UT-Arlington Head Coach Post Kentucky Press Conference QUOTES

UT Arlington Head Coach Scott Cross

Opening statement …
“Well, obviously that was a tough one for us. First half I’ll take responsibility for that, we went out and played zone. We watched on tape that it looked like Kentucky didn’t attack a zone as good as they did some man-to-man, so that’s why we went zone when we are a man team. They picked us apart in that zone, it was impressive watching them play and seeing them go inside and outside. They played the game the right way, that’s what is really impressive, to be able to get all of those NCAA All-Americans to play together as a team with 10 different guys, that is impressive. I don’t know how Coach Cal gets those guys to do it, but it is really impressive to see what they do.” 

On if playing a team like Kentucky is relevant to the rest of their season…
“It isn’t. I won’t even show our players the video of this game, I mean we have spent two hours on video before, but we won’t even watch this game’s tape. We won’t face another team like this, their size is absolutely unbelievable and you can’t simulate it. We could have guys standing on chairs and not even simulate it, they take up so much space and they close up gaps very impressively. I thought we would be able to get up a couple open looks, but in the first half we got zero open looks, that’s what is really amazing about what they are doing is what they are doing defensively.” 

On Kentucky’s point guard play…
“I think it’s good. They have so much depth that the backup point guard climbed up under our guards, and that’s our strength as we are one of the quickest teams around and he gave our point guards fits with his defense. We tried to set a lot of ball screens to get him off our guys so we could have a little bit of space and he kept climbing back up. That combination of point guards is pretty good.”

On if Kentucky can go undefeated and what would it take to beat them…
“It is very possible that they could go undefeated, if they play the way they did tonight playing together as a team, going inside and when they keep hitting shots they are not going to lose for sure. I think to beat them it would take a really poor shooting night and somebody would have to have great size. It would have to be one of the powerhouse teams having an unbelievable night to knock them off.”