by Wayne23 » Fri Apr 02, 2021 2:43 pm
11/18: 76-68! We're 2-0!
Post game press conf: Q: "Coach, the game was even at the half. What did you say and do in the locker room?"
Coach: "Well, I saw that their guards were killing us; one of them had 12 and the other one had 10. They'd hit 8 threes, and their SF was hitting outside shots, too. I told the guys we'd go with the 1-2-2 most of the time in the 2nd, throwing in a man now and then and pressing every 10 or 12 times just to throw them off and mix it up. It worked! On O our bench was real hot so I decided I'd play Joel Dens at guard, and Gary Owen inside a lot more, and they both stayed hot in the 2nd. "
Q: "You gave up 90 the other night and only 68 tonight. What changed?"
Coach: "Our kids are learning the defense we're gonna play, and we were able to go with not much 2-3, which we're still not playing all that well. I think 68 is a good number for us. Not sure how often we'll be able to do that, but keeping the other team in the 60s is something we're aiming at."
Q: "Coach, you won with balanced scoring and with solid bench play tonight. Talk about that, and do you lack a go to guy on offense?"
Coach: "Yeah. Balance and bench play were definitely the keys tonight. As to a go to guy, let's see how that plays out over the course of the season. We're trying to develop our inside game on O and if we can do that it could really make a difference."
Q: "Coach, you got 28 rebounds the other night and 42 tonight. What changed?"
Coach: We worked on that. Didn't like getting out rebounded by 14 and I let the guys know that it was unacceptable. I just said we're working on our inside game and that means scoring, D, and rebounding. It may take some time to get consistency with all of that but we're working hard and my kids have shown me, in practice and in games that they're willing to work hard. That will make good things happen."
Q: "Coach, this team won 3 games all of last season. You're 2-0. Thoughts?"
Coach: "I'm a PHENOM!!! (laughter) Seriously, it starts with belief. If you don't believe you can do it I don't think any amount of planning and work can overcome that. The planning and the work are vital but the belief is even more so. From the day I first met everyone of these kids and everybody who works with these kids my message has been, 'We can do great things!' I lead with that message at every opportunity, follow it up be emphasizing that it takes hard work and mental focus, and we go from there. Our minimum goal is to finish in the top half of our conference this year, which KSU hasn't done in many years. Our top goal is to win the conference and then the conference tournament, and go to the NCAAs. KSU has never done that. Not guaranteeing that it'll happen in year one, but we're not saying it can't or won't happen."
Q: "Coach what happens during a time out, and what happens before the game and at the half."
Coach: "During a time out you guys see that I briefly huddle with my staff. We talk about what i will tell the players, then I do the talking. Before the game we review the game plan and go over our goals for the game. We always have some particular goals for each game. At the half, just like with a TO I start by talking to the coaches as the guys hit the bathroom and all that. Then I do the talking with the players."
Q: "Coach, tell us about the goals for the game."
Coach: "They're based on what the staff thinks we need to do to beat this particular team, as well as things we've been working on. Doing a better job with the 2-3 has been a goal for both games and will be again for our next game. The guys coming back, and everybody who is getting minutes is a returning soph or junior, didn't play 2-3 either last year or the year before so they're still learning how to play it at the Div. I college level. They'll get there."
Q: "Coach, your next game's on the road, for the first time. What are you thinking?"
Coach: "I'm thinking the road is tough. Everything's different, the crowds against you, the surroundings are unfamiliar. We're working on addressing all of those challenges. We're on the road for a game, back home for 3, then it's 4 straight, and 7 of 8 on the road. I don't expect to win all of those games but if we're going to be a decent team we'll need to win some of them. My cure for everything is to believe in ourselves and to work harder, so that's what we'll do. Thanks everybody."