Postgame Quotes
January 20, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2007
Recap | Final Stats
Stokes Postgame Press Conference (Audio Quotes)
ECU Coach Ricky Stokes
"I thought it was an exciting atmosphere. Our students really came out and made a huge difference, and were loud."
"I thought we played a good first half. We did not handle the ball very well in the second half, or make some key free throws, and they really hurt us on the boards. Dorsey was just too much for us, too wide, too big, and too powerful."
"We did play good for a while. Fields and Evans played well; Ramsay gave us a few good minutes. I thought they were in a good frame of mind all week long, I think we played with a lot of energy. I thought our fans were tremendous."
"They came out with some more pressure [in the second half], and it made us go a little faster. Memphis is really good, well coached and very talented, and we were able to play with them for a while."
It was the first time we've had a team press us to that extent, but it is hard to simulate their size and athletic ability. We had a hard time getting it across half court. Their pressure, no question was a factor in the second half. That is the mark of an experienced team, showing off the ability to keep doing things that worked for them in the first half."
Memphis Coach John Calapari
"It was a hard fought game. I don't know what it is, but every time we come here it is a war. My hat's off to Ricky to have his team this ready to play after a few tough losses. They were just a few shots away from being up by 10 at the half."
"What our team doesn't get is that the team that wants it the most is going to come at you and be the attacker. The other team usually loses that game, and we would have probably lost if we didn't go to the press in the second half."
"The press really did change up the game a little bit. They were in a rhythm on offense, and we are just fortunate to get out. Down the stretch, [free throw shooting] was important, but in the beginning it was almost embarrassing. I told the one kid to turn around and shoot it over your head. I've got the kind of team that seems like when they have to make free throws, they make them. We've been working on free throws, and in the beginning, I was disappointed"
"[Fields] was out-hustling us and getting second shots; he was good. They showed no fear. The hard part for coaches is getting players to not only play this intense against big schools, but to go out and play against the other teams too. They went zone and we went tentative. In the second half we were more aggressive."
