Rick VanMatre Quotations

This was a game where I felt like our defense was good, but our offense was average at best. Heath McNeal was very active inside, and with him and (Jeremy) Webster, it spread the interior, and the other kids did a nice job of finding them.

Our worst quarter was the third. We started out well, but we let them get back into it at the end of the second by putting them at the foul line, and they made their shots - we didn't. We've struggled with shooting lately, but we were fortunate to make plays in the end.

We've been fortunate to win 20 straight league games. The last time we lost was two years ago at their place in overtime. They wanted to come in and get it done again. We knew this would be a huge game.

We knew it would be a tough game. To play them a third time is never easy, but the effort and intensity was there, and that's something we need to take into Saturday.

Tonight we played a lot more man than we usually do. We got behind and couldn't play the match-up zone as much. The match-up zone was good for us in the first half, but then they hit two quick 3s in the second half and we had to play man and didn't do a very good job.

You have to have somebody else shooting it in a little bit.

This is the third sellout in the last four games. I got here at 4:30 and I had to park three blocks away. There was still a line to get in the gym at 4:30. There were people lined up at 1:30 today to get in here. That's what's special about this league. When we go over there, it will be the same way again.

It was good for us to win a close game. All the games have been pretty widespread point margins.

Chillicothe is the toughest opponent we've faced all year. Everybody can talk about this and that, but there is no way they should have been a four-seed in this tournament. They have a lot of weapons, and it's going to be a huge challenge.

The first half I think both teams played with so much emotion. I think both teams were a little out of control. You can play hard with emotion, but it's hard to play under control.