Jeremy Foumena and Devan Cambridge Preview Saturday's Matchup Against West Virginia

Center Jeremy Foumena and forward Devan Cambridge sat with local media before Saturday's matchup against the West Virginia Mountaineers (15-9, 6-5 Big 12). 

Wednesday was Foumena's first media availability after returning from injury in UCF's loss to Cincinnati. Here's what both Knights had to say to local media:

Cambridge on what it's like playing on ASB GlassFloor and it's appearance in the Big 12 Tournament:

"Personally, I went before the team went, so I think it was pretty cool. You know, I saw all the different designs they could do, and you can do anything on it. Like it's endless type of things, you can do drills on it and it's pretty cool. But as far as feel, like when I first got on it, it was kind of different. So, I didn't like it per se. But then I think when we start practicing, like going up and down, it felt kind of the same. But kind of dribbling the ball, it feels like a lot of dead spots, it just feels weird to bounce the ball. But overall, I liked it."

Cambridge on if the lights and designs of the court are distracting:

"No, it feels pretty normal. You're not really worried about — nothing's like moving or anything on it. But yeah, I would just say the dribbling felt a little different to me."

Foumena on his thoughts about ASB GlassFloor:

"I think, to be honest, with my experience, I think it was pretty cool to play on the court like that. Like Devan said, at first it felt different, but as you keep going back and forth, down and backs, it kind of feels the same. You know, I really focus on the game or practice. So I think it's more like for people to analyze your performance and all that with that court. But I think it's pretty cool to me, and the lights are not distracting at all. I guess not."

Foumena on how it feels to be back with the team after injury and how he feels:

"Good, man. Good. It was difficult. I was supposed to be back for the West Virginia game, but actually, we got back earlier. So, it felt kind of like it was my first game in kind of a long time, two weeks. So, I felt winded at first when I got in the game, but as the game went on, you know, I got used to it. And this week especially, like I'm getting back. So I can be back 100% for sure for West Virginia."

Foumena on how it feels to be back with his teammates on the court:

"Good man. It felt definitely good. Not the loss that we had, but being back with a team like together as a family and to go out there and compete with my teammates is the best feeling right now."

Foumena on what the rehab process was like during UCF's road trip:

"Yeah, I was just with our trainer, Matt [Kabay], and when they [the team] were going away, I was just working out there, doing extra work for my knee to make my right leg stronger from the Iowa State game when I got injured. So, just doing extra work in the weight room and doing rehab with the trainers and that's how I got back."

Cambridge on not performing up to standards on the road trip:

"I would say Houston and Iowa State like they do things that obviously we're not used to, or like they play kind of similar. So trapping that ball screen, you know, I feel like we have to adjust and do different things because those are the only two teams that I've seen in the country that does things like that. So, I think we got to move the ball a lot more with that team and not have — like the teams that beat them, like watching TCU last night that beat Iowa State, you know, they move the ball a lot. They didn't have a ball-dominant [player]. Just hold on to the ball, just moving the ball because they can't trap every single ball screen if you're moving the ball fast. So, that's what I saw from that game last night, and Cincinnati, I just feel like we win big games, and I think we come out and feel comfortable, and you know, you can't come out like that. And I just feel like we didn't have that care that we needed to on the defensive end cause every night you're not going to make shots. So defense has to be our identity, and it hasn't been lately, and that's why we're losing some of these games, and boy, we're losing all the games we lost, we've been out-tough and outrebound and out, and that's just defense, other than I think all of our losses have been double digit other than Arizona. So yeah, that's what I've taken out of that."

Cambridge on feeling "uncomfortable" against Cincinnati:

"Yeah. Like we always said, coach always says we're down 10 on the road. So, and like I said, we haven't been coming out playing like that. So, that has to change."

Cambridge on how pivotal the West Virginia game is:

"I mean, this is a big game for both of us cause we play them twice, but I think they're trying to come in and, you know, knock us down, and we can't have that. You got to protect home court and like I said, every game is a big game, but this is the most important. Yeah. You can't let them come in and win this game."

Cambridge on the biggest emphasis for Saturday's matchup:

"Defense. Literally everything has been defense. We went back to our groundwork of what we're doing in the summer. Simple things like being in the gaps, being on the help line if the balls opposite, like literally like day one things we just went away from. Being later in the season, I feel like we forgotten some things so we literally went back to like day one things that we're learning defensively, and that's been literally the main focus, really."

Cambridge on what coach Johnny Dawkins' message was after losing to Cincinnati:

"Honestly, he asked us what did we see wrong? He kind of let us vent, you know, express how we feel and what we saw. Of course, we were the people out there. We kind of came to the synapses like — defense — like I've been saying we have to care. We had to play for one another, and on the road, it's hard to win, so you have to be together. That was really the main focus, but he was definitely disappointed, as all of us were, but you move on, you learn. We've practiced twice, and that's been the focus, and we've had two great practices in my eyes."

Cambridge on building confidence after back-to-back losses:

"I would say we definitely didn't lose confidence off the losses. I would say I kind of had to tell some guys, like being in this league I know every game can be winnable, or you can lose every night. Everybody, it's going to be a battle. So I've had to tell that to guys. You know, some guys think, 'Oh, we have so and so tonight. It might be like a cakewalk or something like that.' So, like, people thought TCU was trash, and they beat Iowa State. So, a lot of people just think, 'Oh, you can come in,' and you can't, you can't have that mindset.' So, that's like I said, we got to get away from that."