Postgame Quotes: Winthrop
12/29/2024 5:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Postgame Quotes
Indiana vs. Winthrop
Dec. 29, 2024
MIKE WOODSON | INDIANA HEAD COACH
Q. On the sense of urgency…
WOODSON: Every game is important moving forward. Can't look back. Every game is important. We've got Rutgers coming in. That's my only focus right now.
Q. On Malik Reneau…
WOODSON: Kinds of flashbacks but thank God for Langdon. I thought he played his butt off. Gave him the game ball. Here is a guy who never complains. He works in practice. He came and gave us a big lift when we needed it. That's all about team. That goes a long way with me.
Q. On Oumar Ballo…
WOODSON: I'm not going to address that. But didn't have a lot of lead time. But that doesn't matter. You know, guys that are in uniform have got to play, and he didn't play tonight, and you know, we'll sit down tomorrow and address his situation and get ready for Rutgers.
Q. On shooting struggles…
WOODSON: I don't know. You know, shooting, it's a funny thing, man. They were all good looks. So I can't sit here and complain that they were bad shots.
They have just got to keep working, and eventually they will fall. That's how I think as a coach, the threes and the free throws. Because I thought the free throws beat us in the butt tonight.
But the positive behind tonight's game is that when they cut the lead to one, we didn't fold. We made the play that is we had to make. We went on a 7-0 run, and those are the things that I look at.
Q. On Myles Rice…
WOODSON: Well, we opened the floor up a little bit tonight. You know, I'm trying to get a mixture of posting the ball some and playing open court with the players that we do have.
That's why I think the 23s came in, and the looks that we had were really good. We've just got to mentally focus and make them. That would make life a lot better for me.
Q. On the 3-point shooting…
WOODSON: Well, again, you're always concerned about them. We're shooting them. And again, if they were bad threes, then I would really sit here and complain. But they were good threes, and I feel good about the guys that are shooting them.
So again, eventually, they are going to make them. That's how I think.
Q. On the rebounding…
WOODSON: Again, we didn't do all the things right from a defensive standpoint. This team came in averaging 86 points, and they were one of the top teams in the country in getting to the free throw line. Hell, they have shot over 200-some more free throws than most opponents that they have played. And that's tough to overcome when you've got a team that forces you to foul. And we were in foul trouble. There's no doubt about it, they put our bigs in foul trouble.
But we were able to overcome it, and still rebound the ball. You know, big fella gave us a great lift in that regard and got some putbacks here and there. I thought it was a solid win but we have to now put this game behind us and start thinking about Rutgers.
Q. On Kannan Carlyle…
WOODSON: He's not the only one. I mean, at one point, you know, we were shooting 37 percent from the three-point line, shooting 78 from the free throw line. So life was pretty good.
So I know it's there. You know, we've just got to go back and find it, and it starts against Rutgers.
LANGDON HATTON | SENIOR CENTER & MYLES RICE | REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE GUARD
Q. On the 3-point shooting…
RICE: The threes that we got were really good looks. I think over 75, 80 percent of them were really good looks. But I mean, yeah, as a player, when you see one go in, I think it's the same way. Like you see one go in, you feel good.
But we've just got to get over that mental hurdle and keep shooting. Because like I said we getting good shots and I feel comfortable with everybody who took threes tonight, and like I said, it was really good shots. We've just got to hit them.
Q. On being ready when number is called…
HATTON: So we knew Ballo would be questionable this morning. The coaches kind of let me know. Just treating practice every day as serious as you can just let's you be ready when your number is called.
Q. On attacking the rim…
RICE: I saw them pressuring me pretty much 75 percent of the length of the court. They were trying to pressure me at halfcourt, and to me, I found that like a little bit disrespectful just because of my speed and my quickness.
And I just saw my opportunities to attack whether they was trying to like stop me from going one way and I would just got other way. But any time anybody tries to pressure me full court, I feel like I have the advantage just because of my speed and my quickness.
Q. On getting the game ball…
HATTON: Being from Indiana, it's just a dream to even be on the team. So when your number gets called and you get a play, it's like a dream come true. So it's pretty awesome. Just excited to be able to help the team out.
Q. On playing hometown teams…
RICE: Well, I should have started this with my first answer. I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because he grants me the opportunity to go out here and play basketball.
But today is a special day in my family. It's my grandfather's birthday back in Aiken, South Carolina. I talked to him on Christmas, and then my birthday was the 27th, and I talked to him this morning.
So I just kind of like went out there and played for him a little bit more because it's his birthday.
But you know, playing against Winthrop, playing against South Carolina, it does have a little bit of good taste in my mouth because I've got a little bit bragging rights now. So it's always good to play against them.
Q. On what needs to be improved…
RICE: I think on the offensive end, we are as talented and we have as much firepower as anybody in the country. But it doesn't take just one side of the floor. It takes the other side as well.
