February 16, 1999
Wayne TurnerSenior/Guard
“Everything is going well right now. We have had some good practiceslately and we’re all trying to get better. I’m trying to become a betterleader. We need to concentrate on the important things and ourfundamentals. It’s time to put it in overdrive.”
“We have to work hard to make things happen on the court. I need to be alot more aggressive on offense. When the shot is there, I need to take it. I have been hesitant in the past, but I can’t do that anymore. The teamneeds me to contribute offensively.”
Heshimu EvansSenior/Forward
“We were happy to get the win over South Carolina. I am looking forward toplaying Georgia. They are a great three-point shooting team and they havea great player in G.G. Smith. Our defense needs to come out ready to play.”
(On Jumaine Jones:)
“We have to try our best to contain him. He’s a great player and he’sgoing to score inside. We will just have to throw a lot of people at him.Hopefully, we will be able to wear him down a little bit.”
Tayshaun PrinceFreshman/Guard
(On the practices:)
“(Practices) are getting intense. Coach is beginning to get on us aboutpassing quicker and our defense. We need to be more aggressive as a team.I can tell we are getting more aggressive as practice goes on. On defense,we are just trying to get to spots quicker.”
(On defense:)
“The key is defense. We are trying harder every day. Practice is a goodchance to practice diving for balls, all types of things. The things we dohere get us prepared.”
(On the change from high school to college ball:)
“There haven’t been big changes. Things are not going my way, as far as myexpectations, but I’ll go on as the season goes on. College basketball iswhat I expected, but my shots aren’t falling. I think it may be a lack ofconcentration. There’s no pressure. I am just trying to adjust to hardercompetition. It’s part of the learning experience.”
Jamaal MagloireJunior/Center
(On his aggressiveness on the court:)
“I personally lead by example. I back the team up when I am in the game. Itake charges and go after loose balls.”
“I think we are the same as other Kentucky teams. With any team, therewill be different personnel, and I think the sky’s the limit with thisteam. We just need to execute on offense, as well as defense.”
Scott PadgettSenior/Forward“Going into the South Carolina game, everybody really wanted to get aconvincing win. I think that was important for us. Everybody knows thatGeorgia is going to be a tougher game for us. Wayne, Heshimu and myselfhave to keep the team positive. When we’re positive, that feeling tricklesdown to the other players.”
(On the lack of emotion against Florida and Alabama:)
“A lot of my emotion came about by seeing how we played against Florida andAlabama. Just by seeing that, we’re smart enough to realize what we need todo. You could watch guys’ facial expressions and body language and see thelack of emotion. We need to raise the intensity level for this point of theseason.”
(On Georgia:)
“Jumaine Jones is one of those players, if you give him a lot of touches,he’s going to score a lot of points. We need to limit his touches. He hadone of the best games anybody has had against us this season. He washitting shots from behind the backboard and six feet behind the three-pointline. It was like he was playing horse out there. We’ve just got to limithis touches and keep the ball out of his hands.”
(On guarding Jumaine Jones:)
“I still feel like I did a good job defending Jumaine earlier in theseason. I just got into foul trouble. I think that game helped us realizethat defense does win games and we have to give 100 percent every time out.”
Ryan HoganSophomore/Guard“We’ve been doing some loose ball drills, rolling around on the floor alot. We usually don’t do those drills this late in the season, but we’veslacked some defensively. You don’t want to do those drills too much inpractice, so that makes you work harder and hustle more in the games.”
“I think it’s human nature to expect to win (the national championship)again, but I think we have that same hunger as last year’s team. We want toprove ourselves again this year and make a run at the national championship.”
Saul SmithSophomore/Guard
“All that counts is how you play in March – on the road and in thetournament. That’s when we look to play our best basketball. I think we’veseen a steady growth on defense. That just goes to show the type ofphilosophy Coach Smith has and the way his teams play.”
(On the penetration by the point guards:)
“The closer you are to the basket, the better the shots are. Wayne and Ihave tried to penetrate more. Wayne is one of the best penetrating pointguards in the country. He just opens up the shots for the guys outside.”
