GopherLady
Well-known member
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- Nov 5, 2008
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Here you go - as always, not verbatim.
Tom Crean:
• Richard is an excellent coach, there's no question about that. We took too many jump shots to start, and it wasn't because we took them for granted. We knew we were playing a very aggressive, dangerous team. They're young in certain spots, but they're going to win, I just didn't want it to be today. We're really proud of this win. Our leadership was tremendous in this game, we played over some mistakes. We kept them off the offensive glass, for the most part, which was huge. We played through the foul difference, to win on the road without getting a lot of FT's.
• We don't talk about a guy having to do more, we talk about moving the ball better. One less dribble, one more pass, the more we do that…if we're patient with our spacing, we'll get it. It's not going to happen off the initial pass.
• Yogi is a great defender, his decision making is great. His teammates have a lot of confidence in him, because they have a lot of confidence in them.
• Joey King was outstanding, but we prepared for that. You don't want to go for a shot fake, you've got to stay attached to him. He's good, he's really good, because he can keep backing up because he can get fouled. He's tough, one of the tougher match-ups because he's one of the tougher players. Murphy is going to be ridiculously good. Konate moved as good as he's moved. Their front line is going to be fine, but Joey King creates match-ups because he's very strong.
Richard Pitino:
• Tough one obviously, the guys battled, but you're supposed to do that obviously. It came down to free throws, we couldn't make them which was odd, and a few loose balls at the end of the game. I feel like if we defend like that, we'll win a few games. We have to be close to perfect to beat a team like that. We had a few really silly turnovers at the end of the game. We need to find a way to win the game.
• (On a turnover at the end) That was a crucial play, we didn't get it, kind of looked like a travel, but we needed to grab that. Nate lost confidence at the end of the game, he's got to be our go-to guy at the end of the game.
• Gilbert was really good. He dislocated his finger on the left hand, I don't know how long he's going to be out. He's going to have surgery. His activity was really great. When he got hurt, it really screwed up our flow from a sub standpoint, I'm not saying he's the reason we lost. He's going to have surgery tomorrow.
• Murph not being in foul trouble - it helped. He rebounded well, they got in his head in the 1st couple minutes. FT shooting has to be a strength of his, because he's going to get fouled a lot. Bakary is not ready to play major minutes, he knocks a lot of balls out of our guy's hands.
• Carlos - he's not a great defender. He tries. His lower body strength isn't great. Joey really responded. We're a young team, we really need those guys.
• Starting line-up will have to change because of JR (Gilbert). He kind of stays in his lane as a player which is a strength of his.
• I knew he was coming. They have a few days off. He talked to the team before the game, and was the one who told them to shoot free throws (smiling). When you have a long season, it's good to get other voices. We're all saying the same thing, but it's good to hear from someone else.
• That's a dynamic offense, I think we did a good job on Farrell, what was he, 6-17?
• We told Joey, it's not you, it's not your fault. Starting doesn't matter, and I told him not to worry about it over and over. He was a little mentally out of it at Nebraska, and I told him, "you're making it about yourself," he said "you're right" and responded. Joey wakes up every morning proud to be a Gopher. I told him, our offense is so bad, if you have an open look, just shoot it.
• It's not hard to explain, I think the problem is, the elements overwhelm them. NU is a good team, but we don't fight through it when it happens. Teams go through it and figure it out. I think it's just learning on the court, that's the biggest thing. I don't want to play Murphy at the small forward, but we have to figure things out. Charles's biggest problem, is when there was a 5 point game, he had the TO, and has a mental lapse. Stephon has been playing great. Just for defensive purposes, Carlos is not a great defender. We're going to have to rotate with some 3 guard stuff, and Charles as well. We don't have a whole lot of depth, so we'll have to figure out Ahmad's injury.
• On Dorsey: He's got to stop turning the ball over, he's so fast, he needs to slow himself down a little more. He had some wacky TO's. When you watch him on the court, you've got to trust him. You need to find a way to not turn it over.
• I'm going to look back at this game, we're not a moral victory team, you've got to beat good teams by FT shooting, not turning the ball over, etc.
• The missed FT's took away from our confidence. We only shot 16 3's, which is good, let's attack the rim and shoot those FT's. down.
