Indiana University Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Indiana vs. Northwestern
12/1/2018 3:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Indiana vs. Northwestern
Dec. 1, 2018
Postgame Quotes
Indiana Head Coach Archie Miller
COACH MILLER: Well, just a terrific game today played by both teams. Give Northwestern a lot of credit. I really like their team. Chris does a great job of how organized they are. And they have some really, really tough concepts to defend. And they do a great job of playing through Pardon, not only in the low post but obviously the high post as well.
They give you a lot of different feel. They give you a Princeton-esque type of feel; they can really control the game without really getting sped up. And I thought they did a great job coming in here and battling us.
For our guys to find a way to win a game in December, a conference game that's fought that hard, is a good thing, especially coming off a loss on Tuesday. A bounceback is what you need to sort of continue and gain confidence and keep working. That's what we're going to do.
We go to Penn State on Tuesday and that's going to be very, very difficult. And I just can't imagine playing in this league in January and February. I just don't see a team that's not very good.
So for us we've got one in the bag and we're happy about it, and we're going to try to get recovery and prepared the best we can and go on the road on Tuesday.
Q. Talk about when Juwan went down. How is he, if you know yet and the way you responded after he went down?
COACH MILLER: I don't know what happened to Juwan. And I'm not sure what the status is. I haven't had a chance to see him or the docs or the trainers. Knock on wood, we'll hope for the best. I didn't see it happen. I'm not real sure.
But you've just got to move through it. It's like he fouled out of the game and at that point in the last three and a half or four minutes kind of looked at the group that we had and said this is kind of how we're going to do it. And we stuck with those guys and did a good job defensively.
And guys made a couple of really good plays. Romeo obviously had a couple big finishes for us in the last couple minutes, stepped up and made plays. And De'Ron was really important; I wish I would have played him a lot more. He needed to be in there. And we're going to try and clearly work him in there more. We've got to have him different stretches, and being able to finish it out. Just find a way.
It's hard, man, you play a conference game like that this early in the season with that much at stake. It's an intensity level in there that's not like any other non-conference game, really. But I was proud of our guys. We had a lot of guys in there that have never been in that situation before in conference play. So they got some experience today.
Q. On the play you drew up for Romeo there to get the bucket, like 30 seconds left to go ahead, what was the look, what was the read, and what did you kind of draw up there?
COACH MILLER: You want me to give up the secret play? (Laughter).
Q. I guess --
COACH MILLER: We just tried to give him an opportunity to get downhill. De'Ron really did a great job on the play. He got the assist without having the ball in his hands. He did a great job of posting to kind of clear this guy out. I thought Romeo didn't take the normal stride one legged finish he needed to play through the contact on the drive he got downhill. Then on his second bounce he exploded up. He got a good look. It was an executed play. I thought De'Ron did a really good job on it, though.
Q. Having a guy like Juwan who can facilitate and score at the low post, what does that do for your offense to have someone that versatile?
COACH MILLER: You feel really comfortable being able to play through him, because he's an unselfish player and he's also a very good one-on-one player. He takes the pressure off the other guys at times. Able to play inside out. Able to get the ball to the paint where you can collapse them. And you just look at Northwestern's success with possessions going inside. It's hard. He's a good, big guy. Juwan is multifaceted. He can do a lot. I think he was 17 and -- what did he have today -- 17 and 12. And obviously he didn't play the last few minutes. But I needed to do a better job with Juwan. He needed a blow in that second half. And fighting life or death it feels like on every possession, you don't want to take your ace out. But he needed a couple of breathers in that game, which could have helped him, probably, a little more defensively.
But without question, he's easy to play through because he's an unselfish player.
Q. Archie, he's just the latest -- a number of guys have been hurt. Has the biggest challenge been keeping guys fresh or just having everybody build a unit, continuity, or what's been the biggest challenge?
COACH MILLER: You always play that game, 50/50 game of keeping guys fresh and avoiding tired legs. And you don't want to work them and what you lose is your edge, your execution, your competitiveness.
And we've battled the ups and downs playing here and playing there. And at times we've had four or five guys not in practice. That's difficult for any team, let alone a team that's trying to get kind of get (inaudible). But I would say the biggest struggle is trying to get that chemistry, that symmetry, both ends of the floor. But, most importantly, offensively right now, especially with some new guys in there who have never been in there before, whether that's a lineup of Romeo, Fitzner and Rob, with two veteran guys.
