Indiana University Athletics
Postgame Quotes vs. Kennesaw State
12/23/2022 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Postgame Quotes
Indiana vs. Kennesaw State
Dec. 23, 2022
MIKE WOODSON | HEAD COACH
Q. On Tamar Bates' performance the past couple of games…
WOODSON: Well, I mean, guys are going to have to step up. We're a little shorthanded. Tamar is starting to figure it out. He's done some good things for us throughout the 13 games that we've played. It's just that his minutes now are going to increase because we're going to need him to step up and play and make plays for us.
Q. On facing adversity…
WOODSON: Again, I don't like to look backwards. Arizona and Kansas were two games that we just didn't show up. They taught us how to play hard in those two particular games.
I thought tonight, I tip my hat to Coach Rahim and his team because I thought they played harder than we did the first half. I thought the second half we started to lock in defensively and figure some things out. It didn't hurt that we were making some shots. That helped.
Q. On the second half offensive adjustments…
WOODSON: Well, again, I mean, we opened the floor up a little bit to get Schifino some room to work with the basketball, as well as Gallow. Tamar was on the back end of a lot of it, getting shots.
I ran a few things for Tamar to get shots, and he delivered for us. I thought Miller's shot coming down the stretch was one of the biggest shots of the game as well to give us a little bigger cushion to secure the win.
It was a total team effort. We just kind of opened the floor up a little bit offensively.
Q. On adjusting the offense before Big Ten play…
WOODSON: We got to get some healthy bodies back. That will help. I mean, the way teams are playing, when we had Trayce, hopefully he'll be back after the break, they were doubling. That's not going to change. Guys got to be able to make shots on the perimeter, it's just that simple, if we posting the ball some.
They doubled Race tonight. We got good looks and guys knocked some shots down, which we needed.
That's what's going to have to happen as we continue.
Q. On the status of Trayce Jackson-Davis…
WOODSON: That's what I'm hoping. I'm hoping this break will allow him to rest a little bit more and he come back ready to go.
Q. On Tamar Bates work ethic…
WOODSON: Again, all our guys work. I mean, they have to. It's mandatory that they work. So I'm not surprised. I mean, he's put in the time and he's getting some more minutes now. He's been able to knock some shots down for us.
But, I mean, it's what he's capable of doing. It's what I expect. When I run plays for him, I expect him to deliver. I thought tonight he did.
Q. On the team's focus for the next 13 days…
WOODSON: Well, again, they'll go home for three, four days, visit loved ones. I'll be here waiting on 'em.
I'm not going anywhere for Christmas. I'll be here in Bloomington.
When they get back, we'll start practicing on I think the 27th or 28th, get ready for the Big Ten run.
Q. On the importance of Tamar stepping up…
WOODSON: It's huge. Galloway is capable of making plays with the basketball. He's capable of getting into the teeth of the defense. I mean, we going to need him. CJ will see some action as we go along.
Based on matchups, maybe Kaleb Banks could be in there.
Right now when you have injuries, you just mix and match and you hope for the best. Guys got to be ready to play. That's all I can say.
Q. On the fans…
WOODSON: I thank all the fans for coming out. They didn't have to do that this evening to support us, the weather being so bad. I want to wish all the fans a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, as well as you guys.
Enjoy your time off.
TAMAR BATES | GUARD
Q. On the consistency of your offense…
BATES: Pretty much the same thing that I said in Vegas: it's not a secret recipe or any mystery as to why anything is going, I guess you could say, my way on the offensive end. It's just putting the work in, that's all, by myself, with the team. Also knowing that my teammates and the coaches have the confidence in me to go play my game.
Q. On the importance of your offensive contribution…
BATES: I mean, just depending on the floor, the game, I always want to try to pick my spots, do what I can to bring us some energy, because we needed that tonight.
It wasn't necessarily a slow start, but it just wasn't too much energy in the group on both ends of the floor. I just tried to find a way where I could bring a spark in. Tonight I was running the floor and getting on the rim.
Q. On how much confidence you have after hitting shots…
BATES: Honestly, I was really confident on the first three that I shot that went in and out. The pullup was in and out, too. I knew it was going to be a pretty solid shooting night.
But, yeah, I mean, I feel like that's pretty much the thing for anybody. If you see one fall, two fall, especially consecutively, you itching to get the next one up.
Q. On changing the nail, slot, rim assignments…
BATES: We always stick to what we want to do. Tonight we had to extend our nail a little bit because we were really deep on the free-throw line. We wanted to bring it out more where the three-point line is just so we could get out to the shooters a lot quicker. You saw they were making a lot of shots, a lot of threes. That's where most of their offense came from.
We always stick to what we want to do, but when adjustments need to be made, we'll do so.
Q. On your work ethic and mentality…
BATES: I just keep the same schedule, same routine for home games. It's hard for away games just 'cause the games are at different times.
