Feb. 4, 2011
SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State Head Coach Steve Fisher:
Opening Statement: "We're happy to be home at the turn with one loss. We knew we were going to get what we got at Colorado State against a very good team. We feel very good to come back with a victory that was close and hard-fought. Now we're looking to start a second half, with five of our eight at home, and we need to make sure to do our part by taking care of home court. Our fans will be very helpful; we need them early and we need them loud. We are, health wise, in pretty good shape physically, and we need to make sure we continue to play with the energy and effort that we have. I'm most proud of how hard we play from the opening tip to the final horn. We are the best defensive team we've had since I've been here. All you have to do is look at them. Look at our league field-goal percentage and three-point percentage and we get a lot of offensive stuff off of our defense. We need to make sure we still have the run outs and dunks, but also that we guard the way we've guarded and I think we will."
On the lessons learned in the first half of the season:
"We're senior-laden veterans. Coming in, we knew what to expect in this league. You know you're going to have hard games in non-conference, but when you play in league play, all your blemishes are there and they know them. You have to be able to play to your strengths and be able to make plays when other teams take away what you want to do first. We're smart enough to know that home court will provide an opportunity, but you can't rely on home court to get you wins. We have gone on the road five times and won four in this league. Others have done the same thing. So even though it should be an advantage to have five at home, it won't be if you think it's the only reason you have."
On what the team needs to work on before the rest of conference play:
"We need to do things on both sides of the ball. Offensively we are not getting to the free-throw line enough. All good teams have the ability, when they're struggling, to get somebody to the line and have free opportunities. We're practicing to allow that to happen. Defensively we're guarding, but we're not good enough with our defensive rebounding. Our defensive rebounding is average, but our defense in every other facet is very good. This time of the year, unless you challenge yourself, practices can be a little monotonous, no matter how creative we are as coaches."
On how the team is holding up physically:
"No matter who you are, you'll have guys banged up. D.J. Gay took a hard fall early in the Colorado State game and he's very tender and sore. James Rahon took a hard fall and his knee is sore. Malcolm Thomas' back hurts, but nothing will keep any of them from playing."
On his favorite shots of the season by D.J. Gay:
"I like them when they go in; that's the most important thing. Whether it's a lay-up, a half-court shot, or a game-winning pull back shot, if they go in they're significant. D.J. makes plays that win. He's done that since he's been here, so it doesn't surprise me that he made that shot at Colorado State. He willingly would have given it up if he was double teamed."
On facing TCU on Saturday:
"TCU is going to come in and play with tremendous effort and energy. That's a Jim Christian-coached team. He's done a great job everywhere he's been. This was supposed to be his best team since he's been at TCU. He's had to dismiss two players so what was a promising start has turned out as a 1-7 start in league play. That being said, they came in here a year ago after we had beaten them soundly at their place, and had a 15-point first-half lead on us, and we were very fortunate to get a win. They will play this game as if they were playing for a berth in the Final Four. We have to make sure we match that effort and energy. This is an athletic team that can score in a variety of ways. I've got great respect for their coach and their program despite the 1-7 league record. They had some really nice non-conference games. They know how to win and they're hungry for a win."
On what is needed to prepare for the tournament:
"When you win, there's a bounce in your step and that's human nature for all of us. So I want to keep winning, all the while after wins we nitpick. We watched the Colorado State film all day yesterday. We didn't take the court, but we watched the whole game. We ran back all the imperfections of what cost us and what we should have done. We made sure that we hammered those points home. We need to prepare for tomorrow and the NCAA tournament because we think we're going to be in it. We talked about that as a staff: What do we need to do that we're not working on quite hard enough right now? We started a game plan for the near-term and long-term."
Senior Guard D.J. Gay
On the minor injury that Coach Fisher mentioned:
"I tried to take a charge in the Colorado State game. I fell on my tailbone and it's a light bruise but nothing that will keep me out of the game."
On how he's dealing with the attention and success:
"Things have been hectic, a little crazy, and kind of a circus lately. I just have to embrace it and take it for what it is. It is my last year and I'd like to leave on a positive note."
On if he wanted the timeout in the final seconds against CSU:
"I did not want the timeout. I saw the ball go through the net and I ran straight to it. I wanted to make sure it was in my hands. In my head I wondered if coach was going to call a timeout, but I'm happy he didn't."
On his thought process prior to his game-winning shot:
"I didn't know I was going to take the last shot until I crossed half court and saw that I didn't have any numbers with me. I saw an open lane on the left-hand side."
On if the attention makes them nervous:
"Not nervous, we all enjoy it and embrace it. It's fun. We have the city behind us and I think it gives us the extra push. When we think about taking some time off, we know we can't because we're not just playing for ourselves; we're playing for the city."
On how focused they are on their season record:
"We don't pay attention to it. BYU was a turning point for us, but the rankings are out of our hands. If we keep winning, all of that stuff will take care of itself."
Senior Forward Billy White
On his confidence in D.J. Gay's possession of the final ball against Colorado State:
"Soon as it left his hand, I knew it was going in. If you leave D.J. wide open, he's going to make the shot. I was excited for him; I personally thought the ball should have been in his hands, either his or Kawhi Leonard's. Coach was comfortable letting him run the last play for us and fortunately he made the basket, and we came home with a victory."
On the lack of timeout in the final 10 seconds against CSU:
"(Coach Fisher) knew we were going to get a good shot going down there. So it was great that he knew we were going to do something good at the end of the game."
On their defensive skills since the last TCU game:
"At first our defense was kind of shaky and in transition. I think we're doing a good job as we go through the first round of conference. The second round is harder because teams are going to know what you're doing, so we have to practice a little harder and work on our weaknesses."
On how he feels about the support students have shown in the past few weeks:
"When people tell me in class that they were up at 2 a.m. for tickets, it feels good to know that the whole community is behind us. We're playing for them, not just for us. We're playing for San Diego State and San Diego. It's amazing that people wait out like that."
Sophomore Guard Chase Tapley:
On what is necessary to continue their success in the second half of MWC play:
"I think we finished off the first half of conference well with D.J.'s shot. Now we just have to practice on our weaknesses, and defensive rebounding. I think we will have time to improve, but we'll see how it works in practice."