Feb. 23, 2013
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Post-Game Quotes
Villanova 60, No. 17 Marquette 56
February 23, 2013
Head Coach Jay Wright
Opening Statement:
"Great win for our team. We as a team have great respect for Marquette because you watch film on them, we show our guys they beat a lot of teams just because they compete harder and they execute better. We even talked about it in the locker room as a team, even at the end of the game when they're down, they kept making extra passes and they kept running their stuff right to the bitter end. They are very well coached and they are tough so we looked at that and said for us to beat this team we gotta play hard and we gotta execute. And that's what makes us proud of the effort. It's great to winââ'¬Â¦ you always love to win, but to be able to play with them like that really makes us proud as a team."
On his thoughts at halftime:
"22-22 at halftime, there's really no adjustments to make, it's really just, they're going to grind out a lot of you, you're going to get tough shots. We were kind of happy with the shots we got in the first half, but you knew you weren't going to get any easier ones. It's a great BIG EAST grind and they make you play that way."
On Villanova's defense in tonight's game:
"Darrun (Darrun Hilliard) defensively he has been outstanding guarding a lot of guardsââ'¬Â¦ same with Ryan Arch and Tony Chennault. They're guard are really really good. Vander Blue, Darrun was guarding him and did an amazing job on him and I know he had 22 and we probably don't win the game without him, but you're not in a game like that unless you're defending like he's defending."
On senior night:
"You can't think that way before or during the gameââ'¬Â¦ you can't. You gotta talk to the guys about that, it's a very emotional day because Mo (Maurice Sutton) and Mouph (Mouphtaou Yarou) are really beloved figures hereââ'¬Â¦for different reasons but beloved figures and they're really emotional guys and it was an emotional day. We had to talk about it at shoot around that it can't be about the seniors today, it can't beââ'¬Â¦it's gotta be about the next game and playing hard and competing against Marquette. When they game's over, I was looking for him and he ran over at me and when the game's over the first thing comes to your mindââ'¬Â¦thank God we did this for Mouphy and Mo. It really does hit you as soon as the games over."
On Mouphtaou Yarou's and Maurice Sutton's last season playing for Villanova:
"That's what you dream about for these kids when they come to Villanova. You dream they play in significant games they both are going to have their degrees on timeââ'¬Â¦you dream they grow into great men which both of them have. That you can control, the part you can't control is you want them to play in big-time significant games and really leave an imprint on the program. So when you see those two standing up seeing the students how much they love them, that's your dream come true."
On how the team can improve:
"We can get better. We had some little breakdowns that were lack of toughness a little, but we're just getting better and better and those breakdowns are becoming fewer and fewer. I still think we can get better I really do."
On Marquette's team:
"They're one of those teams that gave us troubleââ'¬Â¦we're almost better against a bigger team and rebounding against them. That quickness from the perimeter and just flying around, that's what Providence did to usââ'¬Â¦it's what Cincinnati did to us. They are the teams that give us trouble rebounding and I thought they did a great job. If you look at their offensive rebounds, Taylor's (Steve Taylor, Jr.) coming from the perimeter a lot, Lockett (Trent Lockett), Wilson (Jamil Wilson) all those guys are coming from the perimeter."
Senior forward Mouphtaou Yarou:
On his senior night:
"My day was great I was thinking about it. I've done the most, I've given my time. It's all about the next game for me. After the season, I will think about my senior day."
On tonight's win:
"It is really good for the teamââ'¬Â¦we were confident and we overcame. We can get better and we can beat any team in the country. I think we played very well, our defense was really good."
Sophomore guard Darrun Hilliard
On his mindset going into tonight's game:
"I was just trying to be aggressive. If the shots there, I'm going to take it. I had a clear mind and tried to help my team out anyway I can. I was just trying to come into this game playing defense. If I come into this game playing defense and do the little things, I'm fine with anything."
On the progress of the team over this season:
"As long as we keep getting better and play our best basketball at the end of the year, that's what we want. We keep getting better every day in practice and we improve every day ââ'¬Â¦ and we definitely are a better team than we were a couple of months ago."
Jay Wright
On the progress of the team over this season:
"We said let's see how good we can beââ'¬Â¦ and now it's turned the other way. Let's see if we can keep getting better. We always say we want to be the best team by the end of the year and I think this team still has a chance to get a lot better."
