SU Player Quotes vs. Rutgers
Syracuse Player Quotes
Syracuse vs. Rutgers
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
February 1, 2006
Junior Center Terrence Roberts
On what he was thinking as he put up the game-winning three…
“I looked at the clock and I knew no one else was open. I threw it up and, thank goodness, it went in. I’ve made big shots and big plays, but that’s by far the biggest shot I’ve ever made.”
On what this win means…
“This is great. Coming off of a four-game skid to get a tough win like that. Quincy Douby played excellently tonight. To come in and get a win like this was just tremendous.”
On what the difference was in tonight’s game…
“I think everyone came in today --from Andy (Rautins) to Josh (Wright) -- everyone came in with more confidence. I think we made a lot of bad plays, but our guys kept playing hard through turnovers, through everything. That was the resilience that we showed that we still have to win tough games, and being as young as we are right now.”
On what the team’s mindset was coming into the game…
“I don’t think our confidence was rattled. We knew what was going on and what we were doing wrong. We just had to get back to that. I think we showed a lot of resilience tonight to come in here and play hard the whole 45 minutes.”
Senior Guard Gerry McNamara
On playing through challenges…
“I had confidence in them and the way they played. Coach Boeheim said it best: A lot of teams would have broken after some of the things that happened in that game. Giving up a three to tie the game…Demetris (Nichols) made a game-winning play by blocking the shot. A lot of teams could have broken, especially after a four-game skid, so I’m just proud of those guys. It’s great to have a win again.”
On Terrence Roberts’ game-winning three…
“I don’t know if the last shot is going to be drawn up for me anymore. I said to Coach Hopkins when it was in the air, ‘It’s good.’ It was a good looking shot, he set his feet and he looked like he’s done that before. It’s a fun thing to see when a guy like that hits a big shot.”
On what was going through his mind on the bench…
“It’s tough to sit out any game, especially when you’re trying to get back in the winner’s circle and you’re having a tough stretch. It’s difficult. I thought I could have helped us, but after I got hit, I don’t think I really could have and that’s why I decided that I couldn’t go (back into the game). I really thought that if I was in there I would have hurt the team because I wouldn’t be able to be 100 percent. Josh did a great job. He made a lot of big plays and I just can’t say enough about what these guys did.”
Junior Forward Demetris Nichols
On Quincy Douby, who set a Carrier Dome record with 41 points…
“He’s a good player. It’s tough to guard him. I tried my best to do it, but he played well tonight. He hit everything – even the tough shots. I tried my best, though.”
On his key block at the end of regulation…
“We decided in the last five minutes of the game that we weren’t going to give up any lay-ups. I said to myself, ‘I have to block this or foul him, or else Coach will go crazy.’ I just tried my best to block it and it happened.”
On the play of Josh Wright…
“Josh played great. I think he had 17 points. He played great. He took GMac’s place and did great. He helped us in the long run.”
Junior Center Darryl Watkins
On his clutch free-throw shooting at the end of regulation…
“I was just waiting for an opportunity, because I’ve been practicing every day. I had a chance to bring it in at the end of the game and all I was thinking was, ‘I’m going to make these,’ and they went in.”
