	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 13, 2009

CLAUDE FELTON: We're ready to continue with LSU. We'll get general comments from Coach Johnson.
COACH JOHNSON: Well, obviously, the two days off that we had been very helpful. I thought we were really fresh. I thought defensively we were probably really good to start the game.
Offensively, we wanted to come into this game with few adjustments because Kentucky is long, lean and competitive. And their athleticism causes problems in Lexington the first time. So we wanted to move our stacks up offensively and try to attack them off the bounce, which I thought was effective and sort of got them back off the heels a little bit.
In all, from start to finish, I thought our energy was good. I thought defensively we were good. And offensively Tasmin and Marcus were how we've been all year, really, really consistent.
Garret, again, he was his normal self-defensively. It was brought to my attention. It was the first time Jodie's been held to single digits, so our team defense was really, really good this time of the year.

Q. Early in the game, you guys caught some turnovers and got out in transition and got some lay-ups. You guys jumped out to an early lead. Can you talk about what happened to get those?
MARCUS THORNTON: It was mostly just following the game plan. The game plan was the ball goes to Patterson, deep down. Force Jodie to the goal and help try to dig it out of there. You know, I just stuck my nose in and had him come out. We got off in transition and made some baskets.

Q. Tasmin, talk, if you would, about the job that Chris did inside today. Obviously, he was in better shape than he was last time you guys played Kentucky. His numbers weren't huge, but he seemed to alter the shots and affect the game in a large way?
TASMIN MITCHELL: Chris's defense was tremendous tonight. He really held Patrick Patterson, you know what I'm saying, to 15. Last time he had like 20-something. Chris went along with the game plan. He said, you know, he took it upon himself to be like okay, I'm going to play great defense today. That's what he went out and did. We thank him for that.

Q. After the Kentucky win at Rupp, okay, was there - take us through what went on with the team during the week that followed? You know, the Vanderbilt game, then the Auburn game. You guys are veteran players, especially the two of you on the far left, was there sort of an exhale after you had accomplished that win at Rupp?
What happened with the club during those two losses leading up to now to get fresh for this tournament.
TASMIN MITCHELL: Well, I'm going to be honest. You know, after we won the game at Rupp, we were kind of like okay, we clinched it. But you know, I don't think our approach to the last two games was like they were all year. I think we got a little lackadaisical a little bit.
You know, and that's our fault, you know. It just came out in two teams that we played and we lost to. They came out and did what they had to do.
But I don't think we approached the two games well, and we've got to get back to our old self.
GARRETT TEMPLE: Just like Tas said, we got a little complacent. Like you said, we might have exhaled a little bit. Clinched it at Rupp. That was a very emotional game. Might have drained us a little bit. We came back on Senior Night, had a lot of emotion on us.
I don't think we handled that the right way. Then went to Auburn, and they were a very hot team, and they came out ask just beat us, really.
So we knew coming into the tournament we were going to be the No. 1 seed and we had a little time to rest to get our mind right. We had very good practices the last week, and came out here and played like we knew we had to play with a Kentucky team on edge. You know, trying to make the tournament.
So we got a little complacent, but we lost two in a row. We might have needed that to get back to reality.
MARCUS THORNTON: Yeah, just like they said. I don't think we came out with the same intensity. You know we had when we went on that run, won 12 or 13 in a row.
Obviously, Senior Night was a big night for all the seniors. Just like Garret said, we didn't on do what we were supposed to. We went to Auburn and just got beat, simple as that.
You know, I looked at it from the positive aspects. I figured I ain't want to lose, but I figured we needed it to get back to where we was. To get back to playing LSU basketball like we've been doing all year.

