Auburn Head Coach Bruce Pearl

Auburn Head Coach Bruce Pearl Opening statement That was a really good basketball game, and Arkansas is good. We knew that we could play well tonight and not win, but we played so well in the first half. We built ourselves a terrific lead that as well as Arkansas played in the second half, and they played really well in the second half, they shot it well, they rebounded well and they did what they wanted to do offensively. I thought we dictated in the first half defensively, and that was the big difference. As far as the week goes, beating two top 25 teams is really about taking advantage of the opportunity. We re playing good basketball right now. We have nine guys that are playing really well together, so we re in a good place. We have to take advantage of it when we get these opportunities. Our team is pleased, but our focus is to continue to get better. On controlling the game early I did not think we could control the game as well as we did in the first half. We shot well. They scored 30, and they had 11 in their drop back and they had the rest on offensive rebounds in transition. They re the best offense team in our league, by number, and that s how you really dictate the game. It was a great game plan, and I thought we executed it. I thought that Mustapha [Heron] making some big shots and playing so well in the beginning of the game, showed he played like an older player. Defensively, Jared [Harper], Bryce [Brown] and Davion [Mitchell] are three really good defensive guards. We did a good job just holding them down. On Desean Murray s performance and role on this team Desean [Murray] was terrific. It was very nice of Mustapha [Heron] to pay his teammate that compliment. He s a smart player. He recognizes that Desean is all about winning, and to win you have to be able to rebound and have a good locker room. Desean in a lot of ways, by putting himself on this team, really improved our locker room. I think the four newcomers, by the way they came in, wanted to help. They did not have a here I am, look at me now attitude. It was about fitting in. Those guys have done a great job, and our guys have done a great job embracing them. On Anfernee McLemore and Horace Spencer s rebounds We got 25 points and 13 rebounds at the four spot. That s a good night for the four. The things that we asked Horace [Spencer] and Anfernee [McLemore] to do was defend, rebound and score when called upon. They re giving away four or five inches, 20 to 50 pounds every night in the SEC. They won t be defined by their ability to score because we aren t really going to them to score. They are so vital to the toughness and physicality to our team especially against a physical team like Tennessee. I give Arkansas credit. They out-rebounded us, they didn t turn over the ball in the second half and they shot 55 percent the second half. That was good enough to win, so I ll give Arkansas credit for how they played in the second half. We have to tighten up. On if he prepared to press Arkansas as much as he did

Well, I ve always been a pressing coach. I like to get pressed. I thought we did ok handling it. I think we attacked the pressure and it does take its toll. First of all, the rule changes and (Daryl) Macon s going to play 38 minutes. Those three guards are so important to them. It s hard, I would think, for Mike to press all game long because it takes a toll. On the effect the crowd had on the game... The crowd was awesome. It makes a big difference. It makes a big difference for television. It makes a big difference with the whole environment. Again, it s a very good basketball game and a really good environment. Two really good teams. And Auburn is one of those really good teams in the SEC. On having five players in double figures We played best when everybody contributes. There is great balance. I thought that Davion Mitchell, wasn t one of the five guys in double digits as far as scoring is concerned, but how about his play? He finishes at the rim, he handles the basketball and plays great defense. Malik Dunbar had an incredibly productive 11 minutes. Mustapha (Heron) played very well, played a few more minutes. Malik deserved, should, could play more. But he did really well in the time he was in there. He was challenged by those guards, had some big rebounds a big part of why we won the game. On if the players pushed to get the 4-14 shirts It was my idea to get them, but we re only going have one guy wearing them in our warmups. They all want to wear them. It s not going to define us. 4-14 doesn t define us. That s something that is out there and that s fine, we understand. We finished 11 th last year in the league. This is a really, really good league. We have 16 more games, and we are capable of winning or losing every single one of them. That s how good this league is. So while we re healthy and playing well, we need to keep winning, because we are in a good spot right now. We need to take advantage of where we are right now. I m not worrying about 14-1 or this run. This run is going to end. It s going to end. The league is too good. There is too much parity. Let s not get too high. When we do get beat, let s not get too low. Let s just keep getting better. On most likely being ranked for the first time since 2003 It puts a bigger target on our head. A win over auburn is worth way more to the opponent. But our goals are bigger than being nationally ranked sometime in January. This team s goals are bigger. We re going to focus on that. I don t think there is any chance that we become too confident. No chance in that. On the importance of Chuma Okeke He played 19 minutes. He plays with such confidence, and again, our guys are so easy to root for. He keeps things light and lively. He is going to be a great player. Right now he is a great piece to what we re doing. He just keeps getting better. He s not afraid, not afraid, he s going up there against men and he s not afraid.

