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Louisville-College of Charleston Postgame Quotes
November 09, 2013 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 9, 2013
Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 1 
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Louisville Head Coach Rick Pitino
(Opening statement)
“I think our guys were a little tight because they are a totally different basketball team. They lost their responsibilities constantly on defense. I knew this was going to be a tough ball game because that is a very experienced team. They can pass, cut, they know how to play, but the second half showed more of the qualities we saw last year with a hungry, humble team, and they played that way, and our quality, that 'boom' quality that we had last year came out again in the second half, because we played like a starving dog in the second half. In the first half we were confused a lot on defense. Guys weren't talking and it's because we're so new. Even though Chris (Jones) is a junior, he's not used to this type of scouting, neither is Terry (Rozier) and our guys just didn't handle some of the things by not talking. Overall, we are very excited because when you play that hard and only turn the ball over three times, that's a great sign. We were 21-3 because we're a possession team, regardless of what type of defense they play, when you're pressing all the time, there's going to be some passes you're going to make just from fatigue, and we didn't do it, which is a great sign for our team. We rebounded great and that's exactly what we want out of Stephan Van Treese and Mangok (Mathiang), that type of play. That was great play and what we need from the five spot. We need hungry hustle and they gave it to us because they are so talented in the backcourt.”
(On Stephan's play in the second half)
“Well, that's what you can do if you move away from because Russ, and when Chris and Terry learn it, they draw so much attention on pick and rolls that you're going to be free to get offensive rebounds, and he played like a man possessed.”
(On whether something was said to Stephan at half-time)
“I told him he didn't have any rebounds. I didn't say it quite as nice as that, but I was disappointed in the whole team. I think sometimes, like senior night, you get caught up in the festivities a little bit, and it makes a young team a little nervous. That pageantry was, I think quite extensive and I think they got caught up in it a little bit, but the second half they played terrific.”
(On the center position being a concern)
“We need hustle out of that position, that's all we need. We know Mangok is going to get better by osmosis, it's just going to happen, but we need Stephen to play like that, it gives us a big lift, because he is a great screener, and he does all the little things that make Russ, Chris, and Terry better players.”
(On how much the high pick-and-roll affected the game)
“That was pretty much the difference last year, and that was pretty much the difference in the second half, because they were in foul trouble, and when they put in the big guy, we were able to go at those people in foul trouble, and what happens is they are afraid to foul so they just converge on Russ, and those guys are free to offensive rebound. Obviously, the final score was not indicative of the game. Charleston played great, but with a pressing team, you have one or two runs, and that can happen positively for you, if you play that hard.”
(On Wayne starting off 0-11)
“Yeah, you know he missed about five lay-ups in the game and sometimes that's from a little fatigue as well. The guys told me to play Terry at the small forward spot, and take him out, and I said I'm not taking him out, because he is played hard defensively. He's rebounding, so we don't take people out for missed shots, we take people out for, like Russ in the first half for refusing to play defense, and refusing to block out.”
(On Russ hunting the assist)
“Yeah, we have talked to him. Everybody has talked to him about it. I said just don't turn the ball over, don't hunt the assist, be yourself. Early in the game Chris and Russ both had a wide open lay-up and they are looking to pass the ball. You have got to take the lay-up. He has just got to be who he is, take balanced shots, not turn it over, and don't worry about the assists.”
(On Stephan's confidence)
“I think he saw tonight, not only the appreciation that our team had for him, but our fans. So I think he's going to want to play that way and I think it gives him great confidence. I think it gives Mangok great confidence. We are about ready to get Luke back, we're about ready get Chane back, which are two big components of our basketball team. We just need to hang in there until they come back and keep getting victories.”
(On what the revealing of the banner meant)
“Kenny Klein asked me to speak and to be honest I didn't want to speak. I was a little choked up. It was just great to see that, the whole thing was great. Now it is time to move on. It is not only the championship but it was how we did it -- with class and humility. It was the way they fought back being down, it was the 16-straight, winning the last game at Madison Square Garden for the Big East, the great games we had to play against great teams. It was just a wonderful thing and every time I think about it I get choked up.”
(On how the held Charleston to zero second chance points)
“We didn't do a good job at rebounding but it was really Russ (Smith). Russ was just standing there and Russ is a really good rebounder, he can get in there and rebound. Terry (Rozier) and Chris (Jones) will go after it hard, we have to get Russ to go after it like that. It is the only thing missing in his game everything else is terrific. Russ Smith is really a great player.
