Abel Mehari
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- Dec 4, 2016
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Richard Pitino Conference on Purdue
Opening statement on Purdue
“Obviously, a very tough opponent, you know (and) (Isaac) Haas and (Caleb) Swanigan will play in the NBA. So, their big, their talented, always well coached, always tough, they're shooting the ball well, and came off of an extremely impressive performance versus Iowa. Dakota Mathias is much improved; both Edwards (Carsen and Vince) are very talented players, so they are one of the best teams in the league, its tough road experience and so it will be a good test for us.”
Is it another big test for your big men?
“Yeah, very much so, obviously much more than Michigan State; when Michigan State gets healthy with Bridges then they’ll be tough. But, there really physical, you know, Swanigan is an NBA player and Haas is huge he’ll play in the NBA; we got to do our best to guard them without fouling. Because so much of what they do from an offensive standpoint is predicated on throwing the ball inside, almost everything they do is that so it really all revolved around that so you don’t play post defense you’re in trouble.”
Is that something you been stressing to Reggie (Lynch) and to some of the guys to stay out of foul trouble?
“Well, with Reggie certainly, but it not (just) staying out of foul trouble, it’s playing defense without fouling. It just like screening, oh ‘I didn’t set a good screen’, no, the goal is to set a great screen, the goal is to play great defense, (and) great defense is doing it without fouling so he got to be better at that. That’s been an issue with Reggie for most of his career. You know it’s funny, we have not been able to work with Reggie so it feels like just now were really able to work with him on it and he’ll get better at it.”
It seems like the Florida State game resembled what you guys will face in the Big Ten, specifically against Purdue. Do you look back at that game at all, because some of these guys have never played against Swanigan before, including Reggie?
“Yeah, I mean there’s some similarities; Haas and Jo Jo are huge, Jonathan and Isaac are different players than Swanigan but there are some similarities. I think Michigan State is very similar from a physicality standpoint to Purdue. I think we’ve moved on from Florida State, to be honest, last game is fresh for our guy's minds from a physicality standpoint (and) post defense standpoint so we talk about that.”
Especially (Nick) Ward, with him and Swanigan, there not tallest guys but once they get position it’s tough on a guy like Reggie, Curry, Bakary. When you play a guy with that much physical strength, what kind of advice do you give to your post players?
“It’s hard. I though Barkary did a good job on Ward and even Eric (Curry) was ok, but it’s difficult so you have to do your work early with those big guys. It’s a different dimension than Michigan State because they want to go inside every single time and then they make you pay with really good players Vince Edwards, (Ryan) Cline, Dakota Mathias, all those guys can make shots and will burn you if you over help too much. That’s what a good team does and there a very good team.”
You talked about in your blog trying to get the ball to Murphy a little bit more and Reggie wanting to finish more to use a term “above the rim.” Can you talk about that a little bit?
“Pretty self-explanatory but I’ll go into it. I think with Murphy, though the flow of the offense is we need to find ways to get him the ball more and I think he’s pretty effective down there. With Reggie, he’s just too below the rim and gets his shot blocked a lot. I don’t know if necessarily last game but it’s just a consistent thing with him to work on. Last game you can’t take much from it because he didn’t play a lot, but I though Murph has been pretty consistent, we got to continue throughout the flow of the offense look into him. I think offensively, were very difficult to guard when we’re driving, obviously, we get fouled a lot but we got to look down to (Murphy) more often.”
This is a stretch four to five games on the road, its different mentality for guys who haven’t been on the road for Big Ten. Can you talk a little more about your mindset with these guys?
“Well, I talked to them a little bit about last game, you have a devastating loss, and you can’t look at it like that. You got to look at it and say ok ‘it’s one game.’ I remember last year, we played three top 10 teams in two weeks, whatever it was, this league, you got to learn you're from the last game and move on. Because as disappointing Michigan State was, you now get to play a top 10, top 15 team in the country on the road, you get another great opportunity. Then you got to go to Northwestern, another very good team, and then Michigan State again. So, you can’t get too high or too low, because this league is so good, you’re going to have so many opportunities for good wins. You have to learn from the past game and you got to move on and get better.”
