Chattanooga Basketball Postgame Quotes
Chattanooga at Wofford
Richardson Indoor Stadium – Spartanburg, S.C.
Saturday – Feb. 15, 2020

Head Coach Lamont Paris
On the tournament-like intensity of today's game:
"Guys are defending at a really high level and looks are just a little more difficult.  Maybe you don't get as many second-chance opportunities as you typically get.  That is the nature of it.  It is the same on a national level.  You get to the NCAA Tournament and points are down.  Better defensive teams are the ones making it to the tournament.  Everyone is playing life or death situation in those moments so guts are playing and competing at a super-high level. I thought both teams competed at a really high level."

On the possession-by-possession nature of the game:
"It was, particularly in the second half I thought it definitely felt like possession-by-possession.  We just couldn't get enough traction to take that lead in the second half.  We were up by nine to start the game and we went a little dry.  We scored nine of those 18 points in the first six minutes of the game.  The rest of those nine were in the last 14 minutes.  That is not great if you do the math on that.  That is just the way it shook out. 

"Either way, it was a six point game at halftime and I was not happy with how we played in the first half overall.  Offensively, especially.  It was a six point game at half, which gives you a great chance to come out in the second half and play.  Which we did for a lot of it.  I just thought we didn't make shots.

"We foul a guy on a turnaround baseline jumper, that he is going to make or miss, regardless of what you do.  We fouled him and he missed it, not because we fouled him, but he missed it and makes the two free throws.  Those are very, very valuable two points in any basketball game.  It is exaggerated every more in a close basketball game and it is magnified to the Nth degree in a game where points are very, very hard to come by."

On Furman's 9-0 run to end the first half:
"This is basketball and that is what happens in basketball.  We got off to a good run at the beginning of the game and they did not pack up and leave.  What if we had gone on a 14-0 run to end the half and still down six?  Do you feel better?  Probably, so you have to take the number and the gap for what it is and start working on what put you in that situation and what adjustments you can make in the second half."

On the low shooting percentage:
"17 of 56.  Some of that we were up against the clock.  Some of that, our movement wasn't great. That is not 56 quality shots, that is for sure.  We normally shoot better than that, no matter what kind of shots we get.  When we get good shots, our propensity to shoot at a higher level is much higher. I don't think we got great shots.  I would say the number of tough shots in there was higher than normal."

On being aggressive at the end of the shot clock:
"If the ball gets on you and the clock is at 7, I am playing one-on-one and we are going to get something up that I decided and not a desperation.  I am just trying to get guys to be aggressive.  I have never had to say that more in my entire life.  I look back to my coach when I was in college, he knew better to say that too many time.  I want guys to be aggressive.  If we go down because we don't shoot the ball well, or we can't defend on a particular day, then so be it.  We have to be more aggressive in some of those areas as far as imposing our will and trying to get some stuff to the basket."

Rod Johnson – Jr.-F
On executing down the stretch:
"At then end of the day, we are competing with everyone in the conference.  It doesn't matter who you are, from top to bottom, it just shows that at the end of the game, that is the time we really have to focus in on what we have to do.  There were a couple of shots down the stretch we really needed to go in, but it shows that when it is time to hit shots, it is time to hit shots.  We just have to make sure that we know time and circumstance and we know how to execute and know what we are going to be doing.  Now it is almost conference time, we just have to make sure we are executing late in close games, not matter if we are up or down."

On the final stretch run coming up:
"Now it is just focusing on these last four games and trying to get all four if we can.  We do that and we win six of our last seven and that will put us in a good spot for seeding when it comes to the conference tournament.  It is just focusing on game-by-game and focusing on who we got next Wednesday to start off with and being able to go in with momentum from wins." 

Matt Ryan – Sr.-G/F
On closing out close games:
"At this point, there are four games left.  We have to do it.  There are no questions anymore.  Either you are going to do it, or your season is going to be over.  It is not like it is this long process where you are figuring it out.  It is the middle of February, you just have to do it."

On fighting until the end of the game:
"If we could have just put in a couple more baskets, we would be leading in the second half, instead of trying to claw our way back.  I don't think we could get it under four.  We kept getting it to four … it is good game experience, especially against a good team on the road going into the latter stages of this season."

On passing Brandon Born and Willie White with his 33-straight FTs, which was snapped today:
"It is cool.  To be in some record books is cool.  It is something I wanted to do when I entered college is to be in some record books.  That is cool.  I like shooting free throws.  I am confident when I get to the line.  I should have kept it going, but I started a new one.  Maybe I can break it.  I still have some time."