Post Border Battle Comments from: Tubby, Bo, Rodney, Dre Holllins and Jordan Taylor

[GopherLady]

These are just my quick, unedited notes...sorry, felt like I was typing too slow tonight. Must have been the effects of a tough loss .

Jordan Taylor:

• Sid asked JASON if it was nice to win at home. JORDAN Taylor said yes, it's always nice to win at home
• Nothing really different than what we talk about, tried to neutralize their guys, in the huddle before OT.
• I was trying to stay solid, stay in front of him, he's quick, and I tried to stay solid, I was fortunate enough to get a piece of that shot.
• Didn't think Gophers were gassed. We were better getting back to running our stuff. We just did a good job.
• Anytime you can win on the road against a tough opponent. I hadn't won here, so I'd be lying to you if I didn't say I enjoyed it. I think I always play hard, all my teammates come out and play hard. We're blessed to have the guys we do. I've been playing here since I was 9 or 10 and love playing here at Williams.

Bo Ryan:

• What MN did is cut the deficit, didn't blow the lead. The fact that we stopped them on the last one was huge. We just didn't get points on our possession in about 8 or 9 possessions. MN hits some really deep 3's, long '3s.
• We're the same people, we drink the same water, juice as we do at home. I don't know. I hear stories about teams that do this every once in a while, we still always think we'll get the next one.
• MN is really quick, shut driving lanes down, quick to the ball. We were just trying to get the best shots we could. They make it tough for you to get good shots.
• I think Rodney Williams is one of the most improved players in the league, I told him that on the elevator coming up.
• The media up here - you think about basketball and our schedule and players. If you want to get in any routine, meal wise, time of games, it's hard to get into any routine. We have to mange our time, and make sure our guys don’t get leg weary.
• Academically you have a school like WI, and standards are higher, its across the board especially in the Big 10. That's why Barry Alvarez was happy Nebraska got in. Being a student athlete is a challenge. They've got to work hard to meet those challenges.

Rodney Williams:

• We fought back real hard, the shot just didn't fall. They made shots, we didn't.
• The comeback showed our fight, that we have in this young team. We're not going to back down no matter how much we're down by, but it hurts a little more. We had 2 shots at the end or regulation. We went into OT very confident on our home court, we just didn’t execute and they did.
• This was definitely a big one, but from here on out, every one will be big. We need to let this one go, and get ready for a really good Ohio State team.
• We had a lot of mental breakdowns in the 1st half, we didn't communicate well.

Andre Hollins:

• We didn't execute well, I don't think it was a matter of us being tired. We didn't rebound defensively.
• Jordan Taylor is a good player, it was a good experience playing against him. We need to turn this B10 season around, we're going to look past this.
• The last shot in regulation is not what was planned. I'm very very upset with myself, it will haunt me for a while. I should have just gotten it on the rim, so guys like Rodney could tip it in.

Tubby Smith:

• I think the kids did a good job of fighting and battling back. It was hard to overcome the 3's they made. Both teams battled extremely hard. In a game like this when you fight back and have a chance to win it, and go into OT, and I don’t know what happened. They just made shots and we didn't. We didn't capitalize on it, they do a good job of controlling the tempo. At 27 points, we had no answer for Jordan Taylor. He was the difference maker.
• At the end of regulation, we got a 2nd shot, not a great one. We planned to get a shot up on the glass.
• You've got to make shots, you've got to make your FT's, you need to take care of the ball. Tonight we had 13 turnovers, 4 or 5 were just forced turnovers. Those hurt you in a game like this. When you a play a team of Wisconsin's caliber, they won't beat themselves.
• Andre Hollins was outstanding, he was the reason we got back in the ballgame. He's very capable, he'll have to see a lot more time. Some guys are struggling with shooting the ball, like Joe. Austin's outside shot wasn't there. I think he shot a few airballs. Maverick. Chip struggled tonight, where he had a great game Sunday. I like this team, I like how hard we play. Sometimes you've got to play a lot smarter.
• Earlier, we just pounded the air out of the ball. Then they blocked about 6 or 7 shots. I'd like to be more consistent.
• On waiting to foul in OT - we told them to foul and they didn't foul. We tried to trap and foul right away.
• Our guys are pretty resilient, they'll respond in the right way. OSU is the best team in the league, and the best team in the country, we'll have to play better than we did tonight, that's for sure.
• We can't afford to look ahead, we can only afford to look at our next game. I thought we were ready tonight, well scouted. We're not going to look beyond our next game. TO lost this one at home, it does put you back on your heels. You need to maintain your composure, poise, and keep persevering. These can take the wind out of your sail. We need to get our guys pumped up and believing we can win the next game.

