Postgame Quotes From Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett After Stanford

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If you look at the stat sheet Stanford shot only 38.9 percent, but it seemed like Stanford got key baskets.
“There was a stretch late that really hurt us. That’s when your defense has to rally. You have to have the mentality that we’re going to get a stop or they’re going to have to make a really tough shot to get a bucket. That didn’t happen. It was an uncontested lay-up in front of the rim, it was a little cross screen back screen for a lay-up, a three that we over help with and don’t get out to one of their best three-point shooters. Too many breakdowns, you look at the offensive rebounds that cost us, the missed free throws, the little things that have to be in place and you have to execute to have a chance. When you don’t, you will not win.”

Landry Fields looked like an extremely tough match-up.
“He is, unfortunately early we made him take a couple of tough shots and then he just walked right in and got his own rebound and they scored I think three times off of offensive rebounds. He had six offensive rebounds and 13 total rebounds. He knows how to play. He lets the game come and he’s a solid player who has continued to improve throughout his career. We did not have an answer for him. That’s why we had to trap him in the post. He’s a good player.”

Were you happy with what Jeff Jones gave you offensively?
“He hit some shots for us to keep us in the game the first half. He was our source of offense. That was certainly needed for us to be in the game.”

At the beginning of the second half the team didn’t seem to come out with the needed energy.
“No, we didn’t. Mike Scott getting in foul trouble hurt us and there were so many breakdowns. We couldn’t overcome the breakdowns. We have to do it together. We don’t have enough individual talent to just get it done and we didn’t.”

You watched some of the Cleveland State-Kentucky game, what about Cleveland State?
“I was impressed early with them, how physical they are, how they play with a chip on their shoulder. They play hard and they are very well coached. They are a good defensive team. They turned over Kentucky’s guards so many times and they just couldn’t hang with the talent. They will come after us and we’ll have to be ready.”