Missouri Post Game Quotes
1/24/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 24, 2004
Missouri Head Coach Quin Snyder
"We got really strong contributions from a lot of guy's, and our bench gave us a lot of energy. Josh and Jason came into the game and played at a high level. When we defend that way, and get the easy baskets- we have not got a lot of those- it was a real positive effect on the team's psyche. The basket just seems to get bigger, and the game gets a little easier when you get buckets off your defense that is good to see. This was a real important game for us, but particularly important for us. Nebraska is a good team and we had to wok for everything we got."
On Rickey Paulding...
"I think the whole team is focused offensively on attacking the rim. That is his primary focus when driving the ball. He is no longer living and dieing with his jump shot. He is making a lot of things happen, and he puts a lot of pressure on the defense we he does that."
On Thomas Gardner ...
"Well I thought Thomas's emotion is big and I think we all have to be that way. It helps your team to a higher level. It is a necessity on defense to have that type of enthusiasms.
On the teams confidence...
"The Texas game can knock you back, and we played well tonight. When you win you gain confidence and we played well tonight. When you go back to doing the things that make you successful like defending as a team and not giving up the three. I think when our focus if there the offensive stuff comes a little easier. When you see the ball go in the basket it makes it a little easier.
Missouri senior guard Rickey Paulding
On Thomas Gardner
"He's like that every day in practice. He brought it on the court. It's been a tough transition for him, but he finally could do it on the court. He's always vocal, and you can tell off the court he's a confident player.
On getting over the hump
"We're definitely doing it on the defensive end. We're playing together, and getting the ball inside to AJ and Travon and our bigs. I think we're happy where we're at, we're just going to keep growing and we're finding it a little bit now."
Missouri freshman guard Thomas Gardner
On the last two minutes of the first half
"It was a spark. We had, I think, three freshmen on the floor at that time, and it was just a spark for us. For the team, it got us going. It started with the defense and then the offense came. We fed off that all second half.
Missouri freshman guard Spencer Laurie
On maintaining intensity
"It's really easy because you come in the game and you're fresh. You're able to get after people more than if you're playing the entire time. It's hard to keep that intensity up because you get tired. Whenever we rotate, it lets us really stay after people and use our bench.
Nebraska Head Coach Barry Collier
On the second half
"The last 25 minutes wasn't what we tried to do, it was how we tried to do it. I didn't think we had enough toughness, and I thought Missouri played very aggressively. That's as aggressive as I've seen them play, and Quin [Snyder] said so when he spoke afterwards."
On Missouri
"Credit Missouri with some excellent play, enthusiasm, and extra effort. However, I don't think we handled that very well, either. They're playing the same physical, aggressive way from that midpoint in the first half until the end of the game."
Nebraska senior forward Brian Conklin
On the game
"It was definitely a spot that we haven't been in at this time. They just came out and made great plays. We had some breakdowns on defense, and it kind of snow balled from there. Once you get that crowd going and their confidence going, you're in trouble."
