University of Massachusets Athletics
Post Game Quotes: St. John's 51, UMass 49
December 29, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2005
Travis Ford
Head Coach, UMass
On tonight's game:
"You have to give St. John's a lot of credit. When a team comes back the way we did, sometimes it takes a lot of life out of you. They survived it. They really did. It says a lot about their team. It says a lot about their coach. It says a lot about their character as a basketball team. I was very impressed. We came back the second half and obviously played a whole lot better. They hung in there. They stayed positive. I was impressed with the character of their basketball team. I give them a lot of credit."
On the first half:
"We were playing hard, but we did not have focus. I would call plays and we wouldn't be in the right places. We weren't mentally sharp like we were last night. The zone helped us defensively, but it really hurt our offense. That is why I changed that a halftime. I wanted to get something going energy wise. We played a little man (man-to-man defense) and I think that got us going."
On Eugene Lawrence:
"We said to our team before the game that he is the key to their basketball team. He has the ball in his hands. He is the best defender on their team. Everything runs through him. He does a great job of running the show for them. I was very impressed. He deserved to be MVP. He was solid with his shooting the last two nights."
On what he said to the team at halftime:
"I told our guys that we were in the game. I told them we are in good shape. There were some things we had to adjust offensively and defensively. I told them we were going to be right back where we need to be."
Norm Roberts
Head Coach, St. John's University
On tonight's game:
"I thought we played really, really well in the first half. We played excellent defensively and took them out of what they wanted to do. In the second half, give Coach Ford credit, he did a great job of getting the ball inside and really attacking us inside. We were a step slow and got into some serious foul trouble. I really like what I saw from my team as far as being tough. We did not hang out heads when things went wrong. We knew we could guard. We really executed at the end."
On Lamont Hamilton:
"I thought Lamont played like a man tonight. He played awesome. He really attacked the basket as an early force and got us going."
On winning the tournament back-to-back years:
"I think it means a lot. Guys really laid it all on the line. We played with passion and intensity. We have to play like that every game. Every time we walk into the building we have to play that way. This is our home and we have to protect our home. We have done a good job in this tournament the last two years of protecting our home."
On the upcoming BIG EAST schedule:
"They are going to be games like this. UMass is a very good basketball team. They are deep. They are big. Their two inside guys are very tough to guard just like it will be against Seton Hall or UConn or any other team we play in our league. We know we have to be prepared for that. We have to be tough and we have to execute. I think this game really prepares us for the BIG EAST schedule."
More on tonight's game:
"Give UMass credit. They are a good basketball team. They took advantage of us inside. I thought our pressure on the perimeter got laxed. In the second half, we allowed their taller players to look inside and they did a good job of attacking the basket."
On growth of the team:
"I think we made winning plays tonight. If we continue to do those things, we are going to be successful. It shows you that guys are thinking on the floor, they are thinking about the game, they are thinking about time, score and momentum. The more we do that, the more we gain experience, the better we will be."
