Dec. 8, 2007
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ANAHEIM, Calif. - SDSU Head Coach Steve Fisher
On the game:
"We had opportunities that we were not able to take advantage of. We had what looked like easy shots that we were unable to get down. We have to make free throws. We were 8-for-18 from the free throw line. They made 18. You can't let that happen when you're playing a good team. We have to learn from it. We have to grow from it. St. Mary's is a good team and they beat us.
"We had opportunities and we didn't capitalize on enough of ours and especially in the second, St. Mary's did. They made some hard shots early in the second half. Mills made two long three's, the second three that he made on the back-to-back was really long. They weren't making shots as you know in the first half.
On the Aztecs shooting 8-for-18 from the free throw line:
"You're not going to win if you don't make free throws. When you get there, you have to be able to make them and we were 8-for-18 from the free throw line."
SDSU Forward Lorrenzo Wade
On the game:
"We were coming in there looking at this as one of our biggest games on our non-conference schedule because they have the No.2 RPI in the country right now. It would have been a big win for us come March. They are a great team. They came out and did what they had to do to win the game. I commend them for that."
On St. Mary's:
"They got to the foul line a lot. They put us in tough positions on the defensive end. Tron Smith did a great job of coming out and being very aggressive in the second half. Mills did an excellent job of running his team."
On the confidence he has in his team:
"I learned that our team, we have a lot of character. Unfortunately, we lost this game, but I have faith in my team that we'll bounce back and that we'll be better from this loss."
SDSU Guard Kelvin Davis
On losing the game:
"It hurts us a lot. I'd rather have this loss right now than later in the season. We take this as a loss but as a plus for us to learn."
Saint Mary's Head Coach Randy Bennett
On the game:
"To come in here and play a good team like San Diego State and come out on top feels great. I'm proud of our guys. We hung in there after we struggled early. We had some problems in the first half and the guys were a little tight on the road. We played well defensively in that first half to give ourselves a chance. We stayed together and played pretty well in the second half to get this thing done.
"We were playing well early, but we flattened out and struggled a little bit. But in that second half we were more consistent. We have a lot of depth, and in the short term, I think you can contain it, but eventually it wears teams down.
"I told our guys this is like [the NCAA Tournament] a little bit. You play in an arena that's this big. We play in a little gym and we're not used to playing in a big arena all the time. So, this is a great experience for us, playing a good team on a neutral court. There is a pressure there we haven't felt so far this year."
Saint Mary's Guard Tron Smith
On the game:
"For a couple of the guys it was the first time on the road. We just wanted to come out and play our game, but unfortunately it didn't go that way in the first half. We turned the ball over and had a couple of defensive lapses. In the second half everybody figured it out and picked their play up.
"The first half we weren't running our plays right, we weren't getting any penetration and we were putting up bad shots. I just tried to calm everything down, get good penetration and look for my teammates.
"Whatever coach asks of me I'll do, as long as we get a win."
Saint Mary's Forward Diamon Simpson
On the game:
"This was our first real road trip, so people were kind of nervous. Once we settled down and got comfortable, everybody started playing how we normally play.
"It's definitely going to be a challenge ahead, but I like where we are right now as a team. If we keep progressing, we should be fine."