Those three guys don't know how to play together great. So we need to play more. I thought our last two practices leading into this game gave us a chance to play hard. Gave us a chance to be better on offense.
We still have way too many squandered possessions with just a crazy turnover that's a run-out, run down the other end.
If we can just somehow form or fashion really clean that up where we're eliminating the turnover that just gives them a break-away dunk or the back-to-back where you do -- you take a tough shot that had no chance of going in, you give up a 3, you're up 42-37 at the half. You have an opportunity with the ball in your hands two or three times and then you give them a 5-0 run right away.
We've got to be better. I think our staff understands how sharp we have to be as a staff. And our guys gotta know what they're looking for. We did a better job tonight. Only had 12 turnovers. And you knock on wood. You make a few more free throws in the game. Maybe it's a little bit easier for you to breathe.
But we were better. We've just got to continue to grow. As long as we have our bodies ready for practice, we have to be a program and a team that actually continues to work to evolve and works hard every day. I get the rest and all that stuff: We're on the road Monday night, travelling, but everyone is. So you have to find a way to be who you are. To me there's nothing more important than working hard every day as a group. Maybe that's why we're able to pull the game out today, because we had a lot of different guys in there, especially the last two minutes competing.
Q. Are you getting what you want out of Justin Smith right now?
COACH MILLER: He was good. He stepped up in the last four minutes when we needed him. Made a couple of big free throws and a couple of good drives where he was able to get to the line. He's not playing as confident as he once was.
We've got to get him trimmed back down in terms of taking care of the ball. I think if he takes care of the ball he's going to be fine. He's a driver. He's obviously over the rim. The more we can get him in transition, the better.
The other thing, obviously, today, a couple of quick fouls in the first half kind of removed him from that. I thought Evan stepped in the first half and did a nice job.
Q. You talked a little bit about the turnovers and kind of guys not maybe being used to playing together. Is there a correlation between those two things with maybe different lineups not having the reps together to where they're maybe having some turnovers?
COACH MILLER: Yeah. When you play -- when you play and you're in long stretches with certain groups, you kind of know how to play off of guys. You know who to trust. You obviously know who to pass the ball to when at times. I think when you're unfamiliar with the lineup or a group, maybe that pass that you're willing to make to somebody isn't the pass you're willing to make to this guy because you don't really know.
I think it all comes with time. We're getting completely tested right now. We're learning on the run. And this is a great film, obviously, with great opportunity for us to continue to kind of show how we have to play.
There were some good things in the game, too, that we did. But we'll see. We'll see. This team's gotta keep working, hopefully, knock on wood, we can stay healthy like everybody wants to and keep growing. But today was a big step. We got a good win. And I know each one of them will be hard moving forward.
Q. Not even about today, but Trayce Jackson-Davis getting him -- two-parter -- what does he do, to bring in a talent like that for next season? But what does it maybe say about your recruiting getting the five out of seven you got from in state and five high-profile guys as well?
COACH MILLER: Trayce, he was one of the very first couple young kids in the state that we targeted just in terms of saying that we want to have a good chance of building a rapport and relationship, because it wasn't going to be a real chance to recruit him and a real chance to spend some time with him early and his family.
We worked tirelessly, my staff did, with them. I have a great relationship with the family and Trayce. And to be able to get that caliber of player, obviously, from the state is huge.
Keeping guys here, playing here, is something that hopefully makes our job easy one day where you don't have to work very hard -- I don't want to say work very hard -- but you don't have to really stretch yourself when there's a great player.
He's got a lot of upside coming to him. Size. Athleticism. Length. Has got great hands. But more so than anything, I think it continues to hopefully build confidence that the best want to come here. And that's what we strive to do from day one. And we're going to continue to strive for that as we continue to move forward because that's what makes the most sense.
Q. Romeo, how much did Romeo, just getting him, getting that first guy here, did that help in any way with Trayce just having that first guy start the domino effect?
COACH MILLER: Without question. I think a guy like Damezi says he's coming. A guy like Rob says he's coming. Don't discount those guys either. Those guys are really important guys that we first got.
And obviously Romeo deciding to come here was a huge feather in the cap for our program. It's a huge feather in the cap for our staff.
But, you know, I would be -- I would probably be a fool to think that kids aren't looking at Romeo coming here as a positive.
