Indiana University Athletics
Coach Davis Practice Quotes
2/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 13, 2003
Regarding Wisconsin and the swing offense: "I think Kirk Penney presents a lot of problems for us and (Mike) Wilkinson is playing well. Swing or no swing, this is going to be a tough game for us because Coach Ryan has got his team playing really well, they're in first place in the conference."
Regarding Bracey Wright and the criticism of him on the coaches weekly radio show:
"It really bothers me that someone can call themselves an Indiana fan and not pull for Indiana players. That really bothers me. We try to recruit really good players here and for people to say things like he was disappointed in me and everything. Here's a kid (Wright) who is not selfish, and here's a kid who is playing through pain right now. Most guys with his injury would just sit out, and who would question it? The doctors say he's in pain. He's playing because he wants to win. And for them to say that, it tells me a lot about them and I was disappointed to even have to answer a question like that from a so-called Indiana fan."
Regarding whether Wright has always had the same mental toughness:
"You notice the talent first. I didn't really notice his demeanor at all, but just his talent and as I watched him play throughout the summer, no matter who he played against, it was the same result, every time. Here's a kid that read some stuff on the internet before he got here, people saying bad stuff and he had a problem with that before he even came. For him to be here now, averaging 18 points a game and hear that (criticism) it says a lot about where they (some fans) are coming from."
"I think you get rattled more from criticism from your own people. That's part of being a human being. When you come home, you do want your home people to love you. When I go home at night, I expect my wife and my kids to love me. When you play for a school, you expect that school to appreciate and love you. So when you get criticism like that, asking why Bracey is our go-to guy, it's stupid - just watch the game and you'll see why he's our go-to guy. Watch the games from last year, Jared Jeffries was our go-to guy and he was a sophomore. It shouldn't matter what class you are to be a go-to guy, it just should matter if you can be a go-to guy or not. That doesn't mean he's going to take every last shot we have in games, but he's our best offensive player."
In response to whether he's surprised or not at the struggles with scoring this season:
"We haven't made shots. It hasn't been the offense, we just haven't made shots. If you don't make shots, I don't care who you are...
Kirk Penney for example, if he goes 2-for-15 or 0-for-8, the chances of them winning are slim. If he's playing like that, then somebody's really got to make a lot of shots. Like the Illinois game here, (Jeff) Newt(on) scored 28 and not one other guy was in double figures. No matter what you run offensively, you've got to make shots. We get shots, the shots are there, especially when you cut hard and screen. We get good shots, but if you don't make them...
I've been surprised of us not having a higher percentage with the way we started out this year, making shots. In practice we're really knocking down shots but it's just something where, when we get in games, we just haven't made them. Last year at this time, when we went on our run in conference play, we made shots. Coverdale and Hornsby and those guys were making shots and we just haven't made shots this year. I don't know why, we get open looks and miss. We played Michigan State the other night and there were three open looks (that we missed)."
Regarding feeling pressure about the shooting:
"They shouldn't feel pressure at this point or at any point in the season, but sometimes you hear so much from people about not making shots, it's on your mind."
Regarding claiming leadership to take the pressure off the seniors and leaders on the court:
"I am the leader. I've been trying to get those guys to lead, but they are quiet guys. To get them to talk in practice is like pulling teeth and they look at me and I have to make sure I lead, and lead and lead. I was tired last night, felt like I had played a game. I just have to continue to get them to work, get in their stance, be in the right position. We have guys that are just quiet guys."
Regarding Hornsby's role as coming off the bench:
"Hopefully he makes some shots for us. I think he'll get some time. He didn't get much last night. He'll time will go up because I play Marshall (Strickland) and Donald (Perry) at the point and Coverdale, Bracey and Hornsby at the other guard spots."
Regarding George Leach's play in the final ten minutes of the first half, rather than as a starter:
"He's got to develop more, concentrate more. He's got to stay solid defensively and not go for every shot fake, you've got to pick and choose when you're going to go up and block a shot. We're just trying to bring him on and hopefully he'll catch on to what we're trying to teach him."
