"It's disturbing, it really is"

Here are the team's post-game comments following their 74-61 to Siena:

Head Coach Ed Cooley:

On another loss in the final minutes
“It’s been the same script for four straight games”

On an energy-less loss to Siena
“We had a bad performance tonight. We were not good from start to finish. We were lackluster. We were energy less. We looked puzzled. We didn’t play well at all. We have to find out who we are and where we want to go because right now we’re not a (consistent team). We’re in a funk that I haven’t seen us (in). It’s disturbing, it really is. I saw a different Fairfield team today.

On whether a lack of preparation was the cause of the Siena loss
"I thought we had two good preparation today. We knew exactly what Siena wanted to today. Against a press that was a peek-a-boo press. I mean, wow. Against a regular zone… They must have played a new form of basketball tonight. Basketball, 2008. That’s what we must have saw tonight. But right now, we are not a good team”

When asked if Siena is a difficult team to match-up with
“I don’t think (Siena) is difficult to guard at all. It was our lack of understanding their personnel. It’s not the first time we’ve played them – (Siena) played the same system a year ago. It’s a lack of understanding. It did not translate from practice to the game. It could be Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman out there playing. It’s basketball. It’s jump to the ball, its close out, it’s beat your man to the dribble. Right now, our guys are allowing to much of that.”

On Fairfield’s myriad of issues
"I didn’t think we did a good job of taking away some of the easy thing. They made ten (three-point shots) on the night, I’d bet that eight of them were uncontested. Our rotations were bad defensively. We’ll right it, though. I’m down, I’m disappointed. We’ve got 14 days to see where we’re going. It’s early in the season and we’ve played a lot of young guys. We’ll take care of it.”

Yorel Hawkins:
“It’s frustrating. It was a lackluster game. They were picked to win the league and we didn’t come out there energized. Everyone is lackadaisical out there. I mean, it’s frustrating.

Herbie Allen:
“It’s tough. They shot 55% from three. We made a run, but they made a three here and a three there – it was frustrating. We prepared for them for two days. It seemed like we just threw the stuff that we learned (in) last two days out the window.”

- Keith Connors

'That's My Record'

Head coach Ed Cooley's post-game comments on the Stags' overtime loss against Yale (70-66) at Alumni Hall. For a recap of the game from Tom Cleary, as well as commentary on Coach Cooley's post-game words, check out this weeks edition of The Mirror.


on the 70-66 OT loss to Yale - “A very disappointing loss. I will go on record to say that this was the most disappointing loss I’ve had as a head coach. At home, our crowd was terrific; the atmosphere was great. We are just not a smart basketball team. We’ve had the same script for four straight games. Coming down the stretch, our lack of execution, our lack of understanding what we need to do is just not there. Right now, we are not a good basketball club based on our inexperience on the floor and right now it’s showing because of our turnovers.”

on how to fix the mistakes of a very youthful Stags team - “Keep working with them. Keep stressing the importance of how valuable the ball is. Time and score means everything. Not only that, I think we scout teams as well as anyone in the country when it comes down to what they’re doing. Coaches coach and players play, and put people in a position to win basketball games. Apparently right now I’m not doing a very good job of that. We’ll look at these mistakes and see if we can’t get better.”

on Fairfield's 13-of-26 foul shooting on Tuesday night - “No, that’s just a lack of concentration. We’ve had a couple of games now where we’ve shot a very subpar free throw percentage. That’s just a lack of concentration. That’s not youth – these kids have been playing basketball for a long time. And you’ve been shooting free throws since they were babies if you’re playing this sport. That’s just bad."

on the state of Fairfield Basketball - “Right now, we are not a good basketball team. We are trying to grow. We have a league game (against Siena) on Friday which is very important. I’d like to be 1-0 after Friday. That’s the most important thing on my mind right now. We’ll learn from this and we’ll move on. "

on the Stags' up-tempo start to the Yale game - “I thought we came out of the gate really well. You have to sustain it. Right now, we are having trouble sustaining that level of concentration. "

on the responsibility for the four-game losing sterak - "2-6 isn’t the end of the world. You get to the NCAA (Tournament) in the MAAC by winning the MAAC (Championship). That’s our goal. Right now, our (2-6) record is more about the coach. That’s my record. Our team record right now is 0-0 in this league. That’s the most important thing we have to stress to our kids."

Looking ahead - "We will get better. Those mistakes these kids were making (vs. Yale) will not be made in the near future, I promise you that. It’s a matter of us getting better on a daily basis."

on if there is any consolation knowing the MAAC games are still ahead - "I always think the game you play is the biggest game. There is zero consolation in losing a game. If you’ve ever coached a sport, you don’t sleep when you lose, you don’t sleep when you win because you’re preparing for your next opponent. We won’t sleep tonight because we will be watching hours upon hours of film on Siena. That’s just what our job is. And it’s my job as a head coach to let them know that our head coach is not disappointed, just a little down."

- Keith Connors