Feb. 10, 2015
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Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari
On if he had seen a game changing play like the technical foul on Karl-Anthony Towns…
“Well that and the fact that I refused to call timeout. My staff called timeout…Nope. No timeouts this time. They’re going to learn their lesson on this. We’re not losing in March because of a play like that. For no reason? You’re out of your mind, figure it out. Thank goodness I didn’t because we needed those timeouts down the stretch, but the other thing I’m proud of Karl is he came back and he grew up. Big rebound, big steal, big basket. (He) won the game. Now I doubt ever in his life will he chin up on a basket ever again, but that’s why I looked like an idiot on the sideline. That’s why I refused to call timeout and make these guys do it. I even said `I hope we lose. (Y’all) watch this.’ Then it was basket, basket, basket, and then he sunk in his chair.”
On the play of Devin Booker…
“Devin played well. Andrew (Harrison), Devin and those guys kept us in the game. How were we up at halftime? Then, you saw the game going the way we wanted. Then, he (Karl-Anthony Towns) grabbed the rim. I mean, what did you just do? Again, what’s the big deal? I know how good he is. This kid is really, really good. There may be other guys who are really good, (but) I like my big guy.”
On Andrew Harrison responding after he threatened to take him out of the game…
“I just said, `You’re not playing that way. I refuse to let you look that way. You will attack or you’re coming out.’ Then, you watched him. He was as good as any guard in the country with the way he played today and the way he attacked. He didn’t play that way, but I’m going to say this: It’s really hard. You have to go, and you have to be on top. You got to be alert, and you got to be in shape… He was great.
On if Willie Cauley-Stein’s dunking ability was indicative of more assertive play tonight…
“That’s who he is. Be who you are. Go play, man. Get off the floor, block shots and do what you do. I’m trying to tell all of these kids: there’s nothing holding you back. I don’t hold you back…I want you to perform and play. We’ll take the results, and let’s see how good we can be. We weren’t as good defensively today, but then again they (LSU) were pretty good.”
Kentucky Student-Athletes
Karl-Anthony Towns
On tonight’s win over LSU…
“My brothers came behind me and said `We are going to get this W’. We are going to do what we have to do to win. We did a great job of coming back and fighting. I can’t be more proud.”
On his technical foul in the second half…
“I couldn’t believe it. It was a momentum changer. I can’t be doing that.”
On what he was able to contribute…
“I had to let that play go. The biggest thing I was worried about was getting this W. I just had to put my body on the line and do anything I could to get this win. I am glad I was able to come down with the rebound and give my team what they needed. During moments like that, you think about your brothers and how much they’ve given you. You have to give everything back. I was more happy to repay my brothers efforts.”
Willie Cauley-Stein
On LSU’s 16-0 run in the second half…
“You didn’t even realize it. It was just chip, chip and chip. The way we play, you aren’t worried about what other teams are doing. They could be making plays, and you don’t even realize they are making plays. We just have to stay with what we are doing. If we stay with what we are doing, we end up winning the game. You stay solid. Once you have a couple of breakdowns that is your lesson. You can’t have any more breakdowns. Toward the end, our breakdowns are cut. Then, you can make up for it. You can scramble, and you can switch. It is bear to score on us in that situation.”
On tonight’s crowd and atmosphere…
“That is what you sign up for when you come to Kentucky. They tell you that when they are in your home visiting you, it’s going to be a sell-out every night. It’s going to be a gold-out, a black-out or a white-out every night. Everyone is going to have t-shirts. That’s what it is when you sign up to play here. It’s good for us.”
On Jarell Martin and Jordan Mickey’s performance tonight…
“They are good players. This is the SEC. It’s going to be tough. You know that coming into the game. They are two of the best in the SEC. It is a challenge for us every time we step on the floor. There is going to be a person always coming at you. (Jarell) Martin played a really good game. That’s what we like to see. It challenges us to battle. It’s fun for us to play. It’s just going to help us in the end.”
