UW-Milwaukee and Detroit Postgame Quotes

March 8, 2005

UW-Milwaukee Head Coach Bruce Pearl

"I thought that, in some ways, Detroit deserved to win that game.  But we definitely deserved to win that championship.  I think that somehow carried over. 

"I wouldn't like to play that style every night.  That would be hard to slug it out every night.  But we had to play Detroit's game.  They're a physical team, they're a patient team, but we were patient, too.  The
quicker you shoot, the more you really play into their hands.  And lots of fast-breaking, up-tempo teams can't win games in the 50's.  But this team can because they're smart and they're tough and they can play that smash-mouth style that Detroit wants to play." 

"They had what we were doing down.  It was as if they had someone watching our practices everyday.  Sometimes that can be disconcerting to your own players when they're starting to call your stuff out and I thought that they're preparation disrupted us a little bit." 

"I just don't think we can fall as low as 13.  I think that when you've won 17 out of your last 18 games and had the kind of year we've had, I think we're in position for an 11 or 12 seed."

"Even though the guys relaxed all week, and they were, you could see it. You could feel the pressure.  You could see the pressure.  But without the crowd, without the largest crowd ever to watch us play a basketball game, we don't win that championship." 

"We know it's going to be a great matchup, a very challenging opponent, one that we'll have a great deal of respect for.  But we'll be prepared."

UW-Milwaukee junior forward Joah Tucker

"I thought we were going to win the whole game.  I tried to instill the confidence in everybody that this was our game to win. Detroit played well, they played the best they could, but it was still our game to win.  Down the stretch, we just kept executing." 

UW-Milwaukee junior forward Adrian Tigert

"I told Joah he wasn't a man if he didn't make both of his (free throws).  Literally, I did."
Joah Tucker (in response) -- "So then you missed one of yours.  So what does that make you?" 

"On the second (free throw), I was just thinking about how hard everyone has worked, from the players to the coaches to the administration, and how much everyone deserved it.  And I just tried to put pressure on myself to make it." 

"It happened so quick, I don't know if I can even put it into words.  But this is what we're all here fore and this is what we work hard for.  What we do in the off-season, this is why." 

UW-Milwaukee senior guard Ed McCants

"I don't care what seed we get.  I mean, any team we play, we're probably going to try and run on them and try to run them out of the gym.  I hope they underestimate this team because we're coming in as underdogs and that's the way we like it." 

"The mindset now is nothing to lose.  Tonight, we had everything to lose -- player of the year, the all-conference players, the guys being here last year and trying to get back to the tournament
from two years ago, all the pressure was on us.  But now, it's just relax and play ball." 

Detroit Head Coach Perry Watson

"I was proud of the way my guys came in here. They really fought against all odds. I thought they left it on the court. I thought Brandon Cotton was just a warrior out there. Down the stretch I questioned (the official's) judgement. I thought every time Brandon went to the basket there was contact."

Watson on the tough play inside late in the game

"I think we held them scoreless for the last four minutes or so, and the rest of their points came from the free throw line. I'll look at the film, but it just looked like it was really crowded when my guys fought down low."

Watson on the last offensive set for UWM

"You look at (Adrian) Tigert  going to the line and making (the game-winning) free throw when he was driving from 20 feet from the basket. We all know that he is not a great driver, but he spins out of control and gets to the free throw line."

Detroit sophomore guard Brandon Cotton

"I feel like I can go out there and play with anybody. I just played hard tonight and left it all on the court. We just couldn't get the win."