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NIT POSTSEASONMarch 27, 2007Jamont GordonDietric SlaterRick StansburyNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK COACH RICK STANSBURY: West Virginia, terrific basketball team. Give this team credit, they made that last play they had to make to win the game. Unfortunately that's the one play that gets magnified. I told our team, that's just one play, a play that changed the score at the end of the basketball game. There was so many other opportunities for us to win this basketball game. We got a big lead, and had some chances, like I said, to seal it and we didn't make some plays when we needed to make them. Again West Virginia jumped up in that stretch, made some 3s, made their free throws. But we bailed them out on a long three-point shot with the shot clock running down. Again, right now as I told our team, we can't see it because when you win, you want more and particularly when you're in a situation to get more. But I'm awful proud of the way our kids play and I'm proud of what they accomplished this season, and again, they never gave up. I know they hurt now and hurt for our two seniors, particular Dietric, it will be his last game with us, but I'm very proud of them. Q. What was contested at the end of the game, was it the 3 or the time on the clock? COACH RICK STANSBURY: I mean, they have to check both, I guess. Definitely have to check the time and check the 3. I didn't think there was any question about it being a 3. Could it be six tenths of a second? That's what they have to check. Like I say, the last play didn't beat us. They made a huge play and a huge shot. That's a huge shot they made. But again it's magnified and that play will be talked about so much because it's such a huge play that West Virginia made. Q. It looked like early in the second half you were able to force the tempo and they were able to get it back in their favour down the stretch; could you talk about that a little bit? COACH RICK STANSBURY: West Virginia is a very difficult team to force tempo against. But I thought for the most part, Jamont Gordon controlled it for the game and got it in that lane. One thing we talked about doing that caused some problems was his ability to get inside that one zone, we probably made them play man most of the second half. They are a team, they switch all screens, and it makes it very difficult. Again, we had our opportunities, and you know, we got the game up, whatever it was, 14, 15. And you've got to be able to find a way to seal it right there. But against good teams, it's very difficult and West Virginia is a very good basketball team. They hung around and hung around and gave themselves an opportunity the last two seconds. Q. How important was Dietric's play, especially the first half? COACH RICK STANSBURY: Dietric's play is important every night, every single night. He gives you everything he's got; great effort; consistent. Q. You were up big; did you do something you didn't like or did they do something to change the momentum at that point? COACH RICK STANSBURY: Games are games of runs, and West Virginia is a very good basketball team. Unfortunately we make a run, you wish they were not good enough to make a run back at you, but they are. They jumped up and made a couple of big plays and shots during that time. I thought they hurt us a little bit on dribble penetration that little stretch. It seemed like when they didn't score on a dribble, you know, they got some fouls, got to the foul line, and again, they hung around, kept it close enough. We had our opportunities. We had a couple little -- missed easy shots around that hole, and that's part of the basketball game. Q. Could you take us through the last couple of seconds, the time-out, just what you saw, the pass? JAMONT GORDON: It was a great play. He set me up like he was going to come off a double screen and he just faded away. I got it screened a little bit and he knocked down the shot. Q. What did you think when it left his hand? JAMONT GORDON: Just hope he didn't make it. Q. Did you think it was going in once it left, in other words? JAMONT GORDON: No, I didn't think it was going -- I was hoping. I didn't know what was going to happen. I just hoped he didn't make it. Q. Could you talk about how painful this is, being your last game and what those last few seconds were like for you? DIETRIC SLATER: Well, for me, the last few seconds was kind of slow motion a little bit. I didn't -- wasn't ready to get off the court, and it every time something happened, with 30 seconds left on the clock, it was like, no, we've just got to get it going, we've just got to do this, we've just got to do that. It wasn't working out for us at the end but the in-bound play, that was difficult, especially me being up on the basket and seeing it go in personally. But it was kind of hard for me, but I know these guys, you'll see them do big things next year. I just don't want to leave the team right now. Q. You played 37 minutes, a lot of points, just talk about your game today. DIETRIC SLATER: Well, I just looked at this sheet and it said 37 minutes. I didn't think I played that long but kind of felt like it a little bit. But it was -- I wanted to be out there and I'm glad Coach kept me out there as long as possible, because every game was like do-or-die for me. I want to be out there helping my teammates as long as I can and as much as I can. So as long as I'm here, I'm going to be out here for him. Q. Were you surprised they out-rebounded you, especially 2-1 on the offensive boards? COACH RICK STANSBURY: No, because it happens, they had a lot of misses and a lot of long bounces. Those bounces sometimes when you don't stay out wide, they can come around you and get them and that's what was happening some. West Virginia is very good at that, they shoot so many long balls, they will take some long bounces and cause a three-point shot. Q. What was the defense on the last play and what are your expectations for the team next year? COACH RICK STANSBURY: The defense was we guard every play and defense -- like I said, they made a huge shot. Contested that shot and that's all you can ask. He contested it. It's probably Nichol's only 3 of the game. I didn't look at the stat sheet but that's probably what it was. It was Nichols, wasn't it? He was 2 for 5. So again, they made a huge play, huge shot, huge shot. Our expectations are the same every year, to compete for championships, and we found a way this year to win a championship in the West, and our goal will be the same as next year; win a championship in the South Eastern Conference. Q. Charles, you guys tried to establish him; what were they doing defensively to limit his effectiveness tonight? JAMONT GORDON: They were double-teaming, triple-teaming the whole night. He was forced to kick it back out to us. End of FastScripts |
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