Here is an excerpt of the transcript of [B]John Calipari’s postgame comments from last night[/B]:
MODERATOR: Coach Calipari, opening remarks.
COACH CALIPARI: For us, there’s nothing better, especially with a young team to shoot 39 percent, 17 percent from the foul line, have double the turnovers than assists and still win a game. It’s lovely. It’s lovely.
And so we played how we had to play with foul trouble in the first half, which I’m stunned we were down 1. And guys fought like crazy, and I thought we had some great individual performances, yet our team is not there yet.
We got a little selfish today. Defensively at the end, it was like lay up, lay up, and foul. We left the huddle don’t foul, we fouled. That’s what happens with young guys.
But what I did like we made the four free throws we had to to finish the game. Those balls went down, and that means we have a will to win, and it’s beginning to happen.
THE MODERATOR: Questions?
Q. How much did you guys want to make them get into some half court and not let them get going up and down; and secondly could you talk about what Josh gave you on the boards?
COACH CALIPARI: Let me tell you, it wasn’t just what he did on the boards, it was what he did in pick-and-roll defense, because everybody thinks that’s our Achilles heel. And he proved today that it is not our Achilles heel. And the only guys getting beat were our guards who weren’t staying connected and didn’t get back to their man after the ball screen.
But the way he rebounded the ball and played, Eloy came in and did pretty well, but Eloy didn’t finish. We have to get Eloy in the kind of physical condition so he’s mentally tougher like Josh. How about the 3 he made? I’ll be honest with you, he can shoot 3s probably as well as we’ve got anybody on the team.
He would be one that if we needed a 3 I would have no problem throwing it to him because they won’t guard him because they don’t think he can shoot it. He can really shoot it.
He had a great effort. And, like I say, he was close to a double-double. And let me say this, against a top 10 team. He was almost a double-double. That’s a big deal.
Q. Could you talk about the atmosphere of the game and then to the players there was an earthquake in the second half with about six or eight minutes to go, did you notice it?
COACH CALIPARI: There was an earthquake? What was it on the Richter scale?
Q. 4.7.
COACH CALIPARI: That’s nothing. I thought you were going to tell me it was a 7, the building would have shook a little bit.
What did you ask me? I have no idea what you asked.
Q. Asked you about the atmosphere.
COACH CALIPARI: It was great. The Kentucky fans are — what happens at the hotel, I gotta put my head down and run to my room, but short of that, it’s great for these guys. I mean, they know they’re not only playing for each other, there’s a lot of people that take unbelievable pride and are invested in this program.
And they’re emotionally invested and they’re from all over the country. The fans here that are Kentucky fans, I’m going to guess 30 percent of them are from Kentucky. And the rest are from other places around the country. And they’re here watching this. And I betcha I’m accurate.
[URL=”http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/112410aai.html”]Click here for the complete transcript[/URL] that includes comments from Washington head coach Lorenzo Romar and point guard Isaiah Thomas. There are also comments from Kentucky’s Brandon Knight and Josh Harrellson.
