2009 NCAA Regionals Lucas Oil Stadium March 26 ...
2009 NCAA Regionals Lucas Oil Stadium March 26, 2009 Louisville Team Quotes #21 Jared Swopshire, Freshman, Forward On role with team: “I knew that I would be playing behind Earl [Clark] and just try and come in and do whatever I can. I see what he does on defense and see what the guy he’s guarding likes to do so that when I get in there, I know what I’m doing.” On extent of playing time: “If he [Head Coach, Rick Pitino] needs me to play two minutes I’ll be ready, or if he needs me to play 15 then I’ll be ready. I’m pretty much used to it, so I’m ready.” On what the season has been like: “It’s been a real good experience coming this far in my freshman year. We’ve got a really good chance of winning the title, so this has just been a great experience.” On playing Arizona: “They like to press a lot and play tough defense. They’ve got some really good guard players so they like to get up and down the court just like we do.” #5 Earl Clark, Junior, Forward On last year’s experience in the NCAA Tournament and how that affects the mindset this year: “Last year was a great accomplishment and I know that we can do it again and get to the Elite Eight again this year. The further you go it’s just better basketball. You play better teams and games come down to the wire. Now there are 16 great teams and any one of them can win on any given night. We expect crazy things to happen. This is March Madness, so just get ready!” On playing Arizona: “They’re a great team. They’ve got a great center and forward and two or three great guys that I think are pros right now and they are very similar to us, I think. They press, they play zone and it should be a good up and down game. They like to run so it should be a great game.” On playing well and putting in a good personal performance: “I just have to be me; take good shoots, rebound, play defense and just do what I do every game. I’ve just got to come out and play hard. Coach [Rick Pitino] always tells me that if you play hard then your
talent will just come out and this is a game that I’m going to have to step up big because my team needs me and I’ll be there.” #34 Jerry Smith, Junior, Guard On playing Arizona: “Looking at them on film, they’re a very similar team to how we are. They like to press and turn people over. They have a very quick guard in Nic Wise and their post players are both tremendous players, so they do a lot of things like we do and we are very excited to play against them. Talent-wise, they’re definitely not a 12-seed, not at all. They have two lottery picks and a terrific point guard in Wise and if you look at them on paper, you wouldn’t think of them as a 12 with that kind of talent level. They’ve had a lot of ups and downs this season, but their talent level is off the charts. ” On impact of previous game against Siena: “Yeah, they gave us a good game, without a doubt. Siena was a terrific team, like I said before. They have a great point guard in Moore and we’re just happy to have pulled it out.” On practices during the week since game against Siena: “They’ve been real upbeat. Guys are excited to get out there and for some of the younger guys this is a first time experience for them and it’s all been very positive and everyone’s working hard.” On what it feels like to be here: “It feels great! This is what you dream about as a kid; getting as far as you can in the tournament and getting on a run. It feels great.” On playing so close to home: “I think it’s great! We should have a lot of fans in from Louisville and we’ll try to get as many in here as we can.” #10 Edgar Sosa, Junior, Guard On what the team has learned about themselves during the tournament: “Mostly that we aren’t going to hang our heads when we’re down. The competition in the tournament is so great, and we can’t get frustrated when we’re down.” On Arizona’s play compared to the first half of the season: “They’re coming together as a team. From watching film, early on in the season they weren’t doing much right defensively, but they’ve gotten a lot more aggressive, and it’s worked out well for them.” On Arizona point guard Nic Wise: Nic Wise is a great point guard. He’s averaging 23.5 points in the tournament. Obviously he’s a guy we have to stop if we get down. They run a lot of pick and rolls for the point guard so we have to be ready defensively to help, and he’s going to be the guy they use to break our press.” On Arizona’s Wise, Budinger, and Hill: They have three guys that can play at the next level and they are all playing at a great level right now. They are all averaging double figures. We have to stop them. They are the main part of the team, and we can’t let them have a great night.” On Arizona’s defense versus Louisville’s defense: “From watching film we both have similar styles. We both press. We both play an aggressive 2-3 zone. The style of play for both teams is very intense and you can get tired. Whoever has the most stamina will have a good chance to win.”
