St. John's University Athletics
PREGAME QUOTES: ST. JOHN’S VS. PROVIDENCE
St. John’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rick Pitino, Bryce Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor spoke to the media prior to Saturday’s contest at Providence
Head Coach Rick Pitino
On facing Providence for the second time after dropping the first meeting…
“[Providence] is one of the premier offensive basketball teams in our league. … This league, with the exception of UConn, has been unable to blow anybody out. They're all dogfights. That's the way the BIG EAST has always been. … When you get in dogfights, and you win, that helps you come [NCAA] Tournament time because you're used to it.”
On the team’s success in road contests…
“I think we know how difficult it is to win on the road and we have a different mentality on the road. We know how tough you must be in the BIG EAST to win on the road. We talk about it all the time. … You've got to understand, every four minutes, you've got to be totally locked in to win on the road.”
Senior forward Zuby Ejiofor
On Bryce Hopkins returning to play Providence…
“[Bryce] is a great player, and he knows he’s going back to a place where he's familiar with. It's going to be a lot of rowdiness from crowds and stuff like that. I know for a fact that he's going to stay composed and do exactly what needs to be done, but I think it's really important that we all have our backs, and he knows that.”
Graduate student guard/forward Bryce Hopkins
On going back to Providence…
“It’s another game on our schedule where we're playing for something much bigger than any personal narratives. We're playing for a BIG EAST championship, and Providence is the next game up on our schedule, and we have to be locked in to the fullest and prepared at the highest level for that and hopefully come up with the win.”
On whether the first Providence matchup served as a turning point in the season…
“A flip definitely switched after that game. I don't know why, but it didn't feel good when we lost at all, and I don't think it felt good to anybody else on the team. Obviously, we don't like losing. We came in the next few days and next few practices with a different mindset. Everybody was locked in and just trying to build off that. I think we've been doing a great job since that game.”
On facing Providence for the second time after dropping the first meeting…
“[Providence] is one of the premier offensive basketball teams in our league. … This league, with the exception of UConn, has been unable to blow anybody out. They're all dogfights. That's the way the BIG EAST has always been. … When you get in dogfights, and you win, that helps you come [NCAA] Tournament time because you're used to it.”
On the team’s success in road contests…
“I think we know how difficult it is to win on the road and we have a different mentality on the road. We know how tough you must be in the BIG EAST to win on the road. We talk about it all the time. … You've got to understand, every four minutes, you've got to be totally locked in to win on the road.”
Senior forward Zuby Ejiofor
On Bryce Hopkins returning to play Providence…
“[Bryce] is a great player, and he knows he’s going back to a place where he's familiar with. It's going to be a lot of rowdiness from crowds and stuff like that. I know for a fact that he's going to stay composed and do exactly what needs to be done, but I think it's really important that we all have our backs, and he knows that.”
Graduate student guard/forward Bryce Hopkins
On going back to Providence…
“It’s another game on our schedule where we're playing for something much bigger than any personal narratives. We're playing for a BIG EAST championship, and Providence is the next game up on our schedule, and we have to be locked in to the fullest and prepared at the highest level for that and hopefully come up with the win.”
On whether the first Providence matchup served as a turning point in the season…
“A flip definitely switched after that game. I don't know why, but it didn't feel good when we lost at all, and I don't think it felt good to anybody else on the team. Obviously, we don't like losing. We came in the next few days and next few practices with a different mindset. Everybody was locked in and just trying to build off that. I think we've been doing a great job since that game.”