Syracuse NCAA Selection Show Player Quotes
Sophomore Gerry McNamara
On SU’s draw in the 2004 NCAA Tournament:
“We’re happy. We get to go out to Denver and play a good team, so we’re looking forward to it and we’re happy to be in the situation we’re in.”
On if teams are more focused to play the defending national champion:
“Judging by the reaction of BYU I think they look forward to playing the defending national champs. We also have to look at it like we won it last year and we have to prove that there was a reason that we won last year and we have to prove that to ourselves. A lot of people already counted us out. We have to go to Denver with the purpose of repeating and if you don’t approach it that way then you’ve already lost.”
On if the team is more rested because of its first-game loss in the BIG EAST Tournament:
“I’m not saying that I wouldn’t rather be in New York City playing for the title, but the rest did help. It definitely did benefit me because of my nagging injuries. We lost last year in the BIG EAST Tournament and we went all the way, so anything can happen. We’re just looking for one of those hot streaks teams get on and hopefully we’ll hit our stride.”
Junior Hakim Warrick
On being referred to as the “defending national champions”:
“We definitely know its something that’s going to be brought up. We’re not a No. 1 seed. We’re almost like an underdog and we have to go there as a five seed and prove once again that we belong.”
On being a No. 5 seed:
“I thought we would probably be a four, five or six seed. Last year we were a three, but I think we match up really well with some of the teams in that region (Phoenix).”
On Carmelo Anthony being in Denver:
“I just talked to him and I told him to send some of his Nuggets’ fans over to our game wearing orange. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to make it to the game (the Nuggets play at Boston on Wednesday and at Detroit on Friday).”
On the difference between the SU’s selection this year as opposed to last year:
“This year it took a lot longer. We were in the last region. I didn’t know what was going on. I was hoping they (the committee) didn’t miss our name or anything. I was more relieved when I saw Syracuse up on the board.”
On what SU has to work on heading into the NCAA Tournament:
“We definitely have to work on getting on the glass. We can’t let teams outrebounded us by more than 10 or more rebounds a game. We also have to take care of the ball better down the stretch and I’ll think we’ll have as good as shot as anyone to win it (the NCAA title).”
Junior Craig Forth
On being referred to as the “defending national champions”:
“It’s exciting to be out there (Denver) at this time of year and that title does begin to mean something. We have a lot of guys on this team that know what its like to be in the position we were in last year and we’re excited. You never know what can happen in the tournament.”
On the win-or-go-home atmosphere of the NCAA Tournament:
“We’re preparing for this year the same way we prepared for last year. We know we have a tough road ahead of us. We had a tough road last year. We’re going to get our minds right and bring everything we have each night. No one wants to go home early, so we’re looking to stay in Denver as long as possible and then move on from there.”
