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University of Louisville Men's Basketball Post-Game Quotes
December 18, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 18, 2007
Recap | Box Score | Notes | AP Photo Gallery 
Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino
"The three-point line is a great neutralizer of talent. Obviously we gave up seven threes, four of them were very difficult ones that our guys didn't expect them to take range-wise. They were playing very loose and I give that credit to them. We weren't playing bad basketball we were playing decent basketball. The last two games we've had the highest number of deflections since I've been here, we've had 45 each in two games- that's unheard of. We are doing some really good things. Andre gave us a big lift, I am real glad of the way he played."
(on Marshall's 3-point shooting) "They were unexpected because they were way beyond the three-point line and we just didn't expect it. We just got out there and played a tandem up top and tried to suffocate them and Walls is the guy you expect to make all the threes and it wasn't coming from him."
(on turnovers) "We didn't turn it our, this team has been forcing 18.4 turnovers a game. We knew it was going to be a tight game. Because we are coming off two losses it makes a tight half, your confidence is lacking when you lose two games in row. So we needed this victory tonight badly."
(on Caracter) "Derek did a good job. He is capable of rebounding the one weakness that Terrance Farley has is that he doesn't rebound the ball. He stands and doesn't react. Derrick has very good hands. Earl is a very good passer at the high post, we were able to run some high lows with them fronting him. He (Caracter) did a good job tonight he just has to improve his defense. He wasn't challenged tonight with the basketball, which was good."
"The difference is though you shoot such a low percentage the press doesn't take its toll. We were very active on defense it's just offensively we were not. And we are getting better, this week we had a good week of practice. And it really wasn't our not playing well it was Dayton hitting some very difficult shots, you have to give them a lot of credit. We played a good game tonight."
Marshall Head Coach Donnie Jones
"First, I'd like to say congratulations to coach Pitino getting his 500th win. I thought our guys really came out and competed for 40 minutes. Give them credit, they're a very quick, long, athletic team. We knew there would be spots throughout the game where we would have to handle their pressure. I thought there was a big turning point in the second half where the intensity would pick up and we didn't handle it. It's hard to have 17 turnovers on road and get a victory. I told some of our guys when we down seven and we cut it to four that we would have a chance to win. Then we missed that shot, they came down and shot a three. Our guys really hung in there. With their size, Derrick Caracter and Earl Clark in paint obviously had a lot of blocks tonight and it really affected our players inside. Tirrell Baines and Markel Humphrey had a difficult time because we didn't have enough size. Give U of L credit, they're a very good basketball team. They've got a chance to go far in the tournament with the kind of talent they have."
(On Marshall's ability to play with anybody) "We made strides against East Tennessee State and Wright State. We made strides, we made free throws and I think if we can compete at that level night in and night out we have a chance to do pretty well in our conference. This one game doesn't make our season - win or lose. It's a journey to the end of the tournament - that's where we want to be. I feel that even though we fell a little short tonight, our team is getting better. I see a lot of hurt in those guys' eyes in the locker room, they feel like they belong, instead of accepting losing - like we did the last time we played. So I'm encourage with that. We have to build on some things and get right back at it on Saturday against Princeton."
(On the difference between the first and second half) "We couldn't get the ball past half court for while. That caused a problem, we gave up a lot of easy bucket there. We just weren't getting the shots up - we had 17 turnovers. That took us out of flow, out of our of rhythm got some good shots. They are very long in that zone, kicking it out, penetrating the zone in the middle. I think we got some good shots, we just weren't getting any looks in the half court."
