long for everybody. Nobody is unique in that struggle, so I always say that in February the tough teams win. For us to win and make that step, it is about being consistent."
On Megan Huff only having five points against Oregon after a career-high 26 against Oregon State...
"She looked a little fatigued on Sunday, emotionally and physically, but she also fouled out. Three of her fouls were not great fouls, meaning earn a foul if you are going to get one, not those ticky-tack fouls. Not saying they were bad calls, I am just saying she kind of just seemed a little bit out of it, but you also have to get Oregon credit. She scored 26 points against one of the best defenses in the country, no doubt she is going to be the focal point of Oregon's defense 36 hours later."
On playing the same team twice in one week...
"It is unique. The one thing that is different is that these games are really going to matter, they count and are very important in terms of standings. The unfortunate thing in playing twice in the same week is if you have an injured player or something is going on, or you have a stomach bug going through your team, you are playing the same team with those variables. A lot of times, lets say we are playing Washington and Tori Williams is injured, but the next time we play them in four weeks she is back, so something like that. Luckily right now, we are at full strength, but last year when we went to Colorado we didn't have Tanaeya BoClair, she had a sprained ankle and we lose that game and then we came back here at beat them. So it just adds a weird little nuance to it that coaches don't love, but everybody deals with it and it is even. Because of the way the schedule works and our Pac-12 Tournament being the week before the men's, there really isn't a week in there to play your travel partner only once, so that is why we do it. It is what it is and you just have to accept it and dive into it."
On how they prepare for playing the same team in two games...
"Colorado is very well coached and they have a young team. They took over their program a couple of years ago, so they are still building too, but they play hard and they are going to want to beat us. I think you prepare for two games, but you kind of recalibrate after that first one and see how things went. No doubt there will be adjustments made by both staffs after Thursday night, just in terms of seeing what they are going to do. It is kind of like chess in that way. In the NBA when they play the best of five in the playoffs, you are making adjustments as you go, so there is a little bit of that. You can't really predict what your adjustments are going to be until you see both coaches and teams show their cards a little bit."
Players Mentioned
W
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballUtah: 101, Eastern Washington: 77 | Utah Basketball Post Game Press Conference
Monday, December 22
Utah: 61, UC Riverside: 52 | Utah Women's Basketball Post Game Press Conference
Thursday, December 18
ESPN+ Feature | Utah Women's Basketball's Reese Ross
Thursday, December 18
Utah: 91, Northwestern: 66 | Utah Women's Basketball Post Game Press Conference
Monday, December 15