St. John's University Athletics
POSTGAME QUOTES: St. John’s at Marquette
St. John’s Head Coach Mike Anderson and freshman guard Posh Alexander spoke with the media following Sunday’s 75-73 win over Marquette.
St. John’s Head Coach Mike Anderson
Opening statement…
“What a gut-check for our guys. We always talk about ‘no guts, no glory’. With that being said, I thought that Marquette made a run in the second half and we played it as well as we could have. We did a good job of sharing the basketball. Defensively, I thought we were disruptive. … You have to give them credit, it was very similar to the game at our place. ... Obviously, Dylan [Addae-Wusu] makes a big shot for us and I thought he took some contact going to the hole. Rasheem [Dunn] made some big free throws and even got to the point where he made the big steal there at the end, but again it was a total team effort. Our bench continues to play well, they scored 13 to their zero and there is a difference. Again, this team is starting to find its identity and that is our defense. Offensively, we had four guys get to double figures in scoring and those are the guys who start the game who helped give us some balance.”
On the play of Dylan Addae-Wusu and Posh Alexander…
“They are growing up. It looked like they were battle-tested and had been in the fire. You have got to remember that we played a game against Marquette that went the opposite way. The steal that Posh [Alexander] got and the basket was huge. Marquette came back and scored, of course. Then, Dylan [Addae-Wusu], he is better than anyone I have had at getting downhill in terms of north and south and getting to the basket and what a finish that was. He had three field goals, but that was a big one. … When you talk about freshmen playing that way, it tells me they are getting better.”
On the current confidence level of the team…
“I think our guys are connected offensively and defensively and trusting one another. Just think about the last play. Everyone wants to talk about the “go-to” guy, and [Julian Champagnie] had the ball in his hands and made the pass. He trusted Dylan [Addae-Wusu] to go and make a play. ... We are taking more charges than we did earlier in the year. Guys are understanding their roles and what they can bring to the team. Even Josh [Roberts], he played 11 minutes, but his presence was big. He had a big shot block there in the second half when we were kind of reeling a little bit. So I think it is a combination of guys playing in meaningful games and now they know what to expect from each other.”
On the play of Rasheem Dunn…
“As you have seen, we start making runs and he is the catalyst in all of that. He calms the guys down and I think that guys are even taking to the captainship of our basketball team. … Rasheem is one our leaders. … Rasheem is playing at a high-level for us and playing good minutes. He is a fifth-year guy and that is what you expect from a fifth-year guy.”
On what this win showed him about his team after losing to Marquette two weeks ago in Queens…
“Right before the game I talked to the guys about when we played at our place we left some plays out on the floor. My statement to them was “Did you learn from it?” This was their opportunity to show me that they learned from it. Before the game, they were telling me all the things that they had to clean up and saying ‘Coach, we have to do this and have to do that.’ It was the little hustle plays. I thought that in the first half, we came up with every loose ball and outrebounded them. That didn’t happen at our place. We were more physical with them. This team is getting better and that is the biggest thing, I think they are following my lead and that is a good thing.”
On the opportunity that Wednesday’s game against No. 3/3 Villanova presents…
“Well, again, I know it is cliché but enjoy it until midnight and then we turn our attention to a team that could win it all and we have a chance to play it at our place. So it is next game up and it is the biggest game on our schedule.”
Freshman guard Posh Alexander
On if this game was a revenge win…
“The win was great. When we were on our way here, we just knew we were coming to win. They came to our house and basically stole one, so us coming in here and winning today is just amazing and everybody is happy about it.”
On having Rasheem Dunn as a mentor…
“It is great having Rasheem [Dunn] on the floor because he makes smart decisions and he makes plays for others just like me. Having him as a mentor is great because he is a senior and he is basically showing me how things go. I am so grateful to have him as a leader on our team and as a person I can look up too.”
On his steal with a minute to go…
“That steal was kind of personal because when I was guarding him, actually one-on-one at the top of the key, he scored [on a previous possession]. … In my head [I thought] ‘I can’t believe he did that’. So I actually took that personal. I saw him coming off the screen and took it and went for the layup. I assumed he was going to chase me down and cut me off, so I just floated it off the backboard.”
On the excitement for the matchup with Villanova
“I personally feel like we are going for a win and that should be our motivation for every game. It’s one game at a time, so Villanova is coming into our house next and we are looking to beat them.”
