Phil Collin: March 2008 Archives

Freshman forward Davon Jefferson, who along with forward Taj Gibson fouled out, on Kansas State's 44-27 rebounding advantage (which included 21 offensive rebounds by the Wildcats:
"We couldn't be as aggressive as we wanted because we got in foul trouble early. It hurt us a lot, but we weren't boxing out that much and they kept getting offensive rebounds. We just didn't want it tonight."
Will he want it enough to come back next year? Stay tuned in the coming weeks.

Is there a chance we'll see you in this uniform next year? "Yeah, of course."

... O.J. Mayo was asked about his future after the Trojans fell, 80-67, to Kansas State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament:
Could you talk about your future plans? "I don't think that's necessary right now. I'm really accepting questions only on tonight's game."
Did you think late in the game this would be a bummer way to go out? "No, I wanted to try to win all the way until (the clock) read three zeroes."
Is Demar DeRozan coming in as a recruit a drawing point? "Of course. Demar’s a good player. We could definitely use him on the inside. Taj (Gibson) does a great job but really needs some help. I’ll look at that."
At what point will you decide? "I don’t know. I don’t have a clue."
Would you go to the predraft camp regardless? "I don’t have a clue, man."
O.J. smiled after all but the first answer.

That O.J. Mayo-Michael Beasley talk that lasted nearly a week fizzled in the first half. The heralded freshmen combined for only 12 points in the first half (seven by Mayo, only two shots for Beasley), when Kansas State went into the locker room with a 10-point lead to the dismay of the small USC contingent at the Qwest Center.
Among the observers is athletic director Mike Garrett, who was asked before the game if he thought there was any chance that Mayo would return for his sophomore season. “Let’s win a few games first,” Garrett said, declining to give an opinion.
Garrett also said that future recruiting of players who might leave after one season, as Mayo has the opportunity to do, won’t be hasty decisions. Garrett said that Mayo promised to finish his classwork for the school year so that the Trojans do not have to forfeit his scholarship slot if he decides to leave.
“That’s the agreement,” said Garrett, who said Mayo has fulfilled every expectation during his freshman year. “In the next years, we’ll go case by case. We’re looking for character.”

We interrupt the Caesar Fest for a report from Omaha, where USC basketball coach Tim Floyd has thrown all of his annoying little tricks at Kansas State from the outset. The Trojans opened in a triangle-and-2 defense and switched it several times, and also used their favorite pest, guard Daniel Hackett into inducing a quick second foul from Wildcats star freshman Michael Beasley.
Beasley didn't score until K-State already had a four-point lead, and that advantaged quickly jumped to nine while Trojan forwards Davon Jefferson and Taj Gibson each picked up their second fouls.