Story Links

Feb. 13, 2007

Recap | Final Stats | Notes | Photo Gallery media-icon-photogallery.gif

Virginia Head Coach Dave Leitao

Opening comments…
“Based on what happened Saturday the team wanted to try to get back to playing basketball the way we’ve been trying to play all year long. We got up 22-2 and the most difficult part of the game was have the guys not watch the scoreboard to not know that they were going to win and still find the motivation enough to play defense the way we’re capable of. We did a decent job of that tonight.”

“We finished the game the right way and it still means that we have to get in the gym and really lock into what makes us good–guarding and helping and defending the way we’re capable of and allow that to make our offense a lot better. We still have some work to do. I think right now we need a day out of the gym to rest our minds and our bodies and then get ready for Florida State.”

On this weekend’s game against Florida State…
“We have a very talented Florida State team coming in here on Saturday and they will challenge us as much as we’ve been challenged all year by the way they play. We’re going to need to play basketball the way that we’ve had for the last month or so, Saturday withstanding.”

Longwood Head Coach Mike Gillian

On whether Virginia’s aggressive offensive start was the worst-case scenario for Longwood…
“There isn’t any doubt about that. That’s happened to us the last two times we’ve played teams that are high-profile opponents is a good way to put it. We went down to Oklahoma a couple of weeks ago, coming off a very good win for us against High Point at home, and they were coming off two very close and difficult losses at home. The reality of games like this is that in order for us to be successful and keep success in perspective, there are a number of factors that we can contribute to this. One is how much, or whether of not the team you are playing will look past you at all. It is reality. That happens from time to time. That was not the case down there, as they were preparing for a homestand, and they came out very well at the beginning. It was a close game for awhile, and then they [Virginia] did a number on us in the second half. Coming off of the game on Saturday that they played down at Virginia Tech, there’s no surprise that all the credit has to go to J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary. When you get to the point where you are an established leader, a mature player physically, mentally, and emotionally, and the team looks to you for leadership, you have to respond. Those guys clearly responded to the challenge of playing us, which can be perceived in different ways, but also the challenge for preparing for what’s coming up.”

On his team’s performance tonight…
“I don’t really think that it was a case of us playing poorly. There are certain things that we need to do to in order to experience success, not turn the ball over is one of them. We did a fairly decent job of that, but those two guys [Singletary and Reynolds], even knowing what they are going to do and still not being able to stop them from the beginning, they set the tone for the whole game.”

On whether he can single out one player that he is particularly proud of…
“I can’t put an individual on that. This is a grind for us. We have used a lot of different terms to describe what our season and our journey through the past four years has been, so to identify one guy and say that I am more pleased with him than another, under these circumstances, I really can’t do that. It has been a total team effort for us. I’m pleased for all of our guys in what they’ve done to put Longwood basketball on the map.”

Virginia Player Quotes

#30 Jr. Forward Adrian Joseph

On the team’s good start…
“Coming off the road and practicing for two days, we had to come out and just play hard. Losing a game like that [against Virginia Tech] you just have to get back in the gym and keep on working. You just go to the gym and work on what you do best. We’ve been working on our defense. Focus on defense and that’s what you’ve got to do. Then you have to execute when the game comes up and hope the game goes your way.”

On preparing for the next game…
“We’re going to rest up tomorrow, and then get back in the gym on Thursday and Friday, practice hard, and come out on Saturday ready to play.”

#11 So. Forward Laurynas Mikalauskas

On his performance tonight…”It wasn’t too hard to score against them. We just played. I was there at the right time, in the right moment, in the right place.”

On not starting…“It’s the coach’s decision. Whoever’s playing better at that moment gets to start or play more. All the [big] people playing have the same amount of talent. It’s nothing to be worried about.”

Longwood Player Quotes

#45 G Maurice Sumter

On how he felt about the game…
“If we could possibly do better than losing by 40 it’s always great. We come out here to compete every night so we won’t hold our heads down but we’re not proud of the game either. We’re just going to come out here and try again next time. We’ll take advantage of the opportunity.”

On what they need to work on…
“We have to start better. Tonight we started kind of lack. I think it would have been a much closer game if we had started on our toes, more ready defensively, get a couple buckets, and that would have definitely made the game more interesting.”

#1 G Clayton Morgan

On how he felt about the game…
“Each loss and win that we get we pick something up that’s going to help us as a team.”

On what they need to work on…
“We need to start playing well as a team, playing well as a team as a whole. We go on scoring droughts and we can’t get any stops. If we start getting stops and continuing to score we should be ok.”

Print Friendly Version