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University of Louisville Men's Basketball Post-Game Quotes
October 28, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Oct. 28, 2009
Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery 
Louisville Head Coach, Rick Pitino
(Opening Statement) "Every year during the first game, our players really get big-time jitters. In the first half we played nervous which is to be expected from a young team, but they worked really hard the entire night - they worked hard defensively. I have to be honest, I didn't think we'd win tonight. In other years we were ready to open. We weren't really ready to open tonight - we just won with incredible hustle. We just wanted to get our guys experience, a lot of playing time and we did a much better job in the second half. We are a very good-shooting team even though we were nervous. This is the best shooting team I've had. Guys like Kyle Kuric are stepping up - he's a better basketball player. Jared Swopshire and Peyton Siva got a lot of playing time tonight which is great.
When you play Georgetown - they're very physical. They way they play is the way the Big East plays with a lot more size and a lot more strength at certain positions. It was very good for us to play an opening game against them. We were the number one seed last year and with a minute to go we were up four. They always give us a great battle, and that's what we want from an exhibition game. When you win by 50 or 60, it doesn't do you any good. They always give us this type of game."
(On the defense) "I thought Peyton (Siva) and Preston (Knowles) worked hard and gave us a lift. Pressing teams, sometimes they get one run in each half, we had a run three times. You wear out, your legs start to go, you miss free throws, you throw the ball away at the end. The teams that play us prepare, prepare, prepare, then they lose their legs, their minds go. You just want those one or two runs and we got it.
I think our offense is going to be very good. Last year at this time, we probably had seven or eight sets in, right now we have two. We've just got to go very slowly with these guys because they're so young."
(On Kyle Kuric) "I think it's confidence and learning. Just like freshmen Stephan Van Treese and Mike Marra, sometimes they're like deer in headlights, because they're trying to learn the play, the defense and the presses and then all of a sudden they know it and now they can just play on instinct and become good players like Kyle Kuric."
(On whether it was hard getting into the flow of game) "It is every year with (Georgetown) because they're so physical. It's foul, they block out, move you back 10 feet. They're a really well-schooled, well-drilled team. They've got it down right now. They're going to be a very good basketball team. It's great that we play them eight days into it. Each year we've played this game we've had to win on heart, not execution, because it's so early in the season."
(On Peyton Siva) "He's been turning the ball over too much. But he plays so hard, he's so aggressive, you've got to give him his due. He's trying to make plays, if you start harnessing him, he's got to learn from his mistakes. I have no problem with him. He's going to be a great player some day, one of the best I've ever coached at that position.
Georgetown College Head Coach, Happy Osborne
(Opening Statement) "First of all I appreciate playing the University of Louisville. I can't tell you how much this means to our school. Our whole campus was excited. Our whole town was excited. I can't thank Coach Pitino enough. This was the fourth time we played. Hopefully we made them sweat, and they made us sweat and me sweat. Samardo Samuels is going to be an All-Conference player. They are going to shoot the ball a lot better than they did tonight. A big key for them is who steps up at the four spot. Swopshire, Buckles and those guys have got to do it. If I was a Louisville fan, I would go ahead and make my reservations for the NCAA Tournament. They are going to get better and better. He (Pitino) has a good team again. Peyton Siva is going to be a super guard for them and a great leader."
(Last 9:00 Min) "With a minute to go in the half here they come. And I'm thinking we could be up six or eight and I take a third timeout. We have the ball and we are double teamed from the side and our bench, nobody in particular, calls a timeout. I'm the head coach and I'm the guy who calls the timeout, and our players yell timeout and that was our last timeout. They shoot the free-throws, but then we get the ball. If I had to do over again, I would have one more timeout and it hurt us because we couldn't stop the run. I wish Vanna White was there, because I would have bought a vowel. We needed a timeout bad, but you've got to give them credit. They're pressure was good. They're going to be a good team."
(Turning point) "Losing composure, our turnovers got carried away. One thing we did wrong, we shot 22-41 from the free throw line. You have people tell you all the time if you go to Louisville you won't get a well-called game. Why are you playing? We make our foul shots. We're right there. We've got no excuse for that. We've got to make our foul shots. When Georgetown and Louisville play, it's ugly. We're both going to push. We're both going to press. It's going to be physical, but it's going to be fun. I just want to let you guys know how much fun and what an opportunity it is for our guys. You guys come here all the time. It may just be another place to you guys. Crutcher and Hamilton got a chance to come here and start and play in front of their hometown. You know it's a thrill for those guys. Again, I just thank them so much for the opportunity to play. I can't thank them enough for what it does for us."
