2005 MWC Basketball Tournament Postgame Quotes

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March 10, 2005

An Interview With: BYU COUGARS

JIM MILLER: We’ll go ahead and begin. Coach Cleveland, will you make some opening remarks, and then we’ll open it up for questions for the student athletes.

COACH CLEVELAND: I think that first of all New Mexico is a very good basketball team. I am not sure that if we played them ten times we would beat them. They are really really talented. They are playing with confidence.

I think the biggest difference in that basketball team is Alfred Neale. He has blossomed into being an outstanding player. We have a hard time with our personnel right now guarding in the zone, on the man. That is one of the areas we need to make great improvement in over the spring and summer to be back where we have been in the next five years.

I thought we had great fight, and spirit, and energy. We had a game plan. We got a little out of it.

I think the turnovers in the first half is where the separation came from. We didn’t have the quickness to defend them. I thought we did a solid job in the first half. We got the ball where we wanted it.

In the end, in the second half, they lengthened that lead. They kept throwing ball in the post, attacking the basket. Certainly there wasn’t enough minutes left in this ball game to catch up. That is what we felt was our best chance. I thought Jared and Mike both played hard. Jared had to guard Neale at times.

I appreciate both of these seniors. Jared has been with our program for four years; Mike for two years. As disappointed as we are in this season, I am not disappointed in the effort. I am not disappointed in the desire to execute a game plan tonight.

New Mexico was better. They are an outstanding basketball team. It will take a great effort by somebody ?? if they are going to lose, it will take an effort to beat that team right now.

JIM MILLER: For the next few minutes, we’ll direct questions to the student athletes.

Question: Like to ask your impressions of New Mexico. Are they deserving of the NCAA tournament consideration?

MIKE HALL: I think they are. They are playing great ball. They knocked off Utah. They are playing well right now. I think they deserve a shot at the NCAA tournament.

Question: You were able to have some success inside, but it seemed like the constant wave of those guys, it just kind of wore you guys down a little bit.

MIKE HALL: You got to hand it to them. They battled every possession, and they are great players. I will have to say that I am really tired right now. They played tough, and they are great team.

Question: How much of a difference was it in the two games where they had Granger as opposed to the first games you guys played?

MIKE HALL: He is all over the place. He is great offensively and great defensively. Trying to match up with him is a difficult thing to do. He throws a few loops out there. You know, to me, he made a big difference.

JIM MILLER: Anything else for Mike or Jared? We’ll let you two guys go.

Question: Coach, you pulled Ritchie aside after the game was over. What were you saying to him?

COACH CLEVELAND: You know, this is not the easiest business in the world. I know him pretty well. There is a high expectation in New Mexico, as there is in every community. I appreciate the fact he has developed a program and put on the floor a very special team. I wished him the best.

To be honest with you, I would like to see him win this tournament. The reason is, I want to see two teams come from our conference. Doesn’t mean I dislike San Diego State, Air Force, Utah, I believe they are playing with a real purpose.

They remind me of our team last year. Air Force is capable of winning this thing. When you watch Utah play, it is hard to believe anybody can beat them. I wished him the best in the tournament. I hope he has an opportunity to win this tournament. I think they would represent the conference very well. And Utah would also. They are two outstanding teams.

Air Force is a team that can sneak up on these teams on any given night. They have gone top class of the league all year. This league conference ?? I mean, if Danny is not hurt, I really believe that the conference championship comes down to last week instead of the three or four losses. They are a different team with him.

Question: Steve, I know this is team that had a lot of talks, what do you say in the locker room?

COACH CLEVELAND: I address most of my talks to the seniors. Three young men that have been with us in a very special setting.

There will be another day to talk about how we are going to fix this and things to do to get better. I applaud their effort. We competed. We had the spirit of competing. We were not good enough. They were better than us in a lot of different ways.

I spent most of the time talking about the seniors and talking to the seniors. I just said I appreciated the effort. It is not the kind of season we wanted or expected, but you can’t dwell on that anymore. It is over. We’ll talk about that and how we’ll turn this corner later.

Question: If the Lobos get a final game, and don’t get an at?large berth, is that a slap in the face to a whole conference?

COACH CLEVELAND: You know what, I am not sure I completely understand the whole selection process. I have a pretty good idea about it. I understand the RPI, and strength of schedule, and those types of things.

Unfortunately when you play a lot of home games and you play a schedule that ?? I mean, they played Wake, they played Tennessee. If they get to the finals, it will be nip and tuck if you don’t win it. There were some bubble teams. I know they are one of the best teams in the country. They are capable. Let’s hope if they get to the finals and they don’t win somehow the selection committee sees that Granger being out hurt this basketball team. Last year when they looked at our team we one nine in a row. I think they have won seven in a row now, ten of eleven. The one thing they don’t have going for them is a 30 or 40 RPI. Hopefully common sense prevails and they understand. This is a pretty tough conference to get through. We have had three representatives in the last two years. It may not happen. It will not be easy for anybody to dethrone Utah right now. They are awfully, awfully good.

