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AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 12, 2014Martino BrockStan HeathVictor Rudd, Jr.MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE Rutgers: 72 THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by USF, head coach, Stan Heath, and student athletes, Martino Brock and Victor Rudd. Coach? COACH HEATH: It was a tough loss. If you followed us, the game was almost a microcosm of similar games over the last, maybe eight games that we have played. We have been right there, one possession, one strong 3‑point shot, a rebound, just a crucial play. Seems like we have been coming up short when it comes to making some of those plays. We battled. I'm really proud of my guys and the fact that you lose games and you lose games that are right down to the wire and it would be easy to pack it in and give up, and we never did. We kept fighting, kept battling. We even got down in this game by 12, and I thought our guys turned it up another notch and had a chance to take the lead. I thought ‑‑ I think we had a 3‑point shot or a couple of free‑throws that would have taken the lead and didn't get those, but I'm proud of them. It was tough. These two guys right here give 100% and worked hard and tried to make plays for our basketball team. We played without one of our premiere players the whole season in Anthony Collins, and yet we had other guys who picked up the slack and didn't make excuses and just played and tried to give ourselves a chance to win. Q. Victor, the come back. What were the things that you were finally able to do after they pulled away on you? VICTOR RUDD: I think we forced them into a lot of turnovers. We got the ball and ran and got some easy layups. Q. How frustrating has it been these last eight or nine games, one big play away, it seems like? What has been the toughest part and is there a trend in that you just can't get over that hump? VICTOR RUDD: I think a lot has to do with Anthony not playing. When you have a point guard as good as him, he knows how to take over the game and control the game the last 5 minutes. Even though I thought Josh picked it up real good for us, but you miss a guy like A.C. and you can't replace a guy like that. Q. Stan, so much has been made about the change in athletic director and what may or may happen. What's you're mind going into the coming weeks? COACH HEATH: I'm just going to do my job. I'm going to obviously evaluate our program right now and see what we need to do to improve it. Three‑point shooting is a big area that we've got to improve. We have signed a really good player that can do that and we probably want to add a piece or two in that area. And the guys that we have, we have some good players, guys coming back, like Chris Perry and John Egbunu and for me it's about getting guys better, and my focus is on the basketball program and preparing for next season as best we can. Q. Martino, how was it to come to your hometown and have it go this way? MARTINO BROCK: Not very good. I wanted to come and deliver and play well and we didn't do that. It was tough. Q. Stan, with the five teams at the top, how do you see this unfolding? COACH HEATH: I don't think it's as big as people think, you know, toward the end of the year at the end of the year Houston pulled one off against Memphis. Rutgers went down to the wire with them, three or four‑point game, last game of the year. I don't think it's as wide of a gap as people think. It wouldn't shock me if something happened. Down the stretch if I had to hang my hat on it, I would say Louisville has the best opportunity, Rick has the best chance; they have been there and done that, and Mick has done a great job with his basketball team, and you obviously can't count out Larry Brown, either. THE MODERATOR: Thanks, gentlemen. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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