Vanderbilt Quoteboard

Quotes on Harvard from Vanderbilt players Jeff Taylor, John Jenkins, Festus Ezeli, and Head Coach Kevin Stallings in Albuquerque on Wednesday, March 14th.

On Harvard's man-to-man defense:

Jenkins: "We're going to have to work for our baskets and have good screening and moving around the ball very well. We've played good defensive teams the whole year, so it's just another team we;ve got to be ready for."

Taylor: "I know certain guys will probably get more attention from their defense than others. But we'll be ready for it. Our offense has been pretty good all year, so we're not too worried about it."

On Harvard's frontcourt:

Ezeli: "They're very talented. Both guys, i think... the five man was the "Player of the Year" last year. They're really talented. It's like I said, its going to be another game with tough match-ups. They're good defensively too So we're just going to have to fight the whole game."

First thoughts on learning about their matchup with Harvard:

Jenkins: "I haven;t seen them play much this year. I saw them play once against Princeton, and I was very impressed with how well they moved the ball on offense and how patient they were. I didn't think we'd ever be playing them but it's going to be a good game."

Stallings: "I think, first of all, the thing that stands out is they;re very very well-coached. They have a definite plan on offense. They play extremely well together on both ends of the floor. Their team defense is exceptional as is their willingness to share the ball and move the ball and get it to the best option on that particular possession. So I think that that's the first thing that I see is just the chemistry that their team plays with on both ends and just how well set-up they are and how well-coached they are."

On Harvard's disciplined style:

Stallings: "But I think with Harvard, I think its just, like our team, they've got a team that they've grown up. They've grown this team up. They're juniors and seniors, for the most part. They've played a lot of basketball together. They;re used to each other, I think that as much as anything else that really helps because there is an inherent chemistry with teams like that, and it seems like they certainly have that."

On Amaker's recruiting:

Stallings: "Tommy's done a great job... He has to get players that can do the academic work at Harvard Monday through Friday and then he's got to try to beat Boston College on Saturday, That;s what they say about us. They want us to be Harvard Monday through Friday and beat Alabama on Saturday. And he's obviously doing a great job. His record the last couple years, hes starting to maybe separate himself a little bit and separate his program a little bit from a lot of people in that league. That's the sign of obviously a job well done. Very, very well done, actually."