March 6 Davis Quotes

March 6, 2003

It looks like you may face Penn State back to back - talk about that, what kind of challenges will that present?
" Well, we played Wisconsin twice, my first year, back to back, it is a basketball game and all you have to do is go out there and try to win it."

Do you feel that the team has been moving the ball better offensively?
"Yes, but we can get better in that area. We are still missing the open guys. We have guys that can really shoot the basketball so when they are open we've got to make sure that we get the ball to them a little quicker then we have been doing. But it is definitely better than two weeks ago."

Is that part of the reason why the team's percentage has increased as far as three-point shooting?
"Well we are just moving the ball better, hitting open guys and setting better screens. You can't get guys open unless you screen for them and now we have guys that come in, like Mike Roberts and A.J. Moye, that set those screens. When you set screens guys get the open look."

Regarding Bracey Wright exploring his options to get back surgery...
"I would rather him explore his options. Back surgery is a crucial thing so we will make sure that we look at every option before back surgery. Surgery is more like that last option. If he gets surgery it will take him like six weeks to recover so he's got plenty of time."

Does Bracey look now as healthy and in the same groove that he was in earlier this year?
"He looks good, he is creating opportunities for other players. I've said it from day one that if you lose by 20 points in a game and then have seven out of nine games on the road during that stretch, how good can you be."

You said that this is our month, why do you feel that way?
"Well, last year we played well in March and guys like Coverdale and Newton have been here before and you can see them excited about March."

Do you see this team understanding what it takes to play well in March?
"Oh yeah. I see it."

Does it scare you at all that these guys can just flip on a switch and just all of a sudden start playing better?
"Take Kirk Penney off of Wisconsin for two weeks with no play, take Cook of Illinois off for two weeks not playing at all because of his back and have him miss four games and the first three games back be on the road. Take Willie Deane off of Purdue and take Darby off of Ohio State and put them in the same situation that we were in and I guarantee that if they don't lose five games they will lose three or four and when you lose three or four the mind goes quick and you lose confidence and the fans lose confidence. And the thing that really hurts you more than anything is that when the players think that the fans are not backing them anymore. Everybody thinks that when a guy comes back from an injury they should come back 100 percent but nobody comes back 100 percent. We won three home games without Bracey, but that is exactly what it was, home games. With Bracey being back and Coverdale playing better, we look like a completely different basketball team."

Indiana University Athletics

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A.J. Moye

A.J. Moye

A.J. Moye

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Mike Roberts

Mike Roberts

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Bracey Wright

Bracey Wright

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