Feb. 11, 2009

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. - February 11, 2009 Post Game Quotes

Tulsa (17-8, 7-3 C-USA) 15 22 - 37 No. 8/10 Memphis (21-3, 9-0 C-USA) 28 35 - 63

John Calipari Head Coach University of Memphis

This was supposed to be the second best team in Conference USA and your team took care of them easily. Why?
"Well, you know what we did is that we used a couple of schemes they hadn't seen us use before. I think that kind of rocked them a little bit. It wasn't for them; it was for the NCAA tournament. You saw us do things in the post that most of you have never seen us do before.

Again, the other thing we're going to have to do is to play some zone. Why? Because we aren't playing as many people. What if someone gets in foul trouble and I have to keep them in the game? We better be prepared for it. So we're just right now; we have fresh minds, fresh legs and individual attention. Guys doing things on their individual work that they need to get done. Then we're trying to have great practice, not just regular practice. Great practice means more tweaking, trying things, experimenting, visualizing and dreaming as you practice. You're not just going through the motions. So, in an hour, you're really practicing two and a half hours. And then if you need extra on your own, go get it. Go do what you have to do so we don't have to be on the floor that long."

Talk about how your guys executed that trap and the way they were able to really bother (Jerome) Jordan.
"You know, it's amazing because we only did it for two days. I mean we spent only two days on it and they did a great job. I thought (Shawn) Taggart obviously did a great job. After the game, I told him I had to give him a hug. He's making unbelievable strides. And the other guy was Robert Dozier. Now Robert, there were about four plays where he lost the ball or missed a shot. Early in the game he wasn't aggressive. I kept telling him, get 30. They're not playing you, get 30. But after he got going, he's playing well. Antonio (Anderson) is steady Eddy. You know, the guy that needs to step it up is Doneal Mack. That's three games in a row where he hasn't done the things he's capable of doing."

Doug Wojcik Head Coach Tulsa

"Well, I thought that we competed for eight minutes. At the 23 minute mark in the first half, we were sitting there tied at 6-6. We were pretty pleased with the tempo of the game, pretty pleased with our rebounding, and pleased with the way that we were controlling (Robert) Dozier. We felt like Dozier, unlike our first game, is playing at a very high level. Then, the wheels fell off with the ball. We have to do a better job taking care of the ball. We had 22 turnovers at home and 24 here, so we averaged 23 turnovers a game. Now, with all due respect, we have to give them credit. Bobby Knight said it best in the game against Gonzaga the other night, `You can't simulate that pressure in practice.' But, we can control that a little better than what we did."

"For the first 10 games in the conference season, we're competing for first place. Now, at the 11 game mark, we're competing for second place. We have three loses, UAB has three loses. Memphis won't lose three times. We are competing for second which is a real positive, and I'm really excited about it. We all want a conference championship. That's the way we want to compete in the future and get beyond our 10th game and compete with Memphis."