Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Teleconference Transcript Prior to the Big Ten Tournament
3/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 8, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana head coach Mike Davis and senior guard Marshall Strickland took part in a teleconference prior to the Big Ten Tournament slated for March 9-12 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Indiana tied for fourth in the Big Ten with Wisconsin at 9-7. The two teams will meet in the 4-5 game of the Big Ten Tournament at 2:30 p.m., on Friday, March 10. The game will be televised on ESPN and can be heard on the IU Radio Network. The following is a transcript from the teleconference.
Indiana Head Coach Mike Davis
On trying to stop Alando Tucker of Wisconsin:
MD: "He is one of the best players in our league. We have to try to contain him. He's been good his whole career at Wisconsin. You are not going to stop him so you have to try to contain him. We have to play the defense we know we can play. Our defense over the last four games has improved and that's the way we have to play."
On keys to making a run in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments:
MD: "I think with Marco (Killingsworth), Marshall (Strickland) and (Robert) Vaden we need them to score for us. I think both Marshall and Robert are looking for their shots more than they did at the beginning of the year. Early in the year they based their shots on catch and shoot type of shots. Now, our tempo is higher and Marco is only playing about 25 minutes. Marshall and Robert are playing about 37 minutes each and they are scoring a lot for us."
On the importance of Earl Calloway:
MD: "Earl (Calloway), from the standpoint of our tempo, is very important. He is a guy that can push the ball up the court for us. When he is in the game, our tempo is different and defenses have to get back quicker on us. Our wing players are doing a better job of running with Earl in transition. I think defensively he is getting better because he can match up with anyone from a speed standpoint. He makes us an up tempo type of team when he comes into the game for us."
Indiana Senior Marshall Strickland
On the importance of getting Marco Killingsworth involved with the offense:
MS: "It's really important. He plays an important role in our offense. We are always looking for him but Vaden and myself making shots opens up things for him inside. He does the same thing for us by making shots inside."
On the team's play over the last four games:
MS: "It's a great opportunity for my teammates and I. It's great to see the guys come together like this at the end of the year and go out like we are."
On the senior leadership going into post-season play:
MS: "It's great. We have guys with a lot of experience. We have Marco (Killingsworth) and Lewis (Monroe) who have played in the sweet 16. I've got Big Ten tournament experience so that will help our young guys to focus and play hard every game."
On importance of two road wins at Purdue and Michigan:
MS: "They were really important. We want to win every game. We want to come out and win this weekend too. We are going to play just as hard as we did on the road at Purdue and Michigan."
