March 5, 2003
Recap?|?Box Score?|?Notes?|?Photo Gallery
Head Coach Tubby Smith
Opening statement…
“We’re really happy to be the Southeastern Conference regular season champions. Obviously, our team came out very focused and completely ready to play. It was a great game for our seniors, Keith (Bogans), Marquis (Estill) and Jules (Camara). Their leadership has been outstanding all year long. I thought we had great energy throughout the game. The guys really wanted to send the seniors off the right way. There was no drop-off in energy in any of the guys that we put in the game. And that shows that all of these kids appreciate what we’re doing and truly believe in the system. We had special games from Erik Daniels and Kelenna Azubuike. They were both amazing. Marquis also had a great game. Everybody played exceptionally well.”
On John Stewart…
“John is always with us, ever since the first time I had the chance to meet him. He was a very special kid, always jovial and fun loving. Talking to him on the phone he would always make me laugh, and that was just his personality. He would have made a big difference to Kentucky basketball, and he has done that. He is with us in our hearts and thoughts. I was happy that we were able to honor him this way. I know his parents were very proud and happy.”
On the atmosphere of the game…
“Yes, I was (having fun). It was good to see them enjoy themselves so much. It’s easy to have fun when you play well, I tell them that all the time. This is what happens when we play unselfishly and with poise. I thought this was the kind of game where we could have lost our composure. But we’ve shown this kind of focus all year. And the credit for that goes to our strong leadership. We’ve got everybody on the team pulling for one another. It’s just a good group to be around. From the opening ceremony to the post-game festivities, it was just very special. It meant a lot to the players and to the fans, I think (to stay on the court for the playing of “My Old Kentucky Home”).
On the blowout…
“You never try to demean an opponent, and that made it tough. (VU Coach) Kevin Stallings had done an excellent job with that team. We were just clicking on all cylinders. They have been struggling recently and we’ve been playing so well. You always want to be a good sport, and I think we did. We win with class and play with class.”
UK PLAYERS
Jules Camara
On Senior Night…
“I will always remember this game. I remember other games but this one was really special for me. This was the first game my mom got to come see me play so it meant a lot to me for her to come support me.”
On John Stewart…
“I remember the first time he came on a visit. We were at Wildcat Lodge running around like little kids. He was such a nice guy, really friendly, really outgoing.”
Keith Bogans
On his last home game…
“It was very special to me. I have a lot of great memories. If I could play another game here I would love to. It was a very special moment to see John Stewart’s parents. It made the night more special. We’ll all have this memory for the rest of our lives.”
Marquis Estill
On Gerald Fitch’s missed dunk…
“I think we need to get him in the weight room, get him on that leg press.”
On John Stewart…
“He was here when I came on my visit. He was a great guy, a funny guy and it’s just sad that he wasn’t able to experience this with us.”
On the team’s play…
“Everybody came out and played with fire tonight. We all had a great game and we were having fun out there. I know for me it was really special to have my family there with me.”
Kelenna Azubuike
On his play tonight…
“We’re having a great season and we’re winning and that’s what we care about. I’m not going out focused on scoring. I just came ready to play tonight. I was feeling good in warm-ups and it carried over.”
On the team’s focus…
“We’re focused on Florida. This team is mature and we’ve got great senior leadership in Keith, Marquis, and Jules. We’re taking things one game at a time.”
Vanderbilt Head Coach Kevin Stallings
On the game…
“We were overwhelmed, physically and mentally, from the beginning. It only continued to get worse. UK is a great team, and they have done a good job all season. It was a difficult time for us to come play them. I was disappointed in our response tonight.”
On whether this being Senior Night made it tougher…
“There’s definitely a history here of that. They are playing to be undefeated in the league and to get a No. 1 seed (in the NCAA tournament). It was all of that.”
On what point in the game he felt like “throwing in the towel”…
“I never believe in throwing in the towel, but I think our players played with a lack of emotion, fight and intensity for the first time this season. It affected everything we did.”
On how well Kentucky will do in the post-season…
“They can overwhelm a lot of people. They have done it all season long. I would pick them to win the SEC Tournament. To win the NCAA Tournament takes luck, and I wouldn’t put that pressure on Tubby (Smith) to say that UK could win it all.”
VANDERBILT PLAYERS
33 Julian Terrell – Forward
On if Vandy ever had a chance…
“The game started 0-0, so both teams had a chance to win. We let Kentucky get to us early and they killed us with transition baskets and rebounding.”
On if Kentucky’s defense was better than the last time the two teams played…
“I don’t think so. In the second half of the last game they came out on fire. Tonight they played great defense, but we just turned the ball over too easily.”
On how Vanderbilt can recover…
“We have to work hard in practice. This is a very hard loss, but we’ve got games left in our season and we have to get ready to play.”
On how tough this loss was…
“This was probably the hardest loss of my basketball life. We just let it get away too quickly. They built the lead to 62 at one point, I think, and that’s something that just can’t happen in basketball.”
