Coach Crean, Players Preview Big Ten Tournament
3/8/2017 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana - The 2017 Big Ten Tournament gets underway for the Indiana Hoosiers on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. against No. 7 seed Iowa. Below are some thoughts from Coach Crean, Josh Newkirk and Thomas Bryant leading up to the tournament.
Indiana head coach Tom Crean
Big Ten Teleconference Opening Statement:
"We're going to be playing one of the most dangerous teams, not only in the league but in the country, with the way that Iowa's been playing. We saw first-hand a couple of weeks ago, they're just getting nothing but better. They're shooting the ball at an incredible rate, especially in their last five games they're in the mid-forties right now. They're getting to the foul line; they got to the foul line against us in a very close game. Peter Jok is playing tremendously and their young guys have had a chance to play all year long and continue to improve. So, big keys in that game are going to be obviously limiting the fouling and dealing with all the different defenses that they play in the sense of their press, their zone, their man-to-man, all of which are very good. They're very good on the offensive board so we need to do an excellent job there. Our focus, obviously, you want to go in and be prepared for everything that you could possibly see. But, you can never get away from the most important thing, which is your first opponent. We'll spend our time making ourselves better this week and getting ready for Iowa."
How do you approach this next week? Is it a situation where you look at it as a new season, or are you kind of asking the guys to wipe the slate clean at all?
"No, I don't deal in those type of situations, I think they know that. Their energy's really high, extremely high, and there's no doubt about that. They're smart. The most important thing they need to do is just keep improving, that's what it's been. That's what we try to stay as focused on as we possibly can through everything - through the game planning and preparation and film work on past games and future games, it still always comes down to a level of improvement that you're capable of making. That's really what the focus is. They're well aware of what time of year it is and where we're going and they'll have a great feel for Iowa and it certainly helps that we just played them in that sense but, it's really just staying totally focused on how we can improve."
From Radio Show
On what led to Robert Johnson having the breakout game at Ohio State:
"Well, I think his defense got him going, which is the most important thing. He didn't really do anything, shot-wise. He's an excellent shooter, he just hadn't been shooting it that well. I thought his defense was outstanding and I thought offensively, his first step - and for the for the majority of them all of their first steps - were very good in the sense that they are very focused on it.
"I thought he did an excellent job of moving without the ball, not only having the ball in his hands, but moving without the ball and getting open. He always practices well, but there's no question that the two days going into that game, there was a different level of defensive mindset for him. I think that it's another great lesson: no matter where you're at in your game offensively, you can always find a way to improve it if you're focused on everything but, and that means the defensive part, the rebounding part, the moving without the ball part, you know those types of things, and he did all of that."
Maybe you could give me a sense of where your team has grown in these last two weeks and how that might help you against Iowa.
"Well, they don't get their head down, and I think that's the most important thing. We've had so many close games, including the one at Iowa and they may be dejected for a little bit, they may be disappointed, but they don't let discouragement kick in. What happens is we come back and we get better. I think all of these close games have helped us, they don't really flinch for lack of a better term, that's probably the best term I can probably think of.
Is there an advantage to playing a team in the postseason that you had played closer to the end of the year, like Iowa?
"I think for the players there is. They are a little more familiar with the actions, so we stepped right back into the things that we did to prepare for that game. They picked them up quickly and that allows us to add and tweak how we want to attack them and what they did with us. We can get the basics down pretty quick and then we add to them, and that's what is important."
What are the keys going against a team like Iowa??
"We have to take care of the basketball against their press, whether we are attacking it or whether we are just breaking it. The next big thing is to not slow down – if we have attacked it, we have attacked it and not slow down. The more you don't allow (Iowa) to setup their zone, the better it is for you. The other big thing is the rebounding.
"If you go back and look at it, Peter Jok has shot 12 free throws in the games since he shot 22 against us. We have to do a great job of keeping them off the foul line a lot better than what we did there."