JIM MILLER: Anything else for coach? We’ll let you go, Coach.

An Interview With: NEW MEXICO LOBOS

JIM MILLER: We’re here with New Mexico. We have Coach Ritchie McKay; No. 33, Danny Granger; and No. 5, Mark Walters. We’ll ask the coach to make some opening comments and then we’ll open it up for questions for the student athletes.

COACH MCKAY: My biggest fear going into the game was the fact that we had only played once in the last two weeks with the schedule the way it was in the last ten days. BYU did a great job. They have a terrific coach. They were well?prepared for us.

Danny and David got off to a slow start and they were doing too many things on their own. They were great after they came back in after I took them out. Whenever we have eighteen, nineteen assists, we have got a great chance to win. Danny and Mark spear?headed an unselfish effort tonight. I was very happy with their play.

Question: First of all for Danny and Mark, address the physicalness of the game. It seems like it took you a while to a adjust.

Danny Granger: It took us a while. They were calling real tight inside. As the game went on, we got better.

Question: Danny, the NCAA Tournament Committee scheduled this game so they can watch this game at this time.

Danny Granger: We didn’t know that from the beginning. Like Coach said, we haven’t played in two weeks. This is our first game in two weeks. We knew BYU would be hungry. We had to match their intensity and come out with the win. We were pleased with it. I am pleased with the performance overall.

Question: Mark, you wound up with twelve assists. Were you aware that you have got that kind of game going as far as assists? Are concerned or are you just in the flow?

Mark Walters: I didn’t realize until Coach brought it up in the end of the game in the locker room. During the game I am not aware; I am just dishing it down and these guys are finishing.

Question: Can you answer the question he asked to Danny about trying to make some kind of impression to the committee?

COACH MCKAY: Honestly, we haven’t focussed on who is watching us. We tried to take the next twenty minutes. We had two pretty good halves tonight. I think we will be judged on the body of our work. With Danny in the line?ups, it is 24 and 3. We have a good team when he is playing. Even when he isn’t, I think our team is improving. I was pleased with our efforts. We’re going to worry about the things we can control. We can’t control the tournament committee and their thoughts.

Question: You took the high road this week when you didn’t win Defensive Player of the Year honors. Did that give you a little motivation out there this week. Where do you rank your game with the defensive performance this season?

Danny Granger: It didn’t bother me too much. This is one of my better defensive games. I think I had one a good one at Oregon also. It is all about being in the right spots. I had some blocks and some steals.

JIM MILLER: Anything else for Mark or Danny? All right. We’ll let you two guys go. We’ll open it up for questions directed to Coach McKay.

Question: Coach, can you talk about the lift that Bambale and Tony give you? You seemed to be sparring a little bit in the first half.

COACH MCKAY: Tony is getting better and better. He didn’t play like a freshman. I love his energy. He has got a decent jump shot. He has confidence in his ability to drive that he is not taking it. Boone is terrific. I was pleased that he had some successes.

Question: Following that, how important was it to get some quality minutes from the bench if you guys are to get to the Championship and play three games in three nights?

COACH MCKAY: I think it was important. I think going in we tried to give those guys a few minutes. Out of necessity we had to rest Dave because of his foul trouble. Danny ?? honestly, I thought our guys were too anxious. I don’t think we reversed the basketball. I thought we were attacking them first six to ten seconds of the possession. Our bench was good. BYU was a good team, didn’t want to let them catch up.

Question: Did you preach to them about sharing the ball or does that come naturally?

COACH MCKAY: Not once have I addressed selfish play this year. I think in the Wake Forest game was the only time all year long I said something about our ball and shot distribution. Other than that, this group has great character and it manifests in their play.

Question: Coach, would you talk about what Coach Cleveland said to you after the game? He pulled you to the side.

COACH MCKAY: He was complimentary of our group. He has seen some good teams in the tournament. He thought our team was deserving. He is a class act.

Question: We didn’t see Kellen Walter play much. We have been seeing you put him in the games more. What has he been doing to earn the playing time?

COACH MCKAY: He is improving in practice, being more consistent. He shoots it like a guard. He has been helpful and had his confidence against Utah. Again I was impressed with all our guys off the bench. I thought they all contributed in some way, shape or form.

Question: Following on the Danny defensive thing. I know you were disappointed he didn’t get Defensive Player of the Year.

COACH MCKAY: I think he is tremendous defender. I don’t mean to take anything away from Justin Williams, but Danny Granger in touches, stealing the basketball and taking charges. He is the best in this league in my opinion.

JIM MILLER: Anything else for Coach McKay?

COACH MCKAY: Thank you.

JIM MILLER: Thanks, coach.