I think I know the underclassmen in the state are watching him. And Trayce and he and Rob have a good relationship, as does Armaan Franklin. They've all really connected in the last year and some change. It's what you want. You want those guys to know each other, like each other. Want to play with one another.
But Romeo is a unique guy. As high caliber of a recruit as he is and as hyped as he is, he's even a better person. The guy's absolutely a heck of a guy to be around every day. He works hard. Doesn't say much. Continues to get better. Had his best all-around game tonight without question offensively and defensively. But he's a guy that just goes about things his own way. So he's easy to cheer for.
Q. Romeo, Juwan goes out with an injury. There's three minutes left. I think you had a driving layup. Can you talk about (indiscernible) and the ability for you individually and as a team to step up?
ROMEO LANGFORD: Yeah, Juwan went down, got injured. We just knew that it was crunch time and we still gotta do what it takes to win, and Coach drew a play up and we executed a play down low.
Q. So were you the option on that play? Was that was designed to get you that floater?
ROMEO LANGFORD: It was multiple options. It just happened I was open.
Q. Romeo, talk about the play, too, where it looked like you got just enough of a deflection on the ball to send it off (inaudible) out of bounds to get the possession back?
ROMEO LANGFORD: Yeah, out of a timeout, they went in to try and to post me up and I just was able to get around the screen and get a hand on the ball. And he was the last one to touch it. That was a big momentum change in the game.
Q. Did you reverse it or --
ROMEO LANGFORD: I now it was off of him, but I took it, tipped his fingers (inaudible).
Q. Especially with that final sequence it looked like out of the timeout when Juwan went back to the tunnel, coach kind of pulled you aside and said something to you, what did he say to you there?
ROMEO LANGFORD: He was talking about my defense.
Q. Was he looking for you to step up and kind of take over the game for Juwan or anything like that?
ROMEO LANGFORD: I feel like that was already stated without saying.
Q. Is this game symbolic, do you think, of how the Big Ten is going to be all year?
JUSTIN SMITH: Yeah, I would say so. I would say that this year the Big Ten is definitely, has a lot of very good teams, probably pretty much all the teams are very good and can do -- can win a game on any given night. It's going to be a dogfight every night, but we're ready for it.
Q. Devonte, the bench (indiscernible) more of the spark in this game than you were against Duke. Just what it felt like to get back out on the court and maybe your playing ability has shown up through today compared to other times.
DEVONTE GREEN: I wish I could bring a spark, coming off the bench or not, but I'm just working my way into it, both with injury and making open reads.
Q. Justin, you had a tough game at Duke. What have you been working on to get yourself going and get yourself back in the groove and playing like you're capable to playing?
JUWAN MORGAN: Just taking it day-by-day. We're working offensively and defensively to try to shore things up. Obviously turnovers are an issue right now, and we're kind of working just being in more in control and making better decisions when the ball -- when we have the ball and taking our time because I feel like recently we kind of rushed offensively. So just trying to just get in the groove, find the groove and stay within that for the rest of the time.
Q. Justin, just talk about your emotions or the team's emotions when Juwan goes down like that and just what you guys are thinking and all of that?
JUSTIN SMITH: Well, when we saw him go down, and there was definitely some concern. But we already know in any game it was next man up. Devonte came in, gave us what we needed off the bench. I don't know much about the injury. But we'll probably look at it later on. And I mean we just kind of just wanted to get out of here with the win.
Q. Devonte, (indiscernible) especially the second half spent a lot of time trying to implore you guys to move faster, to push the ball more. Why was it difficult for you guys to get that game going more quickly?
DEVONTE GREEN: I think just staying in our lanes and slowing us down a little bit. And I mean once we got it going we just kept rolling.
Q. There was one big transition basket they had after Romeo got the deflection out of bounds. They pressed and you guys broke the press. I think Rob found Justin for the (indiscernible) -- Justin, what did you see on that play and how did it feel to lay that ball there?
JUSTIN SMITH: They put five people in the front court, (indiscernible) to try to pressure the ball. We ran a lot of press break, and I was open down the floor. And Rob got me the ball and I made the bucket and got back on defense because they're going to (inaudible) down.
Q. Juwan's just the latest guy, you guys have had more injuries than I'm sure anybody has expected. What's been the biggest thing for you to overcome because of all the injuries?
DEVONTE GREEN: I think mentally staying together as a team, mentally staying with the everyday recovery. And being down a couple guys and mentally staying together as a team.
