Colorado, Longwood Quotes
December 19, 2010 | Men's Basketball
Colorado Head Coach Tad Boyle
Opening statement-"I think we are starting to feel each other, and feel for each other on the floor. We're executing at a pretty high level offensively. We're moving the ball well and sharing the ball. I think offensively we've made some great strides in the last two-and-a-half to three weeks. One of the things we talked about with about three minutes left in the first half was finishing things. We talk a lot about finishing work outs, finishing practice, and we wanted to finish the first half. At halftime we talked about finishing the game. I think we really did that and the kids rose to that challenge."
On Levi Knutson's shooting percentage-"It's amazing because he shoots that way in practice. He is just feeling it. I'm not sure he can keep this up, but we hope he can. The thing is, he is taking good shots, he is taking them in a rhythm, and he is changing them within the confines of the offense. He's not forcing things, and when you do that, your percentage goes up dramatically."
On the team's shot selection-"I think sometimes we take quick shots, but I don't think since the Harvard game I can count on one hand the number of bad shots we have taken. We've talked about it. We've kind of defined what it is, so the guys know. I do think sometimes, especially in games like this, when it gets out of hand like this, human nature is to shoot quicker. We did that a little bit tonight. Going into the second half, I thought we shot it well, and there is a difference between a quick shot and a bad shot."
On improving post defense from the Citadel game-"In the second half, I saw improvement. [Antwan] Carter got in some foul trouble, and I thought he didn't make any big-time moves over us tonight. We were conscious of them, and our guys are really taking to the challenge that we are giving them on the post defense. I felt what we did in the first half is that we let them in for layups, and that's what we can't do. We have to make guys earn them down there on the block. Part of it was our post defense. Part of it was that our help wasn't there. That is going to be an area of concern for us that we will have to be aware of every game that we go into. The two things that we always write on the board are: 'transition defense' and 'post defense,' also 'guard the ball.' Those are the things, every day, every game, that we are going to have to do."
On New Mexico-"I think it's a great time for us. We're ready for it. I think our players are ready for it, ready to make a statement. This is going to be a great opportunity and a great challenge. We have a lot of respect for that program and the players. They won thirty games last year. They are an NCAA tournament caliber team. It is a great opportunity to go on the road and play them on a neutral floor."
On the players' comfort with their roles on the team-"I think it's getting more defined. When we have more balance-tonight we had six guys in double figures-and if you're an opposing coach and you look at tonight's box score, you have a lot of guys that you need to be concerned with. That can hurt you. When we are balanced, we're good. Part of the role is to do your job and let the game come to you. I think our guys know in tight games and late in the shot clock when we have the ball in Cory [Higgins] or Alec's [Burks] hands, or even Nate's hands, he is a good distributor. Marcus [Relphorde], and then Levi [Knuston] and Austin [Dufault], can be beneficiaries of those plays. I think the roles are getting more defined as the season goes on."
Longwood Head Coach Mike Gillian
On how Colorado and New Mexico match up-"It's an interesting comparison. At New Mexico, they have more size. The styles of play are significantly different, I think. What they do at New Mexico with those four guys, is they rotate through those two post positions. It gives them maybe a little more scoring in around the basket. It also gives space for those perimeter players to operate, and they play very efficiently. The one similarity is that it looks to me like this Colorado team plays very efficiently. There's not a lot of forcing of the action. I've been following along, and I know they had the game at Harvard. When they play at home, they develop a little bit more flow to what they are doing. That is evident right now. They're playing with confidence right now, shooting the ball well. Those perimeter guys will be an interesting matchup. I think here at Colorado, [Alec] Burks and [Cory] Higgins may be a little more experienced, and that certainly should help them. I would have to give an inside edge to New Mexico and the perimeter edge to Colorado. It will be a game that should be a pretty even matchup."
On shooting 32.4 percent from the field in the second half-"One of those things for us is when we get in adverse circumstances, we tend to rush a little bit and get behind. When you have a stoppage, at halftime or whatever it is, you realize that your chances of winning the game are a little more limited. There is a little more rushing, and the shot selection is not as good. We're capable of making and getting shots, but for us, defense is a little more important. I'm not so sure that there was a particular adjustment. That's probably a little more of us rushing and not taking the quality of shots that we were taking earlier on."
