Coach Tubby Smith Quotes
 Head Coach Tubby Smith |
On the team’s progress thus far…
“We’re really playing a lot better right now. I think everyone’s on the same page. We really showed a strong team effort against Tennessee. Tayshaun (Prince) and Keith (Bogans) have really stepped up and given us great minutes and great play. Keith is doing especially well rebounding. We need to work on defending the three-point shot better. We’re handling the ball better, especially against a great defensive team like Tennessee.”
“After reviewing the game film of the Tennessee game, I could see that the crowd really got into the game, and we established control from the beginning. We had areas we’ve been trying to improve on, like our defense. We’re talented enough to win, we just had to get our players buying into that.”
“Ole Miss is very similar to us in the style of game they play. They establish the tempo of the game through their defense. They are very in-your-face and aggressive. We have to take care of the ball and be stronger with it. We’ve improved through the year, but Ole Miss will be our best challenge this year.”
“I’m impressed with the play of Rahim Lockhart this year. He’s scoring and defending well, averaging close to 14 points and nine rebounds a game. We’re really going to have to make him work to get shots, as well as Reed. Rod Barnes has done an outstanding job. They weren’t picked to do this well at the beginning of the season, which shows you that when you have veteran players like Flanigan and Lockhart, they can convey a confident nature.”
“Marvin Stone will not be travelling with us this weekend. He has some requirements that he will have to attend to academically, which is an extension of his problems at the end of the semester. He’s also attending to some personal matters, as his sister had heart surgery in the last few days. He has a lot of things on his mind. That will create a depth problem for us in the post, which we’ll have to accommodate.”
“The key to this game will be to have a hard defensive presence and to not get rattled. They have a great crowd in Oxford. Ole Miss has had tough losses to Alabama and Georgia, but are still having a great year at 14-3 right now. They are still second in the SEC West. I’m eager to see how we respond after a big win, and I’m sure Coach Barnes is eager to see how his guys respond after those tough losses.”
On how playing in Oxford could effect the young players…
“We’ve been on the road and played in some pretty tough places already this year at Louisville and Madison Square Garden. These kids have grown up a lot this season. This will be the first time they’ve played in front of an SEC crowd, which is a little different. The crowd will definitely be crazy, and I’m curious to see how the team will respond. With the games we have under our belt already, I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
“Ole Miss is very aggressive. They challenge the passing lanes and get under the ball, which forces you to put the ball on the floor. They do a good job with trapping and rotating because they have so many quick players. I’m impressed with their bench as well.”
On the injury situation…
“Saul has been playing through the pain. His knee is really tender, and it’s been up and down. We were off on Wednesday, and he came back looking strong yesterday in practice. Keith’s ankle is fine, and Marquis is doing better with his ankle also.”
“This is the first injury I can remember Saul having athletically, besides having his teeth knocked out, which isn’t an injury to me. You can always get another set of teeth. This is the first year I can remember him missing a practice. This is also the first year I’ve coached a team where no one has had any teeth knocked out, too!”
UK Player Quotes
Cliff Hawkins, Guard
 Cliff Hawkins |
On dealing with the Ole Miss crowd…
“From what I have been told, they get a kick out of beating us. We want to try and control the tempo and keep the crowd out of the game as much as possible.”
On the possibility of a letdown…
“The guys are ready. We practiced hard this week and we’re ready for another hard SEC game.”
On his confidence…
“Being out there more is giving me more confidence and making me feel like I can do more things out there.”
On Marvin Stone’s off-the-court problems…
“He knows what he has to do. He knows what is going on with his situation. He is trying to make the best of it so he can hurry up and get out on the court with us.”
 Keith Bogans |
Keith Bogans, Guard
On playing at Ole Miss…
“We know it is going to be tough going on the road. I don’t think we have played in any gymnasium like we will on the road in the SEC. We just have to stay focused and keep playing the way we have been.”
Describing road games in the SEC…
“You have fans on your back and in your ear the whole game. Most of the time, their seats are right behind the bench. You have to block out and focus on the game.”
On being atop the SEC standings at 3-0…
“A month ago I don’t know what I would have said. But for right now, I think we are playing well and if we continue to play this way we are going to have a great season.”
On whether he will guarantee another UK victory…
“No more guarantees. No more the rest of the season.”
On describing Ole Miss…
“I know they are a great team. They are real physical and they will be pressuring us the whole game. If we execute and maintain our defensive intensity, it will be a good game for us.”
Tayshaun Prince, Forward
On four of the next five games being on the road…
“We have to take it one game at a time. We have a long road trip coming up and Ole Miss is going to be our first opponent.”
On having his father in attendance at the Tennessee game…
“It means a lot for everyone to see their parents. My dad is a hard-working man, and I can understand the fact that he doesn’t get the chance to come down here very much, especially when he doesn’t fly. To drive that far is something remarkable. Not just him, but family members who I didn’t think were going to show up came to the game.’
On whether he was ‘showing off’ in front of his parents…
“They just came to the right game. I don’t think it would have mattered if they would have been here or not. It was a game where we had to go out and get the job done.”
Jason Parker, Center-Forward
 Jason Parker |
On the Ole Miss game…
“Our post play is going to be very important when we go down there. We are going to miss Marvin (Stone) a lot, but Marquis and I are ready to face the task. Eric and Tayshaun will also pick up some of the slack in the post.”
On Rahim Lockhart of Ole Miss…
“He is a great player for them. He is a senior and will be a tough task for us. He is one of the best postmen in the Southeastern Conference. To compete with him I will really have to be on top of my game.”
On his freshman year…
“I think I am coming along well. I am learning a lot on the court and off the court. On the court I have learned to be more patient on offense, playing better defense and concentrate. I have learned about all phases of the game.”
On getting into foul trouble…
“I need to learn to stay out of early foul trouble. It takes me off the court and I definitely don’t want that. I don’t like sitting on the bench so I have to play smarter and not foul early.”
Saul Smith, Guard
On his injured knee…
“This injury won’t stop me from playing the game. I don’t think it will stop me from going hard for 40 minutes. With some rehab and our trainer Dave Kindy working on it, it will be fine. I’ve had some tendon problems with it before, but this is a little more serious. I injured it during the Louisville game and it has hampered me since.”
On road games in the SEC…
“Going on the road in the Southeastern Conference is a challenge where ever you are playing. Last time we were at Ole Miss, it was a great game. Their crowd was into it and they gave us everything we could handle and we came out on top. It is going to be like that again. Whenever we play away in the SEC, their crowd is going to be a tough on us like our crowd was on Tennessee. It doesn’t matter what their record is, every team is capable every night.”
On Ole Miss…
“They have a great team down there. This is their best start in quite a while and they are going to be ready for us. It will be a tough game.”
