St. John's University Athletics
Postgame Quotes: St. John's 66, USF 62
2/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Head Coach Norm Roberts
On the victory:
???I think they are all big wins. It???s a huge win for us because we played extremely well in the first half and every experience we get is a learning experience for our guys. We haven???t been up 20 in a BIG EAST game yet. We didn???t respond as well as I would have liked to but we did respond great at the end because they could have folded. Lamont [Hamilton] and Mason [Anthony Mason Jr.] made some great plays at the end of the game. It???s a big win for us and it gets us one step closer to our goal.???
On his team???s second half struggles:
???We got tentative and they [USF] did a good job of being aggressive. In the second half, we had a few of those plays where if you make them, the momentum totally goes the other way. That is just how basketball is. It became a very physical game but that is BIG EAST basketball.???
More on the team???s play in the second half:
???I don???t think it was from a lack of not trying. They were trying. I think for young people, they get into a situation and they just get into a rut. They just couldn???t get out of the rut but then Mason made the layup and that broke it. And then you could see it. The guys??? shoulders got high and they guarded and got a couple of rebounds. Then Qa???rraan [Calhoun] got that great pass from Lamont and finished with the dunk and it helped us.???
On Anthony Mason Jr.:
???He [Anthony Mason Jr.] showed me that he will make the plays and he will do the little things and he did that tonight. He is doing the little things that give us a chance to win and that is big with our team. We had a bunch of guys make plays tonight though. Qa???rraan had some great blocked shots when we needed them. I thought Eugene [Lawrence] did a great job of taking care of the basketball and getting the ball to the guys in the right position.???
Junior Guard Eugene Lawrence
On the team???s victory:
???It???s a big win because a lot of teams (in the conference) are clustered together around 4-6 and we???re just trying to get over the hump. The first 12 teams make it to the BIG EAST tournament and we???re not trying to be down at the bottom with the last pick. We???re trying to be a definite team going to the BIG EAST.???
On the team???s second half performance:
???Honestly, I???m already putting this game behind me and getting ready for Syracuse. I???ll look back at tape and look at different things we could have done but the South Florida game is over.???
Sophomore Forward Anthony Mason Jr.
On tonight???s win:
???We got a ???W???. As long as we were still in the lead and we were still executing and making plays, then I feel good.???
On making big plays:
???We have to make the right plays at the right time. It doesn???t matter if the ball is going to me, or to Lamont [Hamilton] or to whoever the best player is, we just have to make the play. If they give me the ball it means they have confidence in me and I have confidence in them.???
On team???s first half surge:
???We were really focused in the first half. It???s towards the end of the season for each team so you can???t come out and play like you don???t want it. You have to want it. As close as we are to making the tournament, we have to be focused each game.???
USF Head Coach Robert McCullum
On his team???s performance:
???We didn???t take care of the basketball. We didn???t defend their 3-point shooters and we weren???t playing hard. Not to take anything away from St. John???s but sometimes you turn the ball over and it???s a result of extended pressure or full-court pressure. We tried to force things and make things happen that weren???t there.???
On St. John???s:
???St. John???s came out ready to play. You have to give them credit for taking advantage of our miscues and they certainly did that.???
