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Michigan State - Head Coach - Joanne P. McCallie
Opening statement:
"That was a great basketball game. It was exactly what the doctor ordered for our team having been off and coming back against a very physical team. I thought Illinois might have played their best game of the year based on what I've seen and I definitely think (Tiffanie) Guthrie played her best game of the year based on her rebounding. For us, it was just a great battle. I love the way our team executed and showed poise down the stretch. I thought Kristen (Haynie) was amazing given her four foul situations. I thought Kelli (Roehrig) was the rock-solid leader of the group for the entire game. She got hit and converted a lot of shots. It's a great game for us to get better and we're excited about that."
On end of regulation play:
"I told them that we've done this before now go get the game. We have a lot of experience in overtime, but I don't think it's necessarily a good thing. We don't aspire to that. They knew what to do. I didn't do anything, they just kind of went for it."
On being out rebounded:
"It's hard. We had a lot to say during halftime in the locker room. We were getting out hustled, we were slow on the ball, and not boxing out. We just spoke the truth at halftime and just ventured out to do a better job in the second half. Anytime you give a team 36 offensive rebounds, that's ridiculous. I give credit to Illinois. I'm not just going to say we did a bad job. I thought Illinois played great. They're one of the best 17-12 teams I've seen. I thought they played very differently than they have all year. I have not seen that Illinois team before."
Michigan State - Center - Kelli Roehrig
On holding Illinois scoreless in OT:
"We love overtime. We were ready, focused, and knew what we had to do. We boxed out in overtime and we held them on defense."
On not playing a game in 11 days:
"We were glad we had a game today and we got that out of the way. It was a long time without a game. We practiced a lot, but a game is totally different."
Michigan State - Guard - Kristin Hayne
On taking over offensively in OT:"It was able to hit a big shot, and Liz (Shimek) had big rebounds for us down the stretch. Everyone stepped up. It was great team effort, not only offensively, but defensively as well."
On playing from behind:
"It was obviously a big test for us. We haven't been in many situations like that during the season. We knew what we were capable of doing, but we weren't playing our basketball. We wanted to get the game in overtime and focus, and that's what we did."
Illinois- Head Coach- Theresa Grentz
Opening statement:
"I thought this was an excellently played game. Michigan State played well, particularly in overtime. I have to tip my hat to my players and staff. I thought it was a great ballgame."
On today's game:
"We frustrated some of their inside situations. We forced them to have to move to their guards. Each player gave everything they had and played as well as they could, and I'm very proud of this team."
On Illinois' recent improvement:
"Without a question or doubt we're playing our best basketball right now. I tell you, this team is so much fun to be with. It's the greatest group of kids you could ever want to be around. They're so teachable, and it's heartbreaking we weren't able to pull this thing out one way or another. They're doing everything they can possibly do, and I hope somewhere along the line we'll get a break."
On Illinois' last shot in regulation:
"If I had to do it over again, I think I would've put five shooters on the floor and spread them. I don't know if it would've worked. We've never done that, but that would've caused Michigan State to spread. I can think of a thousand things I should've done."
Illinois- Guard- Tiffanie Guthrie
On her last second shot in regulation:
"I got the rebound as time was winding down, and I just tried to throw it up there. I tried to draw the foul, but I didn't make the basket and I didn't get fouled so it went into overtime."
On today's game:
"We played our hearts out tonight. I think we played the hardest we have all season and we can only build from this. Whatever form of post-season play we go into, we're going to play with the same mentality we had when we went into this game."
Illinois- Forward- Erin Wigley
On inside aggressiveness:
"I think during every Big Ten game we have to match the opposing team in aggressiveness because we're pretty undersized on the post. We have to come out with intensity and focus on our defense all the time."
On Michigan State's performance in overtime:
"If you just look at the points, we didn't score one basket in overtime. I think they just were more focused and hustled more than we did."