Quickly explain about the frontcourt rotation? I know early in non-conference play, Bakary didn’t play much, there was a point he was giving you good minutes, and so it seems a like guy, right behind Reggie, you feel comfortable with because he has experience in the Big Ten.
“Well, there all important, but Bakary, he does a really good job against physical bigs. The one thing about Bakary is he’s strong, he’s physical, he likes contact, he doesn’t shy away from that and in the Big Ten you need that. Where we need to get him learn is stop fouling, fouls in the first half against Michigan State where there was no point of it. So if we get him to stop doing that, he’s a valuable weapon off the bench, he’s very good defender and he’s tough, he’s physical, he plays with a passion. So, he gives a good dimension to where now we don’t have to go small when we put Eric at the five (center) and I like that rotation.”
Do you think Jordan’s role has evolved a little bit since last year, maybe little more jumpers, rim attacks?
“Not really, I don’t think he’s taken a lot of jumpers. I think he needs to continue to get points on offensive rebounds (and) transition. I do like him driving off of a ball screen pop type of situation, but I don’t think he’s been taking a lot of jumpers but I think he’s a matchup issue and we got to put him in spots to make the defense pay. He’s an undersized four (Power forward), he’s difficult to guard and I think he’s bit of a matchup issue.”
So, do you try to mix up his attack in any way possible? Like, post up some, try to shoot some a little bit during games? (My question about Murphy and the offensive scheme)
“We run a ball screen offense, so we kind of roll and pop. If you do roll, roll into the post, throw it in there. If you do pop, look to drive or look to reverse it and set another ball screen. There are multiple things that you can do throughout the course of our offense that you can do during the course of game if ran properly. I think our offense is behind our defense very clearly. But, that’s because we have five new faces and all are trying to figure out what to do, where to be, so that needs to catch up because our defense is very good right now but we got to get our offense in the right direction. We’ve been very good at getting fouls, but were still not moving the ball the way we need to move it.”
Jordan Murphy conference
Opening Question
Talk about playing Purdue’s bigs and what’s the challenge there?
“Obviously, there very talented, first and foremost, their top two leading scorers are a handful, and there also big in the post because of their height and can affect shots.”
Are they similar to Florida State at all?
“Kind of, I think Haas and Swanigan. I think Haas is a bit more skilled than their bigs but there definitely similar in size, very similar.”
Going into Michigan State, you knew that they were under-man without Bridges, but what kind of challenges Ward presented and what did you learned from it?
“I think it gave us a preview of what we’re going to see tomorrow just on how skilled they are. I mean Ward is really, but obliviously Isaac and Caleb are really skilled, so were going to have our hands full.”
Obviously, Reggie is a great shot blocker. You, Eric, and Bakary; what are the type of things you have to learn when you facing a skilled post player?
“Just stay solid, don’t gamble for any passes, (and) don’t try to reach, just staying to your defensive values that you know and stay positive.”
20 rebounds against Michigan State, you getting 10 of them, talk about going after the boards in that game?
“It’s was just about limiting them to one shot per possession, that was the one thing that I was focused on. Just rebounding the ball (and) trying to get my team an extra possession on the floor.”
Just going on the road for the next four to five games, what type of mentality you guys need to have going on the road for the Big Ten off of last year?
“Just taking care of the ball, every possession is going to count (because) it’s going to come down to one or two possessions. Being on the road you have to bring your own energy, make your own energy and support your teammates.
Coach talked about wanting to get the ball more with you in the post, do your teammates have confidence in you like your teammates
“Oh yeah, of course, I’m going to love that confidence that coach has with me just like my teammates. Just being able to score in the post, so I think it’s cool just knowing that my teammates rally around me just like coach does.”
Will look to try to see what the defense gives you on the offensive end and at both ends of the floor? (My question to Murphy.)
