Indiana University Athletics
Men's Basketball Player Press Conference Transcript
2/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2006
Release
Press Conference Transcript
Senior Guard Marshall Strickland
On the team's mindset:
MS: "It is not really news to us. Coach Davis addressed us first, and we will have our goals in mind. We still have five games left and still have the NCAA Tournament in mind. That's what we are working toward everyday. We just want to make steps everyday toward our goal."
On the distraction the team has been faced with:
MS: "It was becoming a distraction. We were aware, but the nuisance was all the buzz around the team. I just think that it is good to get it out there. Now everyone has it, now we can move on and play these five games, try to win and go to the NCAA Tournament."
On what is best for the program:
MS: "I don't think it is really my judgment. As far as that goes, we leave that up to Coach Davis and (Athletics Director) Rick Greenspan. It's their job. It is our job to go out on the court and play our hearts out for the whole Hoosier Nation that's watching us. That's what we try to do."
On the senior's final run:
MS: "It is sad it had to end this way. Coach Davis is my coach. He is the reason I am here and is the only college coach I know. We are going to try to go out with a bang. We have been through a lot together and have won some and lost some. We are just going to try and go out on a high note."
Sophomore guard/forward Robert Vaden
On his feelings about coach Davis:
RV: "He is very important. I love him as a coach and a person. I am sure everybody else feels the same way, and as Strick (Marshall Strickland) said, I hope we go out with a bang for coach and all the seniors. That is what is important to me right now."
On how the media pressure has affected his play:
RV: "I wouldn't say it has effected it a whole lot. It has a little bit because everyone has talked about it so much. You can't walk around campus without hearing something about it. I don't think it should affect anybody's game on the court just hearing things about your coach. I heard it last year, I heard it this year. I wouldn't make too much of a deal out of it affecting my game."
On the team's feelings when they found out Coach Davis was leaving:
RV: "It was sad. This is Indiana basketball. I love it, and I love Coach Davis as well. The whole moral of the team has been down, and we need to do what we can to get it back up. We are focusing on our games we have coming up, and that is all we are focusing on with Illinois coming up on Sunday."
Sophomore forward D.J. White
On Coach Davis' resignation:
DW: "I am disappointed that he is leaving, but we are going to finish the season strong. That is the main point right now."
On being injured and having to watch from the bench:
DW: "It hurts to be on the sideline watching my teammates. I feel like I am not helping the team, but I am going to sit back and support my teammates as much as possible for the rest of the season."
On the rest of the season:
DW: "We still have this season, it is not over. We have five games left in the regular season. We can do some things in the Big Ten Tournament, get to the NCAA Tournament and see what happens. We are going to focus on this year and try to finish strong."
Senior forward Sean Kline
On playing basketball for coach Davis:
SK: "It is a blessing to be here today. I thank Coach Davis for giving me the opportunity to play basketball here at IU. I am relieved and assured to know for sure what he is doing. We can now move on and finish out the season."
Junior guard Errek Suhr
On what coach Davis has done for him:
ES: "Without Coach Davis, I wouldn't be here today. I may not even be playing basketball because I was not recruited very heavily by anybody. He has given me so much. So many dreams of mine growing up have come true because of him. I owe him so much."
On what kind of day it is for Indiana basketball:
ES: "I think that it is both a good and a bad [day for Indiana basketball]. In my opinion, it is bad because we are losing a great coach, a coach that we all love. Coach is also leaving a program that he loves. But I think that it is also good because all of the scrutiny and all of the bad feelings surrounding this program can now be put behind us. The fans, the media and everyone else who loves Indiana basketball can now look ahead instead of looking back."
Junior guard Roderick Wilmont
On how the team will respond in its final five games:
RW: "I think that we will do fine. We have a great basketball team. We just need to go out there and fight as hard as we can for Coach and for ourselves. We are the ones that are going to be putting the ball in the hole and diving on the floor. There are little things that we have to take care of the next couple weeks. I think that we can get it done, and it can still be a great year for us."