So we have to be playing better defense. We have to contain the ball more from the perimeter guys. And down low, we've just got to make it harder for those guys to catch the ball so that way we are not playing from the back side or giving them easy looks.
It's not just one collective thing or one person doing one thing. It's like we all have to do our jobs better, and that's on the defensive side for sure and we've also got to rebound better.
I think gradually we've been getting better and better. We have a lot of close games. Teams are trying to come in here and win, as well. And I mean we just, like I said, game-by-game, I feel like we're improving. And over this break in the last couple, I'd say, days, or even last two weeks, I think we have been taking the strides to put our emphasis on that and get better.
Q. On the resume…
RICE: You've just got to focus on the next game. I mean, we can look at all the stats and the numbers can tell you everything.
But at the end of the day, if you win the game that's in front of you and you keep winning, that solves 99.9 percent of the problems. For us, it's just taking it day-by-day. We're not getting too caught up in the metrics, and like I said, we've got Rutgers next, and they are a really good team. Get back into Big Ten play and just focus for them.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
MARK PROSSER | WINTHROP HEAD COACH
Q. On preparing and playing against the Indiana small-ball lineup…
PROSSER: I don't think it changed a lot of what they did. The personnel was a little bit different. Obviously (Indiana) started a different lineup. I thought (Langdon Hatton) gave an unbelievable lift off of the bench. He made a huge impact on the game on the offensive glass. I didn't notice much of a change at all. We play that way. We play four guards and one what we call a big, a 6'7'' kid who weighs 200 pounds. That's how we play. We're comfortable doing that. At the end of the day, I thought we had some good looks that didn't go down. I'm sure (Indiana) feels the same way. It comes down to finishing possessions. They got a couple huge offensive rebounds down the stretch. It's always difficult to play without a terrific player (Oumar Ballo), and I thought they did that, but 12 gave them an unbelievable lift and made up for the production that you would get (With Ballo on the floor).
Q. On Indiana's poor shooting…
PROSSER: You're sort of hoping. They have terrific players. Those kids make those shots. We've seen them make those shots. We were a little fortunate tonight. They are so strong around the rim that you have. To make sure that you're taking that away. They did end up getting some looks at threes that I'm sure they feel typically would go down. Fortunately for us, they didn't. I feel that we competed and played hard and contested, but certainly the effort was at the defensive end. I think we settled in. in the first four-minute medias, they scored way too much. But I felt like we settled in, got some stops. The way that we play and the pace that we play with can wear on you a little bit. Maybe that was part of it too.
Indiana vs. Winthrop
Dec. 29, 2024
MIKE WOODSON | INDIANA HEAD COACH
Q. On the sense of urgency…
WOODSON: Every game is important moving forward. Can't look back. Every game is important. We've got Rutgers coming in. That's my only focus right now.
Q. On Malik Reneau…
WOODSON: Kinds of flashbacks but thank God for Langdon. I thought he played his butt off. Gave him the game ball. Here is a guy who never complains. He works in practice. He came and gave us a big lift when we needed it. That's all about team. That goes a long way with me.
Q. On Oumar Ballo…
WOODSON: I'm not going to address that. But didn't have a lot of lead time. But that doesn't matter. You know, guys that are in uniform have got to play, and he didn't play tonight, and you know, we'll sit down tomorrow and address his situation and get ready for Rutgers.
Q. On shooting struggles…
WOODSON: I don't know. You know, shooting, it's a funny thing, man. They were all good looks. So I can't sit here and complain that they were bad shots.
They have just got to keep working, and eventually they will fall. That's how I think as a coach, the threes and the free throws. Because I thought the free throws beat us in the butt tonight.
But the positive behind tonight's game is that when they cut the lead to one, we didn't fold. We made the play that is we had to make. We went on a 7-0 run, and those are the things that I look at.
Q. On Myles Rice…
WOODSON: Well, we opened the floor up a little bit tonight. You know, I'm trying to get a mixture of posting the ball some and playing open court with the players that we do have.
That's why I think the 23s came in, and the looks that we had were really good. We've just got to mentally focus and make them. That would make life a lot better for me.
Q. On the 3-point shooting…
WOODSON: Well, again, you're always concerned about them. We're shooting them. And again, if they were bad threes, then I would really sit here and complain. But they were good threes, and I feel good about the guys that are shooting them.
So again, eventually, they are going to make them. That's how I think.
Q. On the rebounding…
WOODSON: Again, we didn't do all the things right from a defensive standpoint. This team came in averaging 86 points, and they were one of the top teams in the country in getting to the free throw line. Hell, they have shot over 200-some more free throws than most opponents that they have played. And that's tough to overcome when you've got a team that forces you to foul. And we were in foul trouble. There's no doubt about it, they put our bigs in foul trouble.
But we were able to overcome it, and still rebound the ball. You know, big fella gave us a great lift in that regard and got some putbacks here and there. I thought it was a solid win but we have to now put this game behind us and start thinking about Rutgers.
