Indiana University Athletics
#IUBB Media Availability – March 1
3/1/2022 11:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Below is a full transcript of the Zoom press conference with Indiana head men's basketball coach Mike Woodson on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
Head Coach Mike Woodson
Q. On getting Rob Phinisee back…
WOODSON: It's huge. Rob has missed ten games. And we went through a stretch where we were close in games with Rob and Xavier Johnson on the floor -- and winning, which was kind of nice. But I haven't been able to get back to that here of late because Rob has been out.
But, yeah, it frees X up a lot more because he knows now he can stay aggressive. We got away with it in the Maryland game. X picked up two fouls early. And we really had nowhere else to go.
Q. On Trey Galloway…
WOODSON: He's got a high groin pull that's kind of way up in there. And he just hasn't been able to do anything, really. So, I can't tell you when the timetable is for him coming back, really. He's missed 13 games.
We came into this season thinking that he was going to be a really big part of our rotation. When we got him back, we were excited to see it but now he's out again.
Q. On how fast the first year has gone…
WOODSON: That's a great question. In the NBA you go through almost 100 games a year. I've done that for 34 years. So, this is kind of a piece of cake. In terms of an 82-game season versus a 30-game season.
And for me it's still just basketball. But the college game it gives you a lot more time to teach and prepare. And the pros, you don't sleep. You just constantly grind it.
Q. On not dwelling on the past…
WOODSON: You think about your everyday life, your own individual lives. Things that happened in the past, you can't go back, good or bad. You learn from the mistakes that you made in the past and you sometimes relive the good things. But you can't go back and get it. I just try to -- I think ahead, man. That's the makeup of how I've been from pretty much the time I left here and went into the NBA.
And you could probably say it started here because the crazy thing here was Knight never let you forget the past. I don't either when it comes to games. We always go back and we look at the game. I'm not going to ever let them forget that. Good or bad, we learn from watching film. And I've always thought that was a major tool.
But I can't live in the past. I've had a good run in terms of my life. And I take it a day at a time. And the fact I'm back here trying to push these guys to do the right things on and off the court, that's, to me, what it's about right now.
Q. On the progression in Xavier's game…
WOODSON: I watched him play at Pitt. And he played very loosely there, and I'm trying to get him to play more -- and that's no knock on the Pitt coach and how his system was set up -- I'm trying to get him to play non-reckless, where he's including his teammates and trying -- we're trying to make him a complete point guard.
A good point guard can get his own shots and can set up everybody else around him. That's what the good point guards do. That's something that we've been trying to teach him, when we brought him on board.
And he's had a roller-coaster ride. Early on, like you said, he got down there and he got stuck a lot of times, didn't have nowhere to go with the ball. Then he went through a phase where the game started to slow down and he started seeing things around him as well as when it was time to make the right play for himself.
And then he hit another stretch where it was the other way again. And now he's playing really good basketball for us, which is kind of nice to see.
Q. On the importance of ball security…
WOODSON: We pretty much have seen everything this season. I go back all the way to that St. John's game. And they made us have to play. We really prepared for them because the fact that they press and they do a lot of junk things that make you have to think about what you're doing on the floor. And it was a hell of a game.
And this team, it's no different. They press some. I watched them against Wisconsin and Purdue. They pressed a little bit. But they are, they're a good defensive team. They play hard. So, we're going to have to match their effort for 40 minutes in order to come out of here with a win.
Q. On Senior Day…
WOODSON: I haven't really had any discussions with them about it, to be honest with you. I think there will be a few players that take the senior walk. And, hey, I'm all for whatever they want to do. But at the end of the day, we've got to make the decisions as a staff with our program once the season is over with. And I'm sure there are going to be players that, with this portal thing you have no control. I mean, these guys can tell you one thing and do another. I mean, it's just a part of it.
So, I lost three players last, coming into this season, in the portal, which two gave me an opportunity to court them and try to get them to stay on and one left before I actually got the job. He already had his decision made.
So, it's chaotic right now in terms of how this thing is going to play out. And all I can do is wait until the season's over with and just see where we are as a ball club.
If there's guys that are going to take that walk tonight and -- tomorrow as a senior, then all I can do is wish them well and tell them that, hey, if there's anything I can do, I'm obligated as their coach to help them. It may be pursuing their basketball career or going into the job market. I'm obligated to help them do that. And I will. Whatever anybody decides to do if they want to leave.
But I can't really give you a definitive answer because, again, man, basketball is so different in regards to this portal and people being able to come back or leave.
So, at this stage, I'm just searching just like you guys are probably wanting answers. So that's where I am.
Q. On eliminating stagnant offense…
WOODSON: I think a lot of it is mental. When things get tight, you know, guys stop executing and moving. You can build a 27-point lead moving the ball and cutting and playing freely, then you should close it that way. And when things get a little tight -- a lot of it is because this team has never won, man. And guys are still searching and trying to figure it out.
And I get it. And I'm going to keep saying it. I've got to help them get over the hump. I don't care how you guys think and feel about it. It's my job to help them in that regard to relax and play like you got the lead. That's kind of how I've been the whole season.
When we've lost, we've been competitive. We've led in games and we played freely. And then when things got a little tight, we succumbed sometimes. And the beauty about the other night, you know, even though they cut it, we still made the plays that we had to make to bring it home.
Q. On Race Thompson…
WOODSON: He's been one of the most consistent players in the Big Ten. I mean, his numbers are very, very consistent in terms of how he's played. And we've all benefited from it. I don't think anybody saw that coming into this season.
