SU Player Quotes vs. UTEP
Syracuse Player Quotes
Syracuse vs. UTEP
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
January 4, 2006
Freshman guard Eric Devendorf
On tonight’s win…
“In the first half we struggled on defense – we turned the ball over ten times. In the second half, we cleaned up the turnovers and that’s what helped us get the win. A win is a win, so we feel good. We have South Florida on Sunday, so we just have to focus on Sunday and hopefully we’ll get another win.”
On how the non-conference schedule has helped the team develop…
“I think it helped us out a lot. It showed us that any team can play with us. If we play our game, I don’t think any team can beat us. We just have to go out every night and play to the best of our ability.”
On his performance tonight…
“I think I played pretty well tonight. Obviously I got into foul trouble, but my teammates stepped up – Louie (McCrosky), Gerry (McNamara), D-Nic (Demetris Nichols), Terrence (Roberts) – stepped up and got rebounds and buckets.”
On how he feels entering conference play…
“I feel more comfortable playing, and that’s what’s helped me out a lot. I’m ready for the BIG EAST, because I’m as comfortable as I can be. Knowing my role and knowing how to fit in with the team has helped me be comfortable out there, and that’s what I’ve done.”
On the upcoming game against South Florida…
“After South Florida we’re going to be even more ready, but I think we’re ready right now. You have to go out and play hard to get the win. You saw a man for Marquette go off for 41 points and have sixteen rebounds (against Connecticut), so anything can happen at any time. We just have to play good defense – that’s the key.”
Junior guard Louie McCroskey
On what he’s learned from the non-conference schedule…
“I know we have to be ready to play, and that’s it. Maybe we were able to get away with not being able to play with some of these other teams, but those are the games that count. Those are the game that will get you into the (NCAA) tournament, so you have to be ready to play those.”
On the benefit of the early part of the season…
“Guys that don’t normally play will probably get the chance to play, so they can go out there and see what they’re good at. Then, in key situations we can call on them and they have experience. That’s what those early games are for – so Coach can see what the best combinations are out there on the court. I think we really accomplished that with this schedule.”
On tonight’s game…
“A win is a win, and we’ll take it. We had to earn this win.”
On what his personal goals are…
“ I’m going to do what I have to do. As long as we win, everything is fine.”
On how to improve rebounding as a team…
“I think it’s an attitude. Dennis Rodman wasn’t the best rebounder, but he had an attitude next to the ball. We’re so athletic that it’s to a fault, sometime – we don’t box out or we don’t get those rebounds. Guys that aren’t as athletic are boxing out and are trying to get those rebounds. So we just have to have that attitude and realize that we have to get to the right spot and be ready.”
Junior forward Terrence Roberts
On the mentality of BIG EAST play…
“In conference play, you have to take it up another notch because you can be beat by any team on any night. If you don’t bring your A-game….It’s like with Marquette (beating Connecticut), no one expected that. So if you don’t bring your A-game, you’ll definitely go down. We’re ready. We’ve had the best preparation we can get by playing all of these mid-majors that are great teams.”
On rebounding…
“Coach isn’t going to be completely satisfied until we out-rebound someone 20-40. We’re capable of it. I wasn’t moving around that well tonight….Mookie was in foul trouble, but Arinze did a great job of coming in there. Rebounding is always a focus and it’s going to get better as we go along. We’re not worried about it. We got a tough win tonight, and that’s all that matters.”
On how tonight’s game helped get ready for conference play…
“It’s a tough game. These guys come into the Dome and they’re playing us tough all night. That’s what we’re going to get when we’re playing the Notre Dame’s, the Cincinnati’s and the Louisville’s. This is the kind of game we’re going to be in, where we’re not winning by 10-12. I think it definitely helps us down the stretch.”