I keep the same routine pretty much. I did the same thing last year, so... Just keeping the same routine every game just so it all feels the same coming into it.
Q. On your pre-practice stretching routine…
BATES: I mean, just 'cause I want to take care of my body, just be able to play, just be available like I always say.
I mean, we put so much work in on the court, in the weight room, we got to take some time to really rewind and take care of our bodies, stretch and recover.
Q. On where the stretching routine comes from…
BATES: I started, like, stretching, really trying to invest more in my body in high school, like my junior and senior year. More so my senior year because that's when I got more into the Yoga, meditation through my team. That was things we did two, three times a week.
Those habits just built over time. That's just something that is second nature now.
Q. On your field goal percentage and shot mechanics…
BATES: I wouldn't say I changed my shot mechanics. Just more so calming down and shooting the ball, having that mentality where just to shoot the ball in the game the same way when I'm in there working out and it's empty. That's pretty much it. Just calming down, not being so tense really, taking a lot of pressure off myself.
AMIR ABDUR-RAHIM | KENNESAW STATE HEAD COACH
Opening Statement…
ABDUR-RAHIM: Coming into a Big Ten environment in a facility like Assembly Hall, playing against a well-coached, talented Indiana team, I am really proud of our guys. To be tied at half time and to lead a good bit of the game like we did, we played hard. We just didn't make some shots we normally make tonight and that's part of it. But I was proud of our focus. I was proud of our effort. We just need to clean the little details up.
On the team's first-half defense…
ABDUR-RAHIM: I thought our connection on the defensive end in the first half was scrappy. We were tough, we were physical. I thought we did a really good job at limiting them to one shot. That's a big deal especially with us playing four guards and them playing two traditional bigs. So that's a big deal. We guarded in the first half to our expectation and standard. I thought the second half was we had some miss ques, miscommunication on some things that led to some open shots. You can't leave Miller Kopp, who is a really, really good shooter, open for the amount of threes that we gave up, I thought he did a really good job at opening the game up. We let, I say let, Tamar Bates, who I thought did a great job at establishing himself well in the second half and being a threat on the offensive end.
On Kasen Jenning's game…
ABDUR-RAHIM: Kasen, over the last three or four games, he has been as consistent as anybody. Kasen is continuously getting better. The thing that I love about Kasen is that he has been the first guy to the gym almost every day, even after the good games he has had. Kasen is coming along. He is growing. I am really proud of him tonight. He was steady for us. We need him to continue to play that way going into ASUN play.
Indiana vs. Kennesaw State
Dec. 23, 2022
MIKE WOODSON | HEAD COACH
Q. On Tamar Bates' performance the past couple of games…
WOODSON: Well, I mean, guys are going to have to step up. We're a little shorthanded. Tamar is starting to figure it out. He's done some good things for us throughout the 13 games that we've played. It's just that his minutes now are going to increase because we're going to need him to step up and play and make plays for us.
Q. On facing adversity…
WOODSON: Again, I don't like to look backwards. Arizona and Kansas were two games that we just didn't show up. They taught us how to play hard in those two particular games.
I thought tonight, I tip my hat to Coach Rahim and his team because I thought they played harder than we did the first half. I thought the second half we started to lock in defensively and figure some things out. It didn't hurt that we were making some shots. That helped.
Q. On the second half offensive adjustments…
WOODSON: Well, again, I mean, we opened the floor up a little bit to get Schifino some room to work with the basketball, as well as Gallow. Tamar was on the back end of a lot of it, getting shots.
I ran a few things for Tamar to get shots, and he delivered for us. I thought Miller's shot coming down the stretch was one of the biggest shots of the game as well to give us a little bigger cushion to secure the win.
It was a total team effort. We just kind of opened the floor up a little bit offensively.
Q. On adjusting the offense before Big Ten play…
WOODSON: We got to get some healthy bodies back. That will help. I mean, the way teams are playing, when we had Trayce, hopefully he'll be back after the break, they were doubling. That's not going to change. Guys got to be able to make shots on the perimeter, it's just that simple, if we posting the ball some.
They doubled Race tonight. We got good looks and guys knocked some shots down, which we needed.
That's what's going to have to happen as we continue.
Q. On the status of Trayce Jackson-Davis…
WOODSON: That's what I'm hoping. I'm hoping this break will allow him to rest a little bit more and he come back ready to go.
Q. On Tamar Bates work ethic…
WOODSON: Again, all our guys work. I mean, they have to. It's mandatory that they work. So I'm not surprised. I mean, he's put in the time and he's getting some more minutes now. He's been able to knock some shots down for us.
But, I mean, it's what he's capable of doing. It's what I expect. When I run plays for him, I expect him to deliver. I thought tonight he did.
Q. On the team's focus for the next 13 days…
WOODSON: Well, again, they'll go home for three, four days, visit loved ones. I'll be here waiting on 'em.
