Duke University
Student-Athlete Quotes
Thursday Open Practice
#14 Rasheed Sulaimon
On Michigan State and their rebounding ability:
“They are a great offensive rebounding team and they are very athletic. I think if we do a great job
collectively rebounding as a team, we can keep those guys off the boards. They have had a reputation of
being a very tough team, but at the same time I feel as if we are a tough team as well. If we battle those
guys on the boards, it’s going to be a big key to the game. I feel like if we do that, we can be successful.”
On Branden Dawson:
“Branden Dawson is a very athletic player. He crashes the glass at an amazing efficiency almost every
time he goes. He finishes well. I have played against a couple of guys who are taller than me this season.
I just have to be attentive and know where he is at all times and just try to get a body on him, watch
when he’s slashing or anything like that because he is a great finisher as well.”
On when Dawson is defending him:
“He is just very athletic. With guys who are as athletic as he is, you just always have to be strong
especially when you are driving to the glass. If you beat him, he always has the ability to recover and
alter your shot. I just have to be disciplined and utilize my shot fakes as much as I can.”
On Coach Izzo’s own son predicting Duke to beat Michigan State in this bracket:
“That’s flattering. Michigan State is a great team in their own right and we just have to go out there,
stick to our game plan and it’s going to be a battle. It’s going to be a man’s game and it is going to be a
clash of two great programs. We just have to go out and do our jobs.”
#21 Amile Jefferson
“I just have to come out there and make a play when my number is called. I have to get in there like I
have been in there the whole time or when the team needs me to make a play. When I am out there, I
am just ready at all times to help my team.”
On if his minutes might increase if a lot of fouls are called:
“It’s going to be a physical game. I definitely expect that they will call some fouls, but I think they will let
some stuff go and let us play being two big-time programs and two big-time teams. I will be ready no
matter what happens and I will bring energy to the team no matter where it is from or how it comes.”
On Michigan State’s rebounding ability as a challenge:
“We are going to team rebound. It is going to be a collective effort getting to the boards, but it has been
something we have been working on the last couple of days. I think once the game comes, we will be
ready to rebound as one unit and fight on the boards together.”
Duke University
Student-Athlete Quotes
Thursday Open Practice
#40 Marshall Plumlee
On playing a team with post strength like Michigan State:
“They are a very talented and athletic team and we just need to make sure we stick to the game plan we
have constructed and really come ready to play against Michigan State. You really have to come ready to
play against Michigan State.”
On the opportunity to play in Indianapolis:
“The first time that I had the opportunity to see Miles in his environment with the Pacers was probably
Christmas. We stayed with Miles at his apartment. I am just extremely proud of Miles and what he has
done with the Pacers.”
On family in Warsaw and who is coming down to Indianapolis:
It’s an exciting feeling to be able play in front of family coming from all over the country and especially
the friends we may have missed being down in North Carolina.”
“It just feels good to see familiar faces and it is an exciting opportunity when you have friends and family
coming in to see firsthand what you have been working on and what your team has done all year long at
Duke.”
“The Zellers are great family friends and I am proud of Cody and the progress he has made and how he is
playing this year. I wish all the best to the Zellers.”
On Duke and how they are playing:
“I feel like we are in a really good place as a team right now. We have been working really hard all year
and we are a very together group. We just need to make sure we play our best basketball from here on
out because we are going against the best talent in the country.”
#2 Quinn Cook
On Coach Collins and his meaning to the program:
“He has been big for me. He recruited me when I was in high school. He has been a key aspect for me in
my development because he has worked with the guards each day. He told me what I needed to hear
and not what I wanted to hear. He taught me what I needed to know to play at this level.”
On Coach Collins heading to Northwestern:
“He’ll do great. He’s well-prepared. He has that head coaching gene in his blood with his father and I
know he has learned a lot from his father and Coach K. I know he’ll do great.”
Duke University
Student-Athlete Quotes
Thursday Open Practice
On Keith Appling’s game and how you are going to defend him:
“I’ve been watching Keith Appling since he was in high school. I have been watching his game for a long
time. He is a great player, very athletic, fast and you have to keep him out of transition. He makes plays
for others. Two minutes I was in there, I was guarding him and it was tough, but he’s a great player. I’m
smaller than him, so I am going to try to be annoying to him. I am going to try to stay under his legs and
he really doesn’t have a weakness. I am just going to try to stay with him and not lose contact with him.”
On staff turnover and how players respond:
“We have to know the task. We can’t have that as a distraction. Coach Collins is still all in with Duke until
the season ends and this is his last run with us. We want to have him go to Northwestern with some
momentum by winning a national championship and I think the coaches have done a great job keeping
us focused.”