Feb. 24, 2015

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Villanova Head Coach Jay Wright

Opening statement
"(Tonight) was probably our best defensive effort of the year for us. I am proud of our guys and I have a lot of respect for Providence as a team. I think it was important for Darrun Hilliard; in the first half he was one for seven but had four steals and was guarding Henton and did a great job on him. I was happy for him, he got it going in the second half and I don't think he really would have cared because he did a great job defensively. Jayvaughn (Pinkston) has been our best defender all year and a great leader for this team so it was nice to have a defensive effort like that on senior night."

On national attention and team success
"We get plenty of attention. I mean, look at this. We have plenty of attention. We are on national TV and Fox Sports and they talk about us every night."

On what the team's hopes for March
"I think we have a chance (of being a number one seed) but we still have a lot of basketball to play to do that. I think that we have a chance to and I think that Gonzaga and Virginia and whoever else is in those seven and eight spots have a definite chance to coming down the stretch. We are still trying to concentrate on our regular season. It is hard but that is what we are trying to do."

On his impression on the class of 2015 and their journey at Villanova
"This is a really unique pair in that if you look at this class it started with five guys. These guys lived through thirteen and nineteen and they are the only guys in the program who really understand, because everyone else in the program has done nothing but win. There have been countless times this season that I can refer to Jayvaugh and Darrun and tell the guys "talk to them, remember how quickly this can go" and they have done a great job keeping the team in line and have led us all the way through to this point. And the most important thing I think we will see from all of this is next year when we see Ryan and Daniel, two guys who really look up to them, and they will be great leaders because of them."

These are two guys who never thought of giving in on Villanova ... It really is special for me, because of where they have been and what they have brought us from."

Senior JayVaughn Pinkston

On being evaluated nationally
"We don't really focus on that. We just try to focus on coming in and playing Villanova basketball each and every day. Everything else will take care of its self.

Senior Darrun Hilliard

On his successful senior night
"I wanted to take it upon myself defensively, offense is just a plus to me. I wanted to come in and get us started defensively and do my best to be the best defender I can possibly be because I know that the offense will take care of itself. Coach will run his plays and the offense will just fall into place. The last six games has just been a testament to our defense."

On the emotions of senior night
"I was trying not to loose it! It was just a really special night. Coming out of Bethlehem, Penn., not a lot of things come from there so I it was just a special moment. Seeing my mom cry,that is what broke me down a bit ... Pressures were running a little high. I think I had already had some practice when we were in Allentown and playing that game at home for the home opener. That really helped me a lot to calm me down and help me focus on the little things."

On helping establish Villanova in the "new BIG EAST"
"That is really special to us. Going into the postseason like this in this type of league is a great honor to us; going against those types of players and those types of coaches. It is an honor to have done what we are doing and to keep going. "

On his success from the arc in the second half
"I am always locked in. I am always in that mindset. It is just a testament to my teammates, I give all the credit to them. Just like when we were in Butler I give all the credit to (Ryan) Arcidiacono, I just shot the ball. They found me, they got me the ball all I had to do was the easy part: shoot the ball."

Providence Head Coach Ed Cooley

Opening statement...
"Didn't play well. Credit Villanova; they made a lot of shots, especially in the second half. We know they want to shoot threes. We didn't play well at the end of the day. We didn't play well and they played great. You know, they've been playing really, really, really well. I think [Villanova's Darrun] Hilliard has been shooting the play extremely well. I think we did a decent job in the first half. Came out, we had a couple possessions where we had it to six, trying to settle into a rhythm. But we made some costly turnovers and missed a layup and then they got an `and one.' Again, we didn't play well. I think you have to give them a lot of credit. It's amazing how teams around the country and all the speaking heads, who are supposed to be professional, but they aren't talking about Villanova as a No. 1 seed. They're playing as well as anybody in the country and have a chance to make a magical, magical run in March; right from our league. They easily, in my eyes, should be in discussion for the second No. 1 seed overall. I think everybody would agree that Kentucky is it, based on the work they have done. But when you look at all the wins, all the great teams, Villanova is not respected enough. We didn't play well today; we'll move on. We have to a decent job in our next one at home. Today just wasn't our day and it's that time of the year where stuff happens and I have to do a better job with the group. I thought I was the worst coach in the country today and I'll hold myself accountable and try to do a better job with my team come Sunday."

On Villanova's Darrun Hilliard in the second half...
"We did a poor job getting out on him in the second half. When you're in a small building here, he has a green time from the time he gets out of his dorm room. For us not to recognize that with all the film and from having played them already, it's a lack of our concentration."

On Villanova playing at home in The Pavilion...
"When you look at the trend of how they've played; they've played well. They've played really well. When they're making threes, they're a tough out. You have to limit their three-point shooting."

On Villanova not having starpower...
"I think you are missing the boat. People don't appreciate the lack of star power in this team. From what I saw, there were 15 stars on their bench. All I know is that they are twenty-something and two. And with an unbelievable RPI. When you look at their resumes versus the other resumes that people are talking about, and in the conference that we are playing in, I just think it's a total lack of respect."

On Villanova limiting Providence's LaDontae Henton...
"They did a decent job and I don't think we did a good job. We turned the ball over. I think they scored a quarter of their point son turnovers; where we haven't turned the ball over like that. I won't watch this game film one bit. It's one of those games that every team in the country has. Chalk it up to: you didn't play well and they did and keeping moving. You can't over examine things right now, not this late in the season. We have to keeping moving. But we were looking for him [LaDontae Henton], I mean he leads the league in scoring. We look for him when he gets out of his bed. Credit them. They shrunk the floor and we didn't play well."