Postgame Quotes: Sam Houston

Postgame Quotes
Indiana vs. Sam Houston
Dec. 3, 2024

MIKE WOODSON | INDIANA HEAD COACH
Q. On the bench's production…
WOODSON: I thought it was a total team effort on everybody's part. Helps when your bench come off and play the way they did. (Luke) Goode was fantastic tonight, but everybody off the bench played well.

You know, I'm pleased with our play on both ends of the floor. The one thing I, when I look at the box score, giving up 46 points in a half, that's a bit too much for any team.

We really got to focus in on trying to limit teams between 35, 34, 35 points a half. You do that, you put yourself in position to win a lot of games.

Q. On Anthony Leal playing a season-high 25 minutes…
WOODSON: I decided to play him tonight.

Q. Why?
WOODSON: Because I decided to play him tonight, yeah.

Q. On the free throw consistency this season…
WOODSON: Again, you think back over the last two years, that's really been a problem for us. You know, we've given three, four, five games away over the last few years each season because of missed free throws.

That was one of the things going out into the portal this summer to try to find guys that you feel good about, when they step to the line, they make their free throws.

(Oumar) Ballo has been better this year, so very pleased about that as well.

Q. On Luke Goode's productivity when he shoots to this level…
WOODSON: Again, it opens up everything that you do from an offensive standpoint. You can take 30 threes and only make two or three. That doesn't do you any good.

We been shooting the three ball pretty well. (Luke) Goode is a big part of it. That was one of the reasons we went out to recruit him. Tonight, it showed big time for us. We benefited from it, him making the five threes that he made.

Q. On what he saw out of the different lineup variations…
WOODSON: Just the energy they gave early coming off the bench. I mean, they were into it and did a lot of good things, especially on the defensive end to get us a nice little cushion going into halftime.

I thought they had a lot to do with it.

Q. On if he tried to get Luke Goode different looks…
WOODSON: No, I ran a few plays for him where he was able to come off, but a lot we were pushing the pace. He got a few in transition. Couple -- one or two he got on kickouts from the post. Couple times I ran plays for him where he came off and made shots.

Kind of how we did in Providence in the Bahamas. Was the same thing. Been trying to get them running and get more screen action to get shots. Goode was good again tonight doing it.

Q. On what Luke Goode has meant to the team so far this season…
WOODSON: He's meant a lot. He was so happy when we recruited him to bring him back home. Once he got here, he's been everything that we thought he would be.

He struggled early, but it's a long season. I mean, tonight we benefited from (Luke) Goode making shots, I mean, what we expect him to do when he comes into the game.

Q. On what allowed Anthony Leal to be so impactful tonight…
WOODSON: Again, we're shorthanded. Gabe (Cupps) is not with us. Kanaan (Carlyle) is not with us. So, we went deep into the bench. Anthony has always been there when we needed him. I thought tonight he stepped up and played a solid game for us.

Q. On Myles Rice's bounce back from the Bahamas…
WOODSON: I mean, Myles (Rice) is still trying to figure out the surrounding pieces, you know what I mean? He's a good pick and roll guy that can get downhill as you saw today. He's capable of making shots.

He struggled in the Bahamas. You know, to see him come back tonight and play the way he did, I'm proud as hell of him. We just got to keep him headed in the right direction.

LUKE GOODE | SENIOR FORWARD & MALIK RENEAU | JUNIOR FORWARD
Q. On getting into a rhythm and continuing his success from the Bahamas
GOODE: Yeah, it's just a testament to the process. I believe in myself and know I'm one of the best shooters in the conference, and I feel that way every day.
I go through the same routine I do every day regardless of if I shoot well, if I shoot well, and approach the game that way.

It was good to see shots go down. Got to give a shoutout to my teammates. We really moved the ball well in transition. When you get easy transition threes it kind of gets you into a rhythm of the game.

Being able to see some go down at home is definitely great for the confidence, and I think everybody benefits. You saw Myles (Rice) get downhill. Malik (Reneau) and (Oumar) Ballo got easy looks. It helps the whole team when I'm able to hit shots.

Q. On getting to his spots…
GOODE: Yeah, it's super important. Transition buckets are one of the most important parts of the game on offense. It's when the defense isn't set and it's kind of a free for all.
So being able to get my feet set in transition and be able to knock down the shots is huge for our team. That's something I wasn't really able to do at home for the first whatever amount of games.

Coach Woodson and my teammates still have shots in me. Every time I miss a shot, give me high five and say, you're the best shooter that we know. This is what you do.
So it's a lot of confidence that they give me, and I'm very appreciative of that. I think it's a good thing.

