March 5, 2011
Arizona State Coach Herb Sendek
On emotion before the game: I always try and hold it together on senior day and most times I am pretty good. Today I was doing fine even though I was fighting it and when I saw Ty (Abbott) come out and he was already gushing, then I had no choice and could not stop myself. Like I said in the post game radio, I usually cry in movies even when I took my daughters to see the Princess Diaries I was crying by the end and it does not take a lot in certain situations.
On the importance of playing well today: It is really nice. It was important and the extension through everyone else in the locker room to have a special day for our seniors because these guys have meant a lot to our program. They have had a good measure of success and we have had a tough season, but yet they have galvanized us to win the last three games at home as well as this important weekend. With them putting a capstone on this game the way that they did was really nice to see.
On coaching strategy on senior day: There are some things you need to step over are not ordinarily there like players having more family and friends that come starting last night and today, but somehow they have to keep everybody in check so they can focus on the game especially when you see if time and time again all over the country sometimes with a positive effect and even sometimes having a negative effect on the guys when they are trying so hard.
On the suspension of Oregon State players: I did not know that until we went out onto the court before the start of the game that those guys were not going to play. I was out there early and they were warming up and I had no idea. When I came back in after the senior ceremony we only had four minutes to be back out there so we did not have time to discuss the normal items we would because the ceremony put us behind so it was not until we saw them come out for starting line-ups thinking to myself they are going to play big, what could they be thinking? So I did not know.
On the overall play of the bench: In the first half who came in did well and gave us a lift with them obviously playing the zone like they did was a special opportunity tonight for Corey (Hawkins) and he really responded giving us thirteen points off the bench really stepping up for us.
Arizona State G Ty Abbott
On today's game: It is a great way to end it at home with a win and now we have won three straight at home it was definitely great to end it with a win.
On setting the school record for three point shots: They played a zone and we knew how to attack it. We moved the ball and knew the shots would open us for us. Most importantly we were ready to shoot and we wanted the guys not to waste time putting the ball up and that was the biggest thing.
On overall emotion of today: Right when I walked over and grouped up, it set in right there. I thought it was going to be right after the game, but it happened before and it hit me like a ton of bricks.
On the Pac-10 Tournament: I feel good, we will play one at a time. We definitely feel we can do some things, but like I said we are going to go out there and take each game one at a time.
On playing a senior day game: You see it all over the country guys setting up on their senior nights. You know things kind of go their way and it was only fitting that we go our last win here.
Arizona State G Jamelle McMillan:
On the play of his teammates: After four years every single time and effort we put in with all our teammates and coaching staff, we have to thank our teammates for coming out and playing really hard and giving us this opportunity to have this feeling on this special weekend and special day. It has been a lot of fun and we took advantage of every opportunity.
On the overall emotion of today: Memories came back, thoughts and just all the experiences we have been through. The crowd was phenomenal and we have to give them credit as well, but it was tough a tough deal coming out for the last time putting on this uniform and being in Wells Fargo Arena. It has been the best, everyone has been the best and I have to give credit to all the fans. I am very happy with what we have accomplished here in the last four years.
Arizona State F Rick Kuksiks:
On the play of Oregon State: It was not what we were expecting. We were expecting everyone to play and we were preparing for their best players, but they came out and were good in the beginning of the game.
On the overall emotion of today: We played really hard as a team and the seniors all stepped up by making shots and also it was hard playing them as a long basketball team especially on the offensive rebounding and it was kind of frustrating in the first half. In the second we went on a little bit of a run and we kept the lead.