(On if the flow of the game dictated why Kevin Ware didn't play)
“I told Kevin (Ware) he still is limping a little bit. It is noticeable and when he gets over that he is going to play. He is probably only two weeks away from playing. I notice in practice he is limping a little bit. That means psychologically, he is favoring it a little. He doesn't notice it at all. I don't want to put him in this type of game. The Pikeville situation was just get out there and get loose. He is playing full go in practice but I am still noticing a limp and I don't want to play him till he is over that. It will be pretty soon.”
(On he is expecting to pull away from Charleston like they did last year)
“When we rebound and play with that intensity anything is possible with a pressing team. This team didn't make a lot of physical mistakes tonight, they made so many mental mistakes by not talking. You see so many guys open, it's just guys not communicating really well. This is the first time Chris (Jones), Terry (Rozier), and Anton (Gill) have ever been through it, along with Mangok (Mathiang). This type of preparation is foreign to Mangok. The good thing tonight we couldn't play any match up zone because we are not ready for it yet, we played good man to man defense though.”
(On if Stephan Van Treese will respond from this type of success)
“I do believe he will. He did it by hustle. He didn't do it by finesse or by making great moves or hitting jump shots. He did it exactly the way I wanted him to with floor burns, follow ups, great screens, everything he is capable of doing. I was real proud of him tonight. I put him back into of the starting lineup because he did those things in practice yesterday. He from a mental standpoint knows all the terminology better than Mangok (Mathiang). Believe it or not Mangok was in the wrong place some many times because this is so new to him.”
(On what Chris Jones gives them at point guard that is different or better then Peyton Siva)
“Peyton Siva was the fastest guard in the country last year, he was very fast. What Chris (Jones) has to learn is not to play laterally. He has to learn form Russ (Smith) when he takes a screen he needs to take the guy on and not fade laterally. He did that in the second half. He is a strong and physical basketball player. Terry Rozier kept running into screens tonight but he is much better than that, but it is his first game. Chris like Russ is a dynamic basketball player. He is very, very good, he is the junior college player of the year. He is physically a very strong man.”
(On if he was happy with what he got out of Mangok Mathiang today)
“Terrific, Mangok and Stephan (Van Treese) did what they had to do. Just play hard, make your mistakes but play hard. Like Wayne Blackshear, 0-11 it doesn't matter, just play hard. He was playing his but off, his nose was bleeding, he was missing layups, missing shots and I told him just keep shooting son.”
College of Charleston Head Coach Doug Wojcik
(What was the difference between the outcomes of this game and last year's game)
“No Peyton Siva. He is a good player. We have more ball handlers, even though at times, it didn't look that way. We had 21 turnovers. A big moment in the second half was with Canyon Barry and we missed those four free throws. As a result of missing those free throws, in a way, we got a third foul on Adjehi Baru and a third foul on Joe Chealey and now I had to go to my bench. I am still developing my bench right now, but we felt comfortable, we felt big enough, we felt athletic enough. We are a pretty good defensive team but obviously with giving up 20 offensive rebounds and still they only beat us by three on the glass. There were a lot of positives for us and I am real pleased with it.”
(On the performance of the freshman against Louisville's defense)
“Canyon Barry made a ton of basketball plays. Even the shot fake, I think it was (Wayne) Blackshear that fouled him, that is a basketball play. Joe Chealey had no problem with the ball; no one took the ball from him. Where he had issues was with his passing at times, maybe jumping the pass. They are just going to learn as we go which is great. They can go where they want to go on the floor. It is one thing to not be able to go where you want to go, and it's another to be able to go and clean up someone else's mistakes that we made. Both of those kids made some great plays, and Jonathan Cook came in off the bench and made a big three. He is strong and athletic and can play in that game against a (Anton) Gill or a Russ Smith. I am just disappointed that it didn't go to the wire. I really thought we were in it. And at halftime only down two, and to come out and take the lead ... that is my disappointment.”
(What was going through coach's mind on hanging tough with the national champions?)
“I've been in this situation quite a bit. I have never had a team compete against the top five teams as well as this team did. I used to have to go into Memphis in Calipari's years; Derek Rose, Tyreke Evans, lost two championship games on their home floor, same kind of atmosphere, same kind of building, and I never really thought that we really could compete once the ball went up. Today we competed. We are going to be alright. Adjehi Baru, Willis Hall, David Wishon they were all 8-10 from the field today, so we just have a lot to build on. It is going to be a great year for us.”
(On entering a new conference, if they made a statement today)
“I know this, that score around the country on the ticker was on a lot of phones for a long time today, so it was pretty good for us. Obviously with Kevin Ware's situation and them being defending national champions and raising the banner today, there was a lot of publicity on the game. We'll learn from it and get better.”
