Post-Game Quotes

March 5, 2005

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NEW MEXICO HEAD COACH Ritchie McKay

“I’m very proud. This was a tough one going in. I have a ton of respect for coach Layer. I know they were going to be prepared. Their team has been playing well. We didn’t see Matt Williams or Jason Smith (in the Lobos’ victory at CSU earlier in the season). We had concerns all week. We were a little banged up. (It was) senior night, everyone was a little bit excited about a little bit of prosperity we’ve had, it was just a dangerous night. Our defense wasn’t what it has been the last nine games, but it was still good enough, especially with the pressure of having to come back. They had 36 attempts from the field – that’s like an Air Force stat.”

(on the Lobos’ NCAA Tournament berth chances): “Right now its all speculation, but I think if we just keep winning, I think we might have a great opportunity. We don’t have a bad loss all season because Wyoming is a difficult place to play. Oregon is a difficult place to play and in three (of the losses), Danny (Granger) was out. So I think if we can avoid being upset (at the MWC Tournament), I think we’ll have a chance.”

COLORADO STATE HEAD COACH DALE LAYER

“I don’t think we handled their trap very well. (New Mexico) was more aggressive for six or seven minutes than we were and that was the difference in the game. We might have played better than them for 25 minutes, but it was one of those games where that big run that they made with about 14 minutes to go was the difference in the game. They turned it up and we didn’t seem to have an answer. We wilted a little bit in the face of the pressure.”

“We played with different lineups and different combinations most of the year, and I think the last two or three weeks, we played better. We finally got to a decent lineup, but this is a tough place to play. They are well-coached. They have 18,000 very knowledgeable, screaming fans. They are a very good basketball team.”