Postgame Quote Sheet:
Wichita State 95, UConn 74
Feb. 10, 2018
Wichita, Kan./ Charles Koch Arena (10,506)
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WSU HEAD COACH GREGG MARSHALL ON...
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His team's unselfishness in the first half:
Sometime you marvel at the -- it really is pretty basketball. I'm not into that. That's not something I want to coach -- pretty basketball -- but it is a thing to marvel at sometimes. The way they share it, and the way the ball moves side-to-side. Sometimes a really good shot, they give it up for a really great shot. That's really rare when they don't improve the quality of the shot with that extra pass.
...whether this was WSU's most complete game of the year:
I wasn't crazy about the second half. I thought we were just pretty average in the second half, but a lot of credit would go to UConn. They didn't quit. They kept fighting. Guys sprained their ankle, they'd come out of the game and come back in. They're hard to guard. They've got a lot of talented players. I don't think this was our best game. I hope that's somewhere down the road, but we played some good basketball.
... Back-to-back strong performances after the loss at Temple:
We're playing with a lot of energy and intensity and passion. We're executing well... The guys are excited right now for whatever reason. There are ebbs and flows to all basketball seasons -- any season. It's a long season; several months. Right now it's good. We've got a chance to get our 20th win Thursday, and that's all I'm thinking about.
... Lopsided wins over two high-caliber programs (UConn and Memphis) over a span of four days:
UConn's a name in college basketball, without a doubt. That's fantastic. We're very pleased to be in the league, obviously, and play these caliber of teams on a nightly basis...
It's a little different. It's a lot more work. It takes a lot better effort on the part of my coaches, as well as the players, but we're excited to be in the league.
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SENIOR GUARD CONNER FRANKAMP ON…
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… how he has been working to get out of his shooting slump:
"I've been working out about an hour, two hours every single day, and I've been shooting better than I've ever shot in my workouts. So, it's kind of weird not being able to not knock down shots during the game, but tonight I was able to get some open looks and put them in. I've shot millions of shots in my life…I knew eventually I would get out of this slump, so I just tried to stay positive—even if I miss a few, I just try to get steals on defense or a couple rebounds to stay in the flow of the game."
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… the three-headed monster:
"It's pretty dangerous. Those two have been shooting it well the past couple of games -- especially Austin, who has been on a heater, and that's been pretty awesome to see. With all three of us hitting, we are pretty tough to stop, and with all three of us sharing the ball together, that has really helped us out a lot."
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… beating a pedigree program in UConn:
"It feels really good. Coach was talking in the locker room how they have won four national championships in the last 20 years. That's an impressive number, in and of itself. So anytime we can come out and play well, winning by that margin, against a team like that, it is really good for us."
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… adjustments since the loss at Temple:
"I feel like everyone is more energized and trying to pump each other up a bit more. Even if we have some bad stretches during games, we try not to get down on ourselves. The bench has been doing a great job being loud for us, so there's been a change, I think."
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… sharing the ball
"It's awesome. Coach Jones has done a great job on harping about that the past couple of months. We have really bought into that, and I think we are third in the nation in assists, if that's right. So it has really helped us offensively."
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SOPHOMORE GUARD LANDRYÂ SHAMET ON...
... Rashard Kelly setting the tone early on offensive glass:
"Some of those rebounds were just 'big boy rebounds'. He ripped one from the dude on the other end of our bench. When you see a guy playing hard like that...night in and night out. Tonight was kind of a different level. Him just flying around, it just gets you going and makes it easier for you to get your juices flowing...especially right out of the gate, trying to set the tone. He definitely handled that for us."
... getting out of shooting slump:
"I think all three of us (Shamet, Frankamp and Reaves) are wired the same way, regardless if they are going in or not. I've said that all along. That's what we've been doing our entire life. It's not like we forgot how to shoot a basketball. You can't let your mindset ever change regardless if you go 0-for-6 one night, or if you're having a good shooting night like tonight. It's always even-keel. We have three guys that are capable shooters and that's our mindset from this point forward."
... the team's ability to pass:
"We have a lot of unselfish guys. Nobody cares who is scoring. We just want to get an open look every time down the floor. The ball was flying around, and the right guys are getting the right shots at the right time."
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SENIOR FORWARD RASHARD KELLY ON...
... the crowd acknowledging his offensive rebounding:
"It's just fun...I love it. I smile after it, then I pass it out and get an assist right after that too. I just try to fit in. We have great shooters around me. I told
Austin Reaves when he had the ball, 'Man, make a move...you shoot the ball and I am going to get it for you anyway.' It's just where I fit in at, and I take pride in it. It's fun and I enjoy it."
... his rebounding mentality:
"It's just the way the energy has been carrying over. You can't get a rebound if you don't go. I just try to crash every time. It's nothing I can draw up. You've just got to be committed to rebounding."
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UCONN HEAD COACH KEVIN OLLIE ON…
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… opening statement:
"Give Wichita State a lot of credit. They moved the basketball, they shared the game, they played with grit and toughness, and they took it to us from the first possession with two offensive rebounds. I believe they had 10 in the first half, along with 17 assists. They are a great team, and they do it as a team. There are no individuals. They pass up good shots for great shots. I just really wanted to echo that to that team. We really have to show more toughness than we did tonight, but we are going to get back and keep working at it."Â
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… the Shockers' offensive efficiency:
"I think we added to that, but they have some great shooters. They also share the basketball, which is not stopping, so we have to make third and fourth effort plays, and we just weren't doing that."
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… Wichita State's rebounding:Â
"They are relentless. That's what stands out. I don't need to elaborate on that. Every shot that goes up, they think it is going to be a miss and a pass to them."
