MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 11, 2005

Romel Beck

Odartey Blankson

Lon Kruger

COACH KRUGER: Got beat by a very good basketball team. Obviously against a team -- the caliber of Utah. You can't afford to dig the hole that we did. The second half we got down a little bit more. Then just a terrific effort to get back and give ourselves a chance at the end. Again it gives a club like Utah -- you can't afford to dig yourself that big of a hole. Congratulations Utah, and I hope they play for a long time.

ODARTEY BLANKSON: I would say it was less specific. It was mainly defense. We tried to change it up a little bit. We threw some traps at them, tried to get them off balance. We were able to get a couple of steals, get some momentum going our way.

ROMEL BECK: Like Odartey said, we got a couple of shots. Started hitting some shots. We started looking at that time on the scoreboard. Next thing you know, we're back in the game. It changed the whole game; it was just too late.

ROMEL BECK: Utah gave me some right open looks. My teammates did a good job at giving me the ball. I started getting in a rhythm. And from there on, I just started firing it up. I started going in.

ODARTEY BLANKSON: We weren't going to quit. Like I said, we put them in a few different defenses, we kind of got them off balance a little bit. They panicked a little bit. Utah is a great team. We lost to the better team tonight.

ODARTEY BLANKSON: It is an odd feeling any time you lose. We try to take it one game at a time to get to the championship game. Like I said, Utah is a great team. They played 40 minutes of good basketball. We played about 12 minutes of good basketball. They came out with the win.

ODARTEY BLANKSON: Yes, I love to play basketball. Anytime I have an opportunity to put on my gym shoes and play, I play.

ROMEL BECK: I feel the same way. Any chance to play with the group of guys in the locker room and Odartey, let's play some games.

ODARTEY BLANKSON: Everybody wants to play. The season came to a end short, but you know if we get invited to the NIT, we will be happy to accept it. We will play as hard as we can.

ODARTEY BLANKSON: I am not sure. There are a lot of good teams across the country that won't get in the tournament. I think we have done enough, but maybe not.

COACH KRUGER: Yes. When you're making a run, any time the team that is trying to guard a lead can widen it back out and it kind of curbs momentum a little bit and switches it back. That is always good for the team. That regains momentum. Certainly that had an effect.

COACH KRUGER: When you are down that far, you need a play or two. It is easy to sit in a huddle and say we want to come back. Everyone will say that. I think the key was a couple of guys made a couple of great plays. As he said, they knocked down a couple of shots. You start feeling better about yourself and energy returns and everything picks up a bit.

COACH KRUGER: He is a terrific player. As I said many times, in addition to being highly skilled, highly motivated, I think what is most impressive is he focuses and plays every possession. He just wants to win. If he can get his, he will. It seems if you take that away, he is intent to make plays for his teammates. I think that is the ultimate compliment for a great, great player. He does what he can to make players around him better. I think Andrew and Coach Giacoletti have done a great job in blending that together.

COACH KRUGER: That is the way it has been for the last couple of ball games. Tonight those guys had it going pretty good during that stretch in the second half anyway. Couldn't find good combination in the first half. I thought that group did a good job.

COACH KRUGER: Jerel was able to get in the point, create a couple of opportunities there, especially late. He got a couple of layups down and set the press. And he did a good job of getting inside their defense.

COACH KRUGER: Can't imagine any players not wanting to play. They have worked hard. And they have hung in there together when, you know, a couple three weeks ago things didn't look good. They bounced back and did a good job. So, whether or not we will get a bid, obviously we have no control of that at this point. We put together a good run, we'll find out Sunday evening.

COACH KRUGER: NIT is, you know, they like teams that draw. They like teams that are attractive match-ups. Hopefully they will consider Vegas to be one of those.