Dec. 9, 2006

Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery

Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew:
"We learned a valuable lesson today. South Carolina won the game. Tre Kelley and Brandon Wallace showed why they are three year starters. We had eight guys with finals this morning, and actually we are done with finals now. They were all on Thursday, Friday, and today.

"We had guys cramping up. The good news is the two games we lost we haven't been at our best. If we had played our best in those two games, then you are in a predicament where you just aren't talented enough.

"Our strength of our team is shooting, and we had good looks. If you're taking bad shots, that's different.

"We have got to learn how to build on those leads as a young team instead of letting a veteran team come back.

"I think this was a great game for us to learn. I think if we were in our best physical and mental condition the outcome may have been different. But give credit, South Carolina won the game."

On why he scheduled this game during finals: "It was the end of the year, and there weren't any dates available."

Baylor F Kevin Rogers:
On whether finals played a role in the loss: "I don't think so. You just got to give credit where credit is due. South Carolina was a good team. I don't think coach should blame it on finals. South Carolina was a great team. They did some things we weren't used to and you've got to give credit where credit is due."

On guard play: "It's always frustrating when two of your best guards shoot 1-of-7 from three. Its frustrating."

South Carolina Head Coach Dave Odom: "I don't know what the folks back home think, I don't know what the local people think, but I know what I think. That was a heck of a win for the Gamecocks. I think we beat a really good team. We're probably fortunate we caught them right in the middle of exams this week, we don't start until Monday. I'm sure they didn't get as much practice as we did going in."

"They're a talented team, they're well coached. The re-construction job that Scott Drew has done here at Baylor...I've been following college basketball for a long time, they can maybe only be rivaled by what Bobby Cremins did at George Tech when he took over the Georgia Tech program."

"Scott Drew has done a remarkable job of getting really good talent here, he's got a really good coaching staff, he's building his base of support here. I like the energy he's got here. There's good things that await his team, I think they're an up and coming team in the Big 12."

South Carolina guard Tre' Kelley:
"Baylor is going to be good in the Big 12 because of their guards. They've got good guards, Jerrels and Dugat, they can really play basketball."

South Carolina forward Brandon Wallace:
"They were very effective in the first half. When you realize your shots aren't working, you have to figure out other ways to help your team."