Mizzou vs. UMSL Post Game Quotes
11/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 
Opening statement...
"First of all, I want to congratulate Bob and his team. They came in here and really played well, early on they played well. I thought it was a great game. It was great. Not that we played great, but it was great because we got behind, it's not great to get behind, but it was great because we had to play from behind. I think it showed our guys that they need to be a little more serious about things. I sat on that other bench a year ago and the same thing happened. There are good basketball teams across the land and they came in here and played well. I was really proud the way we responded after we got behind - a little bit of a sense of urgency, which we needed. Second half, more aggressive defensively. We talked about holding them under 60 points. We did that. Better on the boards. Kept them off the boards more. The first half, they were dominating the boards and getting second chance shots, I think at one time it was 9-0. Overall, we still have a lot to work on, but I'm pleased with the way we fought back and we were able to come away with a 20-point win."
On complimentary point guards...
"We've been playing them together a lot, obviously they started. I think they both play off of each other really well. The big thing in the first half, I thought, was we weren't getting the ball reversed a lot. We'd get a reverse once then we would hold it and we'd look and we'd look and we'd reverse it again. I think those two guys kind of got that going, especially in the second half. They play off each other well, they really do. They're both pretty good defenders."
On Montaque Gill-Caesar's game...
"What was good with `Teki' is that the first play of the game, we drew up a play because we thought we had a mismatch. We thought that whoever was guarding him would be a little bit smaller. `Teki' has played inside a lot. I was talking to Rob before the game about it and we were talking about `Hey, let's get the ball to `Teki' inside some if he's got an advantage.' We felt like he did. They were doubling the post, but that one might have caught them a little bit by surprise and it was good to get a bucket early."
On game management...
"I knew this would be a tough game, Bob's a good coach. We sat in the office together for several years talking basketball, so I knew his team would come in here and play well. What I didn't expect, early on, they came down and knocked 4-for-4 from three. They had some guys making some shots, which is a credit to them, then they went 3-for 21 the rest of the game. You've got to be able to withstand that run. Again, I'm not happy being behind 10, but it really worked out good for us because it made us perform a little bit more seriously. I sat on the other end. I know how it is when you've got nothing to lose man, you just let her fly. A credit to UMSL, they did a good job, especially early on. We never could really knock them away until five, six, seven, eight minutes away."
On postgame conversation with UMSL Coach Sundvold...
"I thought his team played well. I just told him `I thought your team played well.' He was very appreciative of this opportunity and certainly I know how it is being on the other end. He's a very good basketball coach and very good friend. I think he's going to have a good year. His best player didn't play and isn't going to be eligible until first semester is over. I think he'll have a good season."
MIZZOU PLAYER QUOTES
Sophomore F Johnathan Williams III
On the health of his knee...
"My rehabilitation has been going quite well. I have Pat Beckman working with me everyday. I'm getting stronger each and every day. I just have to keep strong in faith. My knee is healthy, so that is the big thing. It was my first time playing in a live game situation. It was pretty fun getting back out there with my teammates and playing the game of basketball. The biggest thing is to keep gaining confidence in my knee."
On Mizzou's rebounding edge in the second half...
"The main thing with this game was the rebounds were coming off really long. They shot long threes, so long shots, long rebounds. I adjusted to that. I needed to keep them out of the lane so they would not drive and kick on us. So we stared doing that. In the first half they were one fire with the 3-pointers. The second half we kept them out of the lane and adjusted to long rebounds."
On his expanded range of play...
"Coach Anderson hasn't told me to not shoot 3-pointers. I have worked on longer range shots this summer and expanding my game. I just need to get that confidence back."
On his teammates...
"I think the freshmen made a huge step because they have to come in and play a lot of minutes. We are a very young team. From the summer until now they have made a huge jump. Wes (Clark), Keanau (Post), and the rest of the upperclassman are stepping up and doing what they need to do."
Freshman G Montaque Gill-Caesar
On Mizzou's offensive rhythm...
"I would say we got into our offensive rhythm mid first half. We started moving the ball a little more and gave J3 the ball a little more, because we wanted to expose that mismatch. "
On reclassifying to the 2014 class to join the Tigers this season...
"I was very confident that I could play at this level. I always believe in myself and I had a good support system that believed in me too. Nothing has changed, I am still confident in myself and my abilities.
On his teammates...
"I trust in our point guards, bigs and everybody else. Right now I think everyone knows their role. We have been emphasizing that in practice. I think that is the most important thing for us right now, that everybody knows their role."
Opening Statement...
"At this level you appreciate programs like William Jewell who came in here, these guys love playing. I am really appreciative of Kim and his staff, for bringing us in and letting us play. I thought our guys really battled well, it was fun to watch. We have a lot of guys who played a lot better than they practiced and that's the thing we want to see, guys emerge. I came in here and I had 10 guys. I didn't know who I was going to start, should I sub five and five, but now we have to get our guys in a roll and playing."
On Jonathan Williams III contribution in Mizzou's run right before halftime...
"We couldn't keep him off the line, he goes 8-of-10 from the free throw line and that was a real momentum shifter. On the other hand, on the offensive side couldn't make a basket. I think part of it was the difference between athleticism and size. If you take our center Kevin Swanson, he's battling Ryan Rosburg along with Keanau Post, those guys are huge for him. As the game continues, its like a marathon for him."
On Missouri's 3-point defense...
"We were 5-of-6 to start and then we went 1-of-8 to finish the half. Their pressure picked up as the game went on, we tried to enter the wing, and we were not able to get anything done. They were able to jump in our passing lane, that's great for us to see."
On matchups in the post...
"The immediate thing is size, you're thinking how does Kevin (Swanson) match up. We tried to double up Ryan Rosburg and we really haven't done that much, which was new for us. He got into the rim quick. The size difference was a big thing for us."
On Kim Anderson getting his shot at Mizzou as head coach...
"I'm ecstatic. I have known Kim and his family for a while, he's a special guy. Here is what I think Missouri has, a guy who's invested just like Norm Stewart. If you go to school here, you live and grow up here, it's a big deal. I don't think the national people understand that, especially at this place. I think that this is a neat thing and I am happy to see that in the years to come. Once they get a few recruiting classes under their belt, I think you'll see a great brand of basketball with Anderson and his staff."
