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SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 9, 2006Ramel BradleyRandolph MorrisTubby SmithNASHVILLE, TENNESSEE THE MODERATOR: We'll ask Coach Smith for some remarks. Then We'll go to remarks with the student athletes. Coach. COACH TUBBY SMITH: Well, we're really happy to get this win under some circumstances there. You're coaching against a friend in Rod Barnes, a special person. I was very impressed and very proud, and I know he was, too, of the way his team competed and the effort they gave. Says a lot about what he means to those kids and so -- but again we just excited about the opportunity to survive and advance to the next round. THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions for either of the student athletes. If you have a question for either, raise your hand and we'll get a microphone to you. Hands up. Right in the middle. Q. Randolph, could you talk about Dwayne Curtis playing. Didn't play the first game. How much of a difference was that in your opinion having him in there for Ole Miss this time? RANDOLPH MORRIS: It was obvious an instant difference in the team, team chemistry. The way he played, he gave us problems basically the whole afternoon. Played seven minutes even though he had three offensive rebounds. Scored 9 points in 7 minutes It's obvious that the type of player he is offensively and defensively. THE MODERATOR: Other questions, raise your hand for either of the players. Okay. Let's go all the way in the back in the middle there. Q. Ramel, you've been off for two weeks with the hand injury, and you came off the bench today. It looked like you gave the team some energy right off the bat, went 3 of 6 from behind the arc. Talk a little about your play today and how excited you were to be back on of the record after a two-week playoff. RAMEL BRADLEY: I feel anytime I come off the bench my job is to provide a spark and pick up some energy defensively. You know, it was kind of tough staying out for two weeks and watching the team go through the ups and downs. It feels good to be back with the team. THE MODERATOR: Other questions, raise your hand. Any other questions Let's go to the back. Go ahead. Q. Ramel, did your hand affect you at all, and what -- did you have to overcome much pain? Talk about playing with the hand. RAMEL BRADLEY: It hurts when I try to put it on the floor with my left hand. It never hurts when you get your shots and they go in. So I mean that's why I was shooting the ball. I felt fine. THE MODERATOR: Other questions? Raise your hand. Let's come down the front here. John. There you go. Q. Randolph, can you talk about at halftime what adjustments were made, what was the mood in the locker room at the half? RANDOLPH MORRIS: Oh, halftime, you know, whenever we're not playing, well, you've got to find a way to get back in the game's emotionally, get energized. That's all you're focused on at halftime was get back in the game emotionally and play with more energy. THE MODERATOR: Let's come right over here. Next question. Go ahead. Q. Randolph and also Ramel, would you guys comment on playing Alabama tomorrow and kind of what you remember about the last time you played them? RANDOLPH MORRIS: They finished second behind LSU. As of the last time, I think we had a couple of chances to close the game out, but they just held us off. I think it will be a very good match-up for us. THE MODERATOR: Ramel. RAMEL BRADLEY: Like Randolph said, it's going to be a real good match-up. We have to get out there and trap in the post. Jermareo Davidson gave us some problems last time. If we get down there and contain him, we can definitely get a win. THE MODERATOR: Got time for maybe one more. Anybody? Okay. We'll excuse the players. You can return to the locker room. Thank you. And we'll continue on with questions for Coach Smith. If you have one, raise your hand. Hand up. Let's go start in the back. Q. With 20 wins now, Coach, do you think it's safe to never use the word "bubble" in the sentence with Kentucky again this season? COACH TUBBY SMITH: We feel confident that getting 20 wins playing the schedule we played with our power rating, that we should be in. THE MODERATOR: Hands up. Other questions? Anybody else. Okay. Down in the front. Q. Tubby, same question I asked Randolph, what was the mood like at halftime? What adjustments did you make going into the second half? COACH TUBBY SMITH: Well, we again we needed to play harder. I thought we didn't come out with the intensity. You worry about that team that you beat pretty badly at home and how our players psychologically would respond, and certainly we had those problems to start the game. In the second half the same thing. Both we wanted to challenge our players to let them know how important and how critical this game was. Get on the boards. We were getting beat on the boards. The strategical things you have to do. We made some adjustments to try to spread the floor a little bit better and maybe help Rajon get a little more penetration to the basket, and I thought that helped some. You know, defensively we wanted to pressure them a little more, and I thought it did help some to pressure them because we forced them into a few administrators there. THE MODERATOR: Other questions, raise your hand. Got another one. Okay. Go ahead. Q. Coach, could you talk about another match-up with Alabama tomorrow and also could you address I guess on from the standpoint of