Jan. 31, 2007

Recap |
Final Stats |
Notes

Columbia, S.C. –

<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>South Carolina vs. Auburn<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

January 31, 2007

Post-game quotes

USC Head Coach Dave Odom:

“You can look at the stat sheet if you want but the sorry of the game isn’t on the stat sheet. You can look at the rebounding and the free throws, but the truth of the matter is that we gave up too many lay-ups uncontested. They did a good job. I can’t wait to get to my tape because I don’t know what happened to us defensively the first seven minutes of the game.”

“You have to give Auburn credit. They made some really nice offensive adjustments from their last game to this game, but it was not anything that we had never seen. We should have been able to defensively adjust too. We just couldn’t get that done for whatever reason and we tried to address it during halftime, but it looked like to me that some of our players were unsure of themselves defensively.”

“The game almost got away from us with about five minutes left in the game and they gave us a window to get back in it with a series of missed free throws. It really came down to one possession. Not only did we have a chance to tie the game, but a chance to win the game.”

South Carolina vs. Auburn

January 31, 2007

Post-game quotes

Auburn Coach Jeff Lebo

“I thought we did a nice job on the glass for the most part, and offensively we were really sharp in the game. In the first half, nobody could really stop each other.”

“[Tre’] Kelley didn’t have a great game, obviously, shooting from the perimeter. That was a big key for us. We wanted to try to take him out of the game as much as possible, which is very hard to do with a player of his capabilities. He’s tough. I love him as a player.”

“They made some incredible shots in the last couple minutes to cut the lead. Evka Baniulis was incredible tonight shooting the basketball. I’ve seen him play in high school, and he’s certainly capable of that.”

USC vs. Auburn

January 31, 2007

Player Quotes

USC Forward Evaldus Baniulis

“It’s hard but we have a long season to go and we’re not going to lose confidence because of this loss. We still have 11 games left and we’re going to keep working hard and practice to get better.”

“We lost a lot of opportunities and we’re just going to have to keep getting better. (Offensively) you could say it was my night but it really comes down to defense. I think I did a good job defensively and we’re just going have to work to win some more games.”

“(At the end of the game) all the pressure was on them. We knew they had to sink their free throws but at the end we lost our opportunities.”

USC Guard Bryce Sheldon

“Opportunities (were lost); as in the missed free throw and not getting the rebound and not knowing defensive timing, getting back to zone and man and letting them get open lay-ups and open three’s, that hurt us. Those were the key moments that we needed, but we’re going to bounce back and try to get the next one at Alabama.”