Colorado 71, Tennessee State 44, Post-game Quotes

Colorado Head Coach Ricardo Patton

GENERAL: “It was a great opportunity for us to work against the zone. You have to give Tennessee State credit; they kept battling. When you get up on teams from a coaching standpoint, you try to get guys who normally do not play, some playing time. At one point I had a lineup on the floor that didn't score well against the zone and I think that might have hurt us a bit. Their team was very well coached and when they started banking those long threes, they got back in the game. You are not going to be sharp every night right out of the box. (But) if we can by that margin (27 points) and not be at our best, then that is pretty good.

ON POOR FREE THROW SHOOTING: “It's always a concern. We have to keep working on it and get the right guys at the line. I don't think Michel (Morandais) shot a foul shot, and neither did Blair (Wilson). Those two wings have to get to the line. That will help (increase) that (percentage) number.”

ON PERIMETER SHOOTING: “We don't have a team full of great shooters. When teams put that kind of pressure on your perimeter guys they (your shooters) have to be on. We got good shots tonight. Blair (Wilson) got 12 (shots) from threes and Michel (Morandais) had 15 (field goal attempts). It wasn't like we weren't getting shots; we just did not knock them down.

Tennessee State Head Coach Cy Alexander

GENERAL: “ I thought that we played well in spurts throughout the game. We cut the lead down to 10 points with six minutes left in the game. We are a new team trying to learn how to win. This is our eighth loss, and five of the eight have been rough. This team has it engrained in them to lose and we need to learn how to win.”

ON C DAVID HARRISON: “He has a chance to be a pro if he is in tip-top condition. He has the body, the hands, and the feet to do it. He has what the pros are looking for: size and agility.”

ON G BRUCE PRICE: “Bruce (Price) had an excellent game for us. He was out against Wyoming on Wednesday with a strained back and has not been able to practice. I thought he came out and played with a lot of heart. (Bruce Price) is only a freshman and he is going to be a great player for us.”

ON ROAD GAME SCHEDULE: “It has been tough on the coaching staff, the players, and the team. We still have one to go, Chattanooga on Monday, and it has been rough. This has been a learning experience; I was not here when the schedule was made. I will not let this tough of five straight road games in a schedule, especially at the beginning of the season.”

Colorado Players

F BLAIR WILSON

GENERAL: “We're going to get open shots because teams focus so much on David (Harrison). We just have to knock those shots down when we get them. My shot was so off tonight; I just could not get into my rhythm, and I wasn't able to hit some of those threes.”

F MICHEL MORANDAIS

ON HIS BANK-SHOT THREE: “It was a really lucky shot. It was probably the luckiest shot I've ever hit in my life. It hit the top of the backboard, and the ball isn't supposed to go in on those shots.”

C DAVID HARRISON

GENERAL: “I don't think we were ever really worried about losing. We were not as sharp as we should have been. They made a run at us in the second half and cut the lead to 10. We had to take a timeout and regain our composure. After that we came out and we put them away.

“We haven't practiced in our gym for awhile because of graduation and finals. We needed to come out and knock some of the rust off tonight.”

ON UTAH: “It is going to take a much better effort to beat Utah. I know they have some big guys and can be really physical. So, we have to play a much better game all around. I have seen them on film and they looked impressive. It will be a very good test for this team.”

Colorado University Athletics

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