The University of Mississippi Athletics
Andy Kennedy Postgame Quotes
11/17/2009 | Men's Basketball
On Alabama State
"They're a tough team. They're back-to-back SWAC Champs. They played in the NCAA Tournament last year, which is obviously something we're trying to get to. We schedule them because I knew they were going to be very tough and not give you anything. As a result, I thought we were a little lethargic early in the game. We turned the ball over, I believe, nine times in the first half. We got better some in the second half. We're still not valuing the ball to the level I think we need to."
On the defense
"One thing this team has that we haven't had since I've been here is a team that can really pressure the basketball. We've got good length, athleticism and depth. So we can really pressure people into not allowing the ball to turn easily. And when that happens you revert to driving the ball. We finally have some guys that can block shots. You have Reginald Buckner who's blocked nine shots in limited action in two games. That's his gift. He can really block shots. He has to get in better shape so he's not fouling as much and a lot of that is just getting acclimated to the pace of the game. I've been really pleased with our defense's effort in both games except for some defensive breakdowns that happen at the end of the game."
On Polynice's play
"This is the kind of night that Eniel Polynice needs to strive for. He needs to be a guy that can contribute in a number of ways. He's a very good on-ball defender. He's shooting the ball much more effectively. I was pleased to see him go to the free throw line and knock some down with confidence. We challenged him after the last game. Our wings didn't rebound very much. I was glad to see the way we responded. He's a kid we sorely missed last year, based on his ability to facilitate. He's the best we have at that and tonight it showed."
