Coach Deandra Schirmer Reacts to Chattanooga Loss Against Florida

According to postgame quotes released via GoMocs.com, the Mocs struggled to maintain discipline during the final stretch of the contest against the SEC opponent.

Coach Deandra Schirmer noted that the team had to be consistent offensively and defensively throughout the entire 40 minutes of play.

“From a coaching standpoint, we weren’t disciplined enough in the fourth quarter of the game,” Schirmer said.

She added that giving up those 23 points in the closing period “really allowed Florida to seal the game.”

Schirmer emphasized that the squad must learn that games are not won at the 30-minute mark, but through sustained effort across the entire duration of the game.

The coach also highlighted a lack of mental engagement during specific segments of the matchup.

“I also feel like there were a lot of possessions where we weren’t as checked in as we needed to be,” Schirmer said.

She suggested that “glimpses of greatness” are insufficient if the program cannot achieve offensive and defensive consistency.

Despite the loss, the presence of the Chattanooga community provided a high-energy environment for the home team.

Junior guard Izzy McPherson commented on the level of engagement from the spectators during the game.

“It’s about going and saying hi to everyone, seeing how engaged they all were, it was so much fun,” McPherson said.

She noted that the program benefits from “incredible support, unity and stuff like that,” especially given the prominence of the Florida program.

Schirmer echoed this sentiment, expressing pride in the community and the atmosphere surrounding the Roundhouse.

“The atmosphere around the Roundhouse was unbelievable,” Schirmer said.

“When they come out, and our fans are giving us that much energy, we just want to give them a win,” she said.

Grooms said the primary directive from Coach Schirmer was to focus on individual plays rather than the score.

“The main point Coach D was saying to focus on each play. Don’t look at the scoreboard or look ahead,” Grooms said.

Grooms added that the team was instructed to “just focus on the things we can control in that moment.”

Moving forward, Schirmer stated that competitive effort remains the “recipe” and the standard for the team, regardless of whether they are playing in a full arena or on a road trip with minimal fans.

The coach noted that the team must bring that intensity to their execution “down the stretch.”