BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 4, 1999

Ron Artest

Erick Barkley

Mike Jarvis

MIKE JARVIS: First thing I'd like to say is that I was -- I certainly would have liked for it to have been a little bit easier the third time. But all three games were tough. And I told our kids at the end of the game that they should be very proud of beating a team that negates a lot of our quickness, and it's very difficult sometimes for us to play against people that are as short as we are. So we're very, very pleased and happy with the victory, and obviously, we give credit to for a relatively well-played game. You know, they turned the heat up, no mistake about it.

MIKE JARVIS: Probably, you know it had as much to do with fatigue a little bit. I think they got a little bit tireder than we did, and part of what we wanted to do was to try to create a relatively fast pace with the hope that maybe we would be able to outlast them, and, you know, luckily, I think that's what happened because they had some pretty good shots. I'd like to -- I wish I could say our defense was really great and we prevented them from getting any good shots. They got some pretty good shots, but I think the legs were probably going by that time. And when the legs go, the arms and everything else follows.

MIKE JARVIS: I haven't even looked at these numbers. The numbers don't always tell what a player does, especially Ronny. You don't know how well he plays when you look at the stats because what you don't see is what he does on defense. But as I take a quick look, obviously, you're talking about a guy that rebounded, scored, even though the assists numbers are not there. As everybody knows, now we basically play a two-pointguard offense, one, Eric Barkley and the second, Ron Artest and as usual, a really nice solid, all-around game. And I think he always brings to the table his spirit. I think there's no doubt that anybody wanted to win more than him to represent St. John's and New York in this tournament.

MIKE JARVIS: His game is getting better. I liked it early in the year as well because I think the first game he played he had no turnovers; so that was a pretty good game also. I think he's getting better, and he's doing a lot of things now that he didn't do earlier, and he's making the game even easier for himself and for his teammates. The one thing that he never ever gets credit for is just like Ronny, he never gets enough credit for his defense, and he does an unbelievable job defensively. He's as good as anybody in college basketball at defending the point.

MIKE JARVIS: First of all, I think that we're a pretty good basketball team, and if for no other reason than the fact that, you know, we've had very difficult games with them. I think they are the kind of team that if they make it and they think that they definitely are a team that's going to be better than a lot of the teams in the tournament. They are a team that you wouldn't want to play, especially if you're a team that plays man-to-man, you're not going to want to play Rutgers. They execute extremely well. They are good. It would be great not only for them but it would be great for the league. I think if they do make it they will do well in the tournament.

MIKE JARVIS: I really don't want to tell you until after tomorrow night's game against Miami to be honest with you. But I think that he's becoming -- not that he's -- I don't think every had a problem but I think he's starting to realize he can shoot the ball really well and there's just a few little things he needs to do on a consistent basis; so he's obviously shooting the ball with much more confidence. He's developing that in-between game and eventual lie he's going to shoot the old -- you'll know this in New York -- when you see him shooting the Cuzi hook shot in the future, you're going to know that's another part of his game that he's developing.

MIKE JARVIS: How do I feel about facing Miami? It was funny was watching this first game and I was rooting for Miami to win. And I say that only because, you know, for us and I heard the kids say it I respect these kids tremendously, and I heard them talking about the fact that not only did they want to be in a position to try and win this tournament, but that they would have an opportunity to play the two teams in the league that beat them if they do -- if, indeed we can and one the those teams the first team we're going to have to and we did get by Rutgers was Miami. So I'm with the kids. They have made believers out of me all year. I'm getting to the point where I almost want everything they want, and so I'm really looking forward to the game tomorrow night against Miami, and I think it's going to be a heck of a basketball game and I'm sure that Miami knows it's going to be as well.

MIKE JARVIS: Well, first of all, you know there were things that obviously any team when they lose a game would say that they could do better. The reality is that Miami won the two games. They beat us. Period. And what we've got to do better is to make sure that tomorrow night when there's three zeros on the clock we've got more points than they have.

RON ARTEST: Just got to play our game and not rush that many shots. They play aggressive defense and they make you take bad shots and now all we've got to do is just watch the defense. We've got to capitalize on their mistakes.

RON ARTEST: I know that if you line them up I think we're a better team. You know, but they play hard, you know and they are not a bad team. They are a very good team and I think we're better, but I think we've got to match their energy and just play a little smarter.

ERICK BARKLEY: One word. Execution.

RON ARTEST: Execution, baby.

ERICK BARKLEY: We knew if we run on them their legs would get tired and their shots would come long and that was our opportunity to get some fast break points.