Student-Athlete Postgame Quotes
vs. UConn
Syracuse vs. Connecticut
February 10, 2010
Carrier Dome - Syracuse, N.Y.
Andy Rautins, Senior, Guard
How did you react to being heavily guarded throughout the game?
“We knew that they were going to be physical. Coach (Boeheim) said that they are one of the most physical teams in the conference. They face-guarded me the entire game, even when I did get a little bit open. It worked out well; we got to the foul line. If they’re going to play me like that, things will open up for my teammates. We did a good job making plays down the stretch.
"We find other ways to score, and we push the ball down on offense after we get good stops on defense. Our defense was pretty good tonight, and overall we did a good job of getting over screens late in the game.”
What happened to the offense when you left the game with four fouls?
“We were in a good flow and that call could have gone either way. It’s tough to sit there and watch, but I think the guys got a little bit tired. When I came off the bench it was a little bit of a spark with some fresh legs. I tried to get us back in the flow of the game before that, but we have to do a better job of staying focused.”
Rick Jackson, Junior, Forward
How do you feel about the current ability of the team?
“We’re playing really well right now, and that we can be a great team. We need to work on a few more things, like all teams do.”
Has the offense been struggling to get the ball to Wes Johnson?
“Guys are going to guard him the whole game. Some games are better than others. He’s going to be a great player and he needs to keep his head up. The game will just keep getting better for him.”
Is the team looking forward to March Madness?
“Right now we’re preparing ourselves for March, trying to get ready for the tournament. We want to be great in the tournament.”
Arinze Onuaku, Senior, Forward
How is the team approaching the final stretch of the schedule?
“We know everyone is trying to give us their best shot. Going into stretch like this, we know we have to play hard and play smart.”
What was the impact of playing without Andy Rautins in the second half?
“We have to keep flowing no matter who is on the floor. Every game is going to be a different situation. He was in foul trouble, so the next guy has to step up.”
What were the opposing guards trying to do to cut into the Syracuse lead?
“They were trying to get into the lane to get easy baskets, and we tried to block shots and keep them off of the glass.”
