University of Memphis Athletics
Memphis-Christian Brothers Postgame Quotes
Nov 06, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 6, 2004
Memphis Head Coach John Calipari
"We play these kind of exhibition games because it's exactly what we needed. It was a great teaching tool. In the second half we played, we talked, we switched screens, we helped each other and we just made it harder for them. The first half it was like open three after open three. It was a great game for them. They ran the Princeton stuff, and every team that runs that gives us a problem. This is why I want to play these type of games. We want to play a game that they can do something where we can see where we are. We're exactly where I thought we were. If that's (Memphis) a top-20 team, I haven't seen them yet. We're not there yet. It's a great lesson."
"(CBU) played great. They executed. We didn't communicate to help each other. Sean Banks didn't have a rebound in the first half, so we talked about it and he came out and got four in the second half. Rodney Carney didn't have a rebound at halftime. He came back out and got four in the second half. Our big people didn't rebound. Part of it is (CBU) took so many shots in the first half, and they didn't miss. We probably got every rebound that they missed, but they didn't miss many. We had one offensive rebound at halftime, and we're the best offensive rebounding team the past four years in our league. The second half we went out and got five, but then again we probably made every shot we took."
CBU Head Coach Mike Nienaber
"We played a spirited game tonight. Maybe we should have gone home at halftime. We are disappointed with the way we played in a five-to-six minute span in the second half. We were dropping passes that were hitting us in the hands. Memphis was pressuring us good in the second half, and we got tired handling the pressure. We were sloppy and it cost us and Memphis made us pay."
"Our guys believed they could do what they did tonight. My instincts tell me Memphis is better than they were when we played them in 2001-02."
"We have a lot of seniors on our team and they are good leaders. They have been playing together for four years."
"Clint Dowdle has been a great leader for us and stepped up big tonight. I have been thinking about retiring, and I just may go out with him after this year. I am going to enjoy every game he has left to play. He gives us so much floor leadership and is a joy to be around."
