Everything Oklahoma WBB head coach Jennie Baranczyk said after loss to South Carolina

Oklahoma head coach Jennie Baranczyk spoke with the media following the team’s 101-60 loss to South Carolina women’s basketball on Sunday. Here’s everything she had to say.

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On what Baranczyk will say to Oklahoma players after the game

“I think one of the things that shouldn’t be underestimated is playing here. That’s why you want to be in this league – so the first time you play them isn’t in the NCAA tournament. You want to be able to learn about your team and learn about the mental side, the physical side, all the things you need to do to get better. So we have a choice to make now: we can either improve or we can’t.

“Whatever we do, we will do it together. It’s something that our culture is. It’s something that drives our team. But no, today is a difficult day, but it can also be a major turning point for you to look in the mirror, grow and improve. But let’s also not underestimate how good South Carolina is.

On Raegan Beers’ slow start in the first half

“Part of the reason for that is that we’ve done a really good job of passing it on to them rather than Raegan (Beers). And I’m not discrediting them, but the only reason I’m answering the question is because we didn’t do a good job of getting him the ball in the first half. I thought we had to make that adjustment at halftime. We tried to make that adjustment, and in the first half we just didn’t do a great job.

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On South Carolina’s stifling defense

“I think with them it’s not just, ‘Can you score?’ It’s also: “Can you keep?” So when you’re laying on one side, I mean, they shoot the ball really well. And that’s something you try to pick your poison with them. You can’t just pack the paint – you have to be able to pack the paint and provide one-on-one custody. If you start to double, they separate you and can shoot from the outside. So it really starts there.

“For us, I feel like, especially in the first quarter, we had a couple shots at the rim that didn’t go in. And when you’re out here on the road and you’re playing against a team like this one, we have to be able to convert them to even be able to hold on. So I feel like they’re really tough, not only because their defense stifles you, but also because their offense stifles you. work. And you have to work on both sides.

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On everything Oklahoma can learn from playing high-ranked SEC opponents like South Carolina

“I know the program can learn. I don’t know if it’s fair for me to come here and give you a shot and tell you how good we’re going to be and everything else. It takes courage to be able to completely fall flat on your face on national TV in front of that crowd. They beat us hard, and they are really, really good. That’s what we’re all looking for to be able to develop the depth that they have, the culture that they have, the crowd. This is, at the moment, the example of women’s basketball.

“So that’s where I don’t want to go.” It’s a process, and you have to understand it all. You need to get up and roll up your sleeves. But if we can look in the mirror and you can grow, then you will get better. And if you don’t, life will continue to teach us the same lesson. So we have to make a choice.

“We talk a lot about a lot of things, just like a lot of teams talk about a lot of things. But until things are painful enough for you to change them and do them, then you don’t grow. I am extremely optimistic, as you know. I’m someone who believes in team more than anyone could ever believe in a team, probably to a fault. So I think we can completely recover from this. But also, I can’t wait to see how we enter the field tomorrow in training.