Coach Davis Practice Quotes

Feb. 21, 2003

How do you feel going into Illinois?

"We have to win three games. We have to win two of three games, it doesn't matter when we win them just as long as we win them."

Do you feel Tom (Coverdale) is getting more comfortable being a vocal leader?

"He did a great job versus Iowa. He made some shots. When they made their run, I saw him step up and say some things to the guys on the floor. So it was good."

Do you think he is getting more comfortable with the shooting guard position?

"He should be. He played some point the other night also, but he was good. I thought he was really aggressive catching the basketball and looking for his shots."

How do you feel about this basically being you first bye of the season?

"The way we played the other night, I want to play again quick. It is tough, but it helps us to be a better team and give us these days to improve. It gives Bracey some rest with his back and George broke his nose again, so it gives him some rest. It is a good opportunity to get better."

Talk about the way George (Leach) played the other night.

"He scored some points and he blocked some shots that is what he did. I watched the tape, and he gave up a lot of baskets. He just doesn't play position basketball. What people see is the points that he scored when guys penetrated and found him open for dunks. I think five of his six baskets were dunks and the other was a layup. All six of them were passes from someone else. Defensively, he was probably no different than he was any other game."

Are you encouraged by George (Leach) offensively with taking the ball up and dunking it instead of taking a dribble?

"I want him to get to where he makes plays when guys pass the ball to him for an easy lay up or a dunk instead of him posting up and trying to make plays. He shot the ball nine times (against Iowa) and six of them were the straight passes, and the other shots were him trying to make plays in the post. He just has to get better from a position standpoint. Otherwise on film, I wasn't pleased. People say what are you talking about. Well when you give up lay up after lay up after lay up because you are out of position every time, you are not really pleased with that. The only way that we can be a really good basketball team is to play position basketball that is defense that is the way you get better. He didn't, the only thing he did was block some shots."

Will we see more zone since you debuted it the other night?

"I don't want to play zone, but the way we play position defense sometimes, we are going to have to play some zone. Even with the zone we are behind the guy in the post, which is unbelievable. How can you play a zone and have a guy and stand behind the guy? We did that with the zone and fouled the post guy in the zone. We are just trying to figure out a way to win a game that is all. Just patch it up as best you can and hope you win."

Kyle seemed feistier in practice today; do you need that out of him?

"We don't need that, a flagrant foul. He makes that play all the time in the game; he just doesn't get a flagrant foul. You want to see some guys have some spirit and some fight, but you want it to be in the right direction. You want guys to be smart."

Indiana University Athletics

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