BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 6, 1998

Kevin Bannon

Geoff Billet

Eric Clark

COACH BANNON: Well, it was a good run for our program. I am a little disappointed. I think fatigue was definitely a factor. A little -- we are normally a pretty good shooting team. I thought we got some great looks. The ball just wouldn't go in for us. I think that was our only chance to make this interesting tonight, was to make some threes. Boy, I thought we had some real good looks in both halves, and they just didn't go down. I think that wore us out a little bit, it hurt our confidence and played on our minds a whole lot. I think the finish of the half was critical. That little spurt they made a big difference, and what can you say? They are a terrific team. And our guys certainly gave me everything they had. It was a good effort. And then we played the best, what can you say.

COACH BANNON: The way we played in the tournament, what we were able to do is very, very important for a first-year coach. You want to have things that you can put your hat on. And anybody that cares about the student, the alumni, anybody out there, the perception of high school coaches, you know, the whole bit, it is all about respect. It is all about credibility and making a little run here. Hopefully, you know, shows people that, you know, we are coming. I believe that. I mean, it is like a broken record. But I think these guys gave me everything they had. We got a lot out of the group. I am very pleased with what they have done. And it is the beginning of something. And it is -- we are only going -- we will never be in this position again where we are this small, where we have less on the bench. It will never happen again. So to make this little run kind of gives these kids something -- I mentioned everybody, but the kids themselves. They deserve this because of what they were able to do for me this year. I told them that after the game.

COACH BANNON: I think they do a real good job with their plan to man defense. They extend their defense, which takes some time off the clock. Then you get down the court and they do a very good job of playing physical. And with our guards, we don't have the biggest back court either in the world. So they get physical and switch a lot of things, and they do a good job of taking us out of some of our sets. You know, they are very athletic and they are very tough. They just do a good job with us. However, I will say this: I thought we had great looks tonight, and I thought we executed most of the night pretty well. We just -- we didn't finish around the basket, right, they obviously blocked a lot of shots. And we missed a lot of open threes. So, I think we executed probably better than we did the first two times and got better looks for ourselves tonight than the 2 previous meetings this year.

COACH BANNON: Well, for me, personally, professionally, it was a lot of fun. Much the whole year has been that way. You want to be at a certain level and you finally get your break. The first time around will always be special. As a typical coach, you spoil the whole thing because you get so competitive, you lose sight sometimes. I think this tournament was great for me, personally. Just to get in the Garden. I grew up 15 Miles west of here, out in Jersey. I have been coming here since I was, you know, size of my son over there. So, it was pretty special. And I will probably appreciate that more now than I did the last couple of days, just trying to take this team, see where the heck we can go with this season.

COACH BANNON: Rob, you know, Rob the last couple of games wasn't -- other than last night when he was terrific, Rob, offensively, I think his confidence got down. I am not really sure. He had such a good year for us, but it seemed right at the end there, sometimes kids that shoot the ball well, when they are not shooting well it really impacts other areas of their game. I hope that is not the case with Rob, but it may be. He just lost some offensive confidence. But the other thing is that the guy never, ever gives you a bad effort or isn't very bright or doing all the right things. So, I mean, his effort didn't stop. But his offensive production on a team where we desperately need it, when that is not there, it has a big impact on us.

COACH BANNON: Yeah, Eric really improved as low post player. As the year went on, he was more and more of a factor for us. As big as they are, we still felt he could be a factor. Also, you said, you've got to take what you can get when they are out on all of our three-point shooters and they are switching things and making you extend, and you are playing 30 feet from the basket instead of where you'd like to be. It does provide opportunities for Eric, and we got him involved. Unfortunately, the foul trouble really hurt.

COACH BANNON: I think they are very good, and I think that they, you know, they are going to -- they are the team in our league, obviously, that can get to the Final Four. Not that others can't, because we know there is some pretty talented teams that will represent our league in the NCAA Tournament. But I am saying the one that can get there, I think this team has a lot of weapons. And normally I would be a little nervous with a freshman point guard, but that not that little son of a gun. He ain't no freshman. So, I think that they have enough of everything to really make a good run. And, you know, I am rooting for them. I think they are very good.

COACH BANNON: No. I think, you know -- I think that we will be kicking ourselves for a couple of games that got away from us. I didn't think about the NIT over the last 48 hours because, you know, there was just too much on our plate. And, it hasn't been that kind of year where we have worried about that kind of stuff. I am trying to work with these guys take it day-to-day see where it can go.

COACH BANNON: Well, the only thing -- it is a little early to put it in perspective. Only thing I can say is that what I told these guys that I am very, very thankful for what they gave me and that is the only thing that is important is that I know they are doing what they can and that they know that I am doing what I can. Yeah, we had some things that we were this close to being a post-season team this year (indicating an inch) One more win and we are a 7 or an 8 seed not a 12 seed. Maybe it is good that we weren't that. So I am very pleased with the guys. I think it is a real good start of something. That is all. That is what this year we wanted to do. We wanted it to be a good start of something.

COACH BANNON: I think the closing of the first half, the last couple of minutes there it just got away from us. We looked like we were a little bit spent. We missed some defensive assignment and we just didn't -- I don't know we seemed like all of a sudden we didn't have our legs the last like four minutes of the half. I don't know if we ever really recovered from that.

ERIC CLARK: It just feels great for me to be a part of something that is going to turn into something great. I think with the coaching staff, they are going to do a great job in turning this program around and making a definitely a great basketball team. And I am really looking forward to watching them become something.

ERIC CLARK: I think at that point in time our momentum, our intensity was giving us that type of defense that we were playing. I think in the second half they just came out and started hitting the shots that they were missing in the first half. And I think that is what turned the game around for them.

GEOFF BILLET: I think it would have been a lot easier for me if we weren't playing UConn. It seems I always struggle a little against them. I came out, I felt fine. But, I just -- today wasn't my day.

GEOFF BILLET: I think, obviously, fatigue was a little bit of a factor. But, I mean, also a big factor, I just think was Connecticut. They are a very good defensive team, and they just make you work very hard for everything you get. So I think it was more them than anything.

ERIC CLARK: For me, I think fatigue was a big factor. Especially when you are going against Voskuhl and the other backup center. They outweigh me by a couple of pounds, so was I always working twice as hard, I think, to get position.