Dave Rose Ball Quotations

For a large part of the game, guys were able to push the ball on the break and get a good look. That's kind of how we like to play.

Let me tell you, that guy is really, really good. It's hard to judge how he'll do with blocked shots because he didn't have any against New Mexico in the last game, but he had 19 against us in two games. You wonder if he'll be healthy. ...You try to prepare the players for how he might help out, but at the same time you don't want to get them so nervous that they're just throwing the ball up.

They are obviously a really good team and especially in The Pit. They play with more confidence at home. They shoot the ball better at home. And probably like most teams in college basketball, they have a lot of confidence from their crowd.

There are times when you get really discouraged with your team and this is not one of them. This team fought hard. We weren't very good tonight, but there's a lot of basketball left to play and this team is going to get better.

Except (Smith) probably shoots the ball even better. He's a very long, athletic player who can make plays both offensively and defensively.

When we lost to them down there, they played what may be the best game of the season for them. We kind of helped by turning the ball over and never really got into our offense.

Most shot blockers will defend primarily on the ball or help from the weak side. Justin Williams can come from anywhere at any time. You have to be in the mind-set that you're either going to pull up and make a shot or find the man he left and punish him by making the extra pass to an open guy.

He has great recruiting ties and outstanding basketball knowledge. He really understands the game. Walter also has an excellent rapport with the players in our program.