Syracuse Student-Athlete Quotes - Duke
Syracuse Men's Basketball
Syracuse vs. Duke
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Student-Athlete Postgame Quotes
Frank Howard, Sr., G.
Was there something different they were doing to you in the second half?
“I think our pace lowered a little bit, we let their defense get set. They’re a great defensive team. I don’t know the exact number or the exact ranking, but they lead the league in turnovers. We took care of the ball today but it was just rebounds in the second half. That started with all five of us. All five of us gave up rebounds.”
What was it like playing in front of a record crowd?
“I’ll always remember this game. I’m mad it’s a loss, but this is what you dream of. This is why we come here, for games like this. Games like this are what you dream of.”
Tyus Battle, Jr., G
What’s the difference between the team you faced tonight and the team you faced earlier this season with Zion Williamson?
“They’re still good players. It’s still basketball. We just weren’t making shots, and I think that was the key there.”
What was the feeling when you came together as a team the first time after the accident?
“In times like this, the community has to come together the most. I think that’s what we tried to do, just stick together as a team. That’s just the Syracuse family, and you try to support the family that it happened to, and Coach [Boeheim] at the same time.”
How much responsibility do you feel as a leader on this team to help rally this team and get them back focused on basketball?
“That’s a huge obligation of mine. These guys, they’re focused. They’re a focused group. They were ready to come out and play tonight, regardless of the situation. I think that made us even hungrier at the end of the day. To come out and lose a tough game, and have shots not fall in the second half, it’s always tough as a basketball player.”
It doesn’t get any easier as you guys go to North Carolina on Tuesday. What will that game be like?
“They crash the boards really hard. That’s always tough. They’re one of the best rebounding teams in the country, so that increases their possessions. I know I haven’t beaten them yet, so that’s definitely one I’m looking to get.”
Oshae Brissett, So., F
What was it like to play in front of that crowd?
“It was great. Any stop, any bucket got the crowd going. That really helps us out. I love the fans here and I know they’re going to support us no matter what until the end of the season. They’re there every game. It really helps us out.”
Did you expect to win this game?
“For sure. We didn’t think about the last game and ‘oh we beat them, we can beat them again.’ We just wanted to put up a great fight. I felt we did that for the most part. I think we can beat anybody, honestly. Going into Tuesday, we feel like we can win that game. There’s never a game where we go in there and we don’t feel like we have it. That’s why everyone is like this right now. We’re never happy after a loss. We’re upset after a loss. Everyone feels like they did what they could, and that’s why we’re like this right now.”
Another challenge on Tuesday, playing down there in another iconic arena against another iconic program.
“It’s going to be exciting. I’ve never been there, a lot of guys have never been there. I’m ready to go down there and prove what we can do. We just have to bounce back and get back on track.
“We’re going to be ready for anything. We know the players that they have. They can score just like Duke, so we’re going to be prepared for it.”
Syracuse vs. Duke
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Student-Athlete Postgame Quotes
Frank Howard, Sr., G.
Was there something different they were doing to you in the second half?
“I think our pace lowered a little bit, we let their defense get set. They’re a great defensive team. I don’t know the exact number or the exact ranking, but they lead the league in turnovers. We took care of the ball today but it was just rebounds in the second half. That started with all five of us. All five of us gave up rebounds.”
What was it like playing in front of a record crowd?
“I’ll always remember this game. I’m mad it’s a loss, but this is what you dream of. This is why we come here, for games like this. Games like this are what you dream of.”
Tyus Battle, Jr., G
What’s the difference between the team you faced tonight and the team you faced earlier this season with Zion Williamson?
“They’re still good players. It’s still basketball. We just weren’t making shots, and I think that was the key there.”
What was the feeling when you came together as a team the first time after the accident?
“In times like this, the community has to come together the most. I think that’s what we tried to do, just stick together as a team. That’s just the Syracuse family, and you try to support the family that it happened to, and Coach [Boeheim] at the same time.”
How much responsibility do you feel as a leader on this team to help rally this team and get them back focused on basketball?
“That’s a huge obligation of mine. These guys, they’re focused. They’re a focused group. They were ready to come out and play tonight, regardless of the situation. I think that made us even hungrier at the end of the day. To come out and lose a tough game, and have shots not fall in the second half, it’s always tough as a basketball player.”
It doesn’t get any easier as you guys go to North Carolina on Tuesday. What will that game be like?
“They crash the boards really hard. That’s always tough. They’re one of the best rebounding teams in the country, so that increases their possessions. I know I haven’t beaten them yet, so that’s definitely one I’m looking to get.”
Oshae Brissett, So., F
What was it like to play in front of that crowd?
“It was great. Any stop, any bucket got the crowd going. That really helps us out. I love the fans here and I know they’re going to support us no matter what until the end of the season. They’re there every game. It really helps us out.”
Did you expect to win this game?
“For sure. We didn’t think about the last game and ‘oh we beat them, we can beat them again.’ We just wanted to put up a great fight. I felt we did that for the most part. I think we can beat anybody, honestly. Going into Tuesday, we feel like we can win that game. There’s never a game where we go in there and we don’t feel like we have it. That’s why everyone is like this right now. We’re never happy after a loss. We’re upset after a loss. Everyone feels like they did what they could, and that’s why we’re like this right now.”
Another challenge on Tuesday, playing down there in another iconic arena against another iconic program.
“It’s going to be exciting. I’ve never been there, a lot of guys have never been there. I’m ready to go down there and prove what we can do. We just have to bounce back and get back on track.
“We’re going to be ready for anything. We know the players that they have. They can score just like Duke, so we’re going to be prepared for it.”
