Feb. 29, 2008
Vanderbilt basketball head coach Kevin Stallings and Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey discussed Saturday’s matchup with the national media during Thursday’s SEC Teleconference. Find out what each coach had to say about the upcoming game.
Vanderbilt Head Coach Kevin Stallings:
Opening statement:
“We’re coming off of a big win the other night against Tennessee. Arkansas has been a very difficult team for us to play over the years. It (Bud Walton Arena) is a very tough place to play. They have been exceptionally good there all season long. We certainly expect a very, very difficult game. I think their team is extremely talented. They have an unbelievably physical, long presence at the basket with their big guys. They have great quickness on the perimeter. (Sonny) Weems is having a terrific year. We’ll have our hands full. It will be very difficult for us, but hopefully we can go over there and play well.”
As a basketball coach, what goes through your mind in the month of March?
“I think that the March Madness concept is something that makes everybody that enjoys basketball excited. The best that college basketball has to offer in terms of the NCAA tournament (is this time of year). I think as a college basketball coach and player, it makes your blood pump a little faster. It’s an exciting time, particularly when you have an opportunity to be a part of it. It can be depressing if you’re not going to be a part of it.”
When Vanderbilt in the past has been on the bubble, how much does a sense of urgency exist?
“I think you feel a sense of urgency regardless of whether or not you’re on the bubble. You feel a sense of urgency because now with the emphasis they (the NCAA tournament selection committee) put on the last 10 games and how you’re playing at selection time relative to seeding, I think everybody feels a sense of urgency so long as you see an opportunity get in the tournament.”
Has Arkansas’ coaching changes been the reason Vanderbilt has found it difficult to play against the Razorbacks?
“No. I think that it has been because of the quality of their teams, the quality of their players, and the quality of their coaches. This particular group of guys that they have are talented. We didn’t have much of an inside presence last year, but it’s difficult to score around the goal against this team. They have one of the greatest shot blockers in the history of college basketball in Steven Hill. Then (Darian) Townes comes in and he’s extremely long and very gifted around the goal.”
Is Arkansas with their personnel a bad matchup for Vanderbilt?
“They were last year. I hope it’s not as bad this year.”
Arkansas Head Coach John Pelphrey:
Opening statement:
“I think we’ve got a chance Saturday to play one of the hottest teams in our league and one of the hottest teams in the country. They have a terrific coach. (Shan) Foster and their group of players are playing outstanding. They play the game the right way: great shooting, spacing, cutting, sharing the basketball. I think Vanderbilt is a really good team. They have some special individual pieces, no question about it, but they are a team.”
What makes Shan Foster an outstanding player?
“He has good size and shoots the basketball well. You can be on him or with him, but he still has the ability to take or make tough shots. That’s a special trait, especially when you’re doing it from the 3 point line.”
When Arkansas isn’t making outside shots, how does the team adjust?
“You go on to the next play. (Against Alabama), Darian (Townes) had a good game scoring around the basket. We try to get to the free throw line. You hate to tell a guy to stop shooting it from 3 because if one or two go in, it can certainly change the complexion of the game. It can force the other team to start doing things different defensively. Shooting does cure most of the sins, but last night, we didn’t make very many shots.”
What has Andrew Ogilvy added to Vanderbilt’s inside game?
“He is terrific. He has poise and game. He can drive the ball. He is a weapon. He has stamina. He’s been blessed with some physical attributes, but his understanding of the game is very impressive.”
Does a player with Ogilvy’s poise come natural, or is it developed?
“I don’t know how it works for Vanderbilt. I think sometimes you see that when recruiting a guy. Sometimes you don’t. Oftentimes, in the recruiting process, you get surprised by what a guy can do. I played with Del Brown at Kentucky. He was brought in because of the way he could shoot the basketball, but he never quite shot the basketball (at Kentucky) the same way he became a lock-down defender. Recruiting is strange sometimes. Sometimes you get a guy that grows four or five inches, but I would say there are occasions where you get a chance to recruit a guy that you know is a special player coming through the door. If he works hard and embraces the team concept, then he will have a chance to do great things. However, it’s not a perfect science.”
What type of tempo would you prefer to play against Vanderbilt?
“We’d like to play up and down the floor. We want to extend our defense and be attacking on both sides of the basketball. I would much rather play in the 70s or 80s (in scoring) than in the 50s or 60s. If I had my choice, it would be more of a high scoring affair.”