“With Purdue, I can’t see them really trapping in the post because of their height and how they can affect shots. So, I see them really just playing straight up one on one in the post.”
Michael Hurt conference
Opening question
First Big Ten game in the book, so what was that like for you?
“It was a dream come true because growing up watching Gophers basketball, seeing all the great teams Michigan State had, it was really awesome finally playing my first game against Michigan State.”
What are these first 13 to 14 games like for you?
“It’s been a lot of fun, I’ve been on plenty of winning teams but to be on a winning team here has been a lot of fun. We’ve had a good season so far so it’s been a lot of fun.
Just a freshman in general, you guys have been pretty close. What have you learned in the past 13 games this season and what you do think this team needs to accomplish this season in the Big Ten?
“I think that last year a lot of the guys that were here before us learned a lot from the close losses they had last season. I think like a lot of what Murph talked about (is) taking every possession seriously and every possession is going to matter down the stretch. You had so many close losses last season so if we value the possession more I think that we’ll be successful in the Big Ten.”
Amir and Eric are in their first Big Ten game just like yourself, you guys down the stretch as a team understand that is a hard way to lose. Can you talk about handling that first loss as young guys on the team and keeping that confidence?
“I think for our first game it was a really good experience for all of us. I think that we can all learn from it, us freshman as well, as for all of us moving forward in Big Ten play especially a lot of our road games. Again, I think it’s valuing the possession and that were sound defensively as well.”
I know that you’ve played in tough games in High School. But talk to us again about playing against Michigan State and seeing Tom Izzo on the sidelines?
“Obviously Michigan State always had tough defensive minded teams, so it’s kind of what they're known for. There basically known for defense and rebounding, obviously there tough to score against them overall. Also, there very physical team so it’s unmatched at any other level.
You and Amir being local guys on the team, having 12 wins, four more than last year, talk to me about the buzz surrounding the team this season for Minnesota basketball?
“It’s really awesome I think, especially after last year being so close to winning so many different games that now were finally breaking through and winning those games. So now, there a lot more excitement about our program and everyone can see that we're making improvements from last year.”
Opening statement on Purdue
“Obviously, a very tough opponent, you know (and) (Isaac) Haas and (Caleb) Swanigan will play in the NBA. So, their big, their talented, always well coached, always tough, they're shooting the ball well, and came off of an extremely impressive performance versus Iowa. Dakota Mathias is much improved; both Edwards (Carsen and Vince) are very talented players, so they are one of the best teams in the league, its tough road experience and so it will be a good test for us.”
Is it another big test for your big men?
“Yeah, very much so, obviously much more than Michigan State; when Michigan State gets healthy with Bridges then they’ll be tough. But, there really physical, you know, Swanigan is an NBA player and Haas is huge he’ll play in the NBA; we got to do our best to guard them without fouling. Because so much of what they do from an offensive standpoint is predicated on throwing the ball inside, almost everything they do is that so it really all revolved around that so you don’t play post defense you’re in trouble.”
Is that something you been stressing to Reggie (Lynch) and to some of the guys to stay out of foul trouble?
“Well, with Reggie certainly, but it not (just) staying out of foul trouble, it’s playing defense without fouling. It just like screening, oh ‘I didn’t set a good screen’, no, the goal is to set a great screen, the goal is to play great defense, (and) great defense is doing it without fouling so he got to be better at that. That’s been an issue with Reggie for most of his career. You know it’s funny, we have not been able to work with Reggie so it feels like just now were really able to work with him on it and he’ll get better at it.”
It seems like the Florida State game resembled what you guys will face in the Big Ten, specifically against Purdue. Do you look back at that game at all, because some of these guys have never played against Swanigan before, including Reggie?
“Yeah, I mean there’s some similarities; Haas and Jo Jo are huge, Jonathan and Isaac are different players than Swanigan but there are some similarities. I think Michigan State is very similar from a physicality standpoint to Purdue. I think we’ve moved on from Florida State, to be honest, last game is fresh for our guy's minds from a physicality standpoint (and) post defense standpoint so we talk about that.”