I'm not going anywhere for Christmas. I'll be here in Bloomington.
When they get back, we'll start practicing on I think the 27th or 28th, get ready for the Big Ten run.
Q. On the importance of Tamar stepping up…
WOODSON: It's huge. Galloway is capable of making plays with the basketball. He's capable of getting into the teeth of the defense. I mean, we going to need him. CJ will see some action as we go along.
Based on matchups, maybe Kaleb Banks could be in there.
Right now when you have injuries, you just mix and match and you hope for the best. Guys got to be ready to play. That's all I can say.
Q. On the fans…
WOODSON: I thank all the fans for coming out. They didn't have to do that this evening to support us, the weather being so bad. I want to wish all the fans a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, as well as you guys.
Enjoy your time off.
TAMAR BATES | GUARD
Q. On the consistency of your offense…
BATES: Pretty much the same thing that I said in Vegas: it's not a secret recipe or any mystery as to why anything is going, I guess you could say, my way on the offensive end. It's just putting the work in, that's all, by myself, with the team. Also knowing that my teammates and the coaches have the confidence in me to go play my game.
Q. On the importance of your offensive contribution…
BATES: I mean, just depending on the floor, the game, I always want to try to pick my spots, do what I can to bring us some energy, because we needed that tonight.
It wasn't necessarily a slow start, but it just wasn't too much energy in the group on both ends of the floor. I just tried to find a way where I could bring a spark in. Tonight I was running the floor and getting on the rim.
Q. On how much confidence you have after hitting shots…
BATES: Honestly, I was really confident on the first three that I shot that went in and out. The pullup was in and out, too. I knew it was going to be a pretty solid shooting night.
But, yeah, I mean, I feel like that's pretty much the thing for anybody. If you see one fall, two fall, especially consecutively, you itching to get the next one up.
Q. On changing the nail, slot, rim assignments…
BATES: We always stick to what we want to do. Tonight we had to extend our nail a little bit because we were really deep on the free-throw line. We wanted to bring it out more where the three-point line is just so we could get out to the shooters a lot quicker. You saw they were making a lot of shots, a lot of threes. That's where most of their offense came from.
We always stick to what we want to do, but when adjustments need to be made, we'll do so.
Q. On your work ethic and mentality…
BATES: I just keep the same schedule, same routine for home games. It's hard for away games just 'cause the games are at different times.
I keep the same routine pretty much. I did the same thing last year, so... Just keeping the same routine every game just so it all feels the same coming into it.
Q. On your pre-practice stretching routine…
BATES: I mean, just 'cause I want to take care of my body, just be able to play, just be available like I always say.
I mean, we put so much work in on the court, in the weight room, we got to take some time to really rewind and take care of our bodies, stretch and recover.
Q. On where the stretching routine comes from…
BATES: I started, like, stretching, really trying to invest more in my body in high school, like my junior and senior year. More so my senior year because that's when I got more into the Yoga, meditation through my team. That was things we did two, three times a week.
Those habits just built over time. That's just something that is second nature now.
Q. On your field goal percentage and shot mechanics…
BATES: I wouldn't say I changed my shot mechanics. Just more so calming down and shooting the ball, having that mentality where just to shoot the ball in the game the same way when I'm in there working out and it's empty. That's pretty much it. Just calming down, not being so tense really, taking a lot of pressure off myself.
AMIR ABDUR-RAHIM | KENNESAW STATE HEAD COACH
Opening Statement…
ABDUR-RAHIM: Coming into a Big Ten environment in a facility like Assembly Hall, playing against a well-coached, talented Indiana team, I am really proud of our guys. To be tied at half time and to lead a good bit of the game like we did, we played hard. We just didn't make some shots we normally make tonight and that's part of it. But I was proud of our focus. I was proud of our effort. We just need to clean the little details up.
On the team's first-half defense…
ABDUR-RAHIM: I thought our connection on the defensive end in the first half was scrappy. We were tough, we were physical. I thought we did a really good job at limiting them to one shot. That's a big deal especially with us playing four guards and them playing two traditional bigs. So that's a big deal. We guarded in the first half to our expectation and standard. I thought the second half was we had some miss ques, miscommunication on some things that led to some open shots. You can't leave Miller Kopp, who is a really, really good shooter, open for the amount of threes that we gave up, I thought he did a really good job at opening the game up. We let, I say let, Tamar Bates, who I thought did a great job at establishing himself well in the second half and being a threat on the offensive end.
On Kasen Jenning's game…
ABDUR-RAHIM: Kasen, over the last three or four games, he has been as consistent as anybody. Kasen is continuously getting better. The thing that I love about Kasen is that he has been the first guy to the gym almost every day, even after the good games he has had. Kasen is coming along. He is growing. I am really proud of him tonight. He was steady for us. We need him to continue to play that way going into ASUN play.
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