Postgame Quotes
Jan 07, 2017 | Men's Basketball
Head Coach Bruce Weber
On the strong start…
“I thought they were great, especially at the start of the game. I told them to come out angry. I said guard the heck out of them, push and share the ball.
Addressing rebounding from the game in Lawrence…
“I do not know if I had to remind them to come out. I just said we do not need talking or moping and all that stuff. We needed to go and play. Let our actions do the talking. You went into Kansas and you did not say a word. You played your butt off and you gave yourselves a chance, now come back and do the same thing here. ”
On ball handling and offense…
“That is one of the things we talked about at halftime. We were really good at valuing and taking care of the ball. I think in the first half we got those shutouts and were able to get running. In the second half, we were not able to get those shutouts and had to walk it up the floor.”
On Wesley Iwundu…
“I like his versatility and he made plays down the stretch. He can do so many things. He had 16 points, five assists, two steals and three rebounds. He wants the ball and wants to take the game over when we need him.”
On Big 12 play and Texas Tech…
“Every game is tough. Coach [Chester] Frazier wrote on the scouting report every game is as important as the next. Texas Tech is good. We will see how they play tonight against Kansas, but they are 12-2 and beat West Virginia. That is a big time win. They run Bob Knight old school motion. They have versatile, big guys that shoot threes. We are going to have to play well.”
Senior Guard Wesley Iwundu
Senior Guard Wesley Iwundu
On Dean Wade’s recent performances…
“You know, Dean Wade is a big part of this team. I do not want to say he is the “X” factor, but he is probably the most important player on the team. In my opinion, I would say that because he can change the game by what he brings to the team. When Dean is having a good game, ten times out of ten the whole team is going to have a good game and be successful. I think Dean’s capabilities of what he can do on offense and on the defensive end is pretty big for us.”
On what goes through his head during these Big 12 games with it being his last season…
“You know, I just pretty much know this is my last go around and that this is the last impression I am going to leave on everyone here. I just come out with the mindset to do whatever is needed to win and help the team win, because it is all eyes on us right now and all eyes on each person on the team. I think coming out every game with the same mindset, focus and confidence is a pretty big thing for me in my last year.”
On last game against Kansas University…
“Those types of games are always big time for me. It just brings out the competitive spirit in me and I think a game like that shows us, not just me, but what the whole team is capable of going forward. We just have to find rhythm off of that and just keep getting better.”
Sophomore Guard Kamau Stokes
On difference between the two halves…
“In the second half we just came out a little too relaxed, neglected emotions and we had to get ourselves together. In the first half we came out strong and did what we had to do.”
On getting back on the court after the frustrating loss to Kansas University…
“We wanted to get back. It was really beneficial to get back early. We wanted to come out with a lot of aggression, show people that we can really play, and just use that frustration as a push to come out the way we did.”
On the value of having Wesley Iwundu…
“Well for one, Wesley Iwundu is a senior. Next year we are going to be losing a whole lot for our team. He is one of those guys that can do anything. He can get guys open, score when we need it, make free throws when we need it, so all around he is a big help to our team. Everybody pitches in but especially Wes and that definitely helps us a lot.”
Head Coach Lon Kruger
Opening statement…
“I thought Kansas State opened the ball game and they obviously played sharp and set the tone. We did not respond very well to that in the first half. I thought we responded much better in the second half, but Kansas State is playing great and Bruce [Weber] has done a terrific job with them. The veterans are giving them good leadership, and there is a good blend of a lot of good stuff on both ends of the floor. I am glad to see that for Weber and the Wildcats. We just have to do things a lot better. We have to do things better for 40 minutes, and keep working at it and making progress. I know this group will do that”.
On why they started in a zone defense…
“We were both man and zone early, and neither one was very effective. I thought we got a little bit more aggressive in the second half and little more physical with it, but it was not very good in the first half”.
On McGusty and Odomes…
“Kameron McGusty has been great. He is healthy now and getting more comfortable. He is a really good at both ends of floor. For Rashard Odomes, to fight back and battle like he did, I am proud of that. We just have to get more from more people and keep growing”.
On Kansas State now as opposed to last year…
“I think they are just a year older. From a confidence standpoint they have always been very sound defensively. Offensively now, they are shooting the ball with confidence as well as moving and sharing the ball. They are playing good basketball and it is really impressive”.
Freshman Guard Kameron McGusty
On the game slowing down for him these last two games…
“I have been choosing my spots very well and so have my teammates. We have just been doing a good job of swinging the ball and it is all about getting good shots. We have had a lot of people step up and get good shots”.
On balancing individual success and the team’s struggles…
“At the end of the day, just individual success is not worth it if we are not winning. It is really bothering us as a team that we are not winning. We are trying everything we can to put that together and try to win a ballgame. I do not have much to say about individual success”.
Sophomore Guard Rashard Odomes
On the slow start and what it meant for them the rest of the game…
“We just tried to fight, compete and come back. We tried to do whatever it takes to do that”.
On the team’s confidence during this losing streak…
“Each game we come out confident. I feel like we have confident players that are working to try to get it done. Game after game we try to improve”.
K-State Men's Basketball | Postgame Press Conference at Texas Tech
Sunday, February 22
K-State Men's Basketball | Haggerty and Johnson Historic Night vs Baylor
Thursday, February 19
K-State Men's Basketball | Interim Head Coach Driscoll Press Conference vs Baylor
Wednesday, February 18
K-State Men's Basketball | Press Conference vs Baylor
Wednesday, February 18
