Opening Statement
I don't know that I could tell you much about the game. I don’t know that I have ever felt as much stress over a regular season game as I did tonight. As soon as I got on the plane coming back from Virginia I started feeling that, because I just wanted Brice, Marcus and Joel (James) so much to win their last home game. That was maybe more important to me than any game I have ever been involved with…Syracuse’s zone was really effective tonight. We may have been too emotional, who knows? I don’t know the answer to that. If I did, we would have fixed it already. Some of the things we did – getting some big offensive rebounds at the end, I think Isaiah [Hicks] and Brice both made some big plays inside. But it was extremely important to me for those three guys to go out with a win… That team has been extremely important to me because of all of the stuff we have had to handle. It’s been very difficult, but every day when I have gone out on the court, those guys have been there. Sometimes, very enthusiastically, wanted me to help them, and sometimes not quite as enthusiastically, but I’ve loved coaching that team. And those three seniors are very unique individuals… And so to me the day was about winning. I didn’t care how. I didn’t care if we shot the ball well. I didn't care if we’d rebounded it well. I just wanted to look up on the clock and see that we had more [points].
On Joel James
Joel has grown up not physically, but has grown up right in front of my eyes. He’s been one of the most mature youngsters that I have ever known in my life. I would have adopted him the first day, and I would still adopt him. I just don’t know if I have every coached anybody that’s been more impressive than he has.
On Brice Johnson
Brice, I’ve pushed, I’ve pushed, I’ve pushed, I’ve pushed, I’ve pushed, and he’s done some amazing things this year offensively. It’s on one hand the number of people I’ve ever coached in 28 years that’s been able to do the things that Brice Johnson has done. The points and the rebounds, and I want him to give more defensively, and I want him to get more in all that kind of stuff, and I’m going to still do that. But he’s been pretty doggone impressive with some of the things he has done.
On Marcus Paige
Marcus is a young man that has felt the weight of the world on his shoulders for four years, and he has had to do so much. Freshman year, people didn’t think he was quite good enough, and I kept thinking, ‘you guys just wait.’ Then his sophomore year, he felt like he had to make every play. And last year he was hurt, and tried and tried every day. And then this year it hasn’t been as smooth as he’s wanted. But I’ve never coached a young man that I have admired more than I have admired Marcus Paige.
I don't know that I could tell you much about the game. I don’t know that I have ever felt as much stress over a regular season game as I did tonight. As soon as I got on the plane coming back from Virginia I started feeling that, because I just wanted Brice, Marcus and Joel (James) so much to win their last home game. That was maybe more important to me than any game I have ever been involved with…Syracuse’s zone was really effective tonight. We may have been too emotional, who knows? I don’t know the answer to that. If I did, we would have fixed it already. Some of the things we did – getting some big offensive rebounds at the end, I think Isaiah [Hicks] and Brice both made some big plays inside. But it was extremely important to me for those three guys to go out with a win… That team has been extremely important to me because of all of the stuff we have had to handle. It’s been very difficult, but every day when I have gone out on the court, those guys have been there. Sometimes, very enthusiastically, wanted me to help them, and sometimes not quite as enthusiastically, but I’ve loved coaching that team. And those three seniors are very unique individuals… And so to me the day was about winning. I didn’t care how. I didn’t care if we shot the ball well. I didn't care if we’d rebounded it well. I just wanted to look up on the clock and see that we had more [points].
On Joel James
Joel has grown up not physically, but has grown up right in front of my eyes. He’s been one of the most mature youngsters that I have ever known in my life. I would have adopted him the first day, and I would still adopt him. I just don’t know if I have every coached anybody that’s been more impressive than he has.
On Brice Johnson
Brice, I’ve pushed, I’ve pushed, I’ve pushed, I’ve pushed, I’ve pushed, and he’s done some amazing things this year offensively. It’s on one hand the number of people I’ve ever coached in 28 years that’s been able to do the things that Brice Johnson has done. The points and the rebounds, and I want him to give more defensively, and I want him to get more in all that kind of stuff, and I’m going to still do that. But he’s been pretty doggone impressive with some of the things he has done.
On Marcus Paige
Marcus is a young man that has felt the weight of the world on his shoulders for four years, and he has had to do so much. Freshman year, people didn’t think he was quite good enough, and I kept thinking, ‘you guys just wait.’ Then his sophomore year, he felt like he had to make every play. And last year he was hurt, and tried and tried every day. And then this year it hasn’t been as smooth as he’s wanted. But I’ve never coached a young man that I have admired more than I have admired Marcus Paige.
