#22 Alex Poythress On if they are a better team than the first meeting in December: “We are a lot better. We are a whole different team. We are fighting more and playing better defense. We are better on offense and everywhere. We are just a whole different team.”
On if they are escaping the size of the matchup with Louisville:
“We just have to stay focused and within ourselves. Just focus on the game itself and not listen to the outside media or social networks or anything like that. Just stay off Twitter, don’t listen to ESPN, things like that.”
On what needs to happen for Kentucky to be successful: “We just need to fight and keep doing what got us here and that’s defending. We have been doing a great job defending the last couple of games and we just need to keep on doing that. We never doubt ourselves and we came together as a team. We just grew up. We started to churn more, to try to lock up on defense. It all starts on the defensive end.”
#15 Willie Cauley-Stein On how much better they are than the first time they played: “We are just a different team. We play way different than we did then. It’s the same with their team, they are completely different too. It’s going to be a fresh game for both. You can’t really go off the last game.”
On what you go off: “How they’ve been playing and how we’ve been playing, that’s the only thing you can really go off. You just wait until the ball gets thrown up.”
On being from outside Kentucky and being part of the rivalry: “I think of it as the K-State-KU rivalry. It’s the same thing. The fans are the same, it’s just different teams. It doesn’t really mean much to you if you aren’t from Kentucky. If you aren’t from Kentucky, you don’t understand it. It’s that simple. I have been here two years and I still don’t understand the rivalry. It’s just fun. If you ask a UK fan about the rivalry and then ask a Louisville fan about the rivalry, they say the same kind of trash talk about each other, but just different. It’s the same thing, just on a different side of it. It’s funny because it’s so similar. They are more alike than what they really think. They say the same things.”
On depending on driving to the basket and drawing fouls: “With us having such big guards, getting in the lane is a big part of what we do. We also have good shooters. We don’t have to rely on one or the other, we just kind of complement each other.”
On transition defense and getting back against Louisville: “It’s a big one. That’s one of the keys is transition defense. That has been our kryptonite throughout the whole season. I feel as if we have gotten a little better at it, not last game since we gave up points in transition, but it’s going to be big for us in this game.”
#30 Julius Randle On if there is any added significance for Kentucky playing Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen: “No added significance, it’s just another game for us to get closer to achieving our goal. They are a great team and we are looking forward to playing them.”
On how Montrezl Harrell has improved since the first meeting: “He’s a lot better. I don’t really watch much of any other teams, but from what I have seen and the film we’ve watched, he’s a lot better player. We are looking forward to the challenge.”
On if it really is just another game: “We don’t want to add any pressure on ourselves or try to make it bigger than it is. It’s just another game to get better and hopefully get closer to our goals and our dreams.”
On Kentucky’s size advantage and how to take advantage of that: “Do what we have been doing all season by posting the ball on our opportunities. The biggest thing is to play our game and follow the game plan coach has given us. We need to do what he asks us to do as individuals and we go from there.”
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