St. John's University Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Marquette 73, St. John's 64
2/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 20, 2008
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St. John's Head Coach Norm Roberts
On tonight's game:
"Give Marquette a lot of credit. They are a very good team. They are a veteran team. They are a veteran team that makes plays when they need to make plays. I was happy with the way my guys responded. The last 12 minutes we played well. We played with more energy and we attacked."
On the first half:
"I don't know. We are young. When things don't go well for us a couple of times we act young. I thought we played well for the last 12 minutes. We have to continue to battle. We are playing against a really, really good basketball team. These are not weak teams. Tom (Crean) does a great job with his team. Those guys are juniors. We are going to continue to get better."
On St. John's effort in the last 12 minutes of the game:
"I think they said it upon themselves; `Let's go, let's get after it.' That is the thing about making shots. When you make shots, everybody gets excited."
On the St. John's team:
"I think we have a problem with being young and inexperienced. Then we try to make plays that aren't there. Then we play against really good teams that aren't going to give it to you."
On the season:
"I am not disenchanted at all. They are good kids and they play hard and do what I asked them to do. The only thing I get upset about is when they don't play with energy."
On free-throws:
"We need to make free throws. We practice every day. We go over it everyday. We need to make free throws, especially when you play against a team like this. We knew they are very physical so we knew if we got to the basket, we could get to the free-throw line."
More on tonight's game:
"We had some shots early we just didn't put them in. I told them in the locker room that I wanted them to have fun and just play. The weight of the world is not on their shoulders. I think they want to please everybody. I think they want to please their parents, the fans and St. John's. As long as they continue to work, they will get better."
Paris Horne
On tonight's game:
"I was just playing with energy. I was just trying to bring my team back so we could get the win."
On Marquette:
"You have to give them credit. They are a smart team. They just executed and spread us out."
Anthony Mason Jr.
On tonight's game:
"I just think we weren't completing plays. We have to execute our plays through and through. We were turning the ball over more and more. Our execution wasn't there."
On the team's confidence:
"I don't believe it is a confidence thing. We are getting the ball in the right places, we just have to knock down these shots. Our players play hard and with confidence, we just have to knock down these shots that we do have."
Marquette Head Coach Tom Crean
On tonight's game:
"First off, I think everybody here got a taste of what St. John's is capable of, especially when Anthony Mason Jr. gets his health back and when their young guys mature as basketball players. I thought our guys did a fantastic job of setting the tone on defense especially at the beginning of the game. We let our guard down, which we couldn't do, and they took it to us. Our guys really did some good things. We are happy to have Trevor Mbakwe back. We are starting to see him. You can't coach the rebounding. He has a natural ability to do that. We just have to learn how to keep the same mindset throughout the game. They never lost their spirit, they kept fighting and they are going to win games."
On letting the lead go:
"I think we just have to learn to focus better. That is where holding your teammates accountable has to come up a little bit."
On Jerel McNeal:
"He is really not getting nearly enough credit in the Big East for what he does defensively. He was guarding Anthony Mason Jr. and Anthony Mason Jr. can play. He is a major league player. This is only his second game back from the injury, so he is going to get better."
On the team's rebounding:
"Our starting four and five didn't get an offensive rebound. If we're not on edge and if we are not that desperate (then) we are not that good. If we are, then I think we are a very good team. We just need to be more consistent with those things."
On the Big East:
"I love this team. They are a great group of guys and they work hard. I think we are going to get better. It is just a wild league. I haven't coached nearly as long as other people in this league have, but if there is a year you can throw out your record, this is the year. Every night you have to be on top of your game."
On Dominic James and Wesley Matthews:
"Those guys are really locked in and doing a great job."