"A part of what leads to good field goal percentage is that we can throw it to Antwan Carter, and he can score. When he is removed from the game, a high-percentage scoring option is not on the court for us. It puts a little more pressure on the outside, so I think that makes it tougher as well."
On Jeremiah Bowman's performance-"He's a talented player. He's a bit older, because he has been in junior college, and he has been out of high school for three years. It's his first year with us, so there was a little bit of an adjustment. He has been a little bit banged up, but I think he is feeling a little better now. He played fairly well, and we still need to get better at what we are doing too, so as we work toward that I think he will continue to improve, and will just get better and better."
On what led to Colorado's 16-0 run in the first half-"Good players, good energy, and they made some shots. We have had these kinds of things, especially against high-profile teams. We have that run that goes against us, and in order for us to compete, we can't have that, obviously."
Colorado Student Athletes
Levi Knutson, Senior, Guard
ON TEAM'S CONFIDENCE HEADING INTO THE LAS VEGAS CLASSIC-"We needed to take care of business here at home. Obviously we've got some tests here on the road now to prove ourselves, and that gives us a lot of confidence heading into Vegas."
ON HIS HIGH SHOOTING PERCENTAGE IN RECENT GAMES-"It's been fun to make shots. It's been fun to play with these guys. We've got a lot of good play-makers on the team. That's the best part about it when we're playing and nobody's caring who's scoring and who's making shots, it's just a team effort."
ON HIS IMPROVEMENTS FROM PREVIOUS SEASONS-"I think I've gained a lot of confidence, but that's just gained by playing with your teammates every day and getting in the gym."
ON CONTINUING TO IMPROVE AS A TEAM-"We have to play together every game and we have to defend together every game. We do that but it doesn't really sink in until you hit a few bumps in the road like we did at the beginning of the season. I think we learn from it and hopefully move on from it."
ON THE TEAM'S BALANCED PLAY-"Everybody wants to play. There's no secret about that. Everybody is putting in the work at practice. When all those guys running scout a lot of times at practice get in the game, it's great for the team's chemistry."
ON PRACTICE COMPETITION-"I think we've been pretty competitive since I've been here in practice. Everybody's in it together, but we also want to make each other better in practice. We've got a lot of guys that can't play this year Sabatino [Chen], Carlon [Brown], Hassan [Safieddine]. Those are competitive guys. You don't see them out on the floor because they can't play this year, but those guys deserve a lot of credit for bringing it every day in practice."
ON FOCUSING ON OPPONENTS' POST PLAYERS-"We have to have ball pressure to not let it come in too easily to the post. We also have to see what's coming from the weak side, so it's two, three or four guys defending the posts. It's not just the guy who's on the 'big' who needs to stop him from scoring."
ON HIS OFFENSIVE CONFIDENCE-"I've been confident in my ability to make shots, and these guys are all making plays and making plays for each other, so it's been pretty consistent."
ON THE TEAM'S OFFENSIVE PLAYS THIS SEASON COMPARED TO LAST-"I'd say we play a little faster paced and we're trying to push the pace a little more this year, so obviously there will be more possessions in the game. We were an efficient offense last year too though."
Andre Roberson, Freshman, Guard
ON THE TEAM'S OFFENSIVE FLUIDITY-"Overall everybody just feels comfortable with the way Coach is coaching us and how well we can just play and not think about it."
ON HIS IMPROVEMENT FROM THREE-POINT RANGE-"I'm trying to improve my game and taking tips from Levi [Knutson]. Just trying to do the things I need to do to improve."
Alec Burks, Sophomore, Guard
ON THE UPCOMING LAS VEGAS CLASSIC-"I think it will be a good opportunity to see how we've improved. I feel like we will do well too."
ON THE TEAM'S BALANCED PLAY-"I don't really have to do anything. Everyone is scoring. We're a good balanced team right now."
