St. John's University Athletics
Pregame Quotes vs. Pittsburgh
1/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 26, 2010
QUEENS, N.Y. -
Head Coach Norm Roberts
On the team's preparation for the road:
"We need to focus on execution and defense on the road. We have to guard and execute in a tough environment. We need to get a good shot every time and we have to defend well, limiting them to one shot per possession."
On home court advantage:
"The home team will always make shots and their role players are going to make plays because they are comfortable at home. But you have to be focused. You can't worry about the environment. There are still two baskets and its still basketball."
On the importance of execution:
"Our league is like this. In wins, you make the big shots. In losses, you didn't make the big shots. The big baskets give and take away momentum and it comes down to making plays. Making plays is going to give you the better chance to win."
Junior Guard Paris Horne
On the challenges on the road:
"You have to be more focused on the road. Coach may call plays that we can't hear and we have to be paying attention. You have to be poised and focused on the road."
On what it takes to be a good team:
"You have to go out and play hard. You are going to make mistakes, that's basketball. But you have to get through it. You have to win two or three on the road and take all the home games to be a good team."
On yesterday's practice:
"We were going hard from minute one for the whole practice. Sometimes you lose focus, but good practices bring us together and help us to mature."
Junior Guard D. J. Kennedy
On the mood of the team
"We are not concerned. In the second half, we were right there in the last 10 minutes. It is the little things. We are going in the right direction."
On accomplishments in practice:
"Everyone was focused and the energy is there. No one was down and we are learning from the little things."
On struggling on the road:
"We tend to focus better on the road. It is you against everyone else. And you have to look at it as a group effort. We come together as one."
On keys to winning on the road:
"Leads and turnovers are big on the road. We you gain a lead, you need to be able to maintain it to be successful."
