Purdue Postgame Quotes
WASHINGTON -- Here are post-game quotes from the Purdue side:
March 22, 2008
Xavier Postgame Quotes
WASHINGTON -- Postgame quotes from Xavier follow:
Sean Miller:
I want to commend Purdue for not only a great season but its amazing what they were able to do with that many freshmen playing the roles they did. ... Two similar teams in that we take pride in our defense.
These three seniors a year ago went through a very difficult loss in this same game. Its been a motivating game for us to see if we could get back to this point....
[Points to C.J. Anderson as the difference for this year's team.]
Very very happy for Xavier University.
Xavier Wins, Will Face WVU
WASHINGTON -- Xavier made enough of their free throws down the stretch to come away with a seven-point win over Purdue. C.J. Anderson and Drew Lavender each scored 18 for the Musketeers, while Josh Duncan added 16 in the win. Walking off the court, Xavier looks to be showing an appropriate mixture of joy and confidence. There is no one play you can point to in this one and say that is why Xavier one; there isn't really a player you can say that about either (though Lavender was so steady at the point). Really, this one came down to consistency, the ability to hit a shot when it mattered, and fundamentals, whether that was rebounding, foul shooting, or what have you.
That Xavier-West Virginia matchup next weekend will be a good one.
One Minute Really Means 20
WASHINGTON -- The last minute here at Verizon Center is going to take us about 20 minutes to play, with Purdue fouling every time Xavier touches the ball and the referees doing their best to add to the confusion by reviewing just about anything they can review. Xavier just threw their inbounds out of bounds, so Purdue has the ball with 44 seconds and a five-point deficit.
Lavender Picks His Spots
WASHINGTON -- Drew Lavender has made a floater and single-handedly broken the Purdue press in the last minute, the press break leading to a dunk for Josh Duncan. Keaton Grant just drilled a three for Purdue, but the margin is still six. During the last timeout, Xavier fans started cheering "Father Graham" in honor of their university president, Michael Graham (who was not the Michael Graham on Georgetown's 1984 title team, in case you were wondering).
Kramer is Done
WASHINGTON -- Chris Kramer, Purdue's best defender and the definition of a glue guy, just fouled out. Purdue Coach Matt Painter let the referees have it, to no avail. Kramer finished with six points, three boards, and at least two steals.
After a pair of free throws by Keaton Grant, however, Purdue is within four.
Tossin Up Those Xs
WASHINGTON -- The sense I've gotten all afternoon is that both of these teams here are pretty good teams but neither has quite enough firepower to go into that next gear and put the other away. After a C.J. Anderson floater just now as the shot clock expired, Xavier got about as fired up as the Muskateers have been all day, throwing up crossed arms in the shape of an X and screaming towards the bench. Perhaps the momentum from that play can help Xavier pull away from the Boilermakers, who as pesky as they have been, simply don't seem to be able to make enough baskets to win. They've been good enough to keep it close....but have not shown they can seize the game.
Xavier by 6 with 3:25 to go.
Now That Is an Inbounds
WASHINGTON -- Drew Lavender, on an out-of-bounds play along the baseline, just threw a sweet ally-oop to Derrick Brown for the flush and the eight point lead. Xavier now leads by 10 after two free throws from Josh Duncan. As an aside, Gilbert Arenas is watching this one from the tunnel. If he had played for West Virginia earlier, he'd have scored 84 or 85, I'd guess. Gilbert is sporting some absurd looking red and white checkered capris. From the looks of it, he's trying to get someone to let him into the Wizards locker room, where I hope he'll throw on something a little more reasonable if he is going to come out here and watch the game.
Stanley Burrell's Journey
WASHINGTON -- Stanley Burrell, a 6-foot-3 senior guard from Indianapolis, spent his first two seasons at Xavier as the team's leading scorer. Now, though, Burrell has taken a back seat offensively and settled into his role as a defensive stopped and role player.
