Kansas Postgame Quotes

Jan. 15, 2007

Recap | Final Stats | Notes |

Kansas Postgame Quotes
Kansas 80, Missouri 77
January 15, 2007

Kansas Head Coach Bill Self:
On the outcome of the game:
“We were not our best tonight, but that was in large part due to Missouri playing great. We told our guys, `They’re 0-3, but they’re better than that.’ They’re going to be focused, like we were last year after losing to Kansas State. We then went to Missouri and played well and controlled the game.

I am proud of our guys. The last two games we’ve had guys step up and make plays in the biggest part of the game. And, of course, everyone knows who that was tonight.”

On the play of Kansas’ Freshmen:
“That’s the Sherron [Collins] we recruited. It takes time for guys to get comfortable, and this was a big game for him going up against [Stefhon] Hannah. As good as Hannah was, as good as Lawrence was, and as good as Brown was, Sherron was the man tonight. He’s had a great attitude.”

On players making big plays:
“I get on Julian [Wright] for not being strong on the ball, but still he goes and gets 10 rebounds and five assists. He was very effective against the zone. Sasha was hard to play when they went small, but he gave us 25 good minutes. Russell, who’s been in a bit of a slump, played well.

Guys were just playing so hard. I was really pleased. [Matt] Lawrence gave their team a lot of confidence with those nine early points. It was a great win, and great atmosphere; our crowd was fantastic. I know that our fans have a dislike for Missouri, and vice versa, but this rivarly is about to take off. Mike Anderson and his staff are great and their kids played very hard.”

Sophomore Forward Brandon Rush
On Missouri’s last shot:
“We knew they were going to get the ball to Matt Lawrence and he had lit me up all night. I guess they were trying to pick on me again with the last shot. They were setting a lot of screens for him and it was hard for me to get around and he kept casting up threes. Coach told us in the timeout to just wall up and not foul. I didn’t foul him. I just tried to make it hard for him to get a shot off. He had a quick release and he was making me look bad.”

On being down five in the second half:
“We were thinking that we just needed to get a few stops. Sherron pulled through with some big time baskets. I was not surprised that he played well tonight because it was his night and he was going against his buddy Stefhon Hannah. We knew they were going to come out hungry since it was a rivalry and they started Big 12 play, 0-3.”

Freshman Guard Sherron Collins
On the game:
“We didn’t do all the things we needed to do in the first half and Coach got on us at the half. I still feel like a freshman. I don’t think I am going to stop feeling like a freshman, even though I wish I wasn’t still a freshman. I thought I had a good game. My teammates and I are feeling good right now.”

On his relationship with Missouri Guard Stefhon Hannah:
“We played against each other in high school for three years and we were from the same area. He is a great player and he is great at penetrating off the dribble. He has a lot of moves off the dribble and you just have to try and contain him. I thought we did a good job against him and we got him into foul trouble. I was pumped for the game and to play him as well.”

Freshman Forward Darrell Arthur
On the Missouri zone defense:
“I thought Sherron did a good job finding the gaps in the zone and penetrating. Russell did an excellent job of getting into the lane and kicking the ball out to Sherron. We did a lot of passing in the second half and I thought it wore them down.”

On the pace of the game:
“They did a lot of running in the first half and they beat us in transition baskets. In the second half, they started to slow the game down and went into a zone. In the first half, they were doing a lot of running and using a lot of screens. They were a good team and they came at us strong.”

Missouri Quotes
Head Coach Mike Anderson
On the game:
“It was a gutty performance. I thought both teams fought their hearts out. We just came up a little short. We had oppurtunities to take advantadge of the game but we came up with some empty possesions. You saw us [leave] it out on the floor, and we came up a possesion short.”

On a moral victory:
“There is no moral victory. I thought we played a little bit better than we have been playing. I hope our players understand the urgency in conference play. You can say we’ve been out-rebounded, we’re minus 15 against the three teams we’ve played. And then you play against the No. 5 team in the country and you beat them [in rebounding] on their court. That just shows you the mindset and hopefully we’re going in the right direction. We’ll build off this and our guys know they can play with any team in the country any given night.”

On coaching at Allen Fieldhouse:
“I thought [the rivalry] was great. I’ve seen this type of atmosphere before. Of course, not being at Missouri and at this arena. You’ve got to enjoy it. Whether you’re the home team or the visiting team. And hopefully we can pay tribute to KU when they come to Mizzou Arena

Missouri Player Quotes:
Junior Forward Marshall Brown
On the game:
“I felt like we played hard, but there are no moral victories in a loss. You win or you lose. We played hard, but we didn’t play smart. Down the stretch, we made some critical mistakes that cost us the game.”

On Missouri’s performance:
“It showed the potential that we have. We outrebounded (Kansas) tonight, and that is what we have to do night-in and night-out. It is something to build on, and something to learn off of. We will look at film and look at our mistakes.”

“We just moved the ball. Earlier in the year, we were taking quick shots. Today, we really moved the ball and got the shots that we really wanted.”

On rebounding from the loss:
“We have to just keep playing hard and keep playing our brand of basketball. I think we will get off this losing streak.”

“We are past the young team stage. Right now, we are a team, and we need to learn how to win these close games.”

Sophomore Guard Matt Lawrence
On the game:
“I know we went in huge underdogs, and to come in to Allen Fieldhouse and play the kind of basketball that we haven’t played the last few games is encouraging. We still lost, so we can’t look at this as a moral victory. We are tired of taking moral victories. We need to start winning these games.”

“We moved the ball on offense, and we didn’t try to do it ourselves. The last couple of games, people have been trying to do things on their own, but tonight we moved the ball, we reversed it, and we got screens. I think we got what we wanted on offense. When we needed a shot, we got a shot. If we continue to play this way, we will be good in the Big 12.”

On outrebounding KU:
“I put that on our heart. Coach (Anderson) challenged our big men, and they went out and got rebounds for us. They were all out there getting rebounds, and that is what we haven’t had the last couple of games. It is good to see, and that is encouraging.”

On Missouri’s intensity:
“KU is such a big rival, so that had something to do with it, but we shouldn’t have to play this type of game to bring out our style of basketball. It doesn’t matter who we play in the Big 12, every single game is important from now on.”