Jan. 31, 2008
Recap | Box Score
Post-game Quotes
January 31, 2008
Loyola vs. Youngstown State
Loyola Head Coach Whitesell
On the passing of former Rambler Anthony Smith
"When Tracy [Robinson] carried off Anthony's jersey [after the game], you couldn't help but well up. Tracy was probably the closest guy on our team to Anthony who's still in our program. He's the one that actually gave me the news. And tonight, as Tracy put it, `50 was looking down on us tonight.'"
On the end of the game
"That was a great shot by [Tracy Robinson]. It was mass chaos at the end, but it was good that J.R. [Blount] drew two guys and he kicked it to Tracy. And Aric Van Weelden had the big rebound there to get it when [Byron Davis] missed the second free throw. My heart was pumping when they went to the monitor. Sometimes good fortune will come back to you in the review. But obviously, they said it was clearly a three."
On the close Horizon League games
"Youngstown State's just like a lot of teams in our league. Almost all our games are coming down to literally almost the last possession or last minutes. Very seldom are you seeing a Horizon League game that even has a four or five point differential at the end, at least not in the ones we're playing in."
On the back-and-forth affair
"Youngstown just came out and just jumped us. They really shoot the ball well, they're very athletic, they had a lot of good movement, and they spread the floor. And a couple of our guys just didn't get going right away, and Tracy [Robinson] was one of them. But as the game went on, it just went back and forth. I don't think anyone separated more than a couple points ever in the second half. We were fortunate to win it. A week and a half ago, when we lost to Wright State, I know how the other side feels."
On the team's improving play
"We've had a lot of close games this year. With the exception of the Purdue game, at the five-minute mark we're almost always within a couple baskets or we're ahead. I think we've gotten a little more mentally tough in terms of that. I also know, a week and a half ago, we lost by one [to Wright State], I was frustrated, now I'm elated, and the difference is one point. Lots of times it is just one play, one possession. The big thing we try to get across to our guys is that we all remember that one play at the end of the game, but we need to remember the first three minutes of the second half or the end of the first half. Every possession has to be quality on both ends of the floor. That's something we're getting a little bit better at."
Loyola junior guard J.R. Blount
On sharing the ball
"Just cause it's my team doesn't mean I have to take the last shot at winning it every game. I just looked for an open opportunity and there were three people on me, so I knew somebody had to be open. I saw Tracy [Robinson] and dribbled past him and then he cut back around for a wide-open shot. It's just playing the game, it's not always about being the hero. We just want to win and it was a great shot."
On getting league wins
"Coach [Whitesell] talked before the game about climbing. We want to climb in the standings. Now we're 4-7, we were tied with them, so now we're ahead of them. We just have to take it one game at a time."
On making adjustments on offense
"In the beginning, against the zone, we struggled a little bit, myself included. We were just holding the ball for too long before making a pass, rather than just making a pass and then cutting through to get some more movement. We started doing that in the second half against their zone and we got more open looks that stimulated better offense by cutting in the middle. Once we got the ball movement going, we started rolling on offense."
Loyola senior forward Tracy Robinson
Recounting the last second play
"When he first dribbled past me, I was telling him to pass but he didn't give it to me, so I curled around and thought he was going to shoot it, but then he gave it to me, and I wasn't open but I realized that I could be open. I was [aware of the time]. I think somebody was counting down. When it went away I knew it was good, I knew it counted. I didn't know they were going to review it, but I knew it was good."
On who gets the last shot "It's all about opportunities. We're an unselfish team. [J.R. Blount] made one the other night, I made one tonight."
