Feb. 21, 2003
Quotes from Thursday's San Diego State men's basketball press conference.
Head Coach Steve Fisher
Opening Statement:
"We have two games at home this weekend that we are labeling as our own mini tournament that we feel are essential for us if we want to make a tournament. It is the last home weekend for our three seniors - Tony Bland, Mike Mackell and Deandre Moore. We need our fans to be every bit as good as they have been all season long. We need our fans to say we are going to be a great sixth man and help this team get off the snide and start a win streak."
"We need to play as hard as we did at Utah and BYU, but make some plays when it means winning or not winning, which we were not quite able to do. The effort was good, unlike our last home game. I liked that but not e of us like the bottom line result which was not being able to win. If we give the energy and effort that we had, I am still a firm believer that the other part (winning) is a byproduct of that."
Q: Is there any frustration because you have been so close to winning?
"There is always that moment of frustration and yet I think our team felt like it competed and did things with two or three minutes to go gave them a chance to win. Now we have to go about our business of finding ways to win. We need to do everything in our power to change the recent trend. We need to step it up. We need to put a little more self imposed stress, the right way."
Q: Is this situation similar to last year?
"This is an entirely different animal we are dealing with right now. For me to say we were 3-6 last year we are going to turn it around and get on a long win streak would not be fair to anyone. I would much rather have won six of our last seven. We need to work and not feel sorry for ourselves. We have done a nice job of separating and moving on. I told them on Monday to leave their frustration, if that is the word we want to use, in the locker room when you walk out. Because we competed hard enough and played smart enough to win. Now we have to make a free throw instead of missing a one-and-one. Now we need to get that extra rebound. Now we need to make one or two more plays individually so that collectively we can reward ourselves."
Q: What started the second half comeback (at Brigham Young)?
"I made the comment before we went that there was no more difficult road trip in America then the one we were preparing to go on - Utah and BYU. They are a collective 24-1 this year at home. The only loss Utah inflicted on BYU. Those are hard places to play. You must play well and not have big long gaps and lapses when an opponent gets a long run and opens some distance.
"We fought hard and they had two baskets the last 9:40 and they were three pointers. We just were not able to get a little lucky which is what we needed that last play when Deandre (Moore) missed a three and Mike Mackell shot was tipped to keep the game from going into overtime."
Q: What do you do in these final regular season games?
"In order for us to get to the NCAA tournament we are going to have to do just what we did in Vegas in the Mountain West Conference tournament. We are going to win three games. Which will be difficult but we did it last year when it was difficult.
"What we need to do right now is start playing as hard, but being more productive at the end to win. We have two home games and we need to view this as our own mini tournament prior to the postseason tournament."
Q: Talk about what you expect from the three seniors and a little bit about each one?
"My expectation for our three seniors is to bring the kind of veteran leadership that they bring to the table. You can start with Deandre Moore. Every game that he has played well, our team has played well. We have either won or been in a position to win. He has made tremendous strides this year. One is confidence because he has been healthy and because he has played pretty efficiently. We need that from him. He is the guy who has the ball more than anyone. He has provided really good sound play for us a great deal of the season. We need him to play with the confidence and the vigor he did against BYU.
"Mike Mackell has been the mark of consistency by scoring in double figures in every game this season. He has battled hard inside. Mike has to make sure he continues to use strength to negate height and athleticism of his opponent. Mike has been our bedrock inside. When we have needed a basket we have tried to go through Mike to get it.
"Tony Bland has been our best player. In my opinion Tony Bland is as valuable player as there is on any team in this league. He has guarded the best perimeter player and done a tremendous job with that. He has become a very efficient offensive player with and without the ball. He has done a nice job of passing. He went from early on trying to lead a little hard to where he has now gotten into a rhythm and a flow. He is shooting the ball much more efficiently and has been by far our best and most valuable player.
"They all have been wonderful for this program and all of them have helped roll the program the right way."
Senior guard Tony Bland
Q: Is there extra pressure at this point in the season?
"It is odd because at this we are as excited as we have been at any point during the season. This is where we stood last year at this time and we know the run we had last year. We feel we are capable of doing the same type of thing this year. We are really excited about the rest regular season games and the Mountain West Conference tournament."
Q: What is the significance of the remaining regular season games?
"We want to do as well as we can to get momentum going into the tournament, to get a good seed and to get confidence. This league is by far one of the most competitive leagues in the country but we feel like we come out and play the way we did on the road at Utah and BYU we have a good chance of winning. We are excited about these upcoming games."
Q: On Deandre Moore?
"Deandre is one of the most underrated offensive players in our league. I grew of playing with and against him and he has always been a scorer in the point guard position and here he is trying to control the team and distribute the ball. When he is a scoring threat he opens it up for other people."
Q: On the final two home games of your college career?
"It is kind of emotional for me. I have had great times here. I am going to miss all the times I have had here."
Q: The most memorable moment at SDSU?
"For me it is not the moment but the process of coming here. Seeing the student section change from three fans to what is like now. It is easy to take it for granted if you were not here in the beginning like we were. We don't."
Senior guard Deandre Moore
Q: Is there extra pressure at this point in the season?
"We know what we have to do. The three seniors that were big contributors to that team last year know what it takes. We believe we can beat any team in this conference. We know we have to win the conference tournament."
Q: Are you surprised to be 3-6 in league?
"Yes, considering we started 2-0. The position we are in right now, we know we have to dig ourselves out of a hole. We were in the same position last year so there is no reason why we can't do it again. We know what it takes to be successful and to make a three-game run in the tournament."
"I just have to be more aggressive on both ends of the floor. I have been playing passive the last four of five games but Tony has given me some of that aggressiveness. I have to be more aggressive on both ends and make things happen for my teammates and myself."
Q: On the final two home games of your college career?
"We have to win and build momentum toward the conference tournament."
Q: The most memorable moment at SDSU?
"Probably wining my first game here was my most memorable moment, considering we were 5-23 the year before."