Liberty vs. Comets
Post-Game Quotes
Houston Comets Head Coach Karleen Thompson
On Tonight’s Game
“We did a good job just continuing to fight and coming back to take it into overtime. We had some lapses in execution of plays. Also, not getting stops on the defensive end. Every single person has to come to play for forty minutes. We are shorthanded missing Sancho [Lyttle], Roneeka [Hodges], and [Hamchétou] Maïga-Ba. Those are key players but at the same time we have players that can step up. Mistie did a good job for us. We cannot allow teams to score that easy. We need stops and that has been our bread and butter before the break, we have to find that again.”
On the Absence of Maïga-Ba, Hodges and Lyttle
“It plays a factor but it is no excuse! I believe that we can step up and at anytime they can get it done. Mistie Williams was one of them and Sancho Lyttle gives us that rebounding edge over other teams. We just need other people to step up a little bit more. But as a team, we didn’t play complete basketball for forty minutes. Like I said we did not go to our bread and butter, our defense, for forty minutes.”
Houston Comets forward Mistie Williams
On Her Play Tonight
“Well first of all I thank God because I have been working really hard over the break. Just to be able to use my abilities to the best that I can and just have the opportunity. I went out there and it was all about being positive and just focusing on what I can do for the team. Just going into the game I was really focused and I just knew what the team needed and just based on that I tried to do what I could.”
New York Liberty Head Coach Pat Coyle
On giving the ball to Janel McCarville
“Yes, we tried to give her the ball. The thing about Janel is she makes great decisions. She’s not going to take a bad shot. She’s going to drive if she has it, if not she’ll kick it out to one of her open shooters. I thought she did really well tonight.”
On Lisa Willis Tonight
“She stepped up, which I expected her to. She had the chance to get extended minutes and she made the most of it.”
On New York playing their best when their backs are against the wall
“I think the team is all about that. When everyone counts them out, they’re at their best. I thought it was a great team win tonight. Collectively, I thought it was a great team effort.”
New York Liberty guard Lisa Willis
On tonight’s Game
“We knew that we had to get this victory. So, whatever we had to do to get it that’s what we needed to do.”
On her teammates looking for the shooter
“If somebody has a hot hand, you give them the ball. Just like with J-Mac we were trying to give her the ball. It seemed like nobody could guard her.”
New York Liberty Center Janel McCarville
On tying her career high point game
“I knew I had a lot of points at one point, I didn’t know it would be a career high. They just kept giving me the ball and wanted me to take it inside. So, I did and they just kept falling.”
On what Coach Coyle says during intense times
“She said to just keep our heads up. When they pushed it during the fourth quarter and tied it up, she just told us we have five more minutes to do our work, keep doing what we’ve been doing all game and we’ll be able to hold them off.”
Final: Comets 87, Liberty 90 -- Overtime.
The Houston Comets made valiant efforts tonight but it was not enough as the Comets lost to the New York Liberty 90 to 87 Tuesday night in front of an announced crowd of 5,166 fans. (No way that many people were in attendance.)
Tonight's loss is the third straight loss for the Comets (14-15) after the month-long Olympic break. Houston has five games left in the regular season and the team will probably have to win all five games in order to have a legitimate shot to qualify for the 2008 WNBA Playoffs. New York (16-12) ended a two-game losing streak with the victory.
Tina Thompson scored a game-high 34 points for the Comets. Rookie Matee Ajavon added 16 and Mistie Williams scored 12.
New York was led by Janel McCarville's 31 points (13 for 19 from the field). Lisa Willis scored a career-high 22 points. Catherine Kraayeveld chipped in 11 points.
The Comets trailed the Liberty 76 to 70 with less than one minute left in the fourth quarter; but, to their credit, the Comets fought back and tied the game with 2.2 seconds left thanks to two made free throws by Williams.
The Liberty scored the first seven points in overtime; but, once again, the Comets battled back to tie the game at 85. The Liberty simply could not put the Comets away. New York's Ashley Battle rebounded a missed shot attempt by McCarville and launched a three-point shot attempt which rattled in to give the Liberty the lead for good.
