Dec. 19, 2007
SAN DIEGO - SDSU Men's Basketball
Weekly Press Conference Quotes
December 19, 2007
Cox Arena at Aztec Bowl
Head Coach Steve Fisher
On Saturday's game at Arizona:
"Saturday's game with Arizona will be the most difficult challenge we've had to date. In the film I've watched, they're the best team we've played. Now could Cal or Saint Mary's--the two teams that beat us--beat them? Yes. But this is the most talented team, the best team that we will have played to date. And they're playing good basketball right now. They came up off of the mat in a home game against Texas A&M, where they were behind 15-16 points and, in the second half, dominated the game and beat a really good Texas A&M team. Then they went to Illinois when we played in the Wooden (Classic) and were down, I think, 12 or 13 and came back to beat an Illinois team that's very good and almost unbeatable at their place."
On the keys to success against the Wildcats:
We're going to need to play and play well. They can score the basketball. They get to the free-throw line a ton. They have made about 80 more free throws than their opponents have shot. I know I'm skewing that a little, but they really get to the free-throw line. So we're going to have to guard without fouling, make them take hard shots and limit them as much as we can to one shot ... If we play and play smart and play really good basketball, we're going to have a chance to win with three or four minutes to go. But we're going to have to play well. We're going to have to do what we couldn't do here (against Arizona) last year--make a shot. It doesn't matter how well you guard; if you can't make a basket, you can't win. We're going to have to play good basketball at both ends of the floor. But we have to guard. We cannot give this team 30 free throws, we can't give them fast-break put-backs, and we can't give them offensive rebound dunks. So we're excited about the challenge and looking forward to it. This will be a good measuring stick for us."
On Arizona head coach Lute Olson's leave of absence:
"I hope we haven't seen the last of Lute. When it first came out that he was taking a leave of absence, I called his cell phone and, surprisingly to me on that Sunday, he answered it. He was quite candid about what he was doing and why, and he said, "I'm going to be back. I don't know when, but I'm going to be back." And I hope he is. As much as he has meant to the sport and as successful as he has been, you don't want him to have to end it on these terms. You want him to end it on his own terms. But he is going to do what he needs to do. I have not talked to him since that one time, so I don't know what he will ultimately wind up doing. As you've read, he is now taking that leave of absence for the whole season, but is going to come back next year. So, I am optimistic and hopeful that that will happen."
On whether he will miss coaching against Lute Olson on Saturday:
"I will miss having the chance to sit and visit with him (before the game). But when you start playing, you forget who's sitting on the other bench. The profession will miss him, because he's a classy, quality guy who has been a phenomenally successful coach everywhere he's been, not just Arizona."
Junior forward Lorrenzo Wade
On Saturday's game against Arizona:
"Going into Arizona, we know that they're a very tough team, a top-25 team (that) embarrassed us at our place last year. We just want to get in there and compete as hard as we possibly can and try to come out with a victory."
On playing against Wildcat forward Chase Budinger:
"This year as well as last year, Chase Budinger comes off of a lot of screens. We were going over some of their plays today, and he's consistently moving in the game. Actually playing against Navy, (Midshipmen forward Greg Sprink) kind of prepared me for this. Hopefully, Chase won't shoot quite as well as (Sprink) did."
Junior forward Kyle Spain
On the team's mindset heading into the Arizona game:
"Last year (against Arizona) I think we played a little too anxious. I think we will come into this game on Saturday a little more relaxed and confident."
On whether a hostile environment contributed to the Aztecs' two losses this season:
"We didn't play like we should've played in both of those games. We had problems with not starting the second half the way we did in the first half, and Cal and Saint Mary's capitalized on that. So I don't think a hostile environment had anything to do with that."