Again, you've got to pat him on the butt and say, hey, job well done, still got a lot of work still left. But the work that he's put in in practice and on the floor has paid off for him and we've benefited from it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
Head Coach Mike Woodson
Q. On getting Rob Phinisee back…
WOODSON: It's huge. Rob has missed ten games. And we went through a stretch where we were close in games with Rob and Xavier Johnson on the floor -- and winning, which was kind of nice. But I haven't been able to get back to that here of late because Rob has been out.
But, yeah, it frees X up a lot more because he knows now he can stay aggressive. We got away with it in the Maryland game. X picked up two fouls early. And we really had nowhere else to go.
Q. On Trey Galloway…
WOODSON: He's got a high groin pull that's kind of way up in there. And he just hasn't been able to do anything, really. So, I can't tell you when the timetable is for him coming back, really. He's missed 13 games.
We came into this season thinking that he was going to be a really big part of our rotation. When we got him back, we were excited to see it but now he's out again.
Q. On how fast the first year has gone…
WOODSON: That's a great question. In the NBA you go through almost 100 games a year. I've done that for 34 years. So, this is kind of a piece of cake. In terms of an 82-game season versus a 30-game season.
And for me it's still just basketball. But the college game it gives you a lot more time to teach and prepare. And the pros, you don't sleep. You just constantly grind it.
Q. On not dwelling on the past…
WOODSON: You think about your everyday life, your own individual lives. Things that happened in the past, you can't go back, good or bad. You learn from the mistakes that you made in the past and you sometimes relive the good things. But you can't go back and get it. I just try to -- I think ahead, man. That's the makeup of how I've been from pretty much the time I left here and went into the NBA.
And you could probably say it started here because the crazy thing here was Knight never let you forget the past. I don't either when it comes to games. We always go back and we look at the game. I'm not going to ever let them forget that. Good or bad, we learn from watching film. And I've always thought that was a major tool.
But I can't live in the past. I've had a good run in terms of my life. And I take it a day at a time. And the fact I'm back here trying to push these guys to do the right things on and off the court, that's, to me, what it's about right now.
Q. On the progression in Xavier's game…
WOODSON: I watched him play at Pitt. And he played very loosely there, and I'm trying to get him to play more -- and that's no knock on the Pitt coach and how his system was set up -- I'm trying to get him to play non-reckless, where he's including his teammates and trying -- we're trying to make him a complete point guard.
A good point guard can get his own shots and can set up everybody else around him. That's what the good point guards do. That's something that we've been trying to teach him, when we brought him on board.
And he's had a roller-coaster ride. Early on, like you said, he got down there and he got stuck a lot of times, didn't have nowhere to go with the ball. Then he went through a phase where the game started to slow down and he started seeing things around him as well as when it was time to make the right play for himself.
And then he hit another stretch where it was the other way again. And now he's playing really good basketball for us, which is kind of nice to see.
Q. On the importance of ball security…
WOODSON: We pretty much have seen everything this season. I go back all the way to that St. John's game. And they made us have to play. We really prepared for them because the fact that they press and they do a lot of junk things that make you have to think about what you're doing on the floor. And it was a hell of a game.
And this team, it's no different. They press some. I watched them against Wisconsin and Purdue. They pressed a little bit. But they are, they're a good defensive team. They play hard. So, we're going to have to match their effort for 40 minutes in order to come out of here with a win.
Q. On Senior Day…
WOODSON: I haven't really had any discussions with them about it, to be honest with you. I think there will be a few players that take the senior walk. And, hey, I'm all for whatever they want to do. But at the end of the day, we've got to make the decisions as a staff with our program once the season is over with. And I'm sure there are going to be players that, with this portal thing you have no control. I mean, these guys can tell you one thing and do another. I mean, it's just a part of it.
So, I lost three players last, coming into this season, in the portal, which two gave me an opportunity to court them and try to get them to stay on and one left before I actually got the job. He already had his decision made.
So, it's chaotic right now in terms of how this thing is going to play out. And all I can do is wait until the season's over with and just see where we are as a ball club.
If there's guys that are going to take that walk tonight and -- tomorrow as a senior, then all I can do is wish them well and tell them that, hey, if there's anything I can do, I'm obligated as their coach to help them. It may be pursuing their basketball career or going into the job market. I'm obligated to help them do that. And I will. Whatever anybody decides to do if they want to leave.
But I can't really give you a definitive answer because, again, man, basketball is so different in regards to this portal and people being able to come back or leave.
So, at this stage, I'm just searching just like you guys are probably wanting answers. So that's where I am.
Q. On eliminating stagnant offense…
WOODSON: I think a lot of it is mental. When things get tight, you know, guys stop executing and moving. You can build a 27-point lead moving the ball and cutting and playing freely, then you should close it that way. And when things get a little tight -- a lot of it is because this team has never won, man. And guys are still searching and trying to figure it out.
And I get it. And I'm going to keep saying it. I've got to help them get over the hump. I don't care how you guys think and feel about it. It's my job to help them in that regard to relax and play like you got the lead. That's kind of how I've been the whole season.
When we've lost, we've been competitive. We've led in games and we played freely. And then when things got a little tight, we succumbed sometimes. And the beauty about the other night, you know, even though they cut it, we still made the plays that we had to make to bring it home.
Q. On Race Thompson…
WOODSON: He's been one of the most consistent players in the Big Ten. I mean, his numbers are very, very consistent in terms of how he's played. And we've all benefited from it. I don't think anybody saw that coming into this season.
Again, you've got to pat him on the butt and say, hey, job well done, still got a lot of work still left. But the work that he's put in in practice and on the floor has paid off for him and we've benefited from it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
Players Mentioned
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