Tom Crean:
• Richard is an excellent coach, there's no question about that. We took too many jump shots to start, and it wasn't because we took them for granted. We knew we were playing a very aggressive, dangerous team. They're young in certain spots, but they're going to win, I just didn't want it to be today. We're really proud of this win. Our leadership was tremendous in this game, we played over some mistakes. We kept them off the offensive glass, for the most part, which was huge. We played through the foul difference, to win on the road without getting a lot of FT's.
• We don't talk about a guy having to do more, we talk about moving the ball better. One less dribble, one more pass, the more we do that…if we're patient with our spacing, we'll get it. It's not going to happen off the initial pass.
• Yogi is a great defender, his decision making is great. His teammates have a lot of confidence in him, because they have a lot of confidence in them.
• Joey King was outstanding, but we prepared for that. You don't want to go for a shot fake, you've got to stay attached to him. He's good, he's really good, because he can keep backing up because he can get fouled. He's tough, one of the tougher match-ups because he's one of the tougher players. Murphy is going to be ridiculously good. Konate moved as good as he's moved. Their front line is going to be fine, but Joey King creates match-ups because he's very strong.
Richard Pitino:
• Tough one obviously, the guys battled, but you're supposed to do that obviously. It came down to free throws, we couldn't make them which was odd, and a few loose balls at the end of the game. I feel like if we defend like that, we'll win a few games. We have to be close to perfect to beat a team like that. We had a few really silly turnovers at the end of the game. We need to find a way to win the game.
• (On a turnover at the end) That was a crucial play, we didn't get it, kind of looked like a travel, but we needed to grab that. Nate lost confidence at the end of the game, he's got to be our go-to guy at the end of the game.
• Gilbert was really good. He dislocated his finger on the left hand, I don't know how long he's going to be out. He's going to have surgery. His activity was really great. When he got hurt, it really screwed up our flow from a sub standpoint, I'm not saying he's the reason we lost. He's going to have surgery tomorrow.
• Murph not being in foul trouble - it helped. He rebounded well, they got in his head in the 1st couple minutes. FT shooting has to be a strength of his, because he's going to get fouled a lot. Bakary is not ready to play major minutes, he knocks a lot of balls out of our guy's hands.
• Carlos - he's not a great defender. He tries. His lower body strength isn't great. Joey really responded. We're a young team, we really need those guys.
• Starting line-up will have to change because of JR (Gilbert). He kind of stays in his lane as a player which is a strength of his.
• I knew he was coming. They have a few days off. He talked to the team before the game, and was the one who told them to shoot free throws (smiling). When you have a long season, it's good to get other voices. We're all saying the same thing, but it's good to hear from someone else.
• That's a dynamic offense, I think we did a good job on Farrell, what was he, 6-17?
• We told Joey, it's not you, it's not your fault. Starting doesn't matter, and I told him not to worry about it over and over. He was a little mentally out of it at Nebraska, and I told him, "you're making it about yourself," he said "you're right" and responded. Joey wakes up every morning proud to be a Gopher. I told him, our offense is so bad, if you have an open look, just shoot it.
• It's not hard to explain, I think the problem is, the elements overwhelm them. NU is a good team, but we don't fight through it when it happens. Teams go through it and figure it out. I think it's just learning on the court, that's the biggest thing. I don't want to play Murphy at the small forward, but we have to figure things out. Charles's biggest problem, is when there was a 5 point game, he had the TO, and has a mental lapse. Stephon has been playing great. Just for defensive purposes, Carlos is not a great defender. We're going to have to rotate with some 3 guard stuff, and Charles as well. We don't have a whole lot of depth, so we'll have to figure out Ahmad's injury.
• On Dorsey: He's got to stop turning the ball over, he's so fast, he needs to slow himself down a little more. He had some wacky TO's. When you watch him on the court, you've got to trust him. You need to find a way to not turn it over.
• I'm going to look back at this game, we're not a moral victory team, you've got to beat good teams by FT shooting, not turning the ball over, etc.
• The missed FT's took away from our confidence. We only shot 16 3's, which is good, let's attack the rim and shoot those FT's. down.
