Thread: Alabama Pre-Kentucky Quotes

Head Coach Anthony Grant
On the challenges Anthony Davis presents:
“I think he has had a great, great year so far when you look at the numbers he has put up in the league play. I believe he leads them in scoring and leads them in rebounding and is among the nation's leaders in shot blocks. I’m very impressed watching him on film and the different ways he that he affects the game for his team.”
On any differences in preparation with the quick turnaround between games:
“Just normal stuff in terms of postgame stuff that we normally do. Then with the short turn around, trying to do some things to prepare for the game in less than 24 hours.”
On what makes Kentucky so tough at home:
“Coach Calipari has done a great job. They are undefeated at home during his tenure. They have great talent, great atmosphere and so it’s a great environment.”
On Moussa Gueye’s game against Vanderbilt:
“I thought he gave us some good minutes. I think he played 14 minutes. It was good to have him out there. He’s worked extremely hard to get himself back to be ready to play. I think it is good for our team to have him back.”
On if anything different will be done to involve Tony Mitchell:
“ I think Tony took eight shots last night, none of them went in. The thing that we have got to do as a team is figure out the way that different people will defend us. How we can help each other a little bit better all the way through.”
On if Vanderbilt did anything in particular or if Mitchell simply had an off night and what he anticipates from Kentucky:
“I can’t tell you what Kevin Stallings or John Calipari’s gameplan is. That’s basketball and it's always going to be a team game.”
On preparing a team to play on a day’s rest:
“That’s our job as coaches. We have to make sure that we get our guys prepared so we will make sure that we will give them as much information as we feel can be useful. We don’t want to overload them, and just get them ready to play.”
On Michael Kidd-Gilchrist:
“I’ve been very impressed watching him. I think he’s another guy that impacts the game for them in a lot of different ways. He’s got the ability to score with the basketball, he really defends and I have been impressed with his aggressiveness and the passion he plays with as a freshman. He has good size, physicality and is a very good player.”
On Marquis Teague:
“He’s another freshman that has had tremendous impact on their team at the point guard spot, with the minutes he is playing and the way he is running the team. He’s a guy that on both ends of the floor has done a very good job with his team.”
On trying to score against UK’s interior defenders:
“They've got a very long, physical and quick team. We’ve got to make sure we do a good job of taking care of the basketball and making sure that we can limit their opportunities to get easy baskets through what they create with their defense. I think they have done a great job this year, of having their defense create offense for them.”
On the tempo of the Vanderbilt game:
“I thought we created more possessions. We didn’t convert on all of the opportunities we had. We have just got to do a better job of making sure we can convert a little better.
On utilizing 11 different players in the Vanderbilt game:
I think we had eight guys in double figures in minutes. Every game is different. I felt like the guys we played last night could give us something different in terms of what we needed to try to win the game.”
Forward JaMychal Green
On rebounding from Thursday’s loss:
“Last night was tough on us. So with a quick turnaround, we’ve just got to leave that in the past.”

On Anthony Davis:
“He blocks a lot of shots, so we just have to play smart and keep him on his toes.

On trying to be more productive offensively:
“I really don’t know what their game plan is so it depends on what they are doing. We’re going to play our game.”

On helping the younger players with the quick turnaround:
“They just have to be ready. They have to leave last night in the past and be ready for tomorrow. Focus today at practice and go hard.”

On Andrew Steele’s significance to the team:
“He’s very important to this team. He brings a lot of energy off the bench and has a high basketball IQ. He is one of our best defenders, so having him on the court helps out a lot.”

On playing at Rupp Arena:
“They have a great fan base there and they’re always there for their team home or away. It’s going to be tough and something the freshman haven’t seen this year. We just have to go into it like every other game and just play hard.”

On what he’ll say to Tony Mitchell:
“Tony’s just got to stay focused and leave last night in the past. I know it’s hard for him, but he’s just got to go out there tomorrow, compete and do what he does best.”