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University of Louisville Men's Basketball Post-Game Quotes
December 29, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2007
Recap | Box Score | Notes | AP Action Photos 
Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino
"It was really a matter of two teams running the same offense. And knowing each other every play and every move that you make, you know each other. Obviously we have the better talent and we are at home, so we have a huge advantage in that situation when both teams are running the same stuff. Kevin has done a phenomenal job with this Iona program. We did a great job of playing defense tonight. We know the BIG EAST is a few days away, we know Cincinnati is one of the better defensive teams in the country. We knew we had to bring an unbelieveable effort on the defensive effort tonight and we did."
(on what they did well today) "We rotated well. For the first team this year we really played the scouting report to perfection. I thought we were active inside. Overall we did a great job from the 3-point line. We had 47 deflections, that's a lot especially in a low scoring game. We didn't turn it over much, we only turned it over 11 times. When you get out there and have 17 assists in a low scoring game, you're passing the ball. That one spurt when Tello was out there and they were moving the ball that is what we were doing at the end of last year. We are still not at that point for 40 minutes but we will get there."
(On coaching against Kevin Willard) "He never stopped coaching. He joked at halftime and said thanks for teaching me such good offense. It's nothing you can do about two teams knowing each other so well. You know I always say this - it's the greatest compliment that I can give someone -- I compare Kevin to Billy Donovan. And you all know how I feel about Billy Donovan, I think he is one of the premier guys. But at the same stages of life and at the same stages of coaching, they remind me of carbon copies of each other. Kevin is a phenomenal coach, he is getting the most out of those guys. We just ran into a team tonight that played great defense and they missed their shots."
"I think we played great defense tonight. You got to give the guys credit. They all roatated properly, they all stepped up. The more you keep teams out of the middle, the better you defense is going to be."
(Are you ready for the BIG EAST?) "We are ready for the BIG EAST. Told Tello, great move when you are dribble full court, in another two or three weeks he will be able to dunk the ball. I will venture to say that there is a possibility that we could have David (Padgett) for Cincinnati. 50-50, it's up to him but our plans are to get him ready for Cincinnati. You may think, what are these guys doing with this timetable? But it's all him--it not the doctor, its not us, its all him. This young man is a very selfless individual. He says he doesn't care about professional basketball, I don't care if I ever play again, I just want to join my team and play my senior year. In this day and age, you never see that. I'm just real proud of him. We need to make sure he is shape because that's the key thing. If we can't get him in shape he's not going to play because he could hurt something else. We will see if he's ready if not he will play in the next game. What is that game after that? I think I forgot, I will have to look it up."
Iona Head Coach Kevin Willard
"This was very special for me. I looked down and saw someone who has been a huge part of my life for last 10 years. I've been here for the last six years, seeing these games go this way. It was fun to see the kids I helped recruit, help teach play the way they should be playing, a lot of smiles, a lot of fun, a lot of energy. To be honest with you, I was really proud of the way my kids played. It was a special day for me, I got to coach against my mentor. I heard him say he didn't teach me scheduling, I'm going to schedule this game next year, maybe I'll get a car."
(On whether he was surprised to get the Rolex) "I shouldn't be surprised, he's one of the most generous people. The people who spend time with him, travel with him see what he does for charity - I should have been surprised but I wasn't."
(On how Louisville is playing) "They've weathered storm they've had to weather. I know the kids in that lockerroom better than anybody and when you lose David Padgett you don't lose a 6-11 center, you lose a point guard, you lose a leader and the fact that he's coming back - and Tello (Palacios) is now coming back. This team has weathered the storm that they've had to weather."
"I probably busted Derrick's butt as much as anybody in the last year, but it's great to see him play well when they go up and down the floor. I think this team is just now starting to play the way they're going to play."
(On what's impressed him most about Rick Pitino) "He shows up for work everyday no later than 7 a.m., usually 6:45 - and he does individual instruction with the kids. He's on the floor every day - I don't know how he does it. I've only been a head coach now seven months and I'm already wiped. He shows up with energy and enthusiasm every day. He's a great teacher, a terrific person, but the fact that he brings it every day and never takes a day off. If you don't answer your cell phone he's getting mad at you. He calls you at midnight, 5 a.m., he's calling you on Thanksgiving with ideas. His passion for the game is by far the most impressive thing about him."
"It's fun coming back - the people, not only at the school, but in the town are terrific. My wife and I had six great years living here, through the ups and downs. It was very special for me to come back and see all the people we got to meet -from the people who run the scoreboard, to security, to the officers. It's a very special place. My kids started to get a feel for it at the end of the game. I'm blessed that I worked here for that long."
(On the Louisville defense) "In the second half of Morehead State game I knew we were going to be in for a long night. They're starting to get really active. Every one of those guys has great hands. I think that's the difference. Every passing lane you make, they're getting a deflection. Every time we had a pass, it was getting deflected. It's a great basketball team and I expect those guys to play like that every night now."