WI does a good job being patient, working the clock….we didn’t go down and trap. Their so poised, that’s just Bo Ryan's system.

 

[Parski1]

Thanks for the notes Nadine - Ohhhhh this was a tough loss!

 

[zambam]

"The media up here - you think about basketball and our schedule and players. If you want to get in any routine, meal wise, time of games, it's hard to get into any routine. We have to mange our time, and make sure our guys don’t get leg weary. " What was this in response to? I'm confused.

 

[GopherLady]

"The media up here - you think about basketball and our schedule and players. If you want to get in any routine, meal wise, time of games, it's hard to get into any routine. We have to mange our time, and make sure our guys don’t get leg weary. " What was this in response to? I'm confused.

I couldn't hear the question. Not sure about the media comment...but basically it's just about not being able to adjust to a routine, not like say, football.

 

[fej]

So the plan, coming out of a timeout at the end of regulation, was to get a shot to the glass and hope for a tip-in is what I'm gathering. That's... not promising.

 

[From the Barn]

No, the goal was to make the shot, and have a rebound opportunity in the event it did not go in. You already knew that though.

 

[fej]

No, the goal was to make the shot, and have a rebound opportunity in the event it did not go in. You already knew that though.

From the quotes it seems more like a: "Andre do whatever, and hopefully Rodney can tip it in if you get to the rim" sort of situation than planning to hit the shot. Tubby talks about the tip, Andre says his shot isn't what was planned, should have gotten to the the rim...for a tip. Still not very promising looking back quotes IMHO. Also given our inability to run inbounds plays or anything that looks set after a timeout, I'm hesitant to give the benefit of the doubt.

When they ran the first little high screen for Andre, Taylor switched on to Rodney. After Rodney had burned him pretty badly going to the rim earlier in the game, I was really really hoping they were going to give it to him on the wing and let him go. Oh well, have to get one from OSU or MSU now.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

From the quotes it seems more like a: "Andre do whatever, and hopefully Rodney can tip it in if you get to the rim" sort of situation than planning to hit the shot. Tubby talks about the tip, Andre says his shot isn't what was planned, should have gotten to the the rim...for a tip. Still not very promising looking back quotes IMHO. Also given our inability to run inbounds plays or anything that looks set after a timeout, I'm hesitant to give the benefit of the doubt.

When they ran the first little high screen for Andre, Taylor switched on to Rodney. After Rodney had burned him pretty badly going to the rim earlier in the game, I was really really hoping they were going to give it to him on the wing and let him go. Oh well, have to get one from OSU or MSU now.

I was thinking they might go with Rodney also, but it obviously didn't work out like that. Also Andre had a hot hand and if he draws contact he has a better chance at the line. Water under the bridge huh?

 

[bga1]

I was thinking they might go with Rodney also, but it obviously didn't work out like that. Also Andre had a hot hand and if he draws contact he has a better chance at the line. Water under the bridge huh?

I give Tubby a pass on this one. He called the timeout he should have there. We had to be the only team with a chance to win in regulation so we had to put up a shot with 5 seconds or less. It's hard to dictate what happens on a deal like that. It almost always boils down to a player making a play. It sure look to me like Andre Hollins drew contact not once but twice on Taylor but those are tough calls to make at the end of the game.

