Post-Game Quotes

Arkansas vs. Mississippi St.

Feb. 28, 2007

Arkansas Head Coach Stan Heath

“I am proud of our team. We were tough and stayed together. I had faith in them. We finally got our rhythm in the second half and we got the job done. We were really excited to play our last home game. We’ve still got some better basketball to play. We are going to fight to the end. Anything could happen.”

“Stefan Welsh had a hot hand. He was on fire tonight. He came through for us at a valuable time. He lit a fire for us, especially in the first half.”

On the scuffle in the second half

“Our team was ready to stand up for each other. That’s what I wanted to see, the Razorback fight. That was a turning point in the game. Our team was willing to stand up for each other and we held our ground. It made a good statement; we weren’t willing to give up.”

“Gary Ervin played outstanding tonight. He was really emotionally involved in this game and he was very excited that our team got a win, especially against Mississippi State where he came from. He stepped up big for us tonight.”

Arkansas Players

Arkansas Guard Gary Ervin

“We know we are a tough team. We’ve let a couple of teams come in here and out-tough us, and we weren’t going to let that happen tonight. We used whatever it took to get us going. We lost three at home this year, and that should never happen. We wanted to go out on the right note at home.”

Arkansas Forward Sonny Weems

“It seemed like we haven’t gotten a win in a long time, so it feels great to get this one. Coach (Stan Heath) told us don’t worry about anything else, just play for each other and as a family. We’re not ready for our season to be over. We’re getting ready to go on a run, starting Saturday (at Vanderbilt).

Arkansas Guard Stefan Welsh

“Coach (Stan Heath) told me to be ready and I would get my chance tonight. (Towards the end of the first half) I told Gary (Ervin) it was time to turn it on. When he is aggressive, it opens up everyone else. I’m a team-oriented guy, and our guys did a great job of finding me when I was open. It’s coming down to crunch time, and I feel like this win will really give us a spark.”

Mississippi State Head Coach Rick Stansbury

“Bottom line they shot and we didn’t. Our kids battled and battled but Welsh came off the bench and made a difference. (Welsh, Ervin, and Beverely) Those three came up with big shots at key times. But our ability to rebound kept us in the game, but we didn’t make our shots.”

“(Dietric) Slater came out tonight with courage and toughness with his hand. When he doesn’t even shoot the ball it makes a difference in the game.”

Mississippi State Players

Mississippi State Jamont Gordon

“They played great defense and made plays. It was a physical game, which is to our advantage, but tonight we didn’t get the W. We just have to put this behind us and go to the next game.”

Mississippi State Center Charles Rhodes

“My feelings are bad and I’m really mad. I can’t even think right now because we did so many bad things. I have to give Arkansas guards credit because they killed us. I have faith in my guys, they just had an off-night. Our guards will step up next game.”

On situation under the basket

“Gary (Ervin) and I got tangled up. We bumped heads and got into it. I hold no faults against him; I still love him like he is my teammate.”