Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky
Vanderbilt Memorial Gymnasium
January 14, 2003

Vanderbilt Head Coach Kevin Stallings

"Obviously, we are very disappointed with our second half performance. Obviously, Kentucky played a great game. Based on the film, I would say they have played as well as they have all season long. They just hit us with a big, hard punch, and we didn't respond to it. We are disappointed that we didn't have a better answer to their toughness, pressure and physicality."

"That's the type of defense we play against every day. It's very disappointing for us to not have a better response to their pressure and their defensive play."

"This was a game that has to be played with reason over emotion. In the first half, we were playing on a high and making shots."

"They turned up the heat and we didn't respond. Their defense completely dominated the game and their physicality completely dominated our players. I obviously didn't make the adjustments that needed to be made because I can say that I tried everything I could possibly think of. We just didn't have a good enough response."

Vanderbilt Forward Matt Freije

"They stepped up their defense toward the end of the first half. They responded very well and kept it going in the second half."

"It was frustrating. We had trouble just completing a single pass. You can't play basketball 45 feet away from the basket. You have to get it around the arc and play. You have to give them credit for getting out in the passing lanes and they got good pressure on the ball and didn't allow us to."

Vanderbilt Guard Mario Moore

"They did a great job of keeping us out of the operating zone and where we want to get the ball. We just couldn't get the ball where we wanted to. We wanted to go to Brian (Thornton) more tonight, but their pressure on the defensive half made it tough to get the ball down to where we wanted to."

Kentucky Head Coach Tubby Smith

"It was a solid performance. I thought we had good balance in the second half. We came out a little flat (in the first half),but I imagine that had a little to do with Vanderbilt. They were very aggressive and we didn't respond in the first half."

"I thought overall we had a great defensive effort in the second half."