Halftime Update from D.C.
WASHINGTON -- Xavier shot 50 percent in the first half and leads by 3.
Lavender Saves Best for Last
WASHINGTON -- Drew Lavender spent 19 minutes and 58 seconds of the first half scoreless, but as the clock was set to expire, he nailed a three to give his team a three-point victory heading into the break.
Xavier Wears You Down
WASHINGTON -- Just like on Thursday against Georgia, Xavier fell behind early, stuck with what they were doing, and clawed its way back into the game.
A Mismatch, Granted
WASHINGTON -- Drew Lavender, Xavier's explosive point buard, has been checked for much of the early going by Purdue's Keaton Grant. The reason thats notable is that Lavender is 5-foot-7 and Grant is 6-foot-4.
Purdue Scores First Nine
WASHINGTON -- Purdue came out with a ton of energy and scored the first nine points. Keaton Grant has five of those, including a nice transition three. Xavier, meanwhile, has been careless with the ball.
WVU Postgame Reaction
WASHINGTON -- Here are some West Virginia quotes:
Offensive Offense
Washington -- We're waiting for West Virginia Coach Bob Huggins and a few Mountaineers to come out to the dais, and we're also waiting for stats, but here is my question: What was Duke doing on offense?
West Virginia Knocks Out Duke
WASHINGTON -- A strong second half performance which saw the Mountaineers outscore Duke by 11 gives West Virginia a big upset over the second-seeded Duke Blue Devils. Joe Alexander scored a game-high 22, Alex Ruoff added 17, and Joe Mazzulla had an amazing 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Back with more shortly.
West Virginia Senses It
WASHINGTON -- With Joe Mazzulla (the undisputed player of the game) at the line to put the Mountaineers up 12 with less than a minute left, the WVU players got on their feet and started raising the roof. They seem to sense that the upset is imminent. Each team has one timeout remaining as there are now 55 seconds left and a 10-point game.
Duke's Free-Throw Shooting Betrays Them
WASHINGTON -- Duke has missed three of its last four free throws after not missing in the first half. They're fortunate to be getting to the line; they can't keep missing.
Sweet Dime by Mazzulla
WASHINGTON -- On a broken play, Joe Mazzulla, trapped in the paint, somehow muscled a pass through three Duke defenders to little-used Cam Thoroughman who kissed in a layup to put WVU up 11.
Battle of the Fans
WASHINGTON -- With play stopped to correct a timing error, Duke fans started their customary Let's-Go-Duke cheer. Quickly, West Virginia's John Flowers got up off the bench and started waving to the Mountaineer fans to get a Let's-Gooo-Mountaineers rendition started.
Joe Mazzulla Wants it More
WASHINGTON -- Joe Mazzulla is quietly putting together one of the most well-rounded performances we've seen in D.C.
Foul Trouble Intrigue
WASHINGTON -- There's only nine minutes gone by in the second half, but already both teams are dealing with foul trouble.
The Joe Alexander Show
WASHINGTON -- Joe Alexander is taking over this game.
Today, They Really Are Free
WASHINGTON -- Until Kyle Singler missed the second of his two free throws moments ago, both teams were perfect from the line. The Blue Devils made their first 13 freebies, while West Virginia is 3-for-3.
Halftime: WVU Can't Buy a Bucket
WASHINGTON -- The Mountaineers shot uncharacteristically poorly in the first half but trail by just five.
Brendan Haywood Doesn't Play for Either Team
WASHINGTON -- Shortly before this game started, Brendan Haywood meandered down the hallway near the media work room heading towards the workout room here at Verizon Center. A member of the arena security personnel, who evidently doesn't watch a whole lot of Wizards basketball, tried to direct him to either the Duke or WVU locker room before he flashed his ID.
Continue reading "Brendan Haywood Doesn't Play for Either Team" »
Meet Ed Hightower
WASHINGTON -- The refs didn't forget to pack their whistles for Washington, D.C.
