Jan. 30, 2010
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Auburn Head Coach Jeff Lebo Quotes
Opening statement...
"I'm awfully proud of my team and how we defended so well in this game for 40 minutes. They didn't score very much against our half-court and we didn't have too many turnovers that resulted in points for them. We found a way to gut it out, get some stops and make some plays and win the game. We found ways to lose games in the last five or six minutes of the game, so it's nice for the kids to find a way to win a game."
On anticipating a low-scoring game...
"I did. They are hard to score on. You look at their numbers in league play and they don't give up many threes. They've got some athleticism and quickness in the backcourt. We didn't handle the pressure great, by any stretch of the imagination. (DeWayne) Reed struggled, especially in the first half. I thought Josh (Wallace) did a nice job for us in his time out there. Tay (Waller) was very good tonight against a faster defense which we hadn't seen in a while. He made some big plays and some big steals."
On whether or not this was the best Tay Waller has played all season...
"Probably. I think he played within himself and he took some good shots. Defensively, he was a factor for us. We were wearing down with how they were running their over-under stuff and that works your guards. Frankie (Sullivan), Tay (Waller) and (DeWayne) Reed had to work it from side-to-side for the whole game. They were worn out, but I thought that Tay did a nice job being mentally tough for the whole game."
On the importance of Tay Waller scoring...
"It's big. He's got to be able to find different ways to score and that's one thing that we've been harping with. He's still not taking the ball to the basket as much as we'd like. He's not real physical, but he got some on steals and fast breaks, and he took good shots."
On how JaMychal Green's foul trouble changing the game...
"Obviously, he's their best inside threat and he did hurt us a little bit when he would go inside against (Brendan) Knox. Both those guys kind of fouled each other out of the game. He's their best low-post presence and we did have to double him in there because one-on-one, he's tough to handle."
On DeWayne Reed's steal toward the end of the game...
"It's not protocol, but he made a great play on the ball by chasing it down and getting it to Lucas (Hargrove). Just to make it interesting, he made the layup for me and the foul shot. We can make it get like a dental chair over there for me. He was frustrated in the first half at how the turnovers hurt him and not finishing on the inside like we would like. He gets banged around in there and doesn't get a lot of calls, but he got one tonight. We shot poorly from the foul line and in a close game, we feel fortunate to win when you shoot the ball poorly from there."
On the importance of the win...
"I try to tell my kids that we've lost to good teams and played with top-20 teams for 35 minutes. We just have to be able to make some better decisions and better plays and be tougher both physically and mentally and they did that. It was huge. It's the Auburn-Alabama game and that brings a little bit extra to the table."
On what is different with this Alabama team...
"Defensively, they are utilizing their quickness very well. Some of the teams in the past have been bigger all over, but they are utilizing their personnel very well and they are doing a great job defending the perimeter. We hit three three-pointers tonight and I think that is just nine three-pointers in the past four games against them. That's unbelievable."
On Auburn's winning streak in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum...
"I don't know. We're happy to win this one."
Auburn Player Quotes
Frankie Sullivan, Guard
On DeWayne Reed's steal...
"We dug down deep and played aggressive. DeWayne Reed made a gutsy play by trying to steal the ball at half court. Any other time, Coach Lebo would have gone crazy, but he got the steal."
On Alabama's press defense...
"We just weren't coming back to the ball. We always depend upon DeWayne Reed to bring the ball up the court. However, tonight he wasn't feeling it. He was trying to get help from us and we were leaving him out to dry. That was partially our fault. Most of his turnovers were us not meeting the ball and being strong with it."
On the last play...
"We thought they were going to Mikhail Torrance for the shot. He had been killing us all game, but they went for the long ball. I took a gamble by trying to steal the ball without getting a foul. Usually, I do get the foul. So, I am glad they didn't call it this time."
On Auburn's big win...
"This is our second SEC win and hopefully we can get rolling like last year. We have been in so many games, but haven't been able to win. The seniors played great ball tonight."
Lucas Hargrove, Forward
On Reed's performance...
"I won't say my teammate had a bad game. He is a senior and it was the last Iron Bowl home game. He came up big and that is what we needed from him."
On his penetration late in the game...
"I wasn't paying attention to what the defense was doing. I just saw an open lane and you don't get too many of them these days. So, you have to take it strong when you can."
On free throws at the end...
"Tay told me to put it in the cup and I did the first one. On the second one, I think I stepped away from the line too early and it rattled out on me. All is well that ends well."
On winning a close game...
"It is really big. I think it is major for our younger players. Sometimes you play good and sometimes bad, but the result may be different. Today, we played hard. This was really big for the confidence of the younger players. "
On the difference in Alabama with Anthony Grant...
"It is a big difference. I think this is the best Alabama defense I have played against. Give them a lot of credit. They are a good ball club."
On last Iron Bowl in Beard-Eaves...
"I don't know what it means to everyone else. When I first came to college, I wasn't big into the Auburn- Alabama rivalry. As you live here, it grows on you a little bit. It is really special to win the last one at home."
Tay Waller, Guard
On his performance...
"This was one of my best overall games. Everyone was waiting for the offense and defense to come together and I think it did today."
On his success determining team success...
"I think everyone needed to step up their game a little. Everyone fell off in the second half last game. So, I felt like if I stepped it up defensively and got some easy buckets in transition, our offense would flow smoother."
Alabama Head Coach Anthony Grant
Opening statement...
"I give Auburn credit, they came out and played a great game. For us, too many turnovers too little defense. In the second half, we had opportunities and we did not take advantage of them. Obviously, Auburn deserves a lot of credit for having the resolve to pull the win out. "
On half court offensive struggles...
"We turned the ball over 19 times, 12 in the second half. No flow, no continuity, we can not do that especially on the road."
On JaMychal Green fouling out...
"We are a much better team when he is on the floor. Unfortunately for us, he was limited because of foul trouble."
On Tay Waller's play...
"He is a very good player. He is coming off a very good game. We knew that we had to do a great job on him. He made some plays and mad some threes."
On the final play...
"It really shouldn't have come down to that but we have to do a better job with the basketball. There were several plays down the stretch where we had opportunities, both offensively and defensively. We didn't do what we needed to do, but give Auburn credit. They went and took the game."
On first Iron Bowl of basketball...
"Tough loss."
Alabama Player Quotes
JaMychal Green, Forward
On his fifth foul...
"I reached in. It was a dumb foul."
