Kansas vs. Kansas State Postgame Quotes

March 1, 2008

Recap | Box Score | Notes |

Kansas Head Coach Bill Self<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

On the game’s atmosphere:

“Everything was good today. <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Texas getting beat didn’t hurt our feelings much. Of course it tells us we need to be ready for Texas Tech on Monday. The crowd was great. That makes such a big difference. We don’t take our crowd for granted at all, but we don’t get this type of energy in this building but a couple times a year. Now was a great time to have it. I certainly hope and expect that Monday is as good as tonight for those five seniors in our last home game. We played well. We did a great job on the offensive glass. We didn’t guard (Michael) Beasley very well, but I don’t know how you guard him when he shoots free throws all the time. We played out of foul trouble. We did some bonehead things a few possessions. Most our turnovers were probably turnovers of us being aggressive, which was positive. I thought Russell (Robinson) had a great floor game. I thought Sherron (Collins) had the best game he’s played all year. Brandon (Rush) looked like a pro jumping up and shooting the ball tonight.”

On Kansas’ zone:

“They were bad. Our fans will look at them and say, `Look what happened when they played the zone! They scored!’ We’re a much better man team. You don’t get steals out of the zone. We had 15 steals tonight becuase we were very aggressive. We did well. Also, the zone played longer possessions which also allowed us to play through some foul issues in the second half.”

On Monday’s game against Texas Tech:

“Hopefully we can make it a one game season, or at least a one game conference season. In order to do that, obviously we have to beat Texas Tech on Monday night. Texas plays Nebraska and OklahomaState both at home, so percentage play, they’re probably going to win those games. We’re going to have to have a great week. We’ve got our energy, balance, and swagger back a little bit so hopefully we’ll play well on Monday. Our fans, players and coaches in Kansas basketball need to make sure that Rodrick (Stewart), Jeremy (Case), Russell (Robinson), Sasha (Kaun), and Darnell (Jackson) go out in style because that’s what Monday is all about.”

Kansas Senior Guard Russell Robinson

On the difference between this game and the first meeting:

“I think we came out with a lot of energy tonight. In the first five minutes of the game we were the aggressors. That was our gameplan. We came out and executed our offense and got the crowd behind us. This was the best the crowd has been, and the best that we have been. I really give it to the crowd, they were great and it really changed the game for us.”

On keeping the emotion going throughout the game:

“We went through a portion of the first half where we were getting good looks, but we just weren’t scoring the ball and it allowed them to get back into it. The crowed stayed behind us and that was the difference in the game.”

On comparing the crowds between Manhattan and tonight:

“The crowd in Manhattan was good, but our crowd was ten times better. It was so loud that I couldn’t even hear Coach Self. We had a lot of emotion with gameday being here and we just came out and played witha lot of energy. My ears were ringing. I love it. It kept us intense and it made up for a lot of our mistakes.”

Kansas Sophomore Guard Sherron Collins

On recovery process from injury:

“I think I felt a little a better. Since the Baylor game, that’s probably when I was feeling the most healthy all around. Still a little nicked up, but just now I’ve finally turned the corner and I’m able to do things that I have not been able to do.”

On energy of team:

“When a team has beaten you already and it ended our streak, which we didn’t really care about, we cared about winning, but there was a lot at stake for us to come back and show that we can beat Beasley and Bill Walker. That’s what all the talk was about. I think we did a good job of being aggressive and not backing down, just hitting them and going to get rebounds.”

On the game overall:

“We were out there talking and everybody had chatterboxes on. I think we helped each other at times. Sometimes we didn’t, but Beasley, you have to give it to him. He’s leading the country in scoring. It’s Michael Beasley, he’s good, you have to tip your hat to him. I think overall this is the best game our team played.”

Kansas Junior Forward Brandon Rush

On the idea that he can’t play two halves:

“I think I proved a point that I can play both halves.”

On Texas’ loss to Texas Tech:

“I watched that game in the locker room before our game. It felt good to know we’re tied. We’ve got two games left and we’re going to try to win it out.”

On talk between players during the game:

“They weren’t really trash talking at all. Everyone was friendly. All the talk in the media we didn’t want to hear that. Beasley is a pretty funny guy, he was over there goofing around. We were just talking.”

Kansas State Head Coach Frank Martin

On the early foul trouble:

“That had somewhat of an impact on our basketball team, but subs went in there and they competed. But we weren’t in foul trouble in the second half and for us to start the second half the way we did, is just a lack of effort and focus which is uncalled for.”

On Kansas’ quick starts to begin both halves:

“That is the difference (in the game). I knew that in the first four minutes of the game that they were going to come out and hit us hard. They are a championship-caliber basketball team. They’re protecting their home court from a team that beat them earlier in the year. They came out and played the way I expected them to. I was proud of our guys for staying the course, but then to start the second half the way we did is just not right.”

On the turnovers:

“That was just our guys not understanding the level of competitiveness that this game was going to played with. Two key stats when you play Kansas, especially in this building, is that you can’t turn the ball over because it allows them to get out and run. Number two, you have to rebound the ball on the defensive side. At halftime, we had 14 turnovers and I believe they had 15 offensive rebounds and I think that was the difference in the game.”

On tonight’s difference from the first game:

“They had us on our heels. When they came to our building, we had them on our heels. When you get a team on its heels, that team is always trying to recover rather than fight back and that’s the phase they had us in all night.”

Kansas State Freshman Michael Beasley

On the game:

“They (Kansas) came out and played with a purpose. They had more will than we had. We got out rebounded the whole game. We had no will to win. They were going for lay-ups and trying to get to the line.”

On Bill Walker:

“He sat most of the game. I think he still gave us productive minutes.”

On the atmosphere at Allen Fieldhouse:

“Their (Kansas) fans don’t like us. It was loud noise. I couldn’t hear myself think. It was pretty much what I expected.”

On the difference in Kansas:

“They played with a chip on their shoulder. We played like we had a dog on our back. They just came out and played.”

On KU’s offensive rebounds:

“They got them when they needed them and they wanted it.”

Kansas State Senior Clent Stewart

On KansasState’s early turnovers:

“That was a big part of the game. Our turnovers gave them easy points and got the crowd going. So that was a setback for us. They played with a lot of energy, especially at the beginning. They came out and jumped on us early and that was hard to overcome. It’s hard enough to win on the road as it is and anytime you get down and dig yourself a hole it going to be really hard.”

On Kansas’ three-point shooting:

“We gave them open looks. We didn’t come at them defensively like we would have liked to.”

On Michael Beasley:

“Mike is being consistent and we need to get some consistency out of the other guys like myself, Jake (Pullen and Bill (Walker). We have to help him. He is going out and doing what he has to do to win and we have to help him.”