Paulus is Hot, Huggins is Angry
WASHINGTON -- Greg Paulus, who finished 2-of-7 from three against Belmont, made his first two threes, one off a screen, one off the dribble, and Duke leads 10-4. After Paulus' second three, WVU Coach Bob Huggins tried to get a 30-second timeout, didn't get it, and at the next stoppage of play, was hit with a technical.
Duke, WVU Will Shoot for Sweet 16
WASHINGTON -- Welcome back to the nation's capital where Duke and West Virginia will tip at 2:10 to officially get the second round underway. The Mountaineers will be looking to build on the Big East's early round success and to garner their 26th win of the season. The Blue Devils are trying to get back to the Sweet 16, somewhere they've been 23 times ... but not since 2006, which is like an eternity in Durham.
March 20, 2008
That's a Wrap from D.C.
WASHINGTON -- Four games, all chalk. The top dogs (but no Dawgs, Cats, Bears, or Bruins) advanced in D.C. on Thursday. The game of the day was definitely Duke-Belmont, but Xavier-Georgia and West Virginia-Arizona were also good ones. Purdue just owned Baylor, so that one wasn't quite as exciting.
Mountaineers Shoot Them Some Wildcats
WASHINGTON -- West Virginia has always had an answer. Whether it was in the person of Alex Ruoff, Darris Nichols, or De'Sean Butler, every time Arizona has gotten close, the Mountaineers have nailed a big shot.
WVU Up to Old Tricks
WASHINGTON -- As they've been known to do, the West Virginia Mountaineers are making their threes early on. Darris Nichols and Alex Ruoff hit on back-to-back trips to stake WVU to an early 8-3 lead.
Whew! Duke-Belmont Aftermath
WASHINGTON -- Verizon Center is still reeling from the game of the tournament. How did Belmont play Duke so close? How did Gerald Henderson get such an easy layup at the end of the game? What on earth was Alex Renfroe thinking passing the ball right to Duke with four seconds left? All questions that are still lingering.
The Payne Train
WASHINGTON -- Cameron Payne and Jonnie West may not have entered tonight's game, but it sure seems like they are enjoying themselves.
Duke Escapes a Thriller
WASHINGTON -- After DeMarcus Nelson missed the front end of a one-and-one that could have given Duke some insurance, Belmont missed a 40 footer that would have won the game as time expired. Belmont is getting a loud, resounding standing ovation from the Verizon Center crowd. What a game. Back with more shortly.
Bayless Must Step Up
WASHINGTON -- Where has Jarryd Bayless been? He just, around the 9:30 mark, scored his first bucket of the second half. Why has the diaper dandy who averages 20 a game been so quiet?
Duke Takes the Lead
WASHINGTON -- Duke took the lead on a coast-to-coast layup by Gerald Genderson after forcing Belmont into a bad shot with 10 seconds left. Now, after missing a contested runner but getting the ball on the arrow, Belmont has four seconds to win it.
Quick Note on the WVU Band
WASHINGTON -- Don't ask me why, but there is a 60-year-old man playing trumpet in the West Virginia band. First time I've ever seen that.
The Verizon Center is Rocking
WASHINGTON -- Verizon Center is full now, and about 85 percent of it is rooting on Belmont as the Bruins look for an historic upset. With the clock stopped at 1:03, Belmont up one and playing defense, this place is electric. I'll try to post as much as I can in the final minute. Duke has to be the more nervous team, right?
Belmont Has the Lead and the Ball
WASHINGTON -- With 1:40 left, Belmont's Justin Hare just knocked down two free throws and the Bruins got Duke to miss at the other end. They lead by one and have the ball with 100 seconds remaining.
Wicke For Three!
WASHINGTON -- Wicke just nailed a three from the corner, 10 feet away from me tops, to pull within one. And now, Belmont has the ball. What a shooter he is. And what a game. Amazing.
