Mizzou-LSU Postgame Quotes
1/8/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Mizzou Head Coach Kim Anderson
Opening Statement...
"Obviously this is a great win. We've been so close a couple of times and it's great to see these guys be able to realize the fruits of their labor. It was a great game. I thought we did a tremendous job defensively - we mixed things up a little bit, especially at the end. One thing we did was make big shots at the end. For me, I'm just happy these guys can realize what hard work does. We've talked about how this is a bad practice team but this was not a bad practice team this week. These guys prepared themselves and they've been pretty good the past couple of weeks. Thankfully now they do realize that if they prepare themselves, they'll have success."
On how the team played collectively compared to other games...
"We beat a quality opponent and we got a good performance from a lot of the guys. We're pretty thin in the backcourt, and when Wes picked up those two fouls early on, I wasn't sure where we were going to go with that in the first half. No question this was probably the most complete game start to finish."
About playing against Jordan Mickey and Keith Hornsby...
"I wouldn't have predicted us doing as well against them as we did. My main concern was rebounding, coming in. Mickey still had 17 rebounds. I thought the game got spread a little bit. It got going up and down, and that probably played to our advantage because it got us running up and down the floor and maybe took them away from the basket a little bit at times. I was really happy with the way we took care of the ball. We had 14 turnovers, but our guards had 13 assists and only three turnovers."
On his team after how they handled the game...
"I learned that they can do it. I desperately wanted to win it in regulation because we were ahead, so I knew if they came back and sent it into overtime, I knew something crazy would happen. To me, that's growth but you have to be able to do it consistently, game in and game out. I'm thrilled with the win but this is just one game and we have to get ready for the next one."
On the key to having success inside against LSU...
"The guards for sure. The majority of points that I got were dump-offs from Wes and Keith so the guards helped with my success tonight."
On responding in overtime after LSU's game-tying shot in regulation....
"I think we've been there before the last couple of games, so I think our mindset was we're going to win it this time. So I think we went out there in overtime ready to win and we did."
On his resurgence in the last two games...
"This is my last year to play so I want to play and play as hard as I can when I get out there. I want to work hard in practice so when I'm ready when I get out there on the court.
On the team needing something good to happen...
"It's great start for us, but it's only one game. It's the start of SEC play and there are some big wins and big games coming up. We're just looking at this win like a stepping stone to make our way to some other big wins."
On scoring eight straight to swing the momentum....
"I just got a little confidence with my jump shot and made an open up and took all the open shots that I had. I was able to knock them down."
On playing well in big games ..........
"We're a young team so we kind of look for a way to build. We get really stagnant sometimes so the confidence I get from being one of the older guys and seeing the younger guys stepping up like Namon and J3 helps me step up.
Sophomore forward Johnathan Williams III
On finishing strong in overtime...
"I think we just came together more. We've been in the same situation a couple times and we stayed together and fought together. We accomplished our goal."
On facing LSU's talented big men....
"It was fun going against Jordan Mickey and Jarell Martin. They're both great players. LSU is a great team overall so it was fun going up against those guys."
On limiting LSU's output in the paint....
"I just needed to play good defense, stay between them and the rim and keep them off the glass. Most of their offense comes in transition so we sent three guards back to limit that."
LSU Head Coach Johnny Jones
Opening Statement....
"Knew coming into the game it would be a tough battle for us. Knew that Missouri had been in some close and tough games against really good competition; knew that it wouldn't be easy. Thought that we got off to a tough start, only scoring two points there for several minutes. Defensively we were ok. Thought we did a good job of getting into rhythm. Got a lead but did not do a great job after getting the lead and allowed them to get back into the game and they became a confident basketball team and we had a great battle on our hands. Fortunate to get the game into overtime but as tough as they've been playing, they felt it and knocked down some needy shots, executed down the stretch and unfortunately we get a set back here on a tough night."
On rhythm being disrupted when their big men got into foul trouble...
"Way prior to that we kind of lost our rhythm offensively in making plays and knocking down shots. I didn't think we were as poised as we needed to be. We turned the ball over, we weren't as good as we needed to be with the basketball, sharing it, getting the ball to the open people. We tried to rush or force some things tonight and that's not going to get it done in this league.
On the toughness of Johnathan Williams III helping shut down their big men....
"Well I thought, one we rushed some shots and we missed some shots inside. We took some shots on the perimeter but our post guys probably needed to be towards the basket where we could really take advantage of our size strength and quickness and we did not do a good job of taking advantage of it. I thought Williams did a good job of making us play up over top of him. He had a couple blocks and I thought he had an excellent game.
What they have to learn during this quick turnaround...
"It's a quick turnaround; have another really tough game at home against Georgia. We've got to be more patient and take what the defensive is able to give us, don't force it and do a great job of trusting each other as teammates, making sure that we understand that other guys can make plays.
LSU junior guard Keith Hornsby
On the last shot of regulation...
"It set me up for a good shot and a shot we all knew I could make. It went in but there's no reason to glorify that shot. I knew I had to move on right away and that's what I did."
On what was different in overtime....
"Certain plays we didn't capitalize on. We had some good opportunities, especially on the defensive end, some rebounds we could have gotten and some free throws we could have made. Just have to move on and try to make them next time. "
On how the team can learn from this game...
"I feel like tonight we didn't respond to adversity well. When Clark went on that run and made all those threes, we kind of hung our head and didn't respond the right way. We have to learn from this game obviously, and quickly. I feel like tomorrow we can start on that."
On not responding to adversity like they had prior in the season...
"A little bit, they just made big shots and capitalized on the good opportunities that they had. And we didn't in this game especially in overtime. Yes, it is a learning experience but moving on now to Georgia.