On finding ways to win…
“We stay together as one whole team and that’s one great thing about us. … We just stay together and remain humble and try to win games.”
Opening statement…
“What a gut-check for our guys. We always talk about ‘no guts, no glory’. With that being said, I thought that Marquette made a run in the second half and we played it as well as we could have. We did a good job of sharing the basketball. Defensively, I thought we were disruptive. … You have to give them credit, it was very similar to the game at our place. ... Obviously, Dylan [Addae-Wusu] makes a big shot for us and I thought he took some contact going to the hole. Rasheem [Dunn] made some big free throws and even got to the point where he made the big steal there at the end, but again it was a total team effort. Our bench continues to play well, they scored 13 to their zero and there is a difference. Again, this team is starting to find its identity and that is our defense. Offensively, we had four guys get to double figures in scoring and those are the guys who start the game who helped give us some balance.”
On the play of Dylan Addae-Wusu and Posh Alexander…
“They are growing up. It looked like they were battle-tested and had been in the fire. You have got to remember that we played a game against Marquette that went the opposite way. The steal that Posh [Alexander] got and the basket was huge. Marquette came back and scored, of course. Then, Dylan [Addae-Wusu], he is better than anyone I have had at getting downhill in terms of north and south and getting to the basket and what a finish that was. He had three field goals, but that was a big one. … When you talk about freshmen playing that way, it tells me they are getting better.”
On the current confidence level of the team…
“I think our guys are connected offensively and defensively and trusting one another. Just think about the last play. Everyone wants to talk about the “go-to” guy, and [Julian Champagnie] had the ball in his hands and made the pass. He trusted Dylan [Addae-Wusu] to go and make a play. ... We are taking more charges than we did earlier in the year. Guys are understanding their roles and what they can bring to the team. Even Josh [Roberts], he played 11 minutes, but his presence was big. He had a big shot block there in the second half when we were kind of reeling a little bit. So I think it is a combination of guys playing in meaningful games and now they know what to expect from each other.”
On the play of Rasheem Dunn…
“As you have seen, we start making runs and he is the catalyst in all of that. He calms the guys down and I think that guys are even taking to the captainship of our basketball team. … Rasheem is one our leaders. … Rasheem is playing at a high-level for us and playing good minutes. He is a fifth-year guy and that is what you expect from a fifth-year guy.”
On what this win showed him about his team after losing to Marquette two weeks ago in Queens…
“Right before the game I talked to the guys about when we played at our place we left some plays out on the floor. My statement to them was “Did you learn from it?” This was their opportunity to show me that they learned from it. Before the game, they were telling me all the things that they had to clean up and saying ‘Coach, we have to do this and have to do that.’ It was the little hustle plays. I thought that in the first half, we came up with every loose ball and outrebounded them. That didn’t happen at our place. We were more physical with them. This team is getting better and that is the biggest thing, I think they are following my lead and that is a good thing.”
On the opportunity that Wednesday’s game against No. 3/3 Villanova presents…
“Well, again, I know it is cliché but enjoy it until midnight and then we turn our attention to a team that could win it all and we have a chance to play it at our place. So it is next game up and it is the biggest game on our schedule.”
Freshman guard Posh Alexander
On if this game was a revenge win…
“The win was great. When we were on our way here, we just knew we were coming to win. They came to our house and basically stole one, so us coming in here and winning today is just amazing and everybody is happy about it.”
On having Rasheem Dunn as a mentor…
“It is great having Rasheem [Dunn] on the floor because he makes smart decisions and he makes plays for others just like me. Having him as a mentor is great because he is a senior and he is basically showing me how things go. I am so grateful to have him as a leader on our team and as a person I can look up too.”
On his steal with a minute to go…
“That steal was kind of personal because when I was guarding him, actually one-on-one at the top of the key, he scored [on a previous possession]. … In my head [I thought] ‘I can’t believe he did that’. So I actually took that personal. I saw him coming off the screen and took it and went for the layup. I assumed he was going to chase me down and cut me off, so I just floated it off the backboard.”
On the excitement for the matchup with Villanova
“I personally feel like we are going for a win and that should be our motivation for every game. It’s one game at a time, so Villanova is coming into our house next and we are looking to beat them.”
On finding ways to win…
“We stay together as one whole team and that’s one great thing about us. … We just stay together and remain humble and try to win games.”