Kevin Willard quote book: Big East conference call

On Wednesday’s win at Georgetown:
“I was really happy with the way we bounced back from a tough home loss, going on the road and really coming out the first 14 minutes of the game, I thought we really played well with great tempo, did a really good job defensively on (Omer) Yurtseven, and then I thought Pat did a great job in the second half making some adjustments and really pounding the ball inside. Overall, it was a really good battle, a really good game, and I’m proud of the way my guys played.”

On maintaining focus amid the strength of the Big East:
“I think that’s the great thing about this conference. Every night, no matter who you’re playing, all these guys know that everyone has really good players on their roster, and we’re more of a veteran team that’s kind of been through all these games, seeing these guys, and I think that’s the neat thing about this conference: All these players get to know each other, and I think they really enjoy going to battle against each other. We have such great respect for each other. I think it’s something unlike anything else I’ve seen in college basketball, because I think there’s great competitiveness, but there’s also great respect between all the players on the floor, and I think when you have that respect and you have that competitiveness each and every night, you’re going to bring the focus, because if not, the guys are going to get the better of you. All these kids want to go out there and play their best, so I think that’s what’s such a great thing about this conference.”

On Collin Gillespie and Jermaine Samuels, having coached them in the Pan-Am Games:
“They’re probably two of the hardest-working, most respectful young men I’ve ever been around in the game of basketball. Collin, you always knew was a leader, but just seeing him off the court — the way he interacted, the way before games he was so intense and got guys going — and Jermaine, he’s like a robot warrior. You tell him what to do, and he goes out and he does it at such a high level. He’s probably one of the hardest competitors I’ve ever been around. Being around both those guys, I’ve always had such great respect for Jay’s program, but Collin and Jermaine — being around them and seeing how respectful they were to coaching, how much they enjoyed being coached — are just two wonderful young men who I enjoyed being around for 25 days.”

On Rutgers’ success and its meaning to New Jersey basketball:
“Oh, absolutely. I’m a huge fan of what Steve has done there, and obviously I’m a huge fan of Pat Hobbs. Pat gave me my opportunity here. I just think the way Steve coaches, the way his kids play, I’m a huge fan of how they defend and battle every night, and I just think it brings another level of excitement through everybody throughout the state. It’s been a while since both of us have been in this position, but I think it’s really exciting what Steve and his staff are doing down there at Rutgers, and trust me: I’m as big a fan of them because I just think it’s great for the state of New Jersey and college basketball.”

On a perceived Rutgers bias in New Jersey media coverage:
“I hate to say this, but I’ve been in New Jersey ten years. I think you should know better than anybody: I haven’t looked at a newspaper in nine years. I couldn’t tell you who gets coverage and who doesn’t get coverage, but I was an assistant at Louisville for six years, and when we would play and Kentucky would play, even the Courier-Journal a few times, Kentucky was in front of Louisville. It’s a state university, it’s got over 50,000 students, so it is what it is. I hate to say it, I couldn’t tell you who gets more coverage or not. I just have to worry about us winning games, and I’m happy they’re winning games.”

On Saturday's matchup at Villanova:
“I think at this time of year — I’ll be honest with you — it’s a huge game, but this time of year, more than anything, every game’s a big game. I think our guys are excited, but what I love about this group more than anything is that I think they’ve been excited to go out to battle every night so far, whether it’s ‘Nova, Creighton, Georgetown. I just think in the middle of February in this conference, it’s the most exciting time in college basketball, so I think they’re excited to just go out and compete again, and obviously compete against the best program in the conference for the last five years. Right now, they’re all sleeping in the back of the bus, so right now, they’re not very excited. But I’ll tell you what: If you want to call me back after 2:30, when we start practice, I’ll get a better level of if they’re excited. I know I’m excited. I know it’s a great opportunity, I have so much respect for what Jay has done and the consistency his players play at, and the way they do. And I know that at 2:30, when we start watching film and try to figure out how to stop Collin Gillespie's pick-and-roll and Saddiq Bey coming up off it, I know our guys will be juiced to play them.”

On depth of the Big East, top to bottom:
“Oh, man. I think it’s as balanced a league as we’ve ever had since the new alignment, but I think what I find amazing and really tough on a night-in, night-out basis is the talent of player. Every team has someone that, on a given night, can get you, and I don’t think that’s been like that in the past. In the past, you might play a team and say if the team plays good, they might have a chance to beat you, but no one’s going to get you. You just look at everyone’s roster right now, and if you don’t stop Kamar Baldwin, he’s going to get you. If you don’t stop Collin Gillespie and Saddiq Bey, they’re going to get you. If you don’t stop Myles Powell, we're going to get you. If you don’t stop Markus Howard...you just go right down the list of everybody, everyone has such a deep roster and has guys that you have to stop, and I think that’s what makes this league so balanced right now. Even if a team’s not playing well, everybody has someone that can get you on a given night.”