Josh Newkirk has somewhat turned the corner. Is there a game you can point to where that started?
"After the game at Northwestern, no question about it. That's when he started turning. It's another one where it's easy to say 'He's not doing this. He's not doing that.' I've learned so much about recovery from injuries, not just short term but long term … Look at the guys who had significant injuries. His is as significant as any with his microfracture. … Look at James Blackmon in the Michigan State game … Josh is like that, and we're still managing things with him.. He's diving on the floor like he's at the NFL Combine trying to earn a contract. What nobody has seen is the quickness prior to the injury. Well, people saw it in the Pitt game. We couldn't keep him in front of us. When you really study how these guys recover, it'll be even more so next year."
Indiana Junior Josh Newkirk
On his message to the team before postseason play...
"Just that preparation matters. Going into every game, it could be your last. We just have to prepare right and just come into the game with the mindset that this could be the last one, so just give it your all."
On keys to playing Iowa...
"Guarding the three-point line. They like to shoot a lot of three's. Playing fast and playing at our tempo."
On if he'd be surprised if every game in the Big Ten Tournament came down to wire...
"I wouldn't be surprised. We practice for late game situations and we work hard enough to be prepared in the late game situations. It wouldn't be anything new to us."
On the how the team will be able to handle tight situations...
"The experience. The experience of being in tight games. The experience of things not going our way will just help us in the long run."
Indiana Sophomore Thomas Bryant
On the approach after winning the last two of three...
"We know what we have right in front of us. We know we have to go and play our hearts out and play for each other. But we know it's winner-take-all, so we have to go out there and give it all we have."
On keys to playing Iowa...
"Stopping them in transition. They get the ball out real quick. Also, dealing with their motion offense. They are really good with their motion offense. They are playing as well as anybody right now. I'm sure it will be a game that comes down to the end."
On the hot start at Ohio State...
"The hot start at Ohio State was really good for us. Just dealing with the confident stand point of our team and getting the win too. With me and my teammates, go out and play for each other. Just being versatile. Whether it's scoring inside or out and just taking what the defense gives us."
Indiana head coach Tom Crean
Big Ten Teleconference Opening Statement:
"We're going to be playing one of the most dangerous teams, not only in the league but in the country, with the way that Iowa's been playing. We saw first-hand a couple of weeks ago, they're just getting nothing but better. They're shooting the ball at an incredible rate, especially in their last five games they're in the mid-forties right now. They're getting to the foul line; they got to the foul line against us in a very close game. Peter Jok is playing tremendously and their young guys have had a chance to play all year long and continue to improve. So, big keys in that game are going to be obviously limiting the fouling and dealing with all the different defenses that they play in the sense of their press, their zone, their man-to-man, all of which are very good. They're very good on the offensive board so we need to do an excellent job there. Our focus, obviously, you want to go in and be prepared for everything that you could possibly see. But, you can never get away from the most important thing, which is your first opponent. We'll spend our time making ourselves better this week and getting ready for Iowa."
How do you approach this next week? Is it a situation where you look at it as a new season, or are you kind of asking the guys to wipe the slate clean at all?
"No, I don't deal in those type of situations, I think they know that. Their energy's really high, extremely high, and there's no doubt about that. They're smart. The most important thing they need to do is just keep improving, that's what it's been. That's what we try to stay as focused on as we possibly can through everything - through the game planning and preparation and film work on past games and future games, it still always comes down to a level of improvement that you're capable of making. That's really what the focus is. They're well aware of what time of year it is and where we're going and they'll have a great feel for Iowa and it certainly helps that we just played them in that sense but, it's really just staying totally focused on how we can improve."
From Radio Show
On what led to Robert Johnson having the breakout game at Ohio State:
"Well, I think his defense got him going, which is the most important thing. He didn't really do anything, shot-wise. He's an excellent shooter, he just hadn't been shooting it that well. I thought his defense was outstanding and I thought offensively, his first step - and for the for the majority of them all of their first steps - were very good in the sense that they are very focused on it.
