Memphis vs. UCF Quotes
Feb 09, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 9, 2008
February 9, 2008
Game 23
UCF 64
(1/1) Memphis 85
Memphis Head Coach John Calipari
At times you know we really swarmed defensively, did some good things. You notice what they did. They just said we're not going to play them; they're going to have to beat us shooting jumpers. In the first half we were a little tentative, guys didn't want to shoot shots and when we made them we went up 7-8-9-10-11.
In the second half we just decided here's how we're playing it. These are the shots that are there. If you don't want to shoot a three, shoot a two, but you're going to have to shoot it because they got four guys in the middle of the lane, and it's another way of playing us. I liked what I saw. We improved from the free throw line. We had some performances that were really good.
In the last eight minutes I just told my guys to run, just out run them. One of the things I said is that we started the season over and I talk all the time about we're a family and the people that know how we run this thing think we are a family. We're not throwing kids under the bus. We are doing what we can to help them change. We are loving them like we're a family. They love each other like a family, but I just said this one, `we're a performance family'. We must perform. If you go in and you don't perform, we're going to play someone else, but we still love you. I still want you at my house having dinner, but you got to perform. You can't come in going turnover, turnover, missed shot, missed shot. You didn't perform come here give me a kiss, I love you, but you're just not performing.
UCF Head Coach Kirk Speraw
On Memphis' play against UCF They're (obviously) a very good team, but what they don't get credit for is that they are so good defensively; it makes it very hard for you to get good looks (on offense). It's hard for us to get good looks, especially when you shoot 29 percent in the second half and things are hard to come by. The other part about playing Memphis, is that if they're going to shoot 77 percent from the three-point line and make eleven three's, they'll beat everybody in the country. They shot very consistently from the perimeter. We obviously took a chance and got beat from the perimeter. They knocked them down tonight and did it with consistency and you have to give them credit for that.
On Memphis' lead change off of their fast break points.
That's what they do. They have those spurts. You have to avoid them and the biggest part of that is to not turn (the ball) over. They're the best in the country at doing that. I was proud of the way our guys played.
