Postgame Quotes vs. Missouri

OLE MISS HEAD COACH KERMIT DAVIS

Opening statement…
"We got exactly what we thought we would get. I've coached against Cuonzo's team at Missouri State, at Middle Tennessee. His teams never change, they have a physicality to them. He coaches them aggressively, and those guys stayed with him. When we got up 19, we kind of let our guard down, they never stopped. I watched them play at Tennessee. It was kind of a similar game, up eight or ten with six or seven minutes to go. When you look at the stat lines, I thought first shot defense was tremendous. We couldn't keep them off the boards, especially in the first half. We got pounded 37-21. A big stat for our team is points off turnovers. Today we got 32 of those today, 13 steals and Adam (Kuffner, associate director of communications) just told me during our winning streak we're averaging more than 20 points off turnovers and 10 steals. With our 1-3-1 and our different defenses, it converts to offense, and that's really where we won today."

On Bruce Stevens' play…
"It makes us more of a worthy SEC team, and a team that can help play better in March because of that. He's got a physical presence, and he can stretch it and go out and make a three. He was 3 of 7 from three today. I thought every one of his shots, maybe only one was not a good shot, but he gave us a good presence. There are a lot of conventional fives out there, centers, and he's a hard matchup if he goes 35 to 39 percent from three."

On KJ Buffen's play…
"He naturally tried to rebound today. Even when he didn't get it, he was the one guy who was going. I thought KJ's activity level, he guarded better and tried to shoot it better more comfortably, that will come along as his career moves on here. Only thing we have to get him to stop doing is turning it over. He had live ball turnovers that were converted, but there is progress."

On sequence of play under four minutes…
"We came out of two timeouts, the one where Breeiin (Tyree) hit the three, I think the game was nine. Then we had a set play for Breein, made a hard cut and hit the pull up which is his game. Just credit those players, coming out of timeouts and executing. We went to our 1-3-1 late just to get time off the clock."

On charges drawn…
"During our losing streak, we weren't doing that. In our winning streak, we've been doing much better. It's amazing what correlates to winning. We don't really have rim protectors, but that's kind of our rim protectors is getting our heels out and drawing those fouls."

On spiraling…
"When I answered it that day (vs. Mississippi State), I said 'if you ask me this and our team won't practice and respond to me, and be receptive coaching with no physicality,' then I will tell you that our team is spiraling. But our team played, they were practicing and paying attention to detail. It is just the life in the SEC. I didn't foresee a four-game winning streak, but I knew our team was going to bounce back and play better."

On the confidence…
"Confidence comes from doing hard things over, over, and over again. I think you get that when you go to practice, and being able to do hard things over and over in practice. It lends you to the tough situations when you can play. I just think that is what happened. When you win on the road, it breeds unbelievable confidence. We are 4-2 on the road in the SEC. When TD (Terence Davis) starts taking the team, then they just know we can go to any environment and play, and that is a good thing. We are not there yet, but you are exactly right, our team is playing and thinking that we are going to win the game late."

On the upcoming game against South Carolina…
"It is a big game. It really is. I have so much respect for Frank (Martin). I think we both know we aren't going to win the SEC regular season championship, but there is so much to play for. But let me tell you, these double-byes, playing in the quarterfinals, it is a big game no doubt. Whoever wins that game will be one game up and have the tiebreaker. There will still be a lot of basketball left, and we have some tough games to go, but I think Frank would tell you the same thing. It will be a big game between two teams that are playing really well right now."

On Zach Naylor and Luis Rodriguez…
"I should have played Luis more tonight, that was my fault. He is probably our most natural rebounder. I should have done that, and that was my fault. Zach came in and kind of gave up an offensive rebound, but he played so well the other night. I have more trust in them, but I should have played Luis more tonight."

On Jordan Geist…
"That is my first time having to play against him. He is a good player. He has such great footwork. We don't have rim protectors at the rim, as you see, but we block a shot every now and then. So, he could get inside our defense. We couldn't really go and block his shot. I am so impressed with his toughness. He cuts hard, he plays hard, he is a really good player in our league. He has been doing this stuff for the last month."

