Cameron Bennerman Quotations

We started hitting (the 3s) for one thing. If they go in, they count. They add.

We didn't win the game in the prettiest fashion, but it was a tough game. We need to get some wins like this under our belt. Sometimes, you get wins by big margins and you get a little comfortable.

We're not crazy, we know that teams in this conference are going to fight back tooth-and-nail. They've got good players and they did that.

Last year you kind of knew what was coming, from whom. But this year, you're not really sure who's going to do what.

Short-range shots, you're going to know where it's going to come off, so I just stayed with it.

He got on us, but we also focused on the good things we've done.

He's a great player. I'm sure a lot of teams that didn't recruit him now wish they had.

He can run the point. But I guess maybe it takes away from their perimeter play. The have the personnel, but it's just a matter of it working.

I think maybe some games in the past, we lost our focus and let some teams back in. Miami, they kinda forced their way back in, you know. We didn't really get rattled or nervous or anything like that. They just did some good things. Any good team, they're not going to stay down for long. But the thing is, we pulled together and we still won the game.

I'm shocked by this, to be honest. The past four games, we had been doing some positive things and winning close games and building momentum. So to play like this today is definitely a surprise. But the only thing we can do is put it behind us and get started looking forward to Florida State.

That's what happens when you break a team down. It isn't quitting because they know the game is over.

That's the way the game's played. You go inside and out.

We've lost some games in the past, the games that came down to the wire ... it's been on our minds the last couple of months.

We got to the core of our offense by being unselfish.

When we're knocking them down, it gets frustrating for the defense. When we're not knocking them down, it kind of takes the wind out of us, and it lets the defense rest when all you take is outside shots.

We've definitely had worse times of the season than this. Whether it's at the end, the beginning, or the middle, it doesn't matter. You're going to go through some adversity.

When you go to the line with a sense of urgency, there's more of an expectation to knock those free throws down.

We've played to that level in certain games and today we were just fired up, ready to go ? especially in the second half. It's my job to get my teammates going. That's what it's all about.

We've been playing with fire here the last couple of games, by not just taking care of business. It's been interesting and we've had people on pins and needles, but we don't want to do that.

We weren't really over that loss when we came back. We needed to start competing better and do the things we need to do to win.

We had our opportunity. We got the stop, and I had a shot, and I thought I was going to make it. I thought it would be like Clemson all over again. But it didn't happen. And it didn't happen for a reason. So we need to learn from this, and we need to put it behind us.

At this place, we're used to it. Fans, media, family. The State thing has been like that for a long time.

I've been here four years. We've definitely seen worse times than this.

It was an emotional roller coaster. They had their highs; we had our highs. I think our conditioning was the main part, and we took good shots in overtime.

Personally, I don't like shooting a lot of 3s. I want to get some drives to the basket and do some other things. You can sit out there and shoot 3s all game, easy. It's hard for me to buy into that. I want to mix it up some because I have the ability to. At the same time, we have guys who can really knock down the 3s. It made you not want to shoot any more 3s in the first half because we weren't making them, but open shots, you've got to have that confidence you can knock them down.

Our defense has to be there. We need to get stops and get some fast break transition opportunities.

People on the outside don't know what's going on inside. They think they know. They don't.

Coach has really been challenging him to stay out of foul trouble. We need him to hold the middle down, get big rebounds and make good defensive plays without picking up fouls. I think he's going to make the extra effort to stay in the game and we're going to need him to.

Coach always teaches us on defense to close out with a high hand and take away that shot. If you're on offense, if a defender doesn't do that, then you're at liberty to shoot the 3. It's just confidence.

Despite the losses here the latter part of the season, we have had a good season. There is a lot to be thankful for.

As a team, we're frustrated. We're determined at the same time, though. We're determined to stay positive. It's very easy to slump your shoulders, sink your head, (think) 'We're losing.' But we're not going to do that.

That's just unselfishness. We really don't care who's scoring the points as long as somebody's doing it.

This is 2006. We're just trying to keep this thing rolling while we're here.

A lot of people don't respect him, but I do. I know what he's capable of doing. He's a tough guy. He can shoot the ball. He's deceptive when he drives. It isn't a shock to me. I just think overall on the defensive end we didn't do a good job of being aware and alert on some of that stuff.

They really established their inside game. That's the way the game is played, going inside out.

It's mental at this point. Everyone knows that we've had some minor injuries, but I think we're back on track with that. So right now, it's all mental. You've got to be mentally strong.

It should be fun. I don't know what will happen but we'll be ready.

It's definitely a sense of relief. We made it to the second round.

It just shows how tough that they are. They're well prepared, they have a great coach and they have great players. I'm sure David Noel and their other upperclassmen are providing leadership.

It was a complete game. It was good to have this type of game and take a deep breath. We can kinda take a deep breath and feel good about the work we put in this week. We really had to do some self-searching, I guess you could say, about our team after that Georgia Tech loss.

It was just a roller coaster. We didn't really get rattled or get nervous or anything like that. We just pulled together.

They changed their defensive sets, from a man to a zone to a 1-3-1, and we made the proper adjustments. You've got to make those guys work hard on defense. A lot of times, we let other teams off the hook. We've got strong guards, and we need to use them.

I kind of blanked out. I couldn't believe it was over.

Immediately after the game, all I was thinking about was this game.

I had that same shot earlier in the game -- I think I had it twice -- but I passed it up. I have confidence in that shot.

If you have confidence in what you're doing, that means a lot.

I feel incomplete. I feel like we were supposed to play another half or something.

This is our fifth consecutive year and I've been privileged enough to be on four of those teams. This is just an opportunity for us to play well and to be together. Every game is another chance to make it better. In spite of our losses here lately, we've had a good season and a good record. There's a lot to be thankful for and stay positive about.

All I could think about was, 'I hope he doesn't make that.

The first game (won by State, 78-60), we drove the ball. This game we just kept shooting 3s. It's as simple as that.