Feb. 2, 2010
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SAN DIEGO -
SDSU-AFA Postgame Quotes in PDF Format
San Diego State Head Coach Steve Fisher
(From the postgame press conference in the Mezzanine Level)
Opening Statement:
"It was a good solid win for us tonight. I was proud of how we defended. We had one turnover at halftime and that is how you win games. We had a contribution from a lot of guys, and not just the starters. We did a nice job of not giving them any easy shots. We gave them a minimal number of easy baskets."
On defending the Air Force offense:
"Air Force is a team that speed cuts. We did a nice job of communicating switches and emergency switches tonight."
(From AM KOGO 600 postgame interview)
On SDSU's defense:
"I thought we guarded intelligently. We did not give them easy attack drives. The first thing we said to them was, ` If you don't give them wide-open three's, they're going to have a hard time beating you from 2-point shots.' I thought we did a pretty good job running at their 3-point shooters and making for hard for them to get easy shots."
On getting out to an early 12-0 lead:
"It worked out perfectly for us. They had a hard time making shots and we got out to that big early lead. We talked about their game at Las Vegas where they made shots and (UNLV) was looking at the clock and you were down six, seven or eight points. Then you have a little more pressure on you. We looked up and we were eight points ahead and we were able to get into more of a flow with our offense. Then we guarded the same way you need to guard to keep that run going. We didn't give them easy stuff."
On the team's free-throw shooting tonight:
"If we can shoot like we did tonight, we'll be in every game. We'll turn a liability into a heavy duty asset for us. This game is so much mental and I think a lot of it is you need to see that guy in front of you make a couple free-throws. It's somewhat contagious. You need to say, `Hey, we're going to make them tonight,' and not, `Oh no, here we go again.'"
On Malcolm Thomas' rebounding tonight:
"He's so long and athletic, and so hard to keep away from the boards. He's somebody I wouldn't want to guard if I was on the other team. He's a keeper, he's doing things to help this team win. He's one of those guys that doesn't worry about many shots he takes, he just works hard."
San Diego State Junior Guard D.J. Gay
On the momentum of this win going into Saturday's Game at New Mexico:
"It was important. We needed it going into New Mexico. We did some things out there; we played as a team offensively and defensively. I think this game we took it to another level. We were doing things out there that we weren't doing in practice - switching, just being more vocal and communicating. It feels good to know that we have each other's back. The trust just went to another level this game."
On if he thought about a first half shut out at all:
"No, you have to be real with yourself. The odds of that (happening) are against you. We just try to keep it as low as possible and keep getting after it on the defensive end."
On being a leader on the team:
"I think I have to play the veteran role. A lot of the new players haven't been to places like The Pit, BYU (Marriott Center), or playing at high altitude, so I think it's my job to inform them what they are getting themselves into going into those places. All I can do is give them a hand and a heads-up to what's to come in the near future."
San Diego State Junior Forward Malcolm Thomas
On the progress the team is making throughout the season:
"There is a lot of progress being made. We are passing out of the post better, our transition defense is getting better, our rebounding is getting better. We still have to work on a lot of things and we will continue to work on alot of things, but I'm happy with our progress so far."
Air Force Head Coach Jeff Reynolds<>
On how the slow start and not rebounding made it difficult:
"It was very difficult, but yet at the start of the second half it was a six-point ballgame. Then we had back-to-back turnovers by two freshmen. Our freshmen withered under their pressure, and we had some open shots that didn't go down, and you have to give them credit because they played good defense.
On digging out after the bad start:
"It was difficult but I thought we dug out of it. We were in the game, cut it to six, so I thought we showed some resiliency, but we used a lot of energy to get back in, and then they started hitting some shots in the second half...and then the shots that they missed, they got the rebounds. Tonight we lost the game because we didn't defend and we didn't rebound.