Gary Waters Team Quotations

I have enjoyed coaching the Rutgers basketball team for the past five seasons, and have had the opportunity to work with some tremendous young men. But at this time, I feel that this is the best course of action for me to take for the Rutgers basketball program and for my family. I feel we were able to accomplish a lot here, but it is time for me and my family to move forward.

I hate to waste the ability of our point guard because he's the best pressure guard out there. It hurts our team if we don't have that pressure.

I thought Marquis Webb did a great job on Clayton. As Clayton goes the team goes, and I think we did a good job on him.

I thought our kids followed the game plan extremely well. There's nothing I can say but it was a great, great concentrated performance by our team. Our guys worked extremely hard. I thought we rebounded the ball well. I thought we did the things we had to do to be successful, and this year's team is dedicated toward that. They followed what we told them to do. They did everything to a tee.

That was paramount. We had talked, going into the first half, that this team was on (its) last legs. They felt there was one game that they (had a chance to win) and it was our game. I told our team to go out and take them (Bulls' legs) away. Once you do that, they'll feel like there's nothing else left. I think that's what happened.

We're a different team today than we were back then. But I think we can go out and play this team extremely hard.

When the powers-that-be have made decisions, you don't know where and when it all started. I know a year ago when we came in last place in the Big East the bubbling started. This year they had question marks when we lost a few games. This is the best league in America and we could end up 7-9 with a team that was picked to finish 14th and not be in the Big East Tournament.

We were beaten by a better team today.

What has been forgotten is we did get to the finals of the NIT and I thought that was better than (losing) in the NCAA in the first round the way that team was.

We're the type of team that at times it's a challenge for us to score. What I tell my team is we want two other guys to (score) double figures. We don't know who that may be, we just need two other guys to contribute.

The reason I feel we're a better rebounding team is we're more athletic. That changes the whole philosophy of things. And all our guys rebound; our guards get after it and our big guys have improved in that area, too.

I wanted to clear the air. I wanted everyone to know my intent and have my team able to focus on the next four or five games, if we have that many, and not have them hurt in this process.

This (game) shows you he's maturing, but at the same time it shows you his leadership. At practice Friday, I pulled Quincy aside and told him, 'You got to lead this team on this floor.' They follow his lead. He responded.

This game was about intensity and toughness, and I knew Ollie would bring that to the table. I just thought our kids did a great job playing with emotion and intensity. That's something we didn't do in the first half against Providence, but understand, that was an oddity. This team plays hard.

At this time, I feel that this is the best course of action for me to take for the Rutgers basketball program and for my family. I feel we were able to accomplish a lot here, but it is time for me and my family to move forward. I have enjoyed coaching the Rutgers basketball team for the past five seasons, and have had the opportunity to work with some tremendous young men.

You wonder if it will all be based on if your team is in the top echelon of the league. I think they recognized that and gave him what he deserves because he's had a fabulous, fabulous year.

That's the first time we played this year that we dominated a team without Quincy shooting well.

That (run) was paramount. We talked about, going into the game, that this team was on their last leg. They felt if there was one game they had a chance, it was against us. I told our team to go out and take them away, because then there's nothing else left. And that's what happened.

This was the first time we dominated a team with Quincy not shooting well. These kids now understand what to do on the court in situations and they'll compete.

I felt so bad because this is my team and it looks like I abandoned them. I made a bad choice.