March 5, 2008

Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery

Baylor Head Coach Scott Drew:

On tonight's game:

"As far as tonight's game, I think Texas A&M won the game. They hit big shots and played very well. Josh Carter hit big shots, Donald Sloan hit big shots, and the interior did a great job defensively. I think we wanted to win so bad for our seniors that you either play great or you come out and play tight. I think we came out and played tight. Obviously with their interior [defense] we needed to hit some outside shots. We had some good looks early, and we didn't make those. Their outside defense was very good."

On the tempo of the game:

"Physical and half court basketball favors them [Texas A&M]. Again, I thought it was a bit different than the first time we played. Give Coach Turgeon the credit for doing a great job controlling the tempo and getting the style of play that they wanted."

On half court offense:

"I thought early we had some good looks, and as the game went on we started to press a little bit more and then we took some tougher looks. Early on, I thought CJ [Curtis Jerrells] had a couple of good looks and I know Lace [LaceDarius Dunn] had a good look. It was a situation where we didn't get off to a good start. After that, we tried to go inside more and they did a good job defensively."

Baylor Guard Henry Dugat:

On Texas A&M slowing the Baylor's transition game:

"That is what coach [Scott Drew] preaches to us. He just tells us to push the tempo up and get it into our style of game, but I think they [Texas A&M] did a good job of slowing it down, getting inside and doing what they do."

On shots not falling in the first half:

"We had a game like that not too long ago. We know that we just have to stick with what we do and what has got us here. Eventually they are going to fall, but tonight was just one of those nights in which they didn't."

On the game being physical:

"That is how they play. They have good big men down low. They like to bang a lot; that is the style they play and the style they play, so we are use to it. They are one of the most physical teams in the Big12."

On defensive adjustments that Texas A&M made from the prior meeting:

"I think they just keyed in on us and locked down a bit more. They did a great job defensively on us; obviously, look at the stat sheet."

Baylor Center Mamadou Diene:

On Baylor's shooting:

"It was a tough night tonight. We didn't shoot like we normally do. We play with these guards every day; we know that they can make those shots. We just didn't hit shots tonight, and sometimes that just happens. Tonight was just one of those nights."

On the game being physical:

"It was pretty physical, that is the Big 12. Every game is physical, but this one today was the most physical game this year."

Texas A&M Head Coach Mark Turgeon:

On the game:

"That is as well as we have played in a long time. I am really proud of our group. We changed some things this week offensively and it really helped us. It was a great environment tonight. It really helped us concentrate. Sometimes the louder the crowd the more focused you are as a team."

"We made a lot of great plays. Our offense helped our defense and I thought our defense was really good. They missed some open ones, but we were tremendous. And then we stepped up in free throws at the end...We had a lot of kids grow up tonight."

"You could see our team coming together. They were a Jekyll and Hyde team. But we have had great practices. We have continued to practice well. And we had a great start tonight. And they just could not make enough shots to get the lead."

"I have questioned myself more than I have ever questioned myself as a coach this year."

On Donald Sloan's final dunk as time ran down:

"I did not like it. The arena was already hostile. They were throwing bottles all over the place which was ridiculous. I wish he would have just let the clock go out. The game was over."

Texas A&M Guard Donald Sloan:

On the game:

"Unbelievable. Both teams are exhausted right now because of the way we played. We were focused in the game. Everyone was in together. We fought it together."

"This time we helped each other. When we played Baylor at home we did a good job of that until over time. Today we just helped each other and at the end of the game we did not have to go in to overtime."

Texas A&M Guard Beau Muhlbach:

On strategy:

"Coach kept saying to us that when they make a run we need to just stay focused and calm and that is what we did tonight. Everyone was helping everyone and staying focused."

On defense:

"I think we did a great job showing on ball screens. We defended them well. We defended the right way, I thought."