MISSOURI HEAD COACH CUONZO MARTIN

Opening Statement…
"Both teams played hard. I think it just came down to 25 turnovers. I thought we did some good stuff, some really good stuff in the second half on both sides of the ball. But with 25 turnovers, it is hard to win ball games. We did a great job of rebounding the ball. I thought Reed (Nikko) did a great job with Jeremiah (Tilmon) being out. K.J. (Santos) didn't score the ball as well but I thought he did some things defensively, being where he was supposed to be. But again, it is hard to overcome those 25 turnovers."

On the turnovers…
"I think we have to give them credit. Travels here, offensive fouls there. That kind of stuff against a good team on the road with aggressive guards, I thought their guys did a really good job pressuring on the perimeter, making us do the next thing and making us uncomfortable. I thought we did a better job in the second half. Give them credit. You don't get 25 turnovers playing against yourselves."

On what happened after cutting the lead to seven at the final media timeout…
"(Breein) Tyree came out and the play they ran, defensively, we were where we were supposed to be, but our big guy was too low to challenge the shot. He made the shot with guys on him. After that, I can't remember off the top of my head, but that was one of them. That was the shot that put them up nine."

On foul issues for Jeremiah (Tilmon)…
"I think it is just part of the game. I need to look closer when I watch film just to evaluate exactly what took place. I thought his offensive foul, we worked hard to stay away from that but again, probably the emotions of the game. He hadn't done that in a while. I don't like to see those kinds of fouls."

On Breein Tyree…
"First team all-league. As good as any guard in the league. I don't want to give you my scouting report because we play them again, but as good as any guard in the league."

On Mark (Smith) returning…
"What I expected. He hasn't had a lot of practice. Really, the day before he was practicing a little bit, was his first contact. We don't do a lot of contact at this time anyways. When he asked to come out, I'm not sure if it was fatigue or his foot, so I just felt we had better flow when he was out. For me it was more about him being healthy, but I thought he looked okay."

On Bruce Stevens…
"When you have a big guy that can make shots around the perimeter, it stretches and opens everything up. It is harder to defend especially when he is making shots, and he did tonight. That is the difference in their team."

On holding Terence Davis and Breein Tyree to 23 points…
"One thing I will say, especially to our young guys, is learn lessons. Some of those lessons may be painful, but you have to learn from them. I thought Javon (Pickett) did a tremendous job and when Ronnie (Suggs) came in, I thought they did an exceptional job embracing the challenge. Terence (Davis) is as tough as any guard or wing slashing guy in the league. Physical and strong, he is very aggressive. He brings the game to you, and I thought they embraced the challenge very well. I mean, (Breein) Tyree is as good as any scorer in the league. I don't think our young guys back down from any challenge. They may take some losses coming through guys that are experienced and talented, but they are not going to back down from the challenge. One thing they will do is learn from the lesson."

On the travel issues…
"They won the game. And I said it before, they won the game because they were the better team. Our guys didn't complain about it. We didn't talk about it as a staff. It is what it is. It is just nature, and you have to deal with it. We will get our share on the good side one day."

On the rebounding…
"I think we made some progress as a team. Often times, you don't see it in the losses because of the pain of losing games, but we are certainly making progress. We spend time rebounding the ball. K.J. (Santos) is a guy that can rebound the ball. Jeremiah (Tilmon) is a guy that can rebound the ball. It is about taking pride in rebounding the ball. I thought we did. That is what it is. We are never backing down from any challenges. That is never the issue. Taking care of the basketball, experience situations, having guys that make plays, those are the things that we can continue working towards. We look forward to embracing the challenges."

On having guards lead the team in rebounds…
"I think the game is changing. When you look at teams now-a-days, just because of where a lot of shots come from, most teams probably have a wing leading them in rebounding. Unless you just have an exceptional big guy just because of how the game is played now."

RebelsCalendar

Players Mentioned

KJ Buffen

Terence Davis

Zach Naylor

Luis Rodriguez

Bruce Stevens

Breein Tyree

The University of Mississippi Athletics