"I thought he did an excellent job of moving without the ball, not only having the ball in his hands, but moving without the ball and getting open. He always practices well, but there's no question that the two days going into that game, there was a different level of defensive mindset for him. I think that it's another great lesson: no matter where you're at in your game offensively, you can always find a way to improve it if you're focused on everything but, and that means the defensive part, the rebounding part, the moving without the ball part, you know those types of things, and he did all of that."
Maybe you could give me a sense of where your team has grown in these last two weeks and how that might help you against Iowa.
"Well, they don't get their head down, and I think that's the most important thing. We've had so many close games, including the one at Iowa and they may be dejected for a little bit, they may be disappointed, but they don't let discouragement kick in. What happens is we come back and we get better. I think all of these close games have helped us, they don't really flinch for lack of a better term, that's probably the best term I can probably think of.
Is there an advantage to playing a team in the postseason that you had played closer to the end of the year, like Iowa?
"I think for the players there is. They are a little more familiar with the actions, so we stepped right back into the things that we did to prepare for that game. They picked them up quickly and that allows us to add and tweak how we want to attack them and what they did with us. We can get the basics down pretty quick and then we add to them, and that's what is important."
What are the keys going against a team like Iowa??
"We have to take care of the basketball against their press, whether we are attacking it or whether we are just breaking it. The next big thing is to not slow down – if we have attacked it, we have attacked it and not slow down. The more you don't allow (Iowa) to setup their zone, the better it is for you. The other big thing is the rebounding.
"If you go back and look at it, Peter Jok has shot 12 free throws in the games since he shot 22 against us. We have to do a great job of keeping them off the foul line a lot better than what we did there."
Josh Newkirk has somewhat turned the corner. Is there a game you can point to where that started?
"After the game at Northwestern, no question about it. That's when he started turning. It's another one where it's easy to say 'He's not doing this. He's not doing that.' I've learned so much about recovery from injuries, not just short term but long term … Look at the guys who had significant injuries. His is as significant as any with his microfracture. … Look at James Blackmon in the Michigan State game … Josh is like that, and we're still managing things with him.. He's diving on the floor like he's at the NFL Combine trying to earn a contract. What nobody has seen is the quickness prior to the injury. Well, people saw it in the Pitt game. We couldn't keep him in front of us. When you really study how these guys recover, it'll be even more so next year."
Indiana Junior Josh Newkirk
On his message to the team before postseason play...
"Just that preparation matters. Going into every game, it could be your last. We just have to prepare right and just come into the game with the mindset that this could be the last one, so just give it your all."
On keys to playing Iowa...
"Guarding the three-point line. They like to shoot a lot of three's. Playing fast and playing at our tempo."
On if he'd be surprised if every game in the Big Ten Tournament came down to wire...
"I wouldn't be surprised. We practice for late game situations and we work hard enough to be prepared in the late game situations. It wouldn't be anything new to us."
On the how the team will be able to handle tight situations...
"The experience. The experience of being in tight games. The experience of things not going our way will just help us in the long run."
Indiana Sophomore Thomas Bryant
On the approach after winning the last two of three...
"We know what we have right in front of us. We know we have to go and play our hearts out and play for each other. But we know it's winner-take-all, so we have to go out there and give it all we have."
On keys to playing Iowa...
"Stopping them in transition. They get the ball out real quick. Also, dealing with their motion offense. They are really good with their motion offense. They are playing as well as anybody right now. I'm sure it will be a game that comes down to the end."
On the hot start at Ohio State...
"The hot start at Ohio State was really good for us. Just dealing with the confident stand point of our team and getting the win too. With me and my teammates, go out and play for each other. Just being versatile. Whether it's scoring inside or out and just taking what the defense gives us."
Players Mentioned
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