On tiring other teams out defensively: “Late in the second half with about eight minutes left you start to see the other team’s point guard get tired. They don’t want the ball [against the Louisville full-court press], and they have someone else start to bring the ball up the court. Once we get them to that point then we know have the game where we want it.” On the set up of the arena: “It’s huge. Coach [Pitino] told us we have to take warm ups very seriously. We’re going to have to get used to shooting in a big arena.” On the possibility the crowd has a lot of Louisville fans: “It helps, definitely, but the arena could be packed with mostly Louisville fans and we could still lose. It’s going to feel good, it’s going to feel like we’re back in Freedom Hall, but at the end of the day we have to take care of the game.” #2 Preston Knowles, Sophomore, Guard On Arizona: “We watched them on film and they’re a carbon copy of us. They like to get out and pressure, they play a great 2-3 zone, they like to play 1-3-1 zone, they like to get out and run, and they’ve got a point guard.” On Arizona being in the tournament: “They just had an upside down year, but it’s two different things: it’s the regular season and it’s the NCAA tournament. You can’t go off what they did in the regular season because if you did that, they would have already lost. They’re a great team and they’re in the Sweet 16 for a reason.” On playing in a football stadium earlier in the season [the 2008 Stadium Shootout in Phoenix, a loss versus Minnesota]: “I don’t think you think about it much. We lost to a great Minnesota team. We’ll come out here, shoot around a bit get a nice sweat, then prepare for Arizona tomorrow night.” On the expectations that come from playing in front of so many Louisville fans: “I expect to play our game and be us. Don’t make it bigger than it already is, just take it one game at a time.”
talent will just come out and this is a game that I’m going to have to step up big because my team needs me and I’ll be there.” #34 Jerry Smith, Junior, Guard On playing Arizona: “Looking at them on film, they’re a very similar team to how we are. They like to press and turn people over. They have a very quick guard in Nic Wise and their post players are both tremendous players, so they do a lot of things like we do and we are very excited to play against them. Talent-wise, they’re definitely not a 12-seed, not at all. They have two lottery picks and a terrific point guard in Wise and if you look at them on paper, you wouldn’t think of them as a 12 with that kind of talent level. They’ve had a lot of ups and downs this season, but their talent level is off the charts. ” On impact of previous game against Siena: “Yeah, they gave us a good game, without a doubt. Siena was a terrific team, like I said before. They have a great point guard in Moore and we’re just happy to have pulled it out.” On practices during the week since game against Siena: “They’ve been real upbeat. Guys are excited to get out there and for some of the younger guys this is a first time experience for them and it’s all been very positive and everyone’s working hard.” On what it feels like to be here: “It feels great! This is what you dream about as a kid; getting as far as you can in the tournament and getting on a run. It feels great.” On playing so close to home: “I think it’s great! We should have a lot of fans in from Louisville and we’ll try to get as many in here as we can.” #10 Edgar Sosa, Junior, Guard On what the team has learned about themselves during the tournament: “Mostly that we aren’t going to hang our heads when we’re down. The competition in the tournament is so great, and we can’t get frustrated when we’re down.” On Arizona’s play compared to the first half of the season: “They’re coming together as a team. From watching film, early on in the season they weren’t doing much right defensively, but they’ve gotten a lot more aggressive, and it’s worked out well for them.” On Arizona point guard Nic Wise: Nic Wise is a great point guard. He’s averaging 23.5 points in the tournament. Obviously he’s a guy we have to stop if we get down. They run a lot of pick and rolls for the point guard so we have to be ready defensively to help, and he’s going to be the guy they use to break our press.” On Arizona’s Wise, Budinger, and Hill: They have three guys that can play at the next level and they are all playing at a great level right now. They are all averaging double figures. We have to stop them. They are the main part of the team, and we can’t let them have a great night.” On Arizona’s defense versus Louisville’s defense: “From watching film we both have similar styles. We both press. We both play an aggressive 2-3 zone. The style of play for both teams is very intense and you can get tired. Whoever has the most stamina will have a good chance to win.”
On tiring other teams out defensively: “Late in the second half with about eight minutes left you start to see the other team’s point guard get tired. They don’t want the ball [against the Louisville full-court press], and they have someone else start to bring the ball up the court. Once we get them to that point then we know have the game where we want it.” On the set up of the arena: “It’s huge. Coach [Pitino] told us we have to take warm ups very seriously. We’re going to have to get used to shooting in a big arena.” On the possibility the crowd has a lot of Louisville fans: “It helps, definitely, but the arena could be packed with mostly Louisville fans and we could still lose. It’s going to feel good, it’s going to feel like we’re back in Freedom Hall, but at the end of the day we have to take care of the game.” #2 Preston Knowles, Sophomore, Guard On Arizona: “We watched them on film and they’re a carbon copy of us. They like to get out and pressure, they play a great 2-3 zone, they like to play 1-3-1 zone, they like to get out and run, and they’ve got a point guard.” On Arizona being in the tournament: “They just had an upside down year, but it’s two different things: it’s the regular season and it’s the NCAA tournament. You can’t go off what they did in the regular season because if you did that, they would have already lost. They’re a great team and they’re in the Sweet 16 for a reason.” On playing in a football stadium earlier in the season [the 2008 Stadium Shootout in Phoenix, a loss versus Minnesota]: “I don’t think you think about it much. We lost to a great Minnesota team. We’ll come out here, shoot around a bit get a nice sweat, then prepare for Arizona tomorrow night.” On the expectations that come from playing in front of so many Louisville fans: “I expect to play our game and be us. Don’t make it bigger than it already is, just take it one game at a time.”