Q. Would you talk about chasing Jodie around today? It's like you limited his shots? Did he get a little frustrated?
GARRETT TEMPLE: Somebody just asked me that. Jodie's not the type of guy that gets frustrated. I realize that he's a nice, easy going, calm guy. But he continues to work hard. Continues to sprint. He's in great shape.
You know, I just basically, what you said, I was just chasing him a lot to try to keep him off the three point line, and I was able to force him into the lane with my teammates did a great job helping get hands on balls and causing him to turn the ball over a lot. So I mean it was a little tiring to chase him around, but I knew I was going to have to do it so I put my track shoes on.

Q. Both you guys started the entire 2006 season on your magical run to the Final Four. Now you're in front of the bright lights again. You're going to be doing this for every tournament, NCAA. What is the difference in the feel from that year to this year on how the team is and how they're performing?
GARRETT TEMPLE: You're right, I looked up at the lights and I caught chills when I was walking down the hallway before the game. Me and Tas were like we're back. We're back where we want to be. You know, the difference is we have a little more.
We're the leaders of the team now. We can't relax as much. We have guys that look up to us like we looked up to Darrell Mitchell and Glen Davis and stuff like that. So we've been there before.
We had to act the way we know we need to act in front of these bright lights and stuff, and just go out there and play basketball. Don't let any of this hoopla keep us from playing LSU basketball. That's what we're going to try to do the rest of the time.
TASMIN MITCHELL: Just to piggy back on what Garret said. You know, I saw the lights it gave us chills. It was like okay, you know what I'm saying. Even though it's not the NCAA Tournament. It felt like it was the NCAA Tournament. So we're going to approach it like it's the NCAA Tournament. We're going down the stretch here.
But like I said, we look up and we've got different roles. Me and Garret are two leaders on the team. But, you know, last time we were in the bright lights we were playing roles. We just had the role to play. But now we're a part of the role.
It's just every opportunity we just going to take every opportunity like it's our last.

Q. When they presented you the trophy before the game, often times when teams get that, they soak it up, stand there, smile for a while. For you guys it seemed to be over in two or 3 seconds. Was that evidence to how focused you guys were to start a new season?
GARRETT TEMPLE: Yeah. We knew Coach was going to tell us to get off the floor. But it was good to get that trophy. But before they presented it to us, me and Marcus were talking about how that's not going to help us win this game right here or win the tournament. So we knew that was then, so this is now.

Q. With Jodie I know that different scorers have their own different characteristics and everything. What was the scouting plan on Jodie? What did you try to stop him from doing?
GARRETT TEMPLE: Stop him from getting easy shots, and stop him from getting open threes. So like they say, just chase him around. And my teammates are going to be there to help. So just chase him the whole time and trust my team. That's what I'm going to do.
CLAUDE FELTON: We'll excuse the student-athletes. Questions for coach Johnson.

Q. What did you think with Chris Johnson being 100% how much that affected this game?
COACH JOHNSON: I thought his influence on the game was huge. He's quick off his feet. I thought he had some timely rebounds. I thought he had some timely blocks for him to be on the floor as long as he was against a guy the caliber of player that Patterson was. I thought it was impressive. So we couldn't have gotten it done without Chris, no question.

Q. There was a stretch about mid-way through the second half where you hit three straight threes, and a couple off the scrambles. Can you talk about maybe what you were doing there that got those shots for you? Is or was it just a matter that the same shots were falling?
COACH JOHNSON: No, actually, we're not giving away our offensive sets. We ran a counter off of a play that we've been running for Marcus over and over and over again. He shot one deep to the baseline.
I thought Tas did an excellent job of setting screen. We knew they were going to double somewhere on the ball, and somewhere where we wanted to send a one or a two wherever the perimeter could pass it back to the weak seam and that seemed to work at that particular time.
I again, going into the game this time of the year, it's not rocket science. But you've got to try to put your best players in a situation where they have a chance to be successful.
So the big difference for us was opening up our stack lines and going back to our normal stuff. But we all had numerous counter that's we ran down the stretch when those three threes were being shot and made.
But it helps when you've got guys who can play and who will follow through with the scouting report. You know, that play looks like a million dollars with Marcus. And it's the same counter we were running when I was at Nevada and we were 90-20. So good players have a way of making it look easy.