At the Final Media Timeout, Still a Game
WASHINGTON -- Two minutes 44 seconds remain at Verizon Center, and 15-seed Belmont is still very much in this one. They'll be going to the line down three when we come out of the break.
Continue reading "At the Final Media Timeout, Still a Game" »
Wildcats Trail by One at Half
WASHINGTON -- Half time stats are nearly identical.
Duke Leads Belmont by One
WASHINGTON -- Unfortunately, some technical issues prevented me from updating in the last couple minutes, but we've got an exciting one here at Verizon Center. Forget the seeds, forget the history, this one could go down to the wire.
Budinger Waking Up
WASHINGTON -- After a somewhat quiet first few minutes, Chase Budinger has come alive, scoring on a three, a slashing two, and a midrange jumper on consecutive Arizona possessions.
Standing O for Byrd
WASHINGTON -- Belmont coach Rick Byrd just filed into the front row of what was the Belmont fan section and now is a mix of Bruins and Mountaineers fans. All of them, regardless of allegiance, took to their feet to acknowledge Byrd's team's performance against Duke. He looks weary but even from across the court, you can also tell he is proud.
Belmont Still in This One
WASHINGTON -- Dribbling aimlessly at the top of the key and defended by 7-foot-1 Brian Zoubek, Jon House glanced over at his coach, Rick Byrd, and saw him waving frantically towards the hoop and yelling "drive."
Duke By Seven at the Break
WASHINGTON -- Thanks to 10 points from Jon Scheyer, a 19-14 rebounding advantage and an 8-0 edge in fast-break points, Duke leads those pesky Belmont Bruins by 7 at half.
How to Beat Duke
WASHINGTON -- Two years ago, in this very building, Georgetown used backdoor cuts to take advantage of Duke's aggressive man-to-man defense and upset the No. 1 Blue Devils, who had been 19-0. Tonight, Belmont seems to have a similar strategy.
Big Block by Belmont
WASHINGTON -- Jordan Campbell stands just 6-foot-5. He's a freshman and he's listed as a guard forward. He blocked a grand total of nine shots all season. But just now, he rejected 7-foot-1 Brian Zoubek with authority, bringing fans to their feet.
Offense on Display
WASHINGTON -- Some fine offensive basketball is on display this evening at the Verizon Center.
Belmont Competitive Early
WASHINGTON -- Trisha Yearwood's alma mater is keeping it close early. Matthew Dotson, a 6-foot-8 gunner, has a three and a put-back two to pace the Bruins.
Forecast: Raining Threes in D.C.
WASHINGTON -- With Duke set to lineup across from Belmont, you can expect an up-tempo shootout to take place.
Baylor-Purdue Stats and Thoughts
WASHINGTON -- Here are some final stats and a few thoughts from Purdue's 90-79 win over Baylor:
Purdue Wins, 90-79
WASHINGTON -- Despite Curtis Jerrells' 27 points, Purdue wins easily, 90-79, in a game that was not as close as the score indicates. I'll try and get back with you later with some stats, quotes, and closing thoughts.
Grin and Bear It
WASHINGTON -- Curtis Jerrells: good. The rest of Baylor: Not that great.
Purdue Fans: They Don't Like the Ref
WASHINGTON -- The same woman donning a Purdue No. 3 jersey is letting the refs have it over what she perceives is some one-sided officiating.
Baylor Not Quite Dunn
WASHINGTON -- Baylor's LaceDarius (not a typo) Dunn doesn't want to go quietly.
Kramer On Both End
WASHINGTON -- Chris Kramer just blocked a Baylor shot at one end, ran the break, got an offensive rebound, and scored the putback.
Purdue Fans
WASHINGTON -- With Purdue up 16, it's time to take a look at their fans.
WASHINGTON -- I haven't seen any of the games at the other sites, but this half by Purdue had to be the most impressive half of basketball thus far in the 2008 tournament.