Especially (Nick) Ward, with him and Swanigan, there not tallest guys but once they get position it’s tough on a guy like Reggie, Curry, Bakary. When you play a guy with that much physical strength, what kind of advice do you give to your post players?
“It’s hard. I though Barkary did a good job on Ward and even Eric (Curry) was ok, but it’s difficult so you have to do your work early with those big guys. It’s a different dimension than Michigan State because they want to go inside every single time and then they make you pay with really good players Vince Edwards, (Ryan) Cline, Dakota Mathias, all those guys can make shots and will burn you if you over help too much. That’s what a good team does and there a very good team.”
You talked about in your blog trying to get the ball to Murphy a little bit more and Reggie wanting to finish more to use a term “above the rim.” Can you talk about that a little bit?
“Pretty self-explanatory but I’ll go into it. I think with Murphy, though the flow of the offense is we need to find ways to get him the ball more and I think he’s pretty effective down there. With Reggie, he’s just too below the rim and gets his shot blocked a lot. I don’t know if necessarily last game but it’s just a consistent thing with him to work on. Last game you can’t take much from it because he didn’t play a lot, but I though Murph has been pretty consistent, we got to continue throughout the flow of the offense look into him. I think offensively, were very difficult to guard when we’re driving, obviously, we get fouled a lot but we got to look down to (Murphy) more often.”
This is a stretch four to five games on the road, its different mentality for guys who haven’t been on the road for Big Ten. Can you talk a little more about your mindset with these guys?
“Well, I talked to them a little bit about last game, you have a devastating loss, and you can’t look at it like that. You got to look at it and say ok ‘it’s one game.’ I remember last year, we played three top 10 teams in two weeks, whatever it was, this league, you got to learn you're from the last game and move on. Because as disappointing Michigan State was, you now get to play a top 10, top 15 team in the country on the road, you get another great opportunity. Then you got to go to Northwestern, another very good team, and then Michigan State again. So, you can’t get too high or too low, because this league is so good, you’re going to have so many opportunities for good wins. You have to learn from the past game and you got to move on and get better.”
Quickly explain about the frontcourt rotation? I know early in non-conference play, Bakary didn’t play much, there was a point he was giving you good minutes, and so it seems a like guy, right behind Reggie, you feel comfortable with because he has experience in the Big Ten.
“Well, there all important, but Bakary, he does a really good job against physical bigs. The one thing about Bakary is he’s strong, he’s physical, he likes contact, he doesn’t shy away from that and in the Big Ten you need that. Where we need to get him learn is stop fouling, fouls in the first half against Michigan State where there was no point of it. So if we get him to stop doing that, he’s a valuable weapon off the bench, he’s very good defender and he’s tough, he’s physical, he plays with a passion. So, he gives a good dimension to where now we don’t have to go small when we put Eric at the five (center) and I like that rotation.”
Do you think Jordan’s role has evolved a little bit since last year, maybe little more jumpers, rim attacks?
“Not really, I don’t think he’s taken a lot of jumpers. I think he needs to continue to get points on offensive rebounds (and) transition. I do like him driving off of a ball screen pop type of situation, but I don’t think he’s been taking a lot of jumpers but I think he’s a matchup issue and we got to put him in spots to make the defense pay. He’s an undersized four (Power forward), he’s difficult to guard and I think he’s bit of a matchup issue.”
So, do you try to mix up his attack in any way possible? Like, post up some, try to shoot some a little bit during games? (My question about Murphy and the offensive scheme)
“We run a ball screen offense, so we kind of roll and pop. If you do roll, roll into the post, throw it in there. If you do pop, look to drive or look to reverse it and set another ball screen. There are multiple things that you can do throughout the course of our offense that you can do during the course of game if ran properly. I think our offense is behind our defense very clearly. But, that’s because we have five new faces and all are trying to figure out what to do, where to be, so that needs to catch up because our defense is very good right now but we got to get our offense in the right direction. We’ve been very good at getting fouls, but were still not moving the ball the way we need to move it.”