Q. On the impact of Luke Goode's impact play off the bench to help the starters…
RENEAU: Yeah, like he said, it just opens up for everybody. Whether Myles (Rice) is getting downhill, open up little drop offs to the bigs, and stuff like that. It's not only in the game. I mean, Luke shows it in practice every single day, so he gives us that confidence when he's open, we know he's going to knock down the shot.

Even if he miss, we tell him, good shot, keep shooting. He's five out of seven today. Great day for him. That's all I can say. Good job.

Q. On what it means to him playing Indiana…
GOODE: Yeah, it's super special. The first game I played at home it was kind of cool. It was like a shock. I have pictures from me behind the bench at the game sitting in my uncle's seat when I was like ten years old. So, to be able to wear the candy stripes and go play, it's a dream come true.

I hope people realize that when I go out there and play. I play as hard as I possibly can when I'm on the court to represent this program the way it should be represented.
Being able to go out there and put that mentality with actually being able to hit a couple shots now is definitely a good thing.

Q. On the leadership role Luke Goode has taken so far…
RENEAU: A huge one. He's the one in the huddles, the meetings. He's always saying something to us, giving encouragement to the guys. It's been that way since the summertime. He's been trying to put us in the right position, because he's been on the -- what was it, Elite 8?

GOODE: Yeah, Elite 8, yeah.

RENEAU: An Elite Eight team. My bad. Sorry. He just knows what it takes to get to that stage. So just having Luke Goode as one of our leaders on the team just helps us out a lot.

Q. On having one big on the floor at a time…
RENEAU: Yeah, we definitely got to work on the two-big lineup for sure. When there is one big out there it flows better, more space out there for shooters and open up the floor. Yeah, me and Ballo definitely got to work on the two-big lineup so we can be a better presence with the two -- big lineup, too.

Q. Out being tougher since the Louisville game…
RENEAU: Definitely. I mean, after seeing the two losses we had where we didn't come out, lackadaisical and not ready to play, and being out-toughed.

I mean, we had group meetings and just we knew as individuals we got to pick all our stuff up as individuals.

So that's what we did. It showed today.

Q. On the impact of Anthony Leal's good minutes…
GOODE: Yeah, I think Anthony (Leal) is one of the best teammates I've ever played with. He is put in tough positions all the time. Being in the lineup, out of the lineup, being called on last year and making big plays. I remember sitting in the living room and watching him come in for that three-game stretch and literally winning the game for the team all three games.

When you have a guy like that that you can depend on that's so selfless to take a step back and not get minutes and still be a great teammate, and then to come in like he did today, it's special.

He played 25 minutes this game after not playing single minute in the Bahamas, and he was still a great teammate. When you have that and you have that winning mentality, you know, it really helps everybody else realize it's bigger than themselves.

That's the selflessness we need to keep portraying to the rest of the team and the rest of the guys.

Q. On reflecting back on the Bahamas and why the Louisville and Gonzaga games were a struggle…
GOODE: All toughness. I think we have one of the most talented teams in the country. The day that I got here every single guy that's getting major minutes and even the guys that aren't, the talent on this team is ridiculous. I think it's the best talent this program has had in a long time.

At the end of the day, it comes down to who plays the hardest. I think we just didn't play the hardest. It's something we fixed during the week. I think we came out today and played a lot harder on defense. Tweaked a couple things.

Coach Woodson obviously saw something that needed to change, and we changed that today. I think it's continuing to come in every day and be the hardest playing team. I think that's something we got to preach and that's why we lost those games.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

CHRIS MUDGE | SAM HOUSTON HEAD COACH
Q. On stopping the challenges Indiana presents…
MUDGE: Indiana is obviously excellent in transition, and we knew that going in, but we did a very bad job of guarding that tonight. They are athletic and do a phenomenal job of pushing ahead, and they exposed our poor transition defense.

They have multiple guys who can score the basketball. They put you in a place where you have to guard a lot of action and a lot of guys. In the half court, I thought we guarded them okay, but they made some tough shots because they have very good players. In the full court, we just did a bad job. Indiana is very good in the open court.

Q. On the impact of Luke Goode…
MUDGE: Watching film, I have always said "Wow, I really like this guy." I was hoping he would break out after playing us because he can really shoot the ball. He does a lot of winning things. He's tough, and he plays hard and he's a really good player. I expect him to make a big impact going forward.

Q. On what changed from Indiana's gameplan compared to the Bahamas
MUDGE: I thought they played defense better tonight and were really connected and did a good job on that side of the ball. I thought in the Bahamas, they were a little spread out and confused and discombobulated, but they got it all right tonight.

Players Mentioned

Luke Goode

Anthony Leal

Myles Rice

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