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BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 10, 2011Sean EvansDwight HardySteve LavinNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK Syracuse: 79 COACH LAVIN: It was clearly a high-level, you know, Big East conference tournament game between two teams who demonstrated a fierce competitive spirit. You know, hats off to Syracuse down the stretch they were able to get some interior looks, some high-percentage shots at the rim, and got enough stops defensively to be able to get the victory. Really proud of our players, not only for the entire season but this game in particular losing D.J. Kennedy to an injury and having to step up and find a way to counter punch without one of our key contributors, speaks volumes about our players. About their character and resiliency and their will to win, and that will serve us well next week in the NCAA Tournament. Q. Sean, can you describe some of the frustration you feel going against a frontline that's that big and that physical? It looked like there was tons of contact in there but you guys did a good job of scoring in the paint. SEAN EVANS: They got a big, long zone. They're one of the best in the country, it's always going to be tough going against a zone like that, we didn't come out with the a win but we're back to the drawing board, move on from there. Q. They were right in the middle of that early run when they took the lead when D.J. got hurt and that's what you guys counter punched. What was your response internally, you've seen you're teammate carried off, what was the thought process that point? SEAN EVANS: We had to take up -- have someone step up and D.J. brings a lot to the game, offensively, defensively, scoring, rebounding, so somebody has to step up, we had to do more work than we usually do but I think we did a pretty good job but didn't pull it out at the end. DWIGHT HARDY: I was shocked. We lose one of our best players for the moment. This team, somebody is going to have to fill his shoes and I think Malik did a good job sparking for us and that's the thing about this team we're so deep that any given moment anybody can step up but to lose a player like him is crucial, and we're going to have to find a way to excel, that's it. Q. Coach, after a game like yesterday, Rutgers and the fiasco how big was it for you guys to come out and step up today after what happened yesterday? COACH LAVIN: I think our team has a maturity about them that has allowed us all year to persevere through tough stretches and to handle, you know, a big win or a tough loss with the same approach, just to come back and continue to work and try and elevate our level of play so we could reach our goals and operations, which was to play in the NCAA, which is what I focused on in the postgame talk, proud of the way they were able to overcome adverse it with the loss of D.J. and they responded with a great effort but Syracuse got enough stops and made enough buckets down the stretch to pull away but their approach and attitude is what we're going to need moving forward if we're going to have success in the NCAA Tournament. Q. Steve, can you give us an update on D.J. and what you know now? COACH LAVIN: I don't know -- I haven't spoken to our team doctors to have any definitive information on D.J. but I know it's a serious knee injury. Q. How does it feel now that the coach has changed and how does it feel to be on the verge of playing in your first NCAA Tournament for the first time in many years? DWIGHT HARDY: It feels good. Shows that the progress we made we're becoming a very good team this year and now we have a chance to make a magical run in this thing and we're all proud of each other and we want to finish the year strong. SEAN EVANS: It's like Dwight said it going to be big for us, shows the hard work we put in but I don't think it's going to feel the same because we lost one of our brothers if he doesn't get to play. D.J. is a big part of this team, this hurts me because we're close on and off the court, it's not many times you see D.J. you don't see me, you see me and don't see D.J., so it's going to be hurtful but I think it's going to be fuel to the fire and we're going to have to step up and I got my -- I'm worried, I'm going to play as hard for D.J. and for all my teammates. Q. You guys have been seniors together and now one might be gone, Dwight, how do you think it will affect the team without D.J.? DWIGHT HARDY: It's going to affect us a little bit because he's versatile, but now we have to pick up the slack, somebody else going to have to rebound a little more, somebody is going to have to score a little bit more, everybody on this team is going to have to add more value than what they've been adding and I think we have the potential to do that, we are a very skilled team and if he doesn't get to play with us, it's going to be devastating but we've got to play a basketball game at the end of the day and we're going to play as hard as we can for him. Q. Coach Lavin, how gratifying is it for you to turn this program around so quickly and be able to have this match-up against Syracuse in Madison Square Garden be the March key match-up of the tournament? COACH LAVIN: Right now it's difficult to put in perspective because it's -- after a tough loss, you know, but what I tried to focus on in the locker room with the kids was our objective and goals that we put on the board in our very first meeting in Taffner Field House we've reached and now we're not satisfied and we want to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament but I think when you get some distance down the line I would be able to put it in better perspective what type of year this has been. I've enjoyed ever step of the way with this remarkable group of young men and they inspire our staff because of their fight and resiliency and their close-NIT dimension of this team. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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