I do like our position in the bracket, but we've still got to get past that first game. For us and San Diego State, this is our Super Bowl, and both teams are desperate. It's all about this first game, really.

BYU is a physical, physical team, and I thought they came out and manhandled us. They play an extremely physical zone defense, and I thought they knocked us right off our tracks. They made it difficult for us to find shots.

Clearly, Tulsa is the second-best team we have faced after (No. 2) Duke, and I felt like we competed really well with them. This was one of our most complete games. We just had a couple of lapses down the stretch that cost us.

I'm very proud of Vanessa. I saw her as a spark tonight and it was nice to see the things she could create. I really liked the effort and execution on the court, it reflected our efficiency.

I'm really proud of our effort in this game. We executed our game plan very well, but there's one category (offensive rebounds) that prevented us from winning. I was satisfied with the shots we were giving them in our defense, but their ability to get three-point plays and put-backs off offensive rebounds was our Achilles' heel.

Smith is a Kodak, All-American candidate. More than scoring, she makes the people around her look better. She has earned her mark in history.

It's going to be a real challenge for us. I know we are improving but we need to keep making strides.

Any win is precious. But wins on the road, when your team is together, are really a positive experience. There's nothing like winning on the road.

Defense and rebounding will continue to be the focal point of our development. Obviously, we are working on some offenses that will give us some more options, but defense has a greater presence in our practices than at any other time.

Offensively, we are close to where we need to be to beat teams. . . . . Glaringly, defense is a weakness.