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ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 9, 2012Tu HollowayMark LyonsChris MackATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY Xavier – 70 THE MODERATOR: Statement from Coach Mack, first. COACH MACK: First of all, just a whale of a game and I thought both teams played extremely hard. For us to go in the locker room down 10 I told our kids I thought it was a function of couldn't make a free‑throw. We go 6 for 16 in the first half shooting free‑throws and you're not going to be in many games if you can't make 'em. We like to get the guys in the lane and put pressure on Dayton and we tried to do that more in the second half. Either team could have won ask both teams are hard playing and I thought it came down to us being able to get a few stops in the last four minutes of the game. Down 5, didn't look good and we said in the final TV timeout huddle, this is it. This is what we worked for all year and we were able to go out on the defensive end and get stops and these guys made huge plays, Mark making the ball to the basket and blocking the final shot to win the game. THE MODERATOR: Questions? Q. In the last couple of minutes did you realize how much this game meant, did you realize the season could be over if you lost this game? TU HOLLOWAY: It's hard when you're at home and you're watching that happen and I'm a senior and we needed to go out and get this one and set ourselves up for the NCAA. So I want to go out and win every game. MARK LYONS: Like he said, seeing your team on the bubble and stuff like that is tough so you want to play every game like it's your last. Q. Mark, will you describe the elation out there, making the big plays out there? MARK LYONS: My teammates put me in a great position to score, and I felt like I was letting them down the first half, foul trouble, taking bad shots. I was just trying to get myself in the lane and make myself better. Q. Could you guys address playing St. Louis for a third time this year? It's been two emotional games so far. COACH MACK: Well, obviously in the conference tournament there is quick turn around but we know those guys, they know us, two very hotly contested games and, you know, we felt like we did a good job against them in one half, in both instances, in both games. They have had a great year and we'll be ready to play. It's that time of year. Our team is used to playing in big games and tomorrow is going to be no different, it's going to be a big game. When you get this far and start playing teams for a third time there is so much familiarity, the scouting report is going to be brief for these guys, especially with a quick turn around mid‑afternoon game but we'll be ready and St. Louis I'm sure will be ready. TU HOLLOWAY: St. Louis is a really good team, they're going to go out and play defence and compete, and it will be tough for us, but we have to go out and play as hard as we can. MARK LYONS: Same thing, you know, they're a tough team, they're mentally tough on defense and offense, got a bunch of great shooters and you've got to be ready defensively and be ready to play. Q. Tu, you came out in the second half and seemed to have a different attitude and swagger about your game energywise. Was there anything in the locker room that was said that got you fired up and goin'? TU HOLLOWAY: Sometimes the difference is when you ‑‑ (Away from mic.) I tried to be aggressive from the first play of the game. Once again, I'm a senior and this is my last crack at it and I wanted to be able to get into the NCAA Tournament, so you've got to have intensity in your game. Q. Can you talk about the last time‑out and the inbounds play, and talk through what happened in that last possession. TU HOLLOWAY: First we got out there and wanted to see their alignment so then called a time‑out and coach said don't foul, communicate on defense, so we don't have any guy open in the back or anything like that. My knees were shaking over there I was hoping we were going to get a stop and Mark contested great on Johnson and forced them to miss the shot. Q. Can you speak a little bit about the effort that you got from Kenny Frease tonight? He seemed to give you life tonight. COACH MACK: 9 for 14 after what he shot in the first half, he's played well the last three or four weeks, he really has. When you look at his statistics over the last few games, he is right at a double‑double. These guys are getting confidence in 'em and we're putting them in better positions around the basket and I think he is manning the ball. Tonight was huge because he didn't get in foul trouble and we stressed that to a couple of guys not get in foul trouble. One of 'em listened, one of 'em didn't. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, gentlemen. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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