End of 4th Quarter: Game tied at 76. OVERTIME!
With 2.2 seconds left in the game, a loose ball foul was called on New York's Janel McCarville sending Houston's Mistie Williams to the free throw line with the Comets trailing the liberty 76 to 74. Williams a sub 60% free throw shooter knocked down both free throws to tie the game; and, after a Liberty time-out, New York's Erin Thorn left a pull-up jumper short.
Williams two free throws gave her a career-high tying 12 points in the point game.
Tina Thompson has scored 32 points thus far.
McCarville's 25 points leads the Liberty followed by 19 points from Lisa Willis. Willis has made 5 of her 7 three-point attempts.
End of 3rd Quarter: Comets 56, Liberty 61.
A sloppy first quarter by both teams turned into a sloppy second quarter by just the Comets to a well played third quarter by both teams.
The Comets shot 8 for 11 from the field in the third stanza and the Libs shot 8 for 17 in the period.
Houston's Mistie Williams scored six of her eight points in the third; and, Tina Thompson poured nine of her game-high 23 points in the third.
New York is led by 19 points by Janel McCarville and 13 points by Lisa Willis. Willis's 13 points are a part of 23 bench points by the Liberty.
Mid 3rd Quarter note:
New York's Janel McCarville is taking turns schooling the Comets' front court. McCarville has scored "And 1's" on Michelle Snow; Mistie Williams; and the overweight Latasha Byears. So far, McCarville has 18 points in the game on 7 for 10 shooting from the field.
Houston's Tina Thompson is schooling the Liberty's frontcourt players, too. Thompson leads the Comets with 20 points.
Halftime: Comets 29, Liberty 39.
Tina Thompson has 14 points and five rebounds to lead the Comets; however, no other Comets player scored more than five points in the opening 20 minutes.
New York's Janel McCarville also scored 14 points in the first half. McCarville scored 10 points in the second quarter. Lisa Willis added eight of her 10 first half points in teh second quarter, too.
The Comets shot a woeful 9 for 30 (30.0%) in the half including an awful 4 for 16 in the second quarter.
The Liberty made 10 of the 16 second-quarter shots and shot 50% (16 for 32) from the field in the half.
Houston committed five of its eight turnovers in the second period.
End of First Quarter: Comets 16, Liberty 14.
Both teams struggled offensively in the quarter. The Comets did not score until a basket until 6:19 was left in the period. New York scored the first six points of the game.
The Comets tied the game at eight and took the lead on a high-arcing rainbow three-point shot from Olympic gold medalist Tina Thompson.
The Comets shot 35.7% (5 for 14) from the field while the Liberty shot 37.5% (6 for 16) from the field.
Thompson's seven points led all scorers in the opening quarter.
HOUSTON, TX -- The Houston Comets (14-14) host the New York Liberty (15-12) tonight inside Reliant Arena. The Comets will look to snap a two-game losing streak after the team played poorly on the road versus the Seattle Storm (66-49 loss) and the Sacramento Monarchs (80-65 loss). Tonight's game is the first of four home games for the Comets. These four home games may be the last regular season games the Comets play in Houston.
Tonight's Starters and Officials
New York
17 - Essence Carson
33 - Catherine Kraayeveld
4 - Janel McCarville
5 - Erin Thorn
21 - Loree Moore
Houston
4 - Mwadi Mabika
7 - Tina Thompson
2 - Michelle Snow
20 - Tamecka Dixon
41 - Shannon Johnson
Officials
#8 - Darryl Humphrey
#42 - Roy Gulbeyan
#45 - Tom Mauer
Notes - Injuries
Liberty: #3 Tiffany Jackson (tibial stress fracture, left leg) and #20 Shameka Christon (strained hamstring - not with team)
Jackson and Christon are on the Inactive List.
Comets: #15 Roneeka Hodges (fractured right toe); #21 Sancho Lyttle (left ankle sprain); and #99 Hamchetou Maiga-Ba (sprained left ankle)
Hodges and Maiga-Ba are on the Inactive List.
