Jan. 26, 2009
Santa Clara Head Coach Kerry Keating
"It's always nice to win. Houston Baptist has nine seniors, are making the transition from Division I this year and they were out there fighting. It was hard for me to sleep after I watched them play Utah State on tape. They are a talented team. It's difficult when you go on the road like they have."
"Our team took another step toward growing up today. Being back home in our own beds and in our own gym practicing has been good for us and I think the last two games were the result of that. When I know what we can accomplish when we do things the right way it's frustrating. I know where we can be and these guys have worked hard. This weekend was good for step for us. Houston Baptist can shoot the ball really well, as they shot 50% in the first half. We made some tough shots to start the second half and got in a rhythm."
(on the improved play of Calvin Johnson): "We need Calvin on the floor for more minutes. He had adjusted to not starting and worked hard to help us get better. He has come a long way in a short time this season. He does a good job of getting John the ball on offense and that helps a lot. He is on track to graduate in two quarters and we appreciate his maturity. We also need him to continue to work hard in games on the defensive effort and help our younger players as well."
(on WCC play the rest of the way): "Now that we are done with non-conference play, we need to continue to get better on defense. I think our guys are starting to figure out what it takes. We also need to continue to improve our efforts on rebounding. We need to be solid and put in the effort on the defensive effort. We need to maintain our focus like we had this past week and I need to make sure they understand that."
(on hosting LMU and Pepperdine this weekend): "We really need our students on Thursday and Saturday. This team is made up of their fellow students and we want their energy and passion. In the next few years we want to expand it and get more students involved. We are going to need the Ruff Riders on Thursday night against LMU. We really need to get the students out. I know it's tough with mid-terms coming up, but I know they make a difference for us with their energy and excitement."
Bronco Senior Calvin Johnson
"The two wins this week were important to us. I think it starts in practice with our effort. Coach Keating pounded it in our heads to have a great energy and effort in practice. The more you compete in practice the better the team gets. We also focused, changed our attitudes and worked hard to win. We needed to play hard with a passion to win. Whether it's accepting your role with the team and getting it done in practice or in games - we want to win."
Bronco Senior John Bryant
(on the play of Calvin Johnson): "He has been with me for four years and having the familiarity of him on the court is helpful. We have been a duo in the last three years. We needed a defensive focus on the floor the last few games and he's huge on that end. He adds more on defense now and he's a defensive player. We both want to win and will do what it takes."