Dec. 21, 2002
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Kentucky Head Coach Tubby Smith
On the magnitude of this game…
“We play big games all the time. I think we can play with any team in the nation. When the right team comes out, we can beat any team in the nation. Tonight we came out focused and ready to play.”
On his team’s play…
“I was happy with the way the defense kept us in the game during our offensive droughts. Last week, we executed on offense and not of defense. Our shooting has fallen off recently, but our defense came out tonight and executed. We got the shots we wanted and did a good job pressuring their perimeter players.”
On his team’s versatility…
“We could sub and go small to match their quickness when they went small. We did an adequate job keeping up with their speed. Our forwards, Chuck Hayes and Erik Daniels, are the key to our versatility.”
On the return of Cliff Hawkins…
“He’s a very gifted athlete. He was able to break them down off the dribble; he had penetration and some nice assists. His defensive intensity picked us up when he was out there. He did a good job running the team and definitely gave us a big lift.”
UK PLAYERS
Cliff Hawkins
On his first game back…
“It felt good. Coming back for a big game like this, it felt really good to be back.”
On the importance of getting off to a good start…
“It helped me. After being gone for so long, it was good to come out and get involved in the game right away.”
On the incident with (Indiana) Coach Mike Davis…
“I wasn’t too worried about that. I was just glad that we got the stop at the end of the game with a chance to win.”
Keith Bogans
On the importance of this win…
“It was a big win. Indiana is a top-ranked team that hadn’t been beaten all year. After the tough loss last week we wanted to come out and play well.”
On the difference between the first half and the second half…
“They got some open looks (in the first half). When you have as many shooters as they do, you’re going to knock down some shots. All we did was take away the open looks and keep the ball out of their shooters’ hands.”
On how it feels to hand an undefeated team their first loss…
“It felt really good. A lot of people didn’t expect us to win this game, but we just went out and never gave up. They got the lead on us early, but we’re never going to fold, we’re going to play the whole 40 minutes.”
Gerald Fitch
On UK’s go-ahead possession in the final minute…
“We just wanted to get the ball inside to ‘Quis, and like he always does, he finished for us.”
On Indiana’s final possession…
“I didn’t see whether or not he (Indiana’s Bracey Wright) got fouled, because I was just worrying about him (Wright) scoring. Maybe we just got the luck of the draw. Indiana may be angry, but I’ll take the win anyway. It was a good battle and we earned the win.”
Marquis Estill
On scoring Kentucky’s go-ahead basket…
“Coach just told me to seal my man inside. We executed the play really well, and the guys did a great job getting me the ball all night.”
On Indiana’s final possession…
“It looked to me like he just lost his balance. Things sometimes happen like that.”
On the return of Cliff Hawkins to the rotation…
“Cliff’s a great defensive player and a terrific passer. Since he’s been here, he’s always created problems on defense, and he did that again tonight. It’s great to have him back.”
Indiana Head Coach Mike Davis
On the game…
“I thought my guys did a great job. When the game is so emotional, I wanted to win it so bad.”
On his reaction to the officials…
“I’d like to apologize to the team, the Indiana supporters and the officials. It wasn’t right for me to embarrass an official like that. It was a great college basketball game.”
“I just want to win this game so badly. That’s still no reason for me to do something to embarrass Indiana University.”
“I think I cost us the game. There are a lot of games won with two seconds on the clock.”
“It’s just one of those things that happens. I have to go back and watch the tape because as coaches, no matter what the officials call, we’re going to be upset. Sometimes we’re wrong and we’re still upset with them. I do apologize to that official because there’s no reason for me to act that way toward him.”
On UK Coach Tubby Smith…
“I think Coach Smith is one of the best coaches in the business. People do not give him the credit of being a great basketball coach. You never hear people saying that UK is well coached. You lose a lot of players and people still expect him to be the best. I think he’s done a great job.”
On playing Kentucky…
“It’s a pressure game and it was a tiring game. I played for Alabama and Kentucky is the team in the Southeastern Conference. They’re the winningest team in college basketball and I’ve always admired Coach Smith. I can remember him winning the national championship in my first year of coaching and I remember thinking that’s who I want to be like.”
INDIANA PLAYERS
2 A.J. Moye, Guard
On his reaction to Coach Mike Davis’ ejection…
“Sometimes things like that happen. Coach is an emotional person and he was upset with the call. Without Coach Davis we never would’ve been in the game. He didn’t cost us the game, the coach never costs you a game.”
On his feelings about the loss…
“We beat ourselves tonight. Coach will take the blame for the loss, but he didn’t cause us to lose. We just have to learn from our mistakes and move on.”
3 Tom Coverdale, Guard
On his feelings about the conclusion of the game…
“It doesn’t matter now. We felt like we should’ve gone to the free throw line, but the officials make the calls and unfortunately it didn’t work out the way we would’ve liked.”
On the Kentucky defense…
“Their defense played well. We didn’t do the things we wanted to do in order to win the game. They played at a high pace, but that’s how we like to play, too. Tonight was just a great game and they came out on top.”
50 Jeff Newton, Center
On how he was able to get going offensively…
“I just wanted to be aggressive. I knew if I kept playing hard my shots would start to fall.”
On Kentucky’s defense…
“They were tricky with how they switched their defenses. They played some zone and some man, and did a good job of mixing things up. That always makes it more difficult for you as an offense.”
