Mizzou vs. LSU Post Game Quotes
3/2/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 2, 2013
Recap |
Box Score |
Notes |
Photo Gallery 
Missouri Head Coach Frank Haith
On the Tigers strong offensive performance...
"I think that we were very good offensively the entire game. I thought that Laurence (Bowers) gave us a nice lift in the high post when LSU went zone and made some really nice plays. You have to have guys that can knock down shots, and we did that today. It's a good win, LSU is a very good team."
On the Tigers' dominant post play...
"That's who we are, that is our identity - we have to have paint presence every night. With Laurence and Alex, (Oriakhi) we got the kind of production that we need."
On Laurence Bowers and Alex Oriakhi playing some of their best basketball of the season...
"This is where we've been hoping to get to with Laurence getting back in the lineup. To have him getting back in to rhythm after being out and now playing well with Alex who we really established when Laurence went out is big for us. Now we have both of these guys playing at a high level."
On the play of point guard Phil Pressey...
"15 points, eight assists, only two turnovers and two steal - he had a great night tonight."
LSU Head Coach Johnny Jones
Opening statement...
"I thought we got off to a quick start today, which was extremely important in this type of environment. I thought Missouri did a great job of staying poised and making a run before the half, and also making necessary adjustments of getting back into it. I thought they did a great job of controlling the paint area today, which is an area we had concern with. One of the big things we wanted to do was to keep them off the offensive glass, and that was extremely tough for us. Unfortunately I think that was a big reason for such a setback. It was a great effort by both teams; I was just disappointed we didn't do a better job in the paint area."
On the LSU's three-point shooting and Missouri adjustment second half...
"I thought they did a better job in terms of their scoring ability. They got to the rim a lot better than us. They had some easy second-chance scoring opportunities and had a big difference in terms of points in the paint in the first half. They did a good job of getting to our shooters in the first half, even though we did have eight threes. We didn't make the plays that we needed to there at the end."
On how Bowers and Oriakhi compare to other big men in the SEC...
"I think both of those guys are extremely strong. Bowers has the ability to stretch your defense because he's a scorer from that four position. I think Oriakhi is tough not only on the defensive end where he is strong and physical inside, but also around the rim area. He's very capable of scoring there, especially when you help off those guys when Pressey drives in to make plays and penetrate. Oriakhi does a great job of finishing and getting to the rim and taking advantage of easy scoring opportunities."
"On Mizzou taking away LSU's inside game...
"I think their size and strength is good enough when you've got guys like Oriakhi to push you off the block and make it extremely tough for you to get angles. At times they tried to double us down and I think we made the right reads when we kicked it out and made shots on the perimeter instead of hitting our guys cutting to the basket."
LSU Player Quotes
Guard Anthony Hickey
On LSU's fast start...
"They were doubling up on John (O'Bryant III). He was able to read the defense and was able to make that extra skip pass."
On playing well against Missouri in both games...
"I was just competing and trying to get a win."
Guard Charles Carmouche
On LSU's fast start...
"I think we did a good job of coming out and throwing the first punch and letting them know that we were here to win the ball game. It's a 40 minute game, you can't just play in the first half. I think we took our foot off the gas. Missouri's a pretty good team and they took advantage of it. We waited too late to get back in the ball game."
On comparing Missouri to other SEC teams... "They're a pretty great team. They have have a pretty good point guard who makes it easy for other guys. At the same time, they're just like any other SEC team. Anybody's going to come out and play."
Well coach always tells us to play inside out and more time than not whenever we do that it extends the defense and if Alex Oriakhi and myself have it going, then they will key in on us and the guards can (then) get going.
Senior Forward Lawrence Bowers
On was there a conscious decision to put the ball down low when you guys were down early...
"Well coach always tells us to play inside out and more time than not whenever we do that it extends the defense and if Alex Oriakhi and myself have it going, then they will key in on us and the guards can (then) get going. It was game plan and coach did a great job with the game plan and we benefited from it."
On what Missouri did better defensively in the second half....
"I thought we fought over screens better for a stretch there, and then obviously we had some defensive miscues in the end. But we just need to get better from it. LSU is a pretty good three-point shooting team and you can't take that away from them. So we just got to get in the gym and get better."
On did he feel that he was playing at the same level as before...
"I just got lost in the game. Coach sent me a text this morning that said just play free and that's what I did and it really helped me and I just have to continue to keep that approach throughout the rest of the season."
On was there a focus on getting the ball in the paint...
"I think that is just who we are. I feel that Lawrence Bowers and I are pretty good down low, so a lot of credit goes to the guards for finding us and Phil Pressey just put us in the perfect position where all you have to do is lay the ball in or dunk it. All the credit goes to the guards."
On did it look like Lawrence was playing at the same level as before...
"Definitely, every time he had it in the post I just told him to go to work. Lawrence is a great player, not a lot of people can guard him."
