Postgame Quotes vs. Tennessee

OLE MISS HEAD COACH KERMIT DAVIS

Opening statement…
"What a great setting and a great atmosphere for college basketball. I thought it was two NCAA Tournament teams, and sure acted and played like it. We got off to a little slow start and ended the half very well. We've had some trouble starting the second haf, and it happened again tonight. Our team stayed together, had so much toughness, ran a great offense. Tennessee is very good. They're just so efficient offensively. They made a tough shot at the end to go up one, and it was one of those games. Hats off, great college environment. Thanks to our Ole Miss spirit in that arena. We've all said it, that's as good an atmosphere to play in anywhere in college basketball. All I can say is, thank you. Everyone's heartbroken in our locker room but we'll come back tomorrow, put it away and get ready for Arkansas on Saturday."

On what he said to Breein Tyree after the game…
"He's heartbroken. We have some great free throw shooters, and he's one of the top in the SEC. We ran a set play to get him the ball to get fouled, and he got open. We were going to call timeout if he hit both, which we all anticipated, to get us up three. We did some switching, even the last play I thought we guarded well. (Grant) Williams kind of stumbled but he made an unbelievable play. He took an off-balance shot and give him credit. He (Breein) is distraught but you all know that Breein has made some big time free throws for us."

On halfcourt defense…
"I thought we did well, I thought they made some tough shots. We were up three and that was a tough shot on TD (Terence Davis). He guarded as good as you can guard somebody. They just made two unbelievable shots to win. They're just efficient. They're going to score some points. They're big and run a great offense, so I was proud of the way we guarded."

On protests the past weekend…
"I always support our players. I know what happened Saturday, it wasn't about the anthem, it was about what was going on around our campus. We talked to some parents previously, and like I said, when our guys knelt we supported our players. We knew it had nothing to do with anything but the hate groups that were on campus. They had been talking about it for a couple weeks, trying to bring racism and bigotry on our campus, and we're just going to support our players."

"I just think that it was about a confederate statue. And that's what happens in a lot of different places, it was a protest and we didn't want them here. Our players didn't want them here, our community didn't want them here, and they're from out of state. That was the whole reasoning. I think our team and our administration stuck together, and I was proud of our fan base for coming out tonight and coming to see us."

On reactions to increased attention to the team…
"I don't think there were any distractions. These guys handled it well. It was a one-time incident. It happened about 250 yards from our arena right about the time we were tipping against Georgia. So it was a one-time thing and like I said, obviously by the way we played, it wasn't a distraction at all."

On whether or not protests divided the team…
"There's no division on this team. We support each other, we love each other. It's a great group to come to the gym with every single day. It was a one-time incident, we were together on it. Hate groups came on campus, and that was it. These guys couldn't have played the way they played (if the team was divided). Terence Davis has been such a good leader, Breein Tyree has been the same, this group is together. We're going to have a lot more success down the road."

On whether this team is an NCAA Tournament team...
"We've got work to do, everybody in college basketball has work to do. Maybe Tennessee doesn't have work to do, I just meant it looked like two NCAA Tournament teams. A lot of times people start looking at the eye test this time of year and watching those kinds of teams. (Ole Miss and Tennessee) looked like NCAA Tournament teams, and I thought tonight we did. Do we have work to do? You bet, but everybody has work to do. We have a big game at Arkansas on Saturday. I want our guys to feel, act, and carry ourselves like we are an NCAA Tournament team."

On what the team needs to focus on before the SEC Tournament...
"Rebounding has been an issue, but I thought our guys battled tonight. It starts with second halves, our issues for us. We made the first bucket to go up seven, and they went on about a 14-0 run. Terence Davis and Bruce Stevens know we talk about that a bunch about starting second halves. That was a point of emphasis in practice and how we finished that practice out. I give our guys a lot of credit, they responded. We just have to keep trusting offense and playing. We played a team tonight that may win a national championship. We know what's in us. It's going to be a tough one in Arkansas on Saturday. It's just life in this league."

