Fresno State Athletics
QUOTES: New Mexico 77, Fresno State 62
1/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Rodney Terry, Fresno State Head Coach
"We were in the paint 22 times in the first half. We got the ball where we wanted it in the first half but we let our offense affect our defense. We missed some good shots and didn't get back on defense. We gave up 18 points in transition throughout the first half. You can't do that in this league."
On the crowd...
"The disappointing thing about tonight's loss is that we have a community that really wants to get behind us and they're really starving for a team that is consistent every night with what they bring to the table. We had an opportunity tonight to get them farther behind us from here on out and make our place a really tough place to play, but for whatever reason we didn't do that tonight. We have to do a better job as coaches and players to make sure we do that, because we had an opportunity to have the Red Wave make a difference for us tonight and we didn't do our part."
On the play of Russo and Lewis...
"Those guys have given us some really good positive minutes when they've been on the floor for us. We'll need that from those guys moving forward because they're older players that we expect to play well for us. We need everyone to be able to come in and give us a lift and do what they're called upon to do."
On their second half defense...
"We were much better in the second half. We weren't defending in the first half. You can't waste possessions and you can't give up easy baskets in transitions. We took some steps forward defensively in the last game and tonight we took a few steps back."
On the team's energy throughout the game...
"We told them at half time that the direct result of where we are at right now is because they're playing harder than us right now. That's hard for us to say because we take a lot of pride in how hard we play and how hard we compete when we`re on the floor. They out competed us."
"We have to get off the mat and the guys have to respond. We are going to have nights where we don't shoot the ball well, we didn't shoot the ball well tonight, but every night we have to have our effort and our defense. Defense travels and it stays with us at home that are something we have to have every night."
"We were playing catch up and you can't do that in our league. You can live with not making shots but you can't live with giving up easy baskets and not getting back on defense."
On perimeter shooting...
"We went 1-18 from the three point line. We need to have more confidence in what we are doing. We need to put more time in. What you put into this game is what you get out of it."
"We have to make some shots. I thought we had been doing well offensively against a zone but tonight we let missed shots affect us. We got some great looks we just needed to finish."
On fouls called...
"You can't foul a jump shooter. We knew we had two guys we needed to guard that could shoot the ball. You need to be where you need to be and contest the shot and play defense without fouling."
Cezar Guerrero, Senior Guard
On the score during the first half...
"The outcome was pretty disappointing, it was something that was very unexpected. We knew this team was hungry for a win, so we knew we were going to expect their best punch. We just did not take that well, and we need to respond to this and go take our next game against Nevada at home and make the Red Wave come back and support us."
On if he thought they took the punch well early in the first half...
"We just have to respond well from the punches that we get early on in the beginning from these teams. We feel like we are a Mountain West contender and we are going to get everybody's best shot no matter what. We just have to take the punches well and recover and, just like Coach Terry says, get back in the gym, once we get in the gym, the sky is the limit for us. You saw what we did on the road against UNLV, we just have to recover and pick ourselves up and be better next game."
On playing against Cullen Neal...
"He did really well, he shot the ball really well and we knew that coming in. We knew he was looking to score the ball because they need him to score. We expected him to put up some shots and from our end we cannot foul him. We can't foul a 3-point shooter and we have to get back to transition defense and not let easy baskets get to them. So, all credit to him. He works on his shot, and you can tell. He is a great player, he's one that you are going to have to see this year and the years coming in the Mountain West."
On being an outside shooter...
"It is something that Coach Terry really expects me to do. When called upon, I have to do it. I just have to put in more time at the gym, more time than I am already putting. The time will come; I just have to keep on keeping on. Sooner or later, the shots are going to fall. They're going to fall for the whole team, we just have to be ready."