Rod, the integrity that the league is going to lose without him? COACH TUBBY SMITH: It's been well-documented, certainly I sent my son there to play for Rod and be a part of the Ole Miss basketball program and the atmosphere as well, and I certainly haven't regretted that, and Rod is -- he's been a real -- a real gentleman. He's a real -- as you mentioned, a guy of principle, a man of integrity, and he's going to be missed. You know, I know -- because he was one of Ole Miss's -- it's tough to see that happen as well as someone in our profession of his ability leave. But I know he'll find a good job because he's a good man, he's a good coach. Alabama, you know, we had as Ramel mentioned, we had some chances at our place I thought to try to give ourselves a chance, but we -- and they're playing pretty well. Coach Gottfried and his staff has got them bounced back after losing probably their best player, and that tells you a lot about -- the cohesiveness and team work that they have. You know, containing them inside, Ronald Steele is the best, one of the best point guards in the country not just in this league, and he really can control the entire game from an offense and defensive standpoint because he's that talented, he's that tough. You know, inside, Jermareo Davidson and Hendrix. They've got so many people, so many weapons. They've got a lot of weapons and lot of ways to beat you. They're playing -- as I had said before, we're coming in with a lot of confidence, and us having one game under our belt here in the tournament, hopefully that will help us out. THE MODERATOR: Did you have a question right here? Go ahead. Q. Coach, were you okay with LeMaster taking that three with two seconds left? COACH TUBBY SMITH: I was walking away. I didn't even see it, to be honest with you. I guess it went in there, but I kind of was walking down because I thought the time was running out. You never want -- the game was won, and Preston doesn't get in a lot of games. He had a great game one time before. So I'm not going to comment about whether it was -- it was certainly -- he's a senior that's been in our program and a well-respected kid. He wasn't trying to rub it in or anything like that. THE MODERATOR: Okay. Let's go right here on the aisle, then we'll come. Q. Coach, can you talk about the return to the starting lineup that you used today and are you still using the grading system? COACH TUBBY SMITH: We're using -- every game is graded and evaluated, and, you know, we passed the test today with Rajon, but we've been working towards that with Rajon, Joe and Randolph back in the lineup, but again I'm more concerned about how we finish the game than the way we start. I always felt that way. We had to use something to get our guys focused on defending better, and I think it paid off the way -- we hated to do it at that point in time in the season, but I think we've become a better team because of it. And, you know, I thought earlier in the game, the first part of the game I was concerned, but by then we bounced back and responded in a good way. THE MODERATOR: Okay. Over on the aisle there. Go ahead. Q. Coach, your team didn't play particularly well the first half today at times. Do you think that may have been a carryover from the loss to Florida on Sunday, possibly? COACH TUBBY SMITH: That with the combination of them not seeing Dwayne Curtis and not understanding. Even though you tell them over and over again, you show them -- you explain to them, he's a real -- he's a player, and he can carry them and he can win the game for them if we allow him to have his way. But I'm sure there was some residual hangovers from that because that was a bad, bad loss for us against Florida. THE MODERATOR: Got time for a couple more. Let's take one ever them right here. Q. Coach, I was wondering if you could talk about your fan base which seemed to have no problem finding the place a day earlier than usual but even gave your guys a lift there in the second half. COACH TUBBY SMITH: They did. We've got a great fan base. We knew they would be here in full force. We appreciate all the Big Blue faithful and they did give us a big lift, you know, the faith and belief that they have in us is remarkable and again. I'm the first one to say it can be -- something about traveling to this tournament. We're a program that people love Kentucky basketball and we love them for their support, and you're right, it was a big lift today. THE MODERATOR: Okay. Got time for one more. Anybody? Raise your hand. Alright. Let's have the last one right here on the front. Q. Tubby, can you just talk about Ramel and his game, what you got out of him? COACH TUBBY SMITH: Ramel, that's what he said, once you make a shot -- his spark. I thought his defense today is what was impressive. He's always energized and he's got that smile. He's always -- loves playing the game, whether it's -- comes to practice that way. So, you know, having him back is a big plus. Not having him in the last -- in the last two losses we had hurt us, and he would -- because he was really coming on and doing some good things, and today we see what we were missing to have him back, and I appreciate him, you know, staying ready because it's tough to be out for such a period of time and -- but he's been working hard to keep his stamina and staying in shape and certainly it looked like it today. Was in pretty good shape. THE MODERATOR: Thank you.
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