Postgame Quotes: UCLA 87, Arizona 84
January 08, 2016 | Men's Basketball
POSTGAME QUOTES
UCLA 87, Arizona 84
January 7, 2016
UCLA Head Coach Steve Alford
“I thought both teams played very hard. We kind of got our 'mojo' back. We changed some things up defensively and I thought we were much more active, especially to start the game. We got some energy going again, some enthusiasm and excitement and I appreciate the fans for helping us out because that was a tough road trip to come back from. This was a game we had to have. I couldn't be more proud of the team because I thought they really fought from beginning to end.”
On Russell Westbrook…
“We need the all-star in the house more often, he brought our energy back. Russell was in our locker room before the game and to have a former guy back who's given back what he has means a great deal to our program. He came in about midway through me talking to the team and you could just see the team zone me completely out because the man had arrived. It was great having Russ on the sideline.”
On the energizing play of Tony Parker and others…
“That's what we have to have. I told Tony right there at the end of the game in the locker room, 'we're a different team and isn't that more fun? It's more fun to have fun and play with enthusiasm and excitement.' I think that's what was missing in our game in Pullman. We had some tough breaks at Washington, but it was the energy we didn't have against Washington State. We got that back tonight and our senior [Tony Parker] has a lot to do with that. I told Bryce [Alford], Isaac [Hamilton], Tony and Thomas [Welsh], 'you are our four vets; you have to play with enthusiasm and energy every night. If you do that, these young guys will feed off of that.' I thought the young guys fed off of that tonight. We got a lot of good play from our bench and our starters were terrific.”
On the design of the last play…
“We wanted the ball in Bryce's [Alford] hands. I think that's our guy when it comes to at least making sure we get a shot. We wanted to run a pick-and-roll; it's our 'horns-fist' option and then let him make a play. I'm not saying the play was designed to have him shoot it, but it was designed for him to make a play. We got a switch, so he did the right thing, when we get a switch and we're inside 10 seconds, I like that matchup of Bryce against the center. He loves the step-back play and he had just missed that same step-back shot. He doesn't miss those very often and under the circumstances that was a huge shot and very well executed.”
UCLA senior center Tony Parker
On the high-five he received from Russell Westbrook…
“It was fun to have him support us, what he has done for our program has been great.”
On Arizona's run at the end of the game…
“We knew that it was going to happen, they're a really tough team and they play really hard.”
On the last shot of the game…
“I knew Bryce [Alford] was going to take the shot, when he bobs his head and gets into a rhythm, I just know the shot is going to go in.”
UCLA freshman guard Aaron Holiday
On his play in the first half…
“I liked what I was doing, I was hitting shots and also concentrating on playing defense. I was trying to deny Gabe [York] the ball.”
On consistency…
“We just have to play better defense and take some charges. I feel like we have to do this as a team.”
On Russell Westbrook being at the game…
“It's really great when one of the former players is sitting courtside and watching you play. It's great what he's given back to the school and the fact that he's supporting us.”
UCLA junior guard Bryce Alford
On the last play…
“This is something I always love, even in elementary school and high school, I love being in that situation. Even in my driveway I would have my mom count down from five seconds and I would shoot it until I would make it.”
On his recent slump…
“It's about me really getting into my shot and being aggressive. I feel when I do this; it helps me with my shot.”
On the Washington road trip…
“I really had a poor trip individually and my dad let me know immediately. I took it on my shoulders to have a good game.”
On Russell Westbrook being at the game…
“You can't say enough about the guy, the blood and sweat that he's given this program is awesome. He comes here every summer and plays with us and he's also in the weight room. When I hit the shot, he screamed at me, I like the fact that he's one of us.”
Arizona Head Coach Sean Miller
“I think there are two story lines for us. Number one, I'm really proud of our team's fight. Obviously UCLA had a great atmosphere here with Russell Westbrook being honored and they fed off of it. UCLA had their backs against the wall, going on the road and losing a couple [of games]. This was a big one for them, I think, and they played like it.”
On the run Arizona made…
“There are a lot of teams in this country that tonight, around the 10 minute mark of the second half, would have mailed it in and said 'we're not going to win this thing tonight'. Our team didn't. We gave ourselves the chance to go up one point with 10 seconds to go and give ourselves a chance to win. I thought our fight to the end is something of great meaning for us. I'm really excited and proud to see that.”
On UCLA's performance…
“Second, you have to give credit where credit is due. If Bryce Alford had a different last name and played for a different team, in my opinion, the accolades and respect he would get nationally would be far more than what he gets right now playing for his dad at UCLA. He dominated the game. He has 25 points, 6 assists, and no turnovers. They schemed us on defense; he was a real part of that. And then the other two guards were very good. At points in the game, Isaac Hamilton and Aaron Holiday took turns to also dominate. We could not defend their perimeter guys.”
Arizona senior center Kaleb Tarczewski
“It's a very disappointing loss, obviously. There are a lot of lessons that we can learn from this game. The fact that even with all the mistakes that we made we were still in it at the end, that's a big testament to how hard the guys on the team play and how much we all want to win. We have a lot of things to work on defensively. There were a lot of very uncharacteristic plays but we'll work on it and be back and focused on USC on Saturday.”
