Saint Joseph's 82, Fordham 60: Quotes From Phil Martelli

Saint Joseph's head coach Phil Martelli's opening statement:
"I think the plan by Fordham early to play zone because of our shooting numbers coming into the game was really a wise plan, and being dealt with the blow of not having Mandell Thomas, who has really hurt us here all three years, I don't like to see that. I think every kid should get his 120 opportunities to play college basketball. He's a competitive guy."

"I think the confident shooting of Papa Ndao, (Lamarr) Fresh Kimble, and Shavar (Newkirk) got us stabilized after a really poor start. We had three turnovers in our first four possessions, and we don't turn the ball over like that, so we have work to do. We targeted on being the only team in the country with no road losses, and we want to stay on that. But I thought the bench in the first half was the biggest difference in getting us a 10-point lead."

On Shavar Newkirk (17 points, 6-9 FG) and possibly playing his best game:
"I don't know. I mean, he was in rhythm. I'm happier that he played at home better, because that wasn't the case last year. He was not very good here last year, and all of that was the result of summertime, he and (assistant coach) Dave Duda working on his shot. When a kid can come home and play well, you feel good for him, so I like the fact that he had no turnovers."

On DeAndre Bembry (16 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists):
"This is DeAndre's kind of game: Double-digit rebounds, double-digit assists if guys finish plays, and nine shots. He's not a bulk shooter, he knows that he doesn't have to be a bulk shooter, and he was really, really engaged defensively for us. He had some key matchups out there, (Joseph) Chartouny being one of them. We have veteran players. Isaiah Miles didn't score, I don't think, in the first half, hanging his head a little bit, and then got his rhythm right away with an offensive rebound and one. I just don't like the turnovers. I think that's bad basketball when you turn the ball over. Not missed shots, turnovers, is bad basketball."

On Isaiah Miles (13 points, 6 rebounds) and Fordham's first half defense on him:
"He's gotten a little fast, he's gotten a little panicky, and the shots that he had were all good shots. The charge that he had, he had a shot and he passed it up to drive the ball to the basket. That's not his game. We're leaving here with guys not playing at their highest level, and we have to have them get going on the road on Wednesday. There's a couple of guys that I've already spoken to in the locker room, that that's not going to be good enough in this back stretch with the people that we're playing."