March 7, 2004

Recap| Box Score

Arizona Head Coach Lute Olson Quotes:

"We played a very fast-paced game, and we played well overall. We did a very good job of sustaining our defensive intensity all the way through, and that is the key for us as we continue through the season. Offensively, we shot 54 percent, which shows that we are doing a good job of sharing the ball, and we continued to do well at the free throw line. The only thing that we did not do well was that we allowed ASU to keep shooting three-pointers."

"I am pleased that we have continued to do a good job in terms of sharing the ball. We've had a lot of games where we have shot over 50 percent, and that is an indication that we are getting the necessary extra touches on the ball. I thought that we only had one or two ill-advised shots. It was good to see that we had 28 assists out of 39 buckets."

"Mustafa (Shakur) plays with so much poise and confidence. He did a great job on the boards, and he did a great job of pushing the ball and making good decisions. He had 11 assists, and that is an amazing stat."

"Chris Rodgers gave us such a huge lift off the bench, and he did a nice job defensively. He is so important to us, and he is a great shooter."

"Kirk Walters did a nice job in the first half. He came off the bench and played really well. He challenged every shot, and he showed that he can hold his own inside. He took up a lot of space, and he altered some shots."

"With the first game in the Pac-10 Tournament, we have USC, and that definitely is going to be a huge challenge. We have to make sure that we are fresh, and we just need to keep our focus and get the job done."

"I am happy to see that we have maintained good defensive intensity for the last two games, and we have not had a lot of turnovers. The only thing today was that we gave up too many offensive rebounds, but Ike (Diogu) will do that to a team. In the last two games, we also have shown that we can play with anybody and beat anybody."

"With the postseason, we are as ready as we are going to be at this point. We just have to count on our ability to stay focused."

Arizona Player Quotes

Forward Hassan Adams:

"Defense was key for us today. It set the tone out there for us."

"We got the ball up the court, and we played our game."

"This was a very important game. It is nice to get a win heading into the Pac-10 Tournament."

"We need to come into our next game and play aggressive. It is going to be a physical game."

"It is a new season for all of us now. We need to have the mindset that we need to take our game to the next level."

Guard Mustafa Shakur:

"Every practice we have to try to go hard. If we go hard in practice, we will have a good game."

"We feel good right now. All five starters need to be on the same page from here on out."

"It doesn't matter who we play. It's that time of the season when we need to step up."

"It is a new season right now for everyone to step up."

"I can't wait to play in the Pac-10 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. I'm excited to play. I expect a crazy environment."

Guard Salim Stoudamire:

"It is time to step it up. It is fun to play this time of the year. We get a lot of exposure, especially if we win."

"I wouldn't say the next game is like every other game. It is March now, it is time to step up. We need to go out and concentrate, and play as a team."

Center Channing Frye:

"Ike (Diogu) is a good player. His defense is getting a lot better. In the second half, I needed to reestablish myself in the middle."

"We were having fun out there. We are a young, when we are not having fun out there it shows."

"The Pac-10 season has helped us grow up. We are 1-1 at neutral courts, so the tournament is something for us to look forward to."

"Our team defense is getting better. We have to trust each other. Everyone played today, and our press is doing better, which is exciting."

"The Tournament is everybody's last game. If you lose, you go home."