University of Richmond Athletics
Men's Basketball Post-Game Quotes
12/20/2006 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2006
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Richmond Head Coach Chris Mooney
On The Game
"I think a lot of credit goes to VMI. Their style of play gets so much attention and it is unique. They have some good players. They played much better than us tonight. We're not a good enough defensive team or rebounding team right now - probably a symptom of being so young, but it certainly needs to improve and I think they took advantage of those things tonight."
On Playing Wake Forest On Friday
"It's going to be challenging for us being so young, but we need to continue to try to meet those challenges and try to improve every day. I think our guys are good enough. We can do better than we did tonight."
On Richmond's Defense
"I call it match-up zone. It's somewhat of a Princeton pull but it's evolved over the years. It's a little bit different from what teams see. Switching allows you to take the edge that they might have from a ball screen. It keeps smaller guys on perimeter and the bigger guys inside, ideally. The way they attack on offense, that is going to spread any defense, and I think we had a hard time defensively."
Richmond Senior Peter Thomas
On Playing Against VMI's Style
"I think there are a lot of openings against that kind of defense. They definitely make you play their kind of game, all their games are high scoring. I think if we would have been stronger with the ball, pulled more rebounds and played a little more solid, we would have come out on top."
On The Exam Break Effecting Their Play
"I think a layoff would make it easier to play because if you haven't played in so long, you should be excited to get back on the floor. We haven't played a game in a week and a half; maybe we were a little rusty from that, but I don't think that had much to do with it."
On Playing So Soon (Friday) After A Game Like This
"Well, that's the good thing about college basketball, you get to play again in two days. The best way to get a game like this off your mind is to put it behind you and get a win on the road."
VMI Head Coach Duggar Baucom
On The Game
"I'm tremendously proud of my guys. We've been through a lot this year. It's been seven games, we lost last possession games. Tonight to be ahead and then finish it out like you're supposed to. To stand at the line and make free throws and make plays at the end and get big defensive rebounds. I think we are growing as a team so I'm very pleased with that."
On Playing Richmond's Style
"We feel like it takes a discipline to what Chris' guys do, running the Princeton style, but we feel like it takes just as much discipline playing fast like we do because you have to play that way the entire 40. If you play that way 36 minutes, it does you no good, and the last four are ultimately the most important. I think our guys are in great shape to do that and kind of wears down the opponent. We tell them to keep doing it and keep doing it and, ultimately, it will get them. It is a contrasting style, but I keep telling them that we have to impose our will on our opponent. We are going to play like we play."
On VMI's Style Of Play
"We feel like it gave our kids the best chance to win under the circumstances we faced as the season started. Paul Westhead made it work at Loyola the year they went to the Elite Eight and nobody thought it would work, and he proved everyone wrong. Can it work over time? I don't know. I know we're 6-8, and our record, with a few free throws and offensive rebounds, a missed layups - seven games have been last possession games. We feel like it gives us our best chance with what we've got."
VMI Senior Matt Murrer
On Determining When He Thought The Game Was Moving In VMI's Favor
"In the first half, there was a point where we were getting steals and went on a little run, and then we kind of settled down and lost some of our energy towards the end. But then in the second half, I'd say the last eight minutes, we started coming together. One of our main problems this year has been not finishing towards the end like we should. Like coach said, we're always there at the end, we just have to will ourselves to win and tonight we did that."
On Playing In His Hometown
"It's unbelievable. Words can't describe how good it feels. The fans were great, we had a lot of people pulling for us and I'm glad we got the win for them and for coach Baucom. It feels really good."
VMI Junior Reggie Williams
On The Victory
"This is a big victory for us. We've lost a couple close ones to some good competition and now we finally beat a very competitive Division I team, I think this gives us a lot of confidence."