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Louisville-Notre Dame Postgame Quotes
January 07, 2012 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 7, 2012
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Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino
(Opening Statement)
"Well, it was another double-overtime game and we are very disappointed. Coming out with a three point lead, we wanted to do two things; not let them attempt the 3 and, on offense, do anything but commit an offensive foul. We did both things. We gave up a 3. Those were the two instructions and we knocked a guy over, so that's disappointing. Obviously Russ's (Smith) reach-in at the end of the game was bizarre to say the least. Hard fought game, but if you break it down, they made their free throws and we didn't. We are very disappointed. To lose two home games in the BIG EAST with the type of schedule we have is very destructive to say the least."
(On Notre Dame controlling the pace of play)
"They average nine turnovers a game. Nobody turns them over because they are an excellent passing team. We didn't mind that. Where we broke down was on the pick and rolls they beat us on the switch. It's OK because Rakeem (Buckles) is coming off an ACL and he did the best he could in that situation."
(On Russ Smith)
"You know, anybody can have an off night, but you have to play defense. Four or five times during the game I told him to stay solid. You just try to make the big play because you're not shooting well and you can't do that. You have to stay solid in your stance. He learned a valuable lesson. You hate to take a second home loss to learn a valuable lesson."
(On the struggles of Chris Smith)
"I don't know what to tell you. He had a wide open shot under the basket on an out-of-bounds play and he didn't take it. When things don't go your way, you lose your confidence a little bit."
(On ball screen possessions)
"It worked when they had Mike Broghammer in the game; we tried to go at him at the last play of the game with Gorgui (Dieng) out. We don't have too many guys who can put it on the floor. Kyle (Kuric) is not a floor guy, Chris (Smith) is not a floor guy; we would have run something for Russ to probably come off a screen, but he wasn't having a good night. So, we put the ball in Peyton's (Siva) hands."
(On the play of Kyle Kuric)
"He did a good job tonight, he played well. We lost the game mentally and from the foul line. They made their free throws and we didn't. More importantly, we came out of there with a three point lead, and we said, `Look, if we lose it, then we lose it up one. We are not going to lose it giving up a 3.' And then on the last shot, we said, `Don't pivot or charge the man.' We lost it in those two areas. Russ probably learned a valuable lesson for the rest of his life; you don't do that in that situation. It's a painful lesson that you have to learn, because he feels bad about it but you have to learn those lessons. You can't try because you are having an off night to do something spectacular; you just have to stay solid."
(On position in the BIG EAST Conference standings)
"We are in bad shape, because we lost two at home. We have been there before in past years, we just have to go out and battle the rest of the way. In no given night can you win. We had a lot of close ball games and tonight we didn't do our job and we paid the price. It's always overtime and always double overtime and we have been 5-1 in that situation. Tonight just wasn't our night; it was theirs."
Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Brey
(Opening statement)
"What a great college basketball game. I am certainly thrilled for our group. We saw a young team maybe grow up before our very eyes today at Louisville. Great job controlling the tempo and I thought we did a great job defending and rebounding. To steal one on the road is what you try to do on the road in BIG EAST play."
(On key to victory)
"Tempo control and we were really very patient and didn't want to get in a hurry. When we were down a couple of possessions, we stayed true to that slower pace. I thought it set the tone for us. I think we really defended and rebounded well inside. (Scott) Martin and (Jack) Cooley were fabulous. And then we switched them on (Peyton) Siva on some of those ball screens and they did a really good job. Our young guards were fearless. (Jerian) Grant and (Eric) Atkins, I knew I would turn the team over to them someday, I didn't know it would be this early in their careers. But given some injuries, it is their team. So I am hoping we can build on that."
(On overcoming early adversity)
"We really used Wednesday as a learning experience, because we weren't very good Wednesday night. We were on our heels and we were pushed around a little bit. We actually looked young and hung our heads a little bit sometimes. We actually talked about that for a couple of days ... about being more mature and growing up. It was a complete different body language (today) than it was on Wednesday night. So I just hope we can continue to grow in that."
(On Peyton Siva's performance last year and this year's strategy to combat that)
"Well, I thought we were better. We were a little softer on the ball screen. We clogged the lane with it. Then in the second half and the overtime, we actually switched it. Then we had a big guy on him and played off him and he's going to the hole. We don't care if he shoots a 12-footer because we don't think he wants to do that. We got great team defense. We had active hands. We got some turnovers. The lane was clogged and that helped us. We did not do a good job at that in New York and he had a field day against us. He is the best at the ball screen of anybody in the country in my opinion. So you are not going to take it completely away. But just to get it under control a few times, I am thrilled because he the best at it."
(Given his performance the other night, what kind of bounce back is this for Scott Martin?)
"Big. He's been coming ... this guy's leading, he's defending and rebounding and setting the tone for us. He keeps on hanging in there. I'm thrilled for him and I think this is something that maybe he can launch off of, but the one thing the kid has done is ... he's defended, he's rebounded, he's leading, he's talking in the huddles. He's taken a lot of responsibility that he's the lone senior captain now."
(On their first win in the state of Kentucky)
"Can you believe that? It's the only place we haven't won - at Louisville in my 12 years we've won on the road. I guess we've never won in Kentucky either, you know why? There are pretty good teams in this state. That's probably why we haven't won in this state. But to win in this facility - my gosh, what a facility. To win in this atmosphere where it was loud and we had every reason to get frazzled a little bit with some young guys. I'm very proud of that. They're really good. We caught them on a night where we were able to defend and control the tempo, but it's a great road win for us and to be 2-1 in the league after three games and two of them have been on the road, I'm thrilled about that."