Q. Justin, on Pardon, what is it that he does that makes him a tough guy covering?
JUSTIN SMITH: He's very skilled at finishing around the basket. He made a lot of quick moves that I feel like caught whoever was guarding him off guard a little bit. And the way that they played, they left everybody off the baseline so it gives them a lot of room down low to be able to work and make a move and score the ball.
Q. Justin, free throws have been kind of shaky at times so far in the first month. Anything you guys do to address that? How do you fix that and make sure it gets ironed out here moving forward?
JUSTIN SMITH: We shoot free throws every day. We've just got to keep at it and eventually they're going to fall down. And we've just got to keep building our confidence as a team and our free throws and just take our time and get to the line, just make it; it's free.
Q. How much is that maybe a mental point at certain level?
JUSTIN SMITH: It could be. But I really don't know if it varies, but I mean we're shooting free throws every day, we're working on it. It's a big emphasis that Coach is putting into practice. And hopefully as we keep going we'll get in a groove on the free-throw line and we'll start knocking them down more consistently.
Q. Devonte, you're one of the veterans on this team. You've been through Big Ten before. How can having a close game like this to start the season, kind of get you guys ready for what's to come maybe the rest of the conference?
DEVONTE GREEN: It's definitely a reality check because if we're going to be coming down the wire almost every night maybe, like Justin said. Every team in the Big Ten is good and every single game is going to be a battle.
Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins
Opening Statement
"I thought today was a highly intense and highly competitive Big Ten basketball game. I am super proud of my team. We fought for 40 minutes in a tough environment with a great crowd. One of the best venues in all of college basketball. We battled for 40 minutes. It's a tie game with 2 minutes. We had a couple of possession and they also had a couple. Romeo made a big shot and that was the difference. I feel badly for our guys because I thought our effort was worthy of winning today. I thought we did everything we could do to put ourselves in a position to win and we just didn't finish the deal. You feel for your guys because they gave me all they had today, and I appreciate them for that.
What did you see on the Langford lay-up?
"It was a floater. It didn't really look like a lay-up. It was like a 12-14-foot floater. It's a hard shot. He is a good player, so he was able to get a little bit of separation in his right hand. I thought we did a good job on him most of the night. He is a terrific scorer and player. He made a leaning 14-foot shot under pressure. That's what really good players do. Credit to him for a big-time play."
After the ball went out of bounds with about 30 seconds left, were you guys looking to trap on the inbounds?
"Yes, we were trying to get one trap and then foul. It was Phinisee or Green, one of those guys, that I thought did a good job alluding. We got a great trap. I thought we had him hurried a little bit and then he scattered out of it. We wanted to take a foul at that point, but again he made a good play. That's where we have to get better. Then we came down and hit a three and gave ourselves chance. We got a miss and a shot in the air to win a game on the road. We have to learn from these game situations, there is no question about it. Executing at the end and getting the bucket late and getting stops when we need to. Again, I thought we played pretty well. But we can sit here and talk about all the things we didn't do, but sometimes you have to credit Indiana too. They are a good team and it was a dog fight. It went down to the last possession and they made a shot and beat us."
Did you see what happened to Morgan when you were looking at the game?
"It looked like it was maybe cramps or something. It looked like, I'm not sure. I hope it's nothing serious, I love Morgan. He's one of my favorite players to watch, his energy his skill. I really, I just saw him kind of go down by our bench and I don't want to speculate because I don't know what happen to him but he's a terrific player."
Has your team surprised you this year and are you surprised the way the Big Ten teams are playing so far?
"No, because I've always felt our league is a terrific league. I think 1-14. There's terrific coaches and what you have now in this league are programs. You know, you have coaches that have been placed for multiple years so you have programs. You have cultures in place at every school where people work hard. They play hard. They're locked in. They play together and every game is going to be like this. You know, every game this year. We're going to have 20 of these. And am I surprised by our guys? No. This is the character I knew we had in our locker room. We are a new team though and were still trying to figure out but I have tremendous character in that locker room and a lot of heart and were going to keep playing that way."
Did you go into this game planning to line through Derek the way that you guys did?
"Well yeah because we knew they were going to go at him so I mean when Morgan plays at the center position you know they feel they have a match up. Mismatch pretty much every night at that spot, and they do. But we felt we had to go back at him and keep him honest. You know, he's a four man playing five so I mean we wanted to attack him the same way they were attacking our big man.