Jordan Murphy conference
Opening Question
Talk about playing Purdue’s bigs and what’s the challenge there?
“Obviously, there very talented, first and foremost, their top two leading scorers are a handful, and there also big in the post because of their height and can affect shots.”
Are they similar to Florida State at all?
“Kind of, I think Haas and Swanigan. I think Haas is a bit more skilled than their bigs but there definitely similar in size, very similar.”
Going into Michigan State, you knew that they were under-man without Bridges, but what kind of challenges Ward presented and what did you learned from it?
“I think it gave us a preview of what we’re going to see tomorrow just on how skilled they are. I mean Ward is really, but obliviously Isaac and Caleb are really skilled, so were going to have our hands full.”
Obviously, Reggie is a great shot blocker. You, Eric, and Bakary; what are the type of things you have to learn when you facing a skilled post player?
“Just stay solid, don’t gamble for any passes, (and) don’t try to reach, just staying to your defensive values that you know and stay positive.”
20 rebounds against Michigan State, you getting 10 of them, talk about going after the boards in that game?
“It’s was just about limiting them to one shot per possession, that was the one thing that I was focused on. Just rebounding the ball (and) trying to get my team an extra possession on the floor.”
Just going on the road for the next four to five games, what type of mentality you guys need to have going on the road for the Big Ten off of last year?
“Just taking care of the ball, every possession is going to count (because) it’s going to come down to one or two possessions. Being on the road you have to bring your own energy, make your own energy and support your teammates.
Coach talked about wanting to get the ball more with you in the post, do your teammates have confidence in you like your teammates
“Oh yeah, of course, I’m going to love that confidence that coach has with me just like my teammates. Just being able to score in the post, so I think it’s cool just knowing that my teammates rally around me just like coach does.”
Will look to try to see what the defense gives you on the offensive end and at both ends of the floor? (My question to Murphy.)
“With Purdue, I can’t see them really trapping in the post because of their height and how they can affect shots. So, I see them really just playing straight up one on one in the post.”
Michael Hurt conference
Opening question
First Big Ten game in the book, so what was that like for you?
“It was a dream come true because growing up watching Gophers basketball, seeing all the great teams Michigan State had, it was really awesome finally playing my first game against Michigan State.”
What are these first 13 to 14 games like for you?
“It’s been a lot of fun, I’ve been on plenty of winning teams but to be on a winning team here has been a lot of fun. We’ve had a good season so far so it’s been a lot of fun.
Just a freshman in general, you guys have been pretty close. What have you learned in the past 13 games this season and what you do think this team needs to accomplish this season in the Big Ten?
“I think that last year a lot of the guys that were here before us learned a lot from the close losses they had last season. I think like a lot of what Murph talked about (is) taking every possession seriously and every possession is going to matter down the stretch. You had so many close losses last season so if we value the possession more I think that we’ll be successful in the Big Ten.”
Amir and Eric are in their first Big Ten game just like yourself, you guys down the stretch as a team understand that is a hard way to lose. Can you talk about handling that first loss as young guys on the team and keeping that confidence?
“I think for our first game it was a really good experience for all of us. I think that we can all learn from it, us freshman as well, as for all of us moving forward in Big Ten play especially a lot of our road games. Again, I think it’s valuing the possession and that were sound defensively as well.”
I know that you’ve played in tough games in High School. But talk to us again about playing against Michigan State and seeing Tom Izzo on the sidelines?
“Obviously Michigan State always had tough defensive minded teams, so it’s kind of what they're known for. There basically known for defense and rebounding, obviously there tough to score against them overall. Also, there very physical team so it’s unmatched at any other level.
You and Amir being local guys on the team, having 12 wins, four more than last year, talk to me about the buzz surrounding the team this season for Minnesota basketball?
“It’s really awesome I think, especially after last year being so close to winning so many different games that now were finally breaking through and winning those games. So now, there a lot more excitement about our program and everyone can see that we're making improvements from last year.”