Q. In either case, Coach, you're going to play a really good team. Whether it's South Carolina or Mississippi State. In each case, can you kind of break down your thought process as it relates to match-ups with regard to that magnificent back court of South Carolina's? And then also, if it happens to be Mississippi State, that incredible game that maybe lit the pilot light with your team and its confidence this season winning in Starkville?
COACH JOHNSON: As much as I'd like to try not to think about it, it's on my mind right now. The good thing is their guard play is exceptional. Both teams want to play fast. I don't think Archie gets enough credit on the impact he has on the game from South Carolina, much like Jarvis does.
So in terms of preparation, it's going to be one where we have to limit transition opportunities. We've got to go out and guard on the perimeter. Boast is not down Downey but he's not far behind.
So the key for us as they said is settling down, getting back, getting some rest, getting some fluids and then we'll have a video session here starting around 8:00 o'clock and cram on whoever we're going to play.
But it's been like this all year long. We run seven games in a row, I don't know, 7 or 6, and they were all down to the last possession or two. So I fully expect that to be the case from here on out.

Q. I've been asked to relay a message to you. Rudy Macklin called the station and wanted to thank you for taking care of those Wildcats this afternoon?
COACH JOHNSON: Yeah, Rudy Macklin, everybody knows who Rudy is. He only cares about one game and one game only. Beating Kentucky. So Rudy's happy. I wanted to say something about what Tim asked the guys here about them what happened after we clinched it in Lexington.
You know, it's so hard for these guys to play at that level. That's those guys being their own worst enemy. There was no let down. They weren't flat. They were pushed. Again, they were beaten by a team that was better that night, Vanderbilt. And they were beaten in Auburn by a team that was better. But they gave their all, we just were running off of fumes.
But for them to say they weren't committed and they didn't have their edge, and Marcus, he's going to hear about it, too. He says losing helps. Well, losing's going to help the Coach. I can tell you that.

Q. Did you feel like you guys were fresh?
COACH JOHNSON: No, we looked like we were running in mud. We were running in mud. No, we were fresh. We were fresh.

Q. Would you talk about the job Garret did? I know he got a lot of help from his teammates, but he did chase Jodie all day long?
COACH JOHNSON: Well, Jodie's special. He's a special kid. I thought Garret's length really, really caused problems at times. But also I thought our help from our postman, whether it was Chris or whether it was C. J. When they were running them off staggers. Those guys are supposed to show and give Garret a count or two to get back in front of them.
So, you know, let's not take anything away from Jodie Meeks. There were a couple of looks that, yeah, didn't go down for them. I just feel for that group. It's a good basketball team, and that's a hell of a coach they've got that's coaching them. You know. It's a special team, special players.

Q. I asked the players about this, I'll ask you now. Early in the game you guys turned them over and got outran, and Marcus got some lay-ups with the fast break and you were able to build a big lead early. Can you talk about that stretch? Did you throw something at him?
COACH JOHNSON: No, no, just our normal team defense. Going into the game they were throwing into the post and we were going to dig down and cover off everybody with the exception of Meeks. I thought Kentucky had a couple of ill-sized turnovers and Marcus was able to create some fast break opportunities, and I thought both in a couple situations he was able to make some decisions in transition.
This time of the year, good defense can generate easy baskets. We were able to do that. We were able to keep them off the glass. We've got a rebound differential for the half we were at plus. And we didn't throw it away. So I've never worried about offense with this group: We were going to take care of it when we had the opportunity.

Q. Can you talk about the pregame ceremony with the trophy and how the team was focused and ready to get in the locker room and put that behind them to start a in you season?
COACH JOHNSON: Doesn't really matter. That's all in the past. Just giving it. I wanted to give it to Eddie Nunez or Verge or somebody and go back to the locker room and ready to play.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 13, 2009

Trent Johnson

Tasmin Mitchell

Garett Temple

Marcus Thornton