UCLA junior guard Jerime Anderson on…
On what he was thinking UCLA’s seed would be before and after the Oregon loss:
Jerime Anderson: “I was hearing 7-seed. That’s the only thing I was hearing. After the Oregon game, maybe a little higher than that. I don’t think its going to matter, our seeding. We’re going to have to play good teams and play well to beat good teams anyways. I like our first game. We play our game, I do think we can beat any team.”
On UCLA playing better against name opponents, and what Michigan State means to that:
JA: “I think it just lights a fire under all of us, knowing that we’re playing against a team that is proven. Tom Izzo is a proven coach, one fo the best coaches in hte nation, if not the best. This game, we have to reappy prepare and really focus, and it will be alright.”
On UCLA’s region
JA: “That’s another good thing about today; you get to see your road and the potential teams you can play. I like our road. I like the teams that are in our bracket on our side. I think it works out pretty well for us.”
On what advice he can give those who haven’t played in the tournament:
JA: “The only advice I can give is to be ready and be prepared. That’s the only thing I really can give. I I only played spot minutes in those games. We’re all going into it with a new feeling, just ready and excited to play.”
On his first tournament in 2009:
JA: “It was pretty surreal. It was exciting to play, I was reeally excited at that time too. I just wish our team did a little bit better.”
On rebounding from a 14-18 season:
JA: “It is a good season for us and we did do a lot of good things. But we didn’t make the goals we wanted. We thought our team was good enough to win the Pac-10 and do those things. Of course, coming after last season, its a good turnaround season – we’re above .500, we won 20 games, beat some good teams. We’re trying to make some noise this year. We’ll worry about next year, next year.”
On the Oregon loss having a silver-lining in terms of rest and health:
JA: “It was almost like a good thing for us, that game, because just the attitude at our last practice was totally different. You could tell guys were going harder, playing harder. You have to play hard to prepare yoursleve sfor thises games. If we dont prepare the way we should, we’re going to get blown out in the tourney.”
On owning up to the Oregon loss:
JA: “It was easy to see we didn’t play the way we should’ve played; we didn’t play as hard as we should. That’s something that the coaches, everybody can talk about, but it’s all got to start with “me” first, individually. Individually, if we all take that upon ourselves, then collectively we’ll come together.”