On whether you thought Terence Davis would pass the ball on the dunk...
"I would have bet $1,000 he wasn't going to throw that back. That was a great play; that was a special play in the arena. I'd like to measure how loud that place was on that particular play. TD (Terence Davis) has had a few of those in his career."

On thoughts about Ole Miss last shot attempt...
"It was close (to being a foul). You know our fans were unbelievable, and I shouldn't have reacted the way I did when I threw my jacket. That probably enticed the crowd, so I apologize for that. I was just being competitive in the moment. Pat Adams is an excellent official. So we'll look at it and see, but it was just a hard-fought game."

On the kneeling's impact...
"You know, I've never thought about the change. The main thing was the safety of our students and players here during that day. We love our players and the connection. That didn't go through my mind. I think the biggest thing is that we're going to support our players, and they had a right to express their opinions and they did, and we moved on. I'm proud of our players, I'm proud of our fan base. We're just going to focus on basketball (moving ahead)."

On thoughts about final offensive possession...
"(Grant Williams) made a great play. Devontae (Shuler) went straight downhill. He got deep on that floor. I'm sure Rick Barnes didn't want Admiral Schofield to take the charge in that situation. That's a risky play, I mean it just is. We'll look at the tape and see what happened. But part of the circumstances that's just what you want, you want guys to go downhill. I wanted TD (Terence Davis), Breein Tyree or Devontae Shuler to go downhill. That's about what you can get, about a 20 to 25-footer because they're going to try to pressure you. I thought he (Devontae) did exactly what he could do. It was a charge and a great (defensive) and risky play, but he got it and we'll just move on from there."

OLE MISS GUARD TERENCE DAVIS

On the last couple minutes, what would you have done differently…
"Nothing comes to mind. Their guys made the right plays down the stretch so tip of the hat to them."

On going toe-to-toe with Tennessee…
We've know we're a special group from day one. Coach Davis told us this wasn't going to be a rebuilding year. The whole team believed in that. We came into the game thinking we were going to win. This group is special, we have a lot of confidence, and I'm thankful for that."

On if there were players-only meetings or talks to protest again today…
"We never had any conversations. It was just a right then and there type of deal (on Saturday). If you go back and watch the video, I was way on the other side. One of our teammates went down, and the guys didn't want him to be alone."

On whether kneeling will happen again..
"It won't happen again."

On whether this team is an NCAA Tournament team...
"This team from day one we've said, 'It's not going to be a rebuilding year. This is an NCAA Tournament team.' We look at ourselves as an NCAA team. Tonight, I feel like we played like it."

On how you move on for Saturday…
"Well we just need to carry over how we played into the next game. It's starts at practice again tomorrow. That's about it. Take it, it's a learning experience."

On what decision making went into kneeling…
"I think just awareness of what was going on campus that day. A lot of people didn't know what was going on nationally. I think it accomplished what it was for, protesting hate groups being on campus."

OLE MISS FORWARD BRUCE STEVENS

On rebounding tonight…
"Coach was telling me to go out there and play physical, because they're a big physical team, so I just came out and helped my team rebound."

On what the reception was like on campus after anthem…
"I was just a one-day thing. We followed Devontae Shuler, and we're just going to move on and worry about basketball. We aren't even really worried about that anymore … students on campus asked us why we did it. There wasn't really (much) of that (discussion)."

On if he felt support around campus…
"Yes, definitely."

On again why you decided to kneel..
"It was because of the (hate groups) on campus doing their protest while we were playing. So we kneeled and I was just with Devontae Shuler. We aren't worrying about that anymore. It's in the rearview mirror and we're just thinking about basketball."

TENNESSEE HEAD COACH RICK BARNES

On the final play...
"We didn't know it would play out, but we knew we would spread the floor and try to get (Jordan) Bowden and see what he could create. And if not, get it back to Grant (Williams) and let him do something with it. He had missed a few shots that he normally makes, but obviously Ole Miss had a lot to do with it. I thought both teams played their hearts out, and you expect that this time of year. Great atmosphere, great crowd, but we have kind of dealt with that all year everywhere we have been. I am just really happy for our guys because we have had some tough ones that didn't go our way, and we found a way to stay in it. We just lost a game like that with a bang-bang situation like that. Glad it worked out for us. You don't want to put yourself in that vulnerable of a situation."

