(The play drawn up) didn't work out, but fortunately we were able to get Wallace open in the corner. And he stepped up like he's been doing for four years. |
As a coach you don't like the switch routine, flip the light switch off and on. Fortunately, we're able to do that. One of the things that was interesting tonight was we didn't create the electricity for (the crowd) to be here where they are hungry and excited to be a part of it. The players have to do something to make the crowd excited. |
But you have to have a plan because you can get overloaded. You get in a cycle that is very difficult to be good year in and year out. |
He did that with passion He was really good, and it didn't matter to him if it was coaching a little league ball team or coaching in a state championship game or the NCAA Tournament. He had so much passion for what he did and he wanted to do it until the end. He felt that was his purpose in life. |
I don't have my thesaurus, but gratifying will do just right. It's very true. These guys have bought into what we try to do. They are selfless and they have bought into the idea that the MVP of the team is the team. |
I guess we're so far down here in the South that we don't have any contacts along those lines. |
I hope this lifts people's spirits back home. It's been a tough, tough period and it's going to get tougher. It was so bad, we couldn't even buy tennis shoes because our budgets had been frozen. But those things happen for a reason. Like my daddy said, if it doesn't kill you, it makes you tougher. |
I identify better with kids from rural areas and small schools. We just think it fits us better. |
I really thought we might do it again at that point. I really did. |
I remember having that feeling (after the Mississippi State) that we knew how to win. When you win games like that, that allows you to believe that anywhere you play, you can be successful. |
I think it's maturity. They've been together for so long. They've been tested in so many different arenas. They believe they can win whatever the situation is. |
I think our guys came out really focused on playing hard against as talented of a team as there is in our conference. Alan Daniels and those inside guys are phenomenal, but we did the things we had to do to be successful early in the game. |
I think that's the way you have to do it. Basketball is a team sport. If you convince guys to play together, you can play with anyone at that higher level. I really think it's a great angle for coaches to look at. |
I think we've got 10-11 players who are very good basketball players. If everyone is playing as hard as they can, we have the opportunity to play at a higher level. |
I was a little worried there. I don't think they realized how much time was on the clock. I'll talk to them about this. I always tell our guys not to celebrate. Let's make everybody feel like we belong. But I can't blame them. |