The University of Mississippi Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Arkansas
2/13/2018 | Men's Basketball
Head Coach Andy Kennedy
Opening statement…
"We weren't very good all night. I think we started the game going 3 for 4 and then we went 1 for our next 15. If you were to script it as an opposing coach you would say let's get Barford out of the game early in foul trouble, stay attached to their two all-league players and make other people beat us. They got great contributions from some of their role guys and typically that doesn't happen so much on the road, but really Arkansas is right in the thick of it. I know they needed a break though on the road, this is their second road win, they are sitting in a great position to get in the tournament and all credit to them; I like Mike Anderson, he has done a good job at Arkansas. I respect Arkansas' program. Tonight was about Ole Miss. Yesterday I tried to take about as big of ownership as I can take. After our performance on Saturday, I thought man this is about as bad as I have seen it until tonight. I apologize. I certainly did not want it to go out like this."
On ending strong…
"At the beginning of the season we pull out a jersey and talk about the significance of wearing a jersey; what that represents. On the front of those jerseys it obviously says Ole Miss and in order for our team to be successful, everyone, starting with me, has to surrender to that team. Everyone has to sacrifice for that team. Everyone has to put that team before their own personal motivations. On the back, it is their name. It is not Andy or John or whoever. It is their last name. It is their family name. If you have given up on the coach, every coach selfishly wants their guys to play for him, I have not been able to get that out of this group, but I am okay with that. This is about something bigger than that. If you say the coach is gone and the season has been a disappointment and I don't even want to represent Ole Miss anymore, maybe you say that, but you can't play with pride for your name, your family's name? You can't play for that? I am at a little bit of a loss. I have never been more disappointed in this profession. Never. In myself. I told Ross (Bjork), if we feel like the product at Ole Miss would get better, I would walk away right now and never to be heard from again on this campus if that is what this team needs. This is beneath the standard that is Ole Miss. This is beneath the program. This is unacceptable on every level. Maybe everything that has transpired in the last 24 hours, it has them where they can't function. I don't know. I was not anticipating that. We have games to play and I want them to compete in those games. If not for me, if not for Ole Miss, for themselves and who they represent."
On the upcoming game at Mississippi State…
"I know that Mississippi State is playing well. It is never easy for Ole Miss in Humphrey Coliseum. I don't anticipate anything but a battle on Saturday night."
On if he was worried about the team being motivated coming into tonight…
"I was just trying to be honest. I thought it would take some pressure off of them, so the narrative wasn't about what is happening with the coach and the future of the program, but that it would just be about basketball and having fun. Let's go play and compete. You only have so many games in your life. We have four seniors who now have six left. I have tried to encourage them to play with life. Play the game that you love and has enabled you to be on an SEC team. I have not done a good enough job of either getting that point across or conveying the importance of regret. Tonight literally, I have never seen anything like it."
Head Coach Mike Anderson
Opening statement…
"To Andy Kennedy, a good friend, it kind of hurts my heart to see him step away. I want to pay my respects to him. He is a great coach and more than that, he is a great person. To him, his wife and his family, I want them to know we are good friends and anything I can do, let me know. A lot of stuff going on in this game, a lot of emotions as you can imagine with what took place yesterday, I was glad our guys came in focused. Defensively I thought we did a good job of really holding the shooters down. We made a point to make sure (Terence) Davis had to work for everything. For the whole game, I think we built an 11-point lead and we needed every bit of it because Ole Miss is a second half team. Before you know it, they cut the lead to one point, and I thought our defense mixed it up and changed the game and went to the big fella. He did a good job. We thought we had inside advantage and took advantage of it. Then he got to the free throw line tonight and shot 17 percent. He has really worked at it, and I am really proud of him. People may say it was a negative game, but when we win on the road, we will take it. I thought our bench played well. We have a lot of young energy. Whomever I brought in, they lifted us up."
On getting a win on the road…
"I think any win you can get this time of the year is big. A lot of teams have played a lot of games with guys who have played a lot of minutes. This is the time in the year when you want to start picking up momentum. I think it is key for us because we have had some guys who have played an extensive amount of minutes. It is refreshing that those guys who don't start for us, score for us. Now you have new energy and new life. This time of the year, it seems like it is all coming together. Hopefully those guys understand their roles, that that is what they were brought here to do. We are getting more guys who will help our offensively, but even more, defensively."
