March 30, 1998
Head coach Tubby Smith
“To come back the way they did took an unbelievable effort and I could not ask anymoreof these kids.”
“Utah is a very hard working and most fundamentally sound team we haveplayed this season. They dominated the boards on us, something that has not happened at all this year.”
“I have to give Utah a lot of credit, they did a great defensive job in the first half. We made some adjustments at half, putting Sheppard at the point guard to put the ball inhis hands more.”
“I am happy for my players, my staff, the fans. This program is more than a basketballprogram it is a way of life, people live and breathe Kentucky basketball and I am happy tobe a small part of it.”
“On defensive end we wanted to force Doleac back to the middle, because he was hurtingus on the baseline. We wanted to wear Andre Miller down, I know if we continued topressure them we would get some turovers and score in transition. We backed off ourtrapping in the second half because Miller was beating the trap and they were getting someeasy shots on 3-and-2 breaks.”
Heshimu Evans
“When I come out there and get a rebound or score a basket Igive the team a lift, and I was hoping to give them a spark.”
“We work really hard and we know not to give up. I mean we have been in situationswhere we have had to come back, we are a fighting team, the comeback ‘Cats’.”
“I wasn’t necessarily looking to score when I came in, but I had some good look at thebasket and I feel if I have an open shot and my feet are set I can put it in the hoop.”
“I transferred because my coach left to go to St. John’s, and I was fortunate to cometo a program that has a great coach, great family, great system and great players, I amvery happy to be here.”
Scott Padgett
“Coach did a great job of keeping us focused, we were down,and he kept us positive and that we were still in the game. He did a good job of findingplays that we worked with to score. I contribute a lot of our comeback to coach.”
“In the preseason we had one of the toughest pre-season conditioning and we do a goodjob of staying in shape during the season and it gives us the ability to wear teams downin the second half.”
Jeff Sheppard
“I have been taught by two coaches to live in the preciouspresent. We have had some really good time and some really bad times on-and-off thefloor. Some things have happened that we could do nothing about, and something aboutgoing through those things bring you closer together as a team.”
“Positive attitude, hard work and team work are the reasons that we were able to comeback and win a national championship.”
“Individuals shine at Kentucky only because of team success. It does not get anybetter than this, it is just awesome.”
“Coach called a timeout and called a play, Cameron ignored the play, hit a three, coachwas yelling no and then good shot. And then Cameron came down and hit another three, hehas been hitting big shots his whole career, we have a lot of faith in him to hit the bigshot.”
