Nov. 16, 2001
Recap?|?Box Score?|?Notes?|?Photo Gallery
Kentucky vs. Marshall
NABC Classic Consolation Game
Nov. 16, 2001
UK Coach Tubby Smith Quotes
On tonight’s game…
“I thought we rebounded the right way. We came out and played well tonight. Although we didn’t shoot well, we definitely rebounded well. We are still along way from being where we need to be. We will just continue to improve, but it was a lot better than last night’s debacle.”
On Keith Bogans’ and Tayshaun Prince’s play…
“With six offensive rebounds, Keith (Bogans) was aggressively attacking the offensive glass. Tayshaun (Prince) struggled shooting, and he got into early foul trouble, but everyone else stepped up.”
On what he told the team after last night’s loss…
“We emphasized team and individual pride. We don’t want to wallow in self pity.”
On Kentucky’s improved ball movement…
“We reversed the ball and passed the ball a lot better. Last night was a lot of Western Kentucky closing the passing lanes. Tonight it was less putting the ball on the floor and more passing. Guys have to learn to be unselfish.”
On the press…
“We backed off the press and stopped giving up easy lay-ups. Cliff (Hawkins) had more freedom to call defenses and we were able to get a few more turnovers.”
On whether J.P. Blevins’ would be back in the lineup soon…
“I think so. We have an excellent group of trainers and doctors so we expect him back on Saturday (Nov. 24).”
On why he was more laid back on the sidelines tonight…
“We’ve talked a little about being more patient. This isn’t a demonstrative-type team. Yelling at them last night didn’t work so I tried something different tonight.”
UK Players
Keith Bogans
“We just didn’t come to play last night. Coach Smith really challenged us last night when he said we didn’t have a leader. This team should be full of leaders. We just wanted to prove to him different tonight by coming out and getting rebounds, making passes, and making shots. We wanted to come out and do it all tonight.”
On the difference between last night and tonight…
“Tonight we came to play. Last night we didn’t. We didn’t have time to do anything between last night and tonight. Coach Smith left it up to us and we responded. We came in with a game plan, we executed and came out with a win.”
“We had to pick up our defensive intensity. Last night just wasn’t Kentucky basketball.”
Chuck Hayes
“This was a redeemer game. We really had to come out and push the ball up the court and do all the things we didn’t do last night. Last night was a fluke and it is not what people should expect of Kentucky basketball.”
“I think I played well. I just wanted to be aggressive, hustle and get the extra boards. I just wanted to do whatever I could to help the team.”
On his breakaway layup…
“I am going to hear it until I get my first dunk. I was really excited and my finger got stuck in the string of my shorts and I just didn’t get to dunk the ball. I just hope that I can get a dunk next week because I am going to get it until then.”
Marquis Estill
“Tonight I was more relaxed. As long as I’m physically strong, I feel like I can dominate. I felt loose going into the game and was able to post up hard. The guys got the ball to me and I was able to score when I needed to.”
“We just put last night’s game behind us and came out and played hard. I think we played well offensively and defensively. That was the key to tonight’s win.”
On finding team roles…
“We just have got to play team ball. I thought we played together real well tonight.”
Erik Daniels
“I thought we played tough tonight. We came out and played good defense and set the tone for the game. Coach told us we had to play with more pride tonight and we did.”
On Marshall’s play…
“They played real tough tonight, but they just didn’t have the depth. They ran out of firepower. We were just too deep for them.”
Marshall Coach Greg White Quotes
On playing in the NABC Classic…
“Marshall normally opens with a lesser opponent and a win. This year we made a different decision. The fans at Marshall wanted a tougher schedule and they got one.”
On Marshall’s inexperienced backcourt…
“The first time I ever saw (Byron) Leftwich (the Marshall quarterback) play – and he’s a Heisman Trophy candidate now – his first play was an interception. He’s grown from that. I have to try to do the same thing with our young guards. If we just keep working everything will be okay.”
“We are a little out of sync with our guards, but I knew that coming in. We just have to take some positives from this experience and push ahead. Sometimes you must endure some adversity.”
On playing Kentucky…
“Coming in, you know that you are up against a tough and talented club that is very athletic. They have the total package. Also, I know a lot of coaches in college basketball and there is no one classier than Tubby Smith.”
On the game…
“We just ran out of gas. We fought hard for 40 minutes and that is all I asked from my players. We just have to take this experience and build on it.”
On Kentucky’s pressure…
“I felt that we handled the press well and that was something that I was really concerned with. We just have to work on some little things with these young guards.”
Marshall Players
Tamar Slay
On the game…
“I thought I needed to step up my game. Since we’ve got some younger guys, I’ve put that pressure on myself.”
“I’m not going to put my head down. We played a good first half last night and we’ve just got to build on that.”
J.R. VanHoose
On the game…
“Coming back in this game was very important to our team. We played two good halves like our first half last night. At halftime we were down by 16 and lost the game by 17 so we were only minus one for the half.”
“We played a good second half but let it get out of our hands and that was the key to the game. The team just couldn’t get back into it, but all in all we played well especially against a Kentucky team. If anything this has helped us because our ultimate goal is to win a MAC Championship and by building on games like this one we can still do it.”
On playing in Rupp Arena again…
“It was a great moment for me. I was here my senior year playing in the state championship and got a standing ovation and to come back and get another one not playing as a Cat is great. I think the people here really like me and I almost cried at the end of the game tonight. To get a standing ovation in Rupp Arena by 23,000 fans is a wonderful feeling and I can’t wait to get home and watch it again on tape. If anything after this game, I know that I can play big time college basketball but I just chose not to.”