Q. On Kannan Carlyle…
WOODSON: He's not the only one. I mean, at one point, you know, we were shooting 37 percent from the three-point line, shooting 78 from the free throw line. So life was pretty good.
So I know it's there. You know, we've just got to go back and find it, and it starts against Rutgers.
LANGDON HATTON | SENIOR CENTER & MYLES RICE | REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE GUARD
Q. On the 3-point shooting…
RICE: The threes that we got were really good looks. I think over 75, 80 percent of them were really good looks. But I mean, yeah, as a player, when you see one go in, I think it's the same way. Like you see one go in, you feel good.
But we've just got to get over that mental hurdle and keep shooting. Because like I said we getting good shots and I feel comfortable with everybody who took threes tonight, and like I said, it was really good shots. We've just got to hit them.
Q. On being ready when number is called…
HATTON: So we knew Ballo would be questionable this morning. The coaches kind of let me know. Just treating practice every day as serious as you can just let's you be ready when your number is called.
Q. On attacking the rim…
RICE: I saw them pressuring me pretty much 75 percent of the length of the court. They were trying to pressure me at halfcourt, and to me, I found that like a little bit disrespectful just because of my speed and my quickness.
And I just saw my opportunities to attack whether they was trying to like stop me from going one way and I would just got other way. But any time anybody tries to pressure me full court, I feel like I have the advantage just because of my speed and my quickness.
Q. On getting the game ball…
HATTON: Being from Indiana, it's just a dream to even be on the team. So when your number gets called and you get a play, it's like a dream come true. So it's pretty awesome. Just excited to be able to help the team out.
Q. On playing hometown teams…
RICE: Well, I should have started this with my first answer. I just want to give thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ because he grants me the opportunity to go out here and play basketball.
But today is a special day in my family. It's my grandfather's birthday back in Aiken, South Carolina. I talked to him on Christmas, and then my birthday was the 27th, and I talked to him this morning.
So I just kind of like went out there and played for him a little bit more because it's his birthday.
But you know, playing against Winthrop, playing against South Carolina, it does have a little bit of good taste in my mouth because I've got a little bit bragging rights now. So it's always good to play against them.
Q. On what needs to be improved…
RICE: I think on the offensive end, we are as talented and we have as much firepower as anybody in the country. But it doesn't take just one side of the floor. It takes the other side as well.
So we have to be playing better defense. We have to contain the ball more from the perimeter guys. And down low, we've just got to make it harder for those guys to catch the ball so that way we are not playing from the back side or giving them easy looks.
It's not just one collective thing or one person doing one thing. It's like we all have to do our jobs better, and that's on the defensive side for sure and we've also got to rebound better.
I think gradually we've been getting better and better. We have a lot of close games. Teams are trying to come in here and win, as well. And I mean we just, like I said, game-by-game, I feel like we're improving. And over this break in the last couple, I'd say, days, or even last two weeks, I think we have been taking the strides to put our emphasis on that and get better.
Q. On the resume…
RICE: You've just got to focus on the next game. I mean, we can look at all the stats and the numbers can tell you everything.
But at the end of the day, if you win the game that's in front of you and you keep winning, that solves 99.9 percent of the problems. For us, it's just taking it day-by-day. We're not getting too caught up in the metrics, and like I said, we've got Rutgers next, and they are a really good team. Get back into Big Ten play and just focus for them.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
MARK PROSSER | WINTHROP HEAD COACH
Q. On preparing and playing against the Indiana small-ball lineup…
PROSSER: I don't think it changed a lot of what they did. The personnel was a little bit different. Obviously (Indiana) started a different lineup. I thought (Langdon Hatton) gave an unbelievable lift off of the bench. He made a huge impact on the game on the offensive glass. I didn't notice much of a change at all. We play that way. We play four guards and one what we call a big, a 6'7'' kid who weighs 200 pounds. That's how we play. We're comfortable doing that. At the end of the day, I thought we had some good looks that didn't go down. I'm sure (Indiana) feels the same way. It comes down to finishing possessions. They got a couple huge offensive rebounds down the stretch. It's always difficult to play without a terrific player (Oumar Ballo), and I thought they did that, but 12 gave them an unbelievable lift and made up for the production that you would get (With Ballo on the floor).
Q. On Indiana's poor shooting…
PROSSER: You're sort of hoping. They have terrific players. Those kids make those shots. We've seen them make those shots. We were a little fortunate tonight. They are so strong around the rim that you have. To make sure that you're taking that away. They did end up getting some looks at threes that I'm sure they feel typically would go down. Fortunately for us, they didn't. I feel that we competed and played hard and contested, but certainly the effort was at the defensive end. I think we settled in. in the first four-minute medias, they scored way too much. But I felt like we settled in, got some stops. The way that we play and the pace that we play with can wear on you a little bit. Maybe that was part of it too.
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