Nov. 18, 2008
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SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State-Arizona State Postgame Quotes in PDF Format
San Diego State Head Coach Steve Fisher
Opening Statement:
"We had chances. We just didn't make enough plays and ASU did. It's a good team we played. It's a team that didn't panic when we got our early lead. They made shots that were contested. They found ways late in the shot clock to get the shot off or get to the free-throw line or get a foul and run an extra 35 seconds. The thought I have is we will be better served for the experience. I'm very disappointed we didn't find a way to win, but you grow from these kinds of games. These kinds of teams expose your weaknesses so you can go back and look and evaluate and get better. That is what we are going to do. We guarded extremely well even though they shot the ball well. They only took 13 second-half shots and made most of them. We have to be disappointed, be angry, come back practice hard and get Fresno State on Saturday."
On scoring droughts:
"Basketball is a game of runs and you're going to have runs. You're going to find a way when you get in to a bit of a drought to get to the free-throw line. We guarded them like crazy and the next thing you know, in the last three or four seconds (of the shot clock), they find a way to get a foul and get to the free-throw line. We obviously can't have long extended periods where we don't score but basketball, no matter how you slice it, is a game of runs. You have to maximize your runs by not making a turnover, by making lay-ups, by making open shots and minimize theirs by not putting them to the free-throw line. Make them have to make contested shots."
On the crowd:
"We've had great crowds, especially against good teams and especially in our conference. They've been extremely vital to our growth and success and we need to keep them coming."
San Diego State Senior Forward Kyle Spain
On getting off to a fast start then losing momentum:
"Anytime you play a team that is ranked 15th in the nation, everyone is going to be emotionally excited; especially when it's at our house. I thought we played fairly well up until four or five minutes were left in the game. ASU just hit big shots and we didn't capitalize on our opportunities when we missed a lot of free throws and layups."
On letting the game slip away:
"We definitely let it slip away. I think we led the game until the five-minute mark. After they hit those two threes to go up by (six), we just lost momentum."
On the team's reaction after the Sun Devils made their two key three-point shots:
"We definitely lost momentum. It shouldn't be that way, but it definitely caused a lot of discouragement for (ASU) to go up by seven, especially so late in the game. With four minutes left, from there the game was almost over."
San Diego State Sophomore Forward Billy White
On playing against the zone:
"It was tough tonight. They made us work for everything. We just have to learn from it and get better from it. Hopefully if we see it again, we'll know what to do and be prepared."
On this game being a missed opportunity:
"We let this one slip away. We did everything we were supposed to do, it was just those last five minutes. We just have to learn from it and next time we'll know exactly what we need to do to get the win."
Arizona State Head Coach Herb Sendek
On ASU's play:
"This was anything but a fluid basketball game. Our team played ugly, but found a way to win. It was a real gut check. We have a lot of room for improvement; we have to get so much better."
On the play of SDSU:
"They're very physical and athletic. We really were challenged to get the ball when the other team missed. They came out and hit us right between the eyes. I was hoping to get to ten points by halftime."