March 10, 2002
Head Coach Tubby Smith Quotes
The following quotes are from Kentucky coach Tubby Smith regarding the Wildcats’ national -record 43rd NCAA Tournament appearance:
“Coach Homer Drew has been very impressive with the program he has built. They’ve been very successful recently and this is probably his most successful and most experienced team he’s ever assembled. They have 11 juniors and seniors including several foreign players who can really shoot the three. Winning their league regular-season and tournament titles and playing both Kansas and Arizona tough on the road this season is a testament to how good they’ve been.”
“I remember when we were the No. 12 seed at Tulsa and we upset No. 5 UCLA in the first round of the 1994 tournament. I’ve been in their shoes. We know exactly what they want to accomplish. Needless to say, we have the utmost respect for the Crusaders. If anything, I’m surprised they’re not seeded higher.”
“Valpo has won 14 of its last 15 games and can really shoot it from outside. They’re on a roll. We’ve got to work on our three-point defense and be ready to defend their penetration and pitch.”
“St. Louis is a place where our fans can go fairly easily. They were out in force in Atlanta on Friday and we didn’t take care of business, but we still hope they turn out strong again this week. Our players will be refocused and ready to get to work.”
“We need to come together after the tough loss Friday. We’ll be ready to play. We’re putting our entire focus on Valparaiso.”
“Yes, Gerald Fitch will be available.”
“The East Region looks to be very tough. With teams like top-seeded Maryland, Connecticut, Georgia, Marquette, Tulsa… they all appear to be very good teams.”
Senior Tayshaun Prince Quotes
“We are extremely excited about the upcoming tournament. We’re looking forward to a good match-up with a tough Valparaiso team. Personally, this tournament is very special for me because it’s my last chance at winning a national championship with Kentucky. We just have to come together now and focus on winning our next six games.”