On the charge at the end of the game…
"He was standing there, that I can tell you. I think he was standing there. It is not something that you want to see happen. You know they will be taking a tough shot, and you hope that they can stand in front of it. I don't think you want a situation where he has to make a call one way or the other. He took it square. I'm sure if I look at it, I will see it was a tough call. We just didn't want him to do that, but we are glad it worked out."

On the late game execution…
"We've learned from that. We stayed together and guys out there played a lot of minutes tonight. This time of year, guys have to log those minutes. I did think that we came out and started the second half big. Defensively we were very good, but our offense wasn't good. We were moving the ball to start the game. They made some tough shots. Then we had some breakdowns. They cut very hard. They are hard to defend. The start of the second half we settled down on offense. It was good for us. Then it got to where it was a possession game, and both teams were playing their hearts out and battling. Rebounds became huge, everything became huge."

On Kyle (Alexander)…
"He has had the flu. He tested for the flu. (Jordan) Bowden had a little of it before the LSU game, and then Kyle came down with it. He hadn't practiced in a few days and he didn't go through shootaround today."

On regaining the momentum in the second half…
"You take every game other than Kentucky, and we have been in games like that. You expect the home team to make a run. I'm sure Kermit (Davis) was saying they made their push now we'll make our push. Both teams played really hard, but I thought when they took the lead we stayed poised and stayed in it. Both teams were defending and there were no easy to baskets to be had. At the end, Grant (Williams) made a really nice play for us but he had missed a couple. We got the ball where we wanted to. I just felt like they were really locked in with each other tonight, and they got it done."

On Ole Miss…
"They can play with anyone in the country. You look at our schedule and who we have played against. Nobody will look forward to playing Ole Miss. That was a Sweet 16 or Elite Eight type game. Both teams played so hard. It was a tough hard-nosed game. We are all fighting for something, whether you want seeding in the conference tournament or the NCAA Tournament. I keep saying I think our league deserves eight teams. Kermit (Davis) has done a great job and the key to being good in this league is you hope to be picked 13th or 14th every year. Our league deserves a lot in this NCAA Tournament."

On Jordan Bowden…
"We laughed because sooner or later something has got to go in. He will do it. He works hard at it. I hope he doesn't use them all up now so he can use them when they really count. He had a great look, and that was a big basket. I thought it was big that he wasn't afraid to take it. He was trying to drive and put some pressure on them. It was a big one."

On what it meant to win the close game…
"It is important. You do everything, like the LSU game, you hate losing the way that one ended. You make a shot here or there, it is different. It is so close. To be able to get this one knowing you have a home game coming up against Kentucky. This time of year, you want to just keep playing and getting better, getting guys healthy. We have had to cut some things back in practice, like I think every team is this time of year. I'm really proud our guys for hanging in there. It was awesome. The students were terrific. It was a great atmosphere. We have dealt with that all year, being ranked where we were. I think our guys aren't bothered by that and still you have to play hard against a team with a lot of emotions. We found a way to just stay in it."

On Lamonte Turner's driving…
"We said we are not going to settle. If you look at it, they were 9 of 23 and we were 3 of 13 (from three). We need those guys try and get it and not rely on Grant Williams. We need our guards to put some pressure on their guards because when you look at their guards, they do so much offensively that if you don't make them guard, they are going to have a field day on the offensive end. We felt we had to put them in as many tough situations as we could, whether it was ball screen action or driving the ball, we just felt we had to make their guards play."

On getting to face Kentucky again…
"I'm just eager to get home right now. I was just told our plane is not here yet. Again, I just want these guys to enjoy it, get some rest, and then we'll start talking about them tomorrow."

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Players Mentioned

Terence Davis

Devontae Shuler

Bruce Stevens

Breein Tyree

The University of Mississippi Athletics