Redshirt Sophomore Guard Cleon Roberts
On rebounding from two straight A-10 losses:
“It felt great coming off the two losses we knew we had to come out strong. We didn’t want to be 0-3 starting off conference play. It was our mindset that we had to come out strong.”
On the mindset up 19-2:
“You can’t be relaxed with a lead like that. Knowing them, they have come back from deficits like that and won games. We had to keep playing hard."
Redshirt Sophomore Guard Jordan Price
On forcing turnovers:
“In practice we knew exactly what they were going to do. Our scout team is amazing; they only get to learn the plays in two days. With them running the plays in practice as good as the opponent it helps us a lot in preparing. We knew everything they were going to do.”
On the 19-2 start:
“We just came into this game with the mentality of wanting to play defense. With us doing that, we knew our defense when it is very good it can stop teams and keep them under 40% shooting. That was our mentality going into this game and that’s what happened.”
On the defense:
“I believe that is the key to our defense to hold our opponents to shooting percentages under 40.”
Coach Dr. Giannini
Opening Statement:
“I am thrilled, we beat an outstanding team, we played defense, and we had our edge back. Basketball at this level is almost all mental. Clearly we had an edge. Clearly GW wasn’t at their best and it could be different next time out. To George Washington’s credit they have been unbelievably consistent up to this point. It is mental, it’s the same players, same coach, and same way we play defense. We have a lot of new guys and hopefully they will get back to playing defense the way we want them to.”
On the early turnovers:
“Every game as a coach you want to accomplish certain things. There are certain things we want to accomplish against their offensive action. Certain things we want them to do and not to do. That’s not unusual, that’s every game. It’s just our guys did want we wanted them to do exactly. They did it with great effort and had an edge. I am very pleased; we want them to do that a lot more consistently. A game like this shows how balanced our league is and the potential of our team. There are a lot of teams, UMass, they have the potential to be an NCAA Tournament team. There are a lot of teams that have potential, at the end of the day it’s mental consistently and we have to keep doing this.”
On the team’s defense:
“We played really good defense, we have had four or five games like that. Our second half against Virginia our defense was at the highest level. We either give up 50s or 60s [field goal percentage], or we hold people in the 30s which is outstanding. It’s almost like we are incapable of being average. We are either great or we really aren’t that good. That’s something that I have never seen in my life.”
On the scout team:
“They are gigantic. We are not alone with that, most teams have someone who imitates their opposition. Hank Davis, O.J. Lewis, Yevgen Sakhniuk, Tony Washington and Johnnie Shuler do a great job every game and in this game in particular. They had us exactly prepared for what George Washington was going to do. They are unsung heroes. There is so much that goes into be a good team, with roles and game preparation and guys who push each other in practice and are positive. Guys who are unselfish, its not just about Steve’s [Zack] 11 rebounds or Jordan’s [Price} 20 points. There is so much more that goes into having a good team than that. Those guys are a big part of that.”
On his mindset up 19-2:
“Its defense, defense, defense. I try to not be very different with them regardless of the score. I try to preach defense and tell them we can be okay and let’s get the next stop. I probably am like that regardless of the scoreboard.”
On Cleon Roberts:
“He has gotten so much better. I will tell you a story about Will Bailey and Horace Owens who do a lot of individual work with him. Like a lot of new players he wasn’t playing great early on or over the summer. They kept telling me ‘Coach, this guy is the real deal; he is going to be really good.’ I would look at the stats and say ‘I hope you are right.’ He is a great kid, I really hope you are right, and they are right. He has gotten better all the time and he can keep getting better. He would have had an even more productive game; he has to learn about careless fouls and fouls that are unnecessary. There are some things in terms of foot positioning where sometimes he gives his guy a path to the basket that doesn’t need to be there just because of his feet. He is going to keep getting better. He is a big reason that we are playing better.”
