University of Tennessee Athletics
UT-Martin - Tennessee Postgame Quotes
November 18, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2008
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Tennessee Head Coach Bruce Pearl: "That was a little bit more like I was expecting opening night. I thought we played pretty well to start, but we could not maintain that level of excellence. I thought our intensity was mixed; we did not value the basketball with too many alley-oops, and too many guys trying to do things that were out of character. How much of the second half was again trying to score? We did it against Chattanooga. We took the opportunity last game to get better, but not tonight.
"UT-Martin played hard, and obviously in the second half you can see what Lester Hudson can do. Our defensive numbers are going to say we dominated them defensively - they shot 28 per cent - but we know we can play better. It was good to see Brian Williams step up, and play big around the basket, and obviously control the backboards. It was really really positive for us."
UT-Martin Head Coach Brett Campbell: "I thought in the first five or so minutes, they set the tone of the game. We lost our poise, I thought. We did not react to the pressure like we needed to. I thought it was almost déjà vu, like we were watching UTC play them last Saturday night. To their credit, they make you play that way and we did not respond in the right way.
"We had 10 turnovers before we could turn around, before we knew what was going on. Fortunately, we only had three in the second half and it was a different half. But when you dig yourself a hole like that, it is so hard to come out of it - especially against a quality team.
"They are obviously bigger at every position than us, but in our league, that is where we compete (in the OVC). I think we will be fine, physically, against the rest of our league."
Postgame Notes
- Sophomore Brian Williams scored a career-high 21 points and added 12 rebounds for his second-career double-double. Williams posted 16 points and 14 boards vs. Western Kentucky last season.
- Tennessee's win tonight is its 34th-straight at Thompson-Boling Arena, breaking the previous school record of 33 consecutive home wins set from Jan. 2, 1966 to Feb. 24, 1968.
- Tennessee had at least five players score in double figures for the second-straight game. Six Vols notched double digits vs. Chattanooga in the season opener.
- Wayne Chism posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. It was his fifth career double-double.
- Bruce Pearl is now a perfect 25-0 in non-conference home games while at Tennessee.