 

[scher215]

From the quotes it seems more like a: "Andre do whatever, and hopefully Rodney can tip it in if you get to the rim" sort of situation than planning to hit the shot. Tubby talks about the tip, Andre says his shot isn't what was planned, should have gotten to the the rim...for a tip. Still not very promising looking back quotes IMHO. Also given our inability to run inbounds plays or anything that looks set after a timeout, I'm hesitant to give the benefit of the doubt.

When they ran the first little high screen for Andre, Taylor switched on to Rodney. After Rodney had burned him pretty badly going to the rim earlier in the game, I was really really hoping they were going to give it to him on the wing and let him go. Oh well, have to get one from OSU or MSU now.

If people want the gophers to have a go-to guy and that's Andre then they ran that play perfectly. Andre is who I want to have the ball there to make a play. Teams that have a go-to go (see: Rivers, Austin) run a play to get him the ball and say, make something happen.

I had no issue with the play call. Andre is quicker than Taylor and I'd take my chances with him making a play. And the fact he is a freshman already dropping 20 on the Badgers and hanging with senior Jordan Taylor leaves me very hopeful about him. He has an awesome future. Especially as he is adjusting now to the speed of the game and the competition he is facing.

 

[scher215]

I give Tubby a pass on this one. He called the timeout he should have there. We had to be the only team with a chance to win in regulation so we had to put up a shot with 5 seconds or less. It's hard to dictate what happens on a deal like that. It almost always boils down to a player making a play. It sure look to me like Andre Hollins drew contact not once but twice on Taylor but those are tough calls to make at the end of the game.

Agreed. Could have shot a little earlier for a better chance at a put back. But no one knocked coach K when he gave the ball to A Riv and said go to work and he hit the shot at the buzzer. Wisconsin played better D than UNC did though.

 

[MotherNight]

Only thing I'm bummed about is Jordon Traitor got a win at Williams.

 

[fej]

If people want the gophers to have a go-to guy and that's Andre then they ran that play perfectly. Andre is who I want to have the ball there to make a play. Teams that have a go-to go (see: Rivers, Austin) run a play to get him the ball and say, make something happen.

I had no issue with the play call. Andre is quicker than Taylor and I'd take my chances with him making a play. And the fact he is a freshman already dropping 20 on the Badgers and hanging with senior Jordan Taylor leaves me very hopeful about him. He has an awesome future. Especially as he is adjusting now to the speed of the game and the competition he is facing.

Andre hit 5 3's, only had one score where it was off the dribble, and that was the pull up on the left side when Gasser was guarding him. Don't get me wrong, good game, but take out the 3's and he's 1-6 from the floor.. and most of that on drives to the basket not turning out so hot going in to Evans/the trees. It's obviously tough at the end of the game with the D usually allowed to get way more physical, but would really like to see us come out of a TO and run something that looks a little more coherent. Not even trying to be that harsh towards this particular play other than not isolating Rodney the second Taylor switched to him, more of a general critique I have that came up in a big moment last night.

 

[scher215]

Andre hit 5 3's, only had one score where it was off the dribble, and that was the pull up on the left side when Gasser was guarding him. Don't get me wrong, good game, but take out the 3's and he's 1-6 from the floor.. and most of that on drives to the basket not turning out so hot going in to Evans/the trees. It's obviously tough at the end of the game with the D usually allowed to get way more physical, but would really like to see us come out of a TO and run something that looks a little more coherent. Not even trying to be that harsh towards this particular play other than not isolating Rodney the second Taylor switched to him, more of a general critique I have that came up in a big moment last night.

Not a bad point at all. I would have been fine with Andre even pulling up for 3 though since he'd hit the big one earlier and especially after seeing him in OT I kind of wish he would have even more.