QUOTING LSU HEAD COACH SUE GUNTER – Feb. 18, 2003
On getting back to work after the triple overtime game
“I think it’s one of those things where maybe that was one of those gut check times. The first one was probably at Arkansas and we didn’t finish it. We, in this game, continued to bear down and do whatever was necessary to win it. We talk a lot of about teams having a lot of character and I think we showed a lot of character in that particular game. Now, I think the fact that we won, we can use it as a learning situation, not only the team but the staff as well. I think now we need to get back and get focused on SEC play and really focusing in on Ole Miss. Everything you see right now — and I haven’t been in a story lately — is somebody talking about Tennessee. But I think the kids are acutely aware of how important the Ole Miss game is to us. I think since the Santa Barbara game, we’ve just tried to get refocused and realize we’ve got four really tough SEC games left.”
On playing Ole Miss for a second time this season
“It is hard because we’ve played them before. I think it’s a two way street. They think, ‘okay, they beat us at their place and now they’re at our place.’ And they have nothing to lose. They have game tapes now just like we havegame tapes. The first thing that popped to my mind is we had 19 turnovers against them, but they had some turnovers also because I think our press was effective. It’s just going back and realizing: number one, they’re well coached; number two they’re at home which has always been a tough place for us to play; number three they’ve got nothing to lose and they’ve been playing good teams well at home. It goes back to this being SEC play. On that proverbial any night. That’s what we have to recognize and know, but I think our team is aware of that.”