March 10, 2010

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Head Coach Norm Roberts
Opening Statement
"I thought it was a really good BIG EAST basketball game.  Obviously we played two really good games against Marquette.  Give them a lot of credit.  They had to make some really big shots and tough shots at the end.  I thought my guys played unbelievably hard and focused.  We didn't shoot the ball well in the first half, but really came back in the second half and played together and did some really good things."

(On Marquette's perimeter shooting in the first half and the changes made for the second half)
"We just talked about how they made the extra pass, make one more pass.  They do a great job of rotating in the first half and let the ball stick in our hands a little bit. I thought our guys did a great job making the extra pass in the second half and finishing plays.  We had some plays, too, in the first half and shots we hadn't been making and we didn't make it.  The good thing is we stuck with our defense and kept playing."

(On what he told the team at halftime)
"Just that we went into the halftime saying we shot the ball really poorly.  We could be down by a lot more.  I thought we finished the half good on a defensive note and get some stops.  I said we're fine, we have to come out in the second half and focus defensively and then move the ball and make the extra pass and get in the lane, and thought we did a better job of that in the second half."


Junior D.J. Kennedy
(On the final possession of the game)
"I did not feel like it was enough time for me to get a good shot.  When it left my hands, it was short.  The possession before that I felt like when I had the opportunity to make a play for the team, I just    plays I usually make I just wasn't able to get an opportunity to make a play for my team. It was great defense by Hayward.  I felt like I had an opportunity to make another play and I just didn't come through."

(On Marquette's defense at the end of the game)
"I felt like they did a great job of sagging in.  It was great help defense.  It prevented the drive.  It was down two, I really just wanted to get in the lane.  But I wasn't able to get in the lane.  They did a great job of reaching in and able to get a jump ball.  So it was a great job.  Great job as far as them as a team."


Junior Paris Horne
(On if STJ had control of the game when they came back after the score was 46-42)
"No.  It's a game of runs.  We knew they were going to make their run.  We just were about trying to get stops.  That's all."