University of Tennessee Athletics
Buzz Peterson Q & A
March 08, 2005 | Men's Basketball
March 8, 2005
INTERVIEW OF COACH Buzz Peterson BEFORE FIRST-ROUND SEC TOURNAMENT GAME THURSDAY IN ATLANTA AGAINST ARKANSAS
1. How will the quick turnaround, having played Arkansas two weeks ago, affect the rematch Thursday night (7:30E) in the SEC tournament?
A - "Both teams will make some adjustments. We played a lot of zone last time. Ronnie Brewer had a big game for Arkansas, and Chris Lofton had a big game for us. We'll have to make some adjustments on Brewer and hope we can keep them off the boards. It should be an interesting rematch."
2. Should the Vols be improved because of the rehabilitation of the injured Scooter McFadgon and Brandon Crump, both of who missed parts of the regular season?
A - "Brandon has really come around physically. But sometimes those ankles will continue to bother him. We feel that Scooter is making good progress. Having him on the floor, just having his scoring ability in the game, should be beneficial for us."
3. How important was Saturday's victory over Georgia in attaining the right mental approach to the tournament?
A - "That was a big win for us. The mental part was huge. We've played good basketball, but had one thing or another holding us back. From the standpoint of approaching the SEC tournament, the win over Georgia will be an important thing for us mentally."
4. Detail the contributions of Chris Lofton, who is among the best shooters in the SEC and who has improved dramatically in recent games.
A - "Chris has gotten so much better. It just shows how the recruiting process is overrated. Louisville wanted him at first, but he wasn't a top 50 player. You don't really know about anybody until you find out what they have in their heart. At the start of practice we were pretty impressed. But did I ever think he would have 90 3s? I would have said no way. He puts his heart into it."
5. Give an overall assessment of the SEC tournament, including some possible surprises you anticipate.
A - "It will be interesting. Kentucky hasn't played quite as well as they did earlier. Anything can happen. Arkansas has a good team. Florida, Alabama and LSU are dangerous. I know our guys are excited. Maybe things will come together, and we will make a good showing down in Atlanta."