Houston Comets Head Coach Karleen Thompson
On Tonight’s Game
“We did a good job just continuing to fight and coming back to take it into overtime. We had some lapses in execution of plays. Also, not getting stops on the defensive end. Every single person has to come to play for forty minutes. We are shorthanded missing Sancho [Lyttle], Roneeka [Hodges], and [Hamchétou] Maïga-Ba. Those are key players but at the same time we have players that can step up. Mistie did a good job for us. We cannot allow teams to score that easy. We need stops and that has been our bread and butter before the break, we have to find that again.”
On the Absence of Maïga-Ba, Hodges and Lyttle
“It plays a factor but it is no excuse! I believe that we can step up and at anytime they can get it done. Mistie Williams was one of them and Sancho Lyttle gives us that rebounding edge over other teams. We just need other people to step up a little bit more. But as a team, we didn’t play complete basketball for forty minutes. Like I said we did not go to our bread and butter, our defense, for forty minutes.”
Houston Comets forward Mistie Williams
On Her Play Tonight
“Well first of all I thank God because I have been working really hard over the break. Just to be able to use my abilities to the best that I can and just have the opportunity. I went out there and it was all about being positive and just focusing on what I can do for the team. Just going into the game I was really focused and I just knew what the team needed and just based on that I tried to do what I could.”
New York Liberty Head Coach Pat Coyle
On giving the ball to Janel McCarville
“Yes, we tried to give her the ball. The thing about Janel is she makes great decisions. She’s not going to take a bad shot. She’s going to drive if she has it, if not she’ll kick it out to one of her open shooters. I thought she did really well tonight.”
On Lisa Willis Tonight
“She stepped up, which I expected her to. She had the chance to get extended minutes and she made the most of it.”
On New York playing their best when their backs are against the wall
“I think the team is all about that. When everyone counts them out, they’re at their best. I thought it was a great team win tonight. Collectively, I thought it was a great team effort.”
New York Liberty guard Lisa Willis
On tonight’s Game
“We knew that we had to get this victory. So, whatever we had to do to get it that’s what we needed to do.”
On her teammates looking for the shooter
“If somebody has a hot hand, you give them the ball. Just like with J-Mac we were trying to give her the ball. It seemed like nobody could guard her.”
New York Liberty Center Janel McCarville
On tying her career high point game
“I knew I had a lot of points at one point, I didn’t know it would be a career high. They just kept giving me the ball and wanted me to take it inside. So, I did and they just kept falling.”
On what Coach Coyle says during intense times
“She said to just keep our heads up. When they pushed it during the fourth quarter and tied it up, she just told us we have five more minutes to do our work, keep doing what we’ve been doing all game and we’ll be able to hold them off.”
Final: Comets 87, Liberty 90 -- Overtime.
The Houston Comets made valiant efforts tonight but it was not enough as the Comets lost to the New York Liberty 90 to 87 Tuesday night in front of an announced crowd of 5,166 fans. (No way that many people were in attendance.)
Tonight's loss is the third straight loss for the Comets (14-15) after the month-long Olympic break. Houston has five games left in the regular season and the team will probably have to win all five games in order to have a legitimate shot to qualify for the 2008 WNBA Playoffs. New York (16-12) ended a two-game losing streak with the victory.
Tina Thompson scored a game-high 34 points for the Comets. Rookie Matee Ajavon added 16 and Mistie Williams scored 12.
New York was led by Janel McCarville's 31 points (13 for 19 from the field). Lisa Willis scored a career-high 22 points. Catherine Kraayeveld chipped in 11 points.
The Comets trailed the Liberty 76 to 70 with less than one minute left in the fourth quarter; but, to their credit, the Comets fought back and tied the game with 2.2 seconds left thanks to two made free throws by Williams.
The Liberty scored the first seven points in overtime; but, once again, the Comets battled back to tie the game at 85. The Liberty simply could not put the Comets away. New York's Ashley Battle rebounded a missed shot attempt by McCarville and launched a three-point shot attempt which rattled in to give the Liberty the lead for good.
