Postgame Quotes

Feb. 14, 2004

Clemson Head Coach Oliver Purnell “A couple key points in the game cost us. Obviously our slow start. It was 8-0, 11-2 and we’re climbing up hill from there. We didn’t shoot the ball as well as we have been shooting. We got some open looks that would have been big shots for us had they gone down.”

“We worked hard trying to get the ball inside. When we finally started to get back into the game in the second half we started to get the ball inside. We were doing a pretty good job of shutting down the three-point shot. It hurt us early, obviously with (Tim) Pickett getting off, but then we did a better job in the second half.”

“Obviously we had two critical points. Down four we got the technical foul, then a few plays we got a steal and tried to dribble to control. We lose it and foul. Two critical points in the game that allowed Florida State to get back that working margin they had all game long. They did a good job of hitting their free throws and taking care of the basketball down the stretch.”

“I thought our team played extremely hard. I was pleased with that, but that was only one-third of our plan to win. We have to play hard, play smart and think team. We didn’t play smart at the beginning of the game. You have to make Pickett put the ball on the floor and make their three-point shooters put the ball on the floor. A couple of times early, we just stood and watched Pickett. You’ve got to make them put the ball on the floor. We weren’t thinking when we got the technical. One out of three for our plan to win is not good enough.”

On the technical foul on Chris Hobbs: “You can’t get a technical foul in that situation. All I could see was demonstrative behavior. At that point, we’re fighting up hill and we get ourselves in a position to get the ball game tied. We can’t have that. Not only does the technical foul stop our momentum, the technical was his fifth foul. Now we’re short handed coming down the stretch.”

Florida State Head Coach Leonard Hamilton “I thought the most significant thing for us, about this victory, I thought was that our guys gave tremendous defensive effort and focus for the full 40 minutes. Another thing for the first time, in a long time, we didn’t have to totally rely on Tim Pickett for 40 minutes.”

On Tim Pickett: “To his credit, he came out in the first half had 15 points and obviously that was important to us, but it shows his maturity to come out in the second half and play as hard as he did on the defensive end and rebounding and encouraging his teammates with all the while only scoring one point. He didn’t force anything, he stayed within the system.”

“That shows how much the team has grown. If we’re going to be a team that is going to continue to keep getting some victories, he’s realized that we’re going to need some more of the teammates to be involved in order for us to be successful. That shows a lot about his maturity and the maturity of our team.”

“Clemson has been a team that has played everyone right down to the wire all year long, regardless of who they play. They’re a team that is getting better. Coach Purnell is doing an outstanding job and we’re very happy, and feel very fortunate to come away with a victory against at team that is giving people fits all year long. They’re the No. 1 rebounding team in the league and we did a good job of holding our own for the most part.”

On the 11-0 run to start the game: “We need all those types of starts that we can possibly get. You obviously don’t expect that to happen. Most teams in the ACC are grinding them out. It’s kind of like a ballroom brawl for the entire game so it gave us some breathing room to make a few mistakes. We knew they would make a run and get back into the game, but we were able to keep them at bay and make enough plays down the stretch to extend the lead.”

“We made a conscious effort in the second half to get the ball inside a little bit more. We had some guys that respond and we got to the free throw line more and that was a result of getting the ball inside.”