2002-03 BKM vs. Vanderbilt -- Postgame Quotes
12/21/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Opening statement ... "I was certainly a well-deserved victory being exam week and playing a team that we feel is a very good basketball team. We were able to battle and fight through losing a few of our good perimeter players because of foul trouble. They have a very good low-post game and we did a good job in the second half to limit their scoring down there."
On losing Bernard Robinson Jr. and Lester Abraham to foul trouble ... "To lose Bernard on such a tough foul and we are still looking to see if he is healthy after the foul call. I would have liked it Lester would have controlled himself a little better, but he was reacting to a Vanderbilt player taking a shot in the post so I will give that to him. I think that Gavin Groninger's shot gave us a great boost, as did LaVell Blanchard's unselfish play late in the game."
On the team's improvement ... "I see the improvement in their toughness. I think that Daniel (Horton) has really shown toughness; I didn't take him out at all in the second half. Graham Brown also showed me that he is grown in his mental toughness with the awareness to get the loose ball after Sherrod Harrell missed the free throw late in the game."
On the players doing a better job of finishing ... "It is absolutely improvement for the young kids. We have a saying that the last part of the play has to be the best part of the play. It seemed to be an exciting game and I think both teams had an opportunity to win it and I think that we did a good job to get the victory."
U-M Senior Wing LaVell Blanchard
On the game ... "It was a step in the right direction. We have a lot of improvement to make but we are moving in the right direction."
On the run to end the first half ... "We had not shot well in the first half so I think it gave us a lot of confidence heading into the locker room. It was big for us."
On if staying in the game despite shooting poorly is a step for the team ... "Coach emphasizes to us that the shots are going to fall. When the shot is not falling you have to go out there and do different things."
U-M Senior Guard Gavin Groninger
On getting out of the shooting slump ... "It feels good. The monkey is off my back. We did some really good things today, especially in the second half. It was a big win for us."
On the defensive intensity in the first half ... "That is a big thing we concentrated on with getting off to a good start. Coach showed us the start of the Wisconsin game last year when we had some great defensive plays. That was our focus to execute what coach wanted us to do."
On responding to their run in the second half ... "It was huge. We have been fighting all year and to have things bounce our way and to not give up was big for us."
U-M Freshman Guard Daniel Horton
On the defensive intensity in the first half ... "We have been working really hard on our defensive intensity. The last few games our offense has been carrying us, but we have not had the defensive intensity that we have had in the first six games. We tried to put it all together today and that is what we did."
On the team's mood at halftime ... "We came in the locker room with a good feeling. We knew that in the second half if we kept working those shots that we were missing were going to go down. That is what happened."
