Geno's Press Conference

While the Bears were practicing, I sat in on UConn head coach Geno Auriemma's press conference and thought I'd share the Cal references. His thoughts on Cal were pretty much what you would expect - he highlighted Devanei Hampton and Ashley Walker but he was sure to key in on how he was not looking past the other players on the field.

The most quotable part of the interview was when Geno was described how Cal plays and how it reminded him of Joanne Boyle's playing days, when he was coaching at Virginia.

"The team reminds me of her as a player, but more talented that her."

When asked how UConn would have to react to playing a game at 9 a.m. local time like the Bears will do tomorrow, Geno responded with "Game time is when the ball goes up. If you're concerned about game time, then you've already lost."

Geno's key thoughts on Dev and Ash were that they are not one-dimentional. He said they were "active, agressive and difficult to [guard] one-on-one in the lame." He also commented that AGL is the "type of guard you want when you've got two bigs."

Press Conference Quotes

California Coach Joanne Boyle

"I'm just excited to be here. Continuing to play it is what this time is all about -- survive and advance and I thought we did a good job of that last night and I'm just excited to play Virginia."

On breaking down Virginia's team

"Virginia is a great team. There are things they do very well. They are a great transition team. They have a great three in (Lyndra) Littles, (Aisha) Mohammed and (Monica) Wright. They get a lot of touches. They thrive and really push the ball in transition and get easy baskets and do a lot from rebounding."

"We need to take away transition, stay on the boards and don't let them on the free throw line."

On approaching the next game

"We've done a lot of game-planning of course. We're trying to keep our kids in their comfort zone and tweaking things here and there. It's more about the comfort now. And we're doing a lot of film."

"You just can't turn the ball over against a team like this because you won't have a chance to play transition defense because it will be a layup."

California forward/center Ashley Walker

On coming back for second round

"It's just another game. We are staying in our comfort zone. It's great playing in the Galen Center again. We're just exciting to play another game."

On trying to make Sweet Sixteen

"I definitely think last year motivates us. It's definitely one of our goals. It's my last time. We (the rest of the seniors) all have that feeling. We can't waste a possession. Every night we're trying to do that. We're excited to play and when they put the ball out there it's tournament time. No ones going to give it to you. You have to fight for it."

California guard Lauren Greif

On improved play over the last week

"We watched a lot of film on our ball movement how it has gotten kind of stagnant in the last couple of weeks. So we just really focused on moving the ball and watched more film."

"The faster the ball moves the harder it is for defenses to find us."

California guard Alexis Gray-Lawson

On advancing in the tournament

"Just to know that this could have been our last practice or this could be our last game, it makes you want to play that much harder so that you can get one more practice or get one more game."

"I think it makes us hungry. (There is) definitely more desire in our hearts to go out there and not just win for ourselves, but to win for our seniors and our community."

Post-Game Quotes

California head coach Joanne Boyle

“I’m just proud of our team. At this time of the year, it is survive and advance. I thought we did a lot of really good things. Obviously we didn’t shoot the ball well but we found other ways to win and ultimately that is what it is.”

On game-plan against Fresno State

“The game-plan was to take away the three more so than anything and I think we did a really good job.”

On the prospect of Fresno State and Coach Adrian Wiggins and the future 

“He does a great job playing the chess match and trying the counter and I think he has been very successful with that.”

“He really uses an offense that is very cohesive for him and that works for him. I think that is part of being a great coach, putting in a system that really speaks to your player’s strengths.”

California forward/center Ashley Walker

On inspired play

“Now since I’m a senior and this is my last time going to the tournament, I kind of feel like I might as well leave everything I have out on the floor in these next couple of games.”

On being doubled in the post

“I’m use to be doubled, I just kind of do what I do every night. My teammates definitely helped me out. I kicked out well and when they hit, they hit and when they don’t, I try and do my best to go after the offensive rebound.”

California guard Natasha Vital

On perimeter defense

“Fresno State is a very athletic team. They penetrate a lot so we were really focused on our defense and trying to stop guard penetration. I think it really helped us out tonight. 

On shooting the three-ball to start the second half

“They were doubling down a lot on our post players and leaving us open, so we have got to take those shots. We weren’t making them a lot, but we made them when it counted.”

Photo Update: Practice Day

We've put up a fantastic gallery of images on CalBears.com of the practice day and press conferences. Here are some highlights of the gallery, but you can see the full gallery by clicking the link below.

NCAA Tournament – Day Two: Practice Day Photo Gallery

A wide shot of the dais at the press conference. (Photo by Mollie McClure)

Assistant coach Jennifer Hoover and senior Ashley Walker. (Photo by Mollie McClure)

Casey Morris looks to pass to a teammate during practice. (Photo by Angela Niles)

Team huddle. (Photo by Angela Niles)

Press Conference Quotes

On Friday morning, head coach Joanne Boyle and three players participated in a press conference at the Galen Center. Below are quotes from that press conference.

California head coach Joanne Boyle

On defending the 3-point threat of Fresno State

"Just playing in the Pac-10, we have a lot of great three point shooting teams. Playing USC last week it kind of presented that problem to us. But we worked on it this week and I think you just got to play it as a chess match a little bit; be able to get out there and defend the three."

On Cal's game-plan for Fresno State

"We are going to move the ball around a lot and get good touches, work to get

one-on-one touches. We are just going to do a combination of different things."

On California's lack of depth down the stretch

"It's tournament time. Everybody is playing 5, 6, 7 kids, you look at tournament time and everyone is playing that many kids. Nobody is worrying about tired legs. Nobody is feeling sorry for you. Everyone is throwing their best game at you and you just have to be prepared and be ready to play."

California forward/center Ashley Walker

On first-round match-up with Fresno State

"We are excited to be here. We are ready to play. It's great that it is a gym we have played in during the season, last week and the week before that. We have had our ups and downs, but you have to let that go and move on to the next part of the season. The next most important game is Saturday."

On last year's game against Fresno State

"It was a close game, so I am sure it will be a close game again here. It is going to be a good game and we are just excited about being on the floor."

California forward/center Devanei Hampton

On first-round match-up with Fresno State

"We are all just amped up and ready to play. It's tournament time, we are about business."

California guard Alexis Gray-Lawson

On first round match-up with Fresno State

"It was definitely a great travel for us, our family and friends get to come and support us. We are just very excited to be here and be in this situation that we are in."

To see the quote release on CalBears.com, please click here.