End of 4th Quarter: Game tied at 76. OVERTIME!
With 2.2 seconds left in the game, a loose ball foul was called on New York's Janel McCarville sending Houston's Mistie Williams to the free throw line with the Comets trailing the liberty 76 to 74. Williams a sub 60% free throw shooter knocked down both free throws to tie the game; and, after a Liberty time-out, New York's Erin Thorn left a pull-up jumper short.
Williams two free throws gave her a career-high tying 12 points in the point game.
Tina Thompson has scored 32 points thus far.
McCarville's 25 points leads the Liberty followed by 19 points from Lisa Willis. Willis has made 5 of her 7 three-point attempts.
End of 3rd Quarter: Comets 56, Liberty 61.
A sloppy first quarter by both teams turned into a sloppy second quarter by just the Comets to a well played third quarter by both teams.
The Comets shot 8 for 11 from the field in the third stanza and the Libs shot 8 for 17 in the period.
Houston's Mistie Williams scored six of her eight points in the third; and, Tina Thompson poured nine of her game-high 23 points in the third.
New York is led by 19 points by Janel McCarville and 13 points by Lisa Willis. Willis's 13 points are a part of 23 bench points by the Liberty.
Mid 3rd Quarter note:
New York's Janel McCarville is taking turns schooling the Comets' front court. McCarville has scored "And 1's" on Michelle Snow; Mistie Williams; and the overweight Latasha Byears. So far, McCarville has 18 points in the game on 7 for 10 shooting from the field.
Houston's Tina Thompson is schooling the Liberty's frontcourt players, too. Thompson leads the Comets with 20 points.
Halftime: Comets 29, Liberty 39.
Tina Thompson has 14 points and five rebounds to lead the Comets; however, no other Comets player scored more than five points in the opening 20 minutes.
New York's Janel McCarville also scored 14 points in the first half. McCarville scored 10 points in the second quarter. Lisa Willis added eight of her 10 first half points in teh second quarter, too.
The Comets shot a woeful 9 for 30 (30.0%) in the half including an awful 4 for 16 in the second quarter.
The Liberty made 10 of the 16 second-quarter shots and shot 50% (16 for 32) from the field in the half.
Houston committed five of its eight turnovers in the second period.
End of First Quarter: Comets 16, Liberty 14.
Both teams struggled offensively in the quarter. The Comets did not score until a basket until 6:19 was left in the period. New York scored the first six points of the game.
The Comets tied the game at eight and took the lead on a high-arcing rainbow three-point shot from Olympic gold medalist Tina Thompson.
The Comets shot 35.7% (5 for 14) from the field while the Liberty shot 37.5% (6 for 16) from the field.
Thompson's seven points led all scorers in the opening quarter.
HOUSTON, TX -- The Houston Comets (14-14) host the New York Liberty (15-12) tonight inside Reliant Arena. The Comets will look to snap a two-game losing streak after the team played poorly on the road versus the Seattle Storm (66-49 loss) and the Sacramento Monarchs (80-65 loss). Tonight's game is the first of four home games for the Comets. These four home games may be the last regular season games the Comets play in Houston.
Tonight's Starters and Officials
New York
17 - Essence Carson
33 - Catherine Kraayeveld
4 - Janel McCarville
5 - Erin Thorn
21 - Loree Moore
Houston
4 - Mwadi Mabika
7 - Tina Thompson
2 - Michelle Snow
20 - Tamecka Dixon
41 - Shannon Johnson
Officials
#8 - Darryl Humphrey
#42 - Roy Gulbeyan
#45 - Tom Mauer
Notes - Injuries
Liberty: #3 Tiffany Jackson (tibial stress fracture, left leg) and #20 Shameka Christon (strained hamstring - not with team)
Jackson and Christon are on the Inactive List.
Comets: #15 Roneeka Hodges (fractured right toe); #21 Sancho Lyttle (left ankle sprain); and #99 Hamchetou Maiga-Ba (sprained left ankle)
Hodges and Maiga-Ba are on the Inactive List.
posted by Kris Gardner @ 7:12 PM
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