University of Tampa

Richard Schmidt—Head Coach
Game Comments:
Well, we really didn’t play very well today and neither did Eckerd. It was a pretty nasty looking game and we ended up losing it. We started out good then Mark got into foul trouble, Chris Evans got in foul trouble, and Jeremy Black got in foul trouble, and we were in serious trouble. Usually fouling is the result of poor defense.

Strategy for tonight’s game:
We just could have played our game. We know them well and they know us well. It’s just one of those games where you know it’s going to be a drag out, knock down affair. We’d hope we would do a better job on the boards. Eckerd is very physical around the basket and that hurt us a great deal.

Momentum change:
I felt a momentum change in the first half. When we took Mark [Borders] out everything really went down the tubes from there for us. We never really recovered from it.
We are a team that can’t dominate on the glass. If you can’t dominate on the glass every possession of the game is important. We are not able to hold on to them [leads] and keep the momentum going. It could be lack of experience, who knows. We had a time out left and I blame myself that we should have at least got a decent shot for a tie at the end, but we didn’t.

Mark Borders—G, Junior
I guess. This is the first time we’ve ever had a back-to-back game. We played 30 games and that was the first time so I don’t think the team was used to coming out and doing that.

Tired at the end of the game:
When you’re trying to win you just block it out. I couldn’t think about getting tired because my team needed me. I can be tired for six months. I gave my all for the last ten minutes.

Eckerd College

Tom Ryan—Head Coach
Game Summary:
We’ve had two battles with Tampa in the last two weeks, and when the two of us play its closer to a boxing match than a basketball game. Both teams are very physical and both play and aggressive defense. They do a very good job of taking us out of the things we like to do on offense.

Change after halftime:
We talked about trying to get the ball out and push the ball up the court, not necessarily to get lay ups but just to get the tempo going a little faster for us.

Turning point of game:
It was almost when I got a technical foul and we almost lost. In the second half when we started pushing the ball and the tempo changed. That changed the game for us.

Greg Plummer—G, Senior
Making free throws at the end of the game:
I wasn’t thinking about anything but making the free throw.

Scoring only in the second half:
In the first half I was in foul trouble. After my second foul they did a good job jumping in front of me and trying to get me to take the charge. I wasn't trying to take it. In the second half I saw the window and basically went every time they gave me space.

Steve Berg—G, Junior
On tomorrow:
I’m very confident. If we come out and play good solid defense and don’t turn the ball over as much as we did tonight we’ll be all right. It’s going to be a battle, a close game down to the wire, just like tonight. Hopefully we can come out on top.