Dec. 3, 2005
Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Brey Quotes
On the leadership of the seniors…
“Our seniors were rocks. Chris Quinn was fabulous the second half, I mean it was scary. Those two guys (Francis and Quinn) are winners, and they’ve played a lot of college basketball. We just have to get them some rest and get them ready to go down to Alabama.”
On areas in which the team can improve…
“We need to help Colin and get him going. That’s a weapon we need, and we didn’t get much there. That’s as much on the coaching staff, because we need to put him in some spots and situations where can do some things.”
On the emergence of freshman Luke Zeller…
“Luke played well. To play in an atmosphere like this, I am very proud of him. We just need to keep coaching him and let him build on the success that he had today.”
On Chris Quinn scoring his 1000th point…
“I’m so proud of him. He’s just so solid that it’s kind of hard to even take him out of the game. He made every play for us down the stretch. I think that’s one for him to build on now as the guy. He and Torin need to do that and get Colin with them, and we’ll just keep getting those young guys experience and go down to Alabama and see what happens.”
Notre Dame Player Quotes
Senior guard Chris Quinn
On Notre Dame’s last possession…
“On the last shot, we didn’t have any timeouts left – we burned a couple of them during the second half. We ran a screen-and-roll. I read it and I had a big guy switched onto me. I got a step on him, but I just wasn’t able to convert.”
On overcoming Notre Dame’s slow start in the second half…
“We just stayed together as a team. Coach Brey talked a lot about this game being a game of runs. I think we were up by seven at one point during the game, too. It was a game of runs, and it was good to see that our team hung in there and kept fighting. It’s just too bad the way it had to end.”
On what’s next for Notre Dame…
“We have no time to hang our heads because we go down to play a ranked team in Alabama. It’s big to play an away game against a ranked team. We’ve just got to get in here and get better.”
Senior forward Torin Francis
On the play of the front line… “Our whole front line is big and physical, and I don’t know how many people can stop us if we establish ourselves. Then, that opens the game up for the guards. In the first half, we tried to go down low and then that opened it up for Chris Quinn and the rest of the guards.”
On what this game meant…
“This was definitely a good test for us, coming off of a big loss against NC State. We wanted to see how we would come back for it and we had a good effort out there. Both teams made runs and both teams battled out there. It came down to the last possession, and we had a good chance to win. Chris Quinn got a good look and we’re confident he’s going to hit that. It just went in and out today. We just need to get ready for Alabama and put this game behind us.”
Junior guard Russell Carter
On Notre Dame’s comeback…
“Before you knew it we were down seven and called time-out. We definitely got back into it – it was a wake-up call. We knew it was going to be a fight until the end, and that’s what it was.”
On what the team learned from the game…
“We learned that we’re a together group-that when we face adversity, we can stand up to it. Hopefully, the next couple times, we can win it, but we’re definitely growing as a team.”
Michigan Head Coach Tommy Amaker Quotes
On facing Notre Dame . . .
“They’re a very good basketball team, and we have so much respect for them. It’s a great institution, and we enjoy the games that we play, the connection with Notre Dame in that regard. We certainly had an opportunity to come here to win today. We knew that they had a week to prepare after a tough loss, and that they had put a lot of things in this game.”
On the win . . .
“We got their best shot, in my opinion, of what we’ve seen on tape of them. They’re physical, they’re good, they’re big on their front line. Chris Quinn is a bear to try to tackle and handle in terms of guarding him out on the perimeter. I was really impressed, having said all of that, with the play of our kids-being down, battling back. I can’t say enough about our seniors.”
On the effects of this win…
“Anytime you have a win over a really good school, and a good basketball program, and you add onto that that it’s on the road, it certainly makes you feel good about your kids and your team.”
Michigan Player Quotes
Senior Forward Chris Hunter
On his quick four fouls…
“The refs were calling it close out there all night. I just didn’t adjust quick enough with the way they were calling the game…That’s what happens in a game though, the other guys stepped up and played very well.”
On being the sixth man…
“It’s working out pretty good for me. It’s the role that this team needs. They need someone to come off the bench and score in the low post…That’s what I want to try and do this year, come off the bench and give us some energy.”
Senior Forward Graham Brown
On their next game against South Florida…
“It will be a good opportunity for us. We came in here today and we got a win, and we have to look forward to going down to South Florida and doing what we can to get a win. They’re a pretty good team and we are going to have to go down there and fight just as hard as we did here. It’s another road game for us, and it is always tough on the road. The home team always has a little bit of an advantage. We’re just going to go out there and play as hard as we can for forty minutes and get a win.”