On if Arkansas being undefeated in this building meant anything It really wasn t (a factor). My focus was on how good they are. My focus is the fact that they ve beaten Oklahoma and Minnesota. The teams that they ve lost to. Who have they lost to? They lost to North Carolina. They ve lost to really good teams. For us, it s a good win because they were a nationally ranked team. I didn t know how long it s been since we ve beat them here. And I know we have to go back there and play them again. Mustapha Heron, G, So. On balanced scoring for Auburn We share the ball. We give each other good looks and we knock shots down. That s pretty much it. We are just playing as a unit right now and we look to keep that up the whole season, playing together, playing hard, playing for each other. On energized 1 st half We don t take lightly what they projected us. They projected us to win less games than last year, so that s definitely a motivating factor. We just want to go play hard for each other. We are just having a lot of fun right now. That s the easiest part of the game just to continue having fun. On Arkansas s first loss at Auburn Arena I didn t know that. I just know that they beat us last year. I didn t know that. On smaller lineup when Auburn big men went to the bench with foul trouble Just playing fast, I mean we play fast with them in the game. We just try to keep the tempo up. Defense of course, I thought we were extremely intense. We just hit shots but it was defense and playing fast. On ability to go on runs I just play an attacking game. I try to pick my spots, of course my teammates give me the ball. I just try to attack whenever possible. On receiving 4-14 shirts I think we got them two days ago. We all got them. On Desean Murray He s a huge difference. It s not even a question, huge difference. He does things that nobody else wants to do. We call him a little Charles Barkley. He rebounds, he plays hard, he hits guys, he gets hit, and he doesn t fall. He just does the things that nobody else wants to do. On 1 st half points off turnovers Definitely it was the difference. We just try to come out and play hard. Before the game, BP (Bruce Pearl) is always talking about passion, poise, and purpose. Our purpose is always to play hard. It wasn t exactly a focus coming in. We talked about how they had a lot of seniors, and

how they weren t going to turn the ball over. As we got into the game, we kind of realized we could set the tempo like past games. We just kind of ran with that. Desean Murray, F, Jr. On energized 1 st half We were all jacked up. First of all, we just got into the SEC. They told us we were going to be 4-14 projected, so our motivation every night is just play for each other, play hard, and just go out there and win. On 1 st half defense Together as a unit, I feel like we played great in that first half. We just play hard and play together. I got Mustapha s back, he s got my back. Jared (Harper) has my back, I ve got Jared s back. We ve just all got each other s backs. We all just played good defense together I can t do it without them. On being the glue guy... I try to play hard. I try to play hard for myself. I try to play hard for my team. We hate to lose. We are all on one accord. Our chemistry is great. I guess I can be called a glue guy, I don t mind that. Arkansas Head Coach Mike Anderson Opening statement That was a really good basketball game, and Arkansas is good. We knew that we could play well tonight and not win, but we played so well in the first half. We built ourselves a terrific lead that as well as Arkansas played in the second half, and they played really well in the second half, they shot it well, they rebounded well and they did what they wanted to do offensively. I thought we dictated in the first half defensively, and that was the big difference. As far as the week goes, beating two top 25 teams is really about taking advantage of the opportunity. We re playing good basketball right now. We have nine guys that are playing really well together, so we re in a good place. We have to take advantage of it when we get these opportunities. Our team is pleased, but our focus is to continue to get better. On controlling the game early I did not think we could control the game as well as we did in the first half. We shot well. They scored 30, and they had 11 in their drop back and they had the rest on offensive rebounds in transition. They re the best offense team in our league, by number, and that s how you really dictate the game. It was a great game plan, and I thought we executed it. I thought that Mustapha [Heron] making some big shots and playing so well in the beginning of the game, showed he played like an older player. Defensively, Jared [Harper], Bryce [Brown] and Davion [Mitchell] are three really good defensive guards. We did a good job just holding them down.

On Desean Murray s performance and role on this team Desean [Murray] was terrific. It was very nice of Mustapha [Heron] to pay his teammate that compliment. He s a smart player. He recognizes that Desean is all about winning, and to win you have to be able to rebound and have a good locker room. Desean in a lot of ways, by putting himself on this team, really improved our locker room. I think the four newcomers, by the way they came in, wanted to help. They did not have a here I am, look at me now attitude. It was about fitting in. Those guys have done a great job, and our guys have done a great job embracing them. On Anfernee McLemore and Horace Spencer s rebounds We got 25 points and 13 rebounds at the four spot. That s a good night for the four. The things that we asked Horace [Spencer] and Anfernee [McLemore] to do was defend, rebound and score when called upon. They re giving away four or five inches, 20 to 50 pounds every night in the SEC. They won t be defined by their ability to score because we aren t really going to them to score. They are so vital to the toughness and physicality to our team especially against a physical team like Tennessee. I give Arkansas credit. They out-rebounded us, they didn t turn over the ball in the second half and they shot 55 percent the second half. That was good enough to win, so I ll give Arkansas credit for how they played in the second half. We have to tighten up. Arkansas #00 Jaylen Barford, G. On what changed in the second half I think in the first half we were kind of sluggish and didn t bring enough fight. In the second half we turned it up and made adjustments, and changed our defense up as well. I think we did good in the second half, but we need to start the first half better. On how to bounce back with home games upcoming You have to protect home, and play with more energy and heart and fight the whole game. We have to put these two losses behind us and keep moving. It s a long season. We have a great conference on our hands, so we still have to keep playing with heart.