Dec. 21, 2009
Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery 
Iowa Head Coach Todd Lickliter
Opening statement…
“I thought in longer stretches tonight, we played more consistently, the way we need to play. I thought we played a sounder game, where we were containing the ball and getting back. I thought we moved the ball well offensively and attacked well. We had two or three stretches where we got anxious. Not complacent, but it was anxiousness and they took advantage of it. I’d like it If we could stay consistent, regardless of the situation with the score. When we get to that point I think we’ll be playing the kind of basketball we have to play to be able to compete. We got contributions from everybody that played and that’s exciting. It’s good to see Aaron Fuller back healthy; Jarryd Cole we think will bounce back, everyone else seems to be healthy. We played Matt (Gatens) a lot of minutes again, but he has the whole vacation now to rest up so I’m sure he’ll recover OK. Tonight was a good test and great way to respond after a quick turnaround. We thought our guys did a good job for the most part.”
On the status of Anthony Tucker…
The status on him right now is that he’s taking a leave of absence indefinitely and we’re continuing an ongoing evaluation.”
On Matt Gatens’ performance…
“I’m really proud of Matt’s efforts tonight. He had a great game. He’s really raised his level of concentration and play the last few games.”
Eric May
On win
“I thought we played well tonight. They were a tough team, they were quick. They had a lot of athleticism and it took us a bit to get into a flow and handle it. But once we did we really got rolling.”
On two win streak
“It`s a good feeling, you want to get this going, get the ball rolling. We want some momentum coming into Purdue. That is a tough game coming up. We are looking forward to that.”
On things to work on going into the Big Ten opener
“We’ve been focusing on this game the past few days. But going into Big Ten, we know it is going to be more physical and we just have to be able to match that. We have to be able to go out and work hard each game.”
Aaron Fuller
On break
“I am very eager for break; it is really going to help my ankle a lot. I’m just going to try to get it back together; these next few days will really help the healing process.”
The team mentally
“We have faced a lot of adversity. Life throws challenges at you and you just have to overcome them.”
On second straight win and entering Big Ten play
“It’s good going in with a winning streak. The Big Ten is really tough this year. Each game is going to be a battle we just have to take these next couple days off, get refocused and get ready to play Purdue.”
Matt Gatens
On margin for error in Big Ten
“Guys need to step up there is no doubt about it. Our freshmen are going to learn quickly what kind of conference we play in. We have a tough opening stretch. They young guys are going to have to learn right away that each possession is huge because there are going to be close games. There isn’t much of a margin for error. We have to stay out of foul trouble and stay healthy. It is a good time for a break, because I think we all need it. We need to get away for a little bit, come back refreshed and go get them.”
South Carolina Head Coach
On Flagler’s aggressiveness…
“I think in the second half he just became a lot more aggressive. I thought the last 12 minutes of the first half, we stopped sharing the basketball, and I took a guy out and I didn’t play him in the second half and we shared the ball a lot better. Flagler is a very good 14-15-foot shooter, but we don’t have that…we lost two tremendous interior players last year and we just don’t have the girth inside and Flag gets posted up at times against people that are a lot bigger than him. I thought he became a lot more aggressive in the second half.”