Purdue Approaches Boiling Point
WASHINGTON -- First of all, I realized the headline I gave this entry is a pretty forced PUN. I fully intend to make more of them whenever possible. That aside, Purdue cannot, will not miss.
Purdue Making Early Noises
WASHINGTON -- Welcome back to Verizon Center. The problem with these NCAA first round sites is that to get four games in in one day, the second game of a session and the interviews from the first game basically coincide. But i;m finally back with the Boilermakers leading by 10 with about 10 minutes to go in the first half.
Xavier Beats Georgia: Postgame Quotes
WASHINGTON -- Xavier shot 55.6 in t he second half and turned the ball over just seven times all day to come away with the win here at Verizon Center. The Musketeers outscored the upstart-Bulldogs by 19 in the second half and attempted 28 more free throws on the day. Here are some postgame quotes from both sides:
Xavier Going to Win It
WASHINGTON -- Xavier wrapped this one up with solid free-throw shooting and tough defense. Josh Duncan and Derrick Brown both have 18 with 15 seconds left. I'll be back shortly with postgame quotes.
Big Finish Coming in D.C.
Washington -- Xavier, up three points and in possession of the ball, just used its final timeout with 1:24 left. Sundiata Gaines has been a force for the Dawgs, but if Xavier can hit free throws down the stretch -- and they are getting all the calls -- they should hold on.
Xavier Pulls Ahead, Pulls Away
WASHINGTON -- It is all Xavier now.
A 10 Second Gaines
WASHINGTON -- Without scoring a point, Georgia's Sundiata Gaines just had what may be the 10-second sequence of the day.
Hayes Watches as UGA's Lead Slips
WASHINGTON -- With 12 minutes left, Georgia is already in the penalty and their fans don't like it. As Jarvis Hayes, formerly of Georgia and now with the Detroit Pistons, looks on, Xavier has cut Georgia lead to four and has the ball.
The Signs of an Upset
WASHINGTON -- There is still a lot of time left here at Verizon Center, but with 16 minutes left, Georgia is up 11 and its fans have broken out some pretty creative signs.
Dawgs Scrap Their Way Into Half Leading
WASHINGTON -- The answer: momentum doesn't die during a four-day break. Looking every bit like the worthy the champions of the SEC, Georgia has come out firing against the Musketeers and lead by nine at the half, 35-26.
Continue reading "Dawgs Scrap Their Way Into Half Leading" »
Quirky NCAA Videos
WASHINGTON -- One of the interesting things about the NCAA tournament is that a lot of the videos they show on the jumbotron are picked before the teams at a particular site are selected. Just now, we had one of those situations where had they known which teams would be here, they probably would have picked a different clip.
Woodbury the Early Star
WASHINGTON -- With Georgia staked to an early six point lead, the star of the first 13 minutes has been junior guard Terrance Woodbury.
Xavier Sloppy Early On
WASHINGTON -- After scoring the game's first five points, Xavier looked as though it might run away with this one. They looked more active, more polished and more talented. But since then, they've just been careless.
Dawgs--Musketeers Set to Get Underway
WASHINGTON -- Welcome to Verizon Center in the nation's capital, where the Georgia Bulldogs, a 14 seed that no one expected to be here, and the Xavier Musketeers, who have matched their highest seed (3) ever in the NCAA tournament, are just about to get started.
March 19, 2008
NCAA Tournament Preview: Washington
Verizon Center has seen its fair share of memorable college basketball games the last few years. It has seen Georgetown upset No. 1 Duke in January 2006, the ultimate Cinderella, George Mason, take down mighty Connecticut later that spring, and Roy Hibbert beat those Huskies on an unexpected three pointer just a couple months ago. With the eight teams the NCAA has sent to Verizon for the first weekend of this year's tournament, there is a good chance that the District is one again the site of a few classics.
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