Colorado University Athletics
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Colorado-Colorado State Quotes
December 06, 2015 | Men's Basketball
On Second Half Adjustments
"We decided to come out and switch 1 through 5 in the second half, I thought that slowed them down. We wanted to make sure that if you're going to beat us, you'll beat us with contested two-point shots in the lane, not with threes.
"They were just getting to the rim at will, so I thought our big guys did a good job in the second half. They made tough shots, and our defense really stepped up in the second half and did a great job of fronting the post.
"We've got resolve and we've got toughness. That's what [this game] told me about this team. We've taken some guys' best shots – Auburn played really well against us in the first half against us, Colorado State just did, and Fort Lewis did the other night against us with 44 points in the first half, but if we come out in the second half and make the right adjustments, we're fine.
"The challenge is we have to do this for 20 minutes. But credit to Colorado State- Gian Clavell is one heck of a player, Gillon's a heck of a player. I asked our guys in the locker room, "I don't know how many Rhodes scholars we have in here, but it doesn't take one to figure out that Gillon is controlling this game by driving the ball to the basket, creating contact and the way the game is called and the way the rules are now, the advantage all goes to the offense, so I thought our guys did a much better job of attacking the paint in the second half and finishing strong.
"Josh Fortune is a good example – he's 0-5 from there but 5-6 from two. He got the ball to the rim in the second half and got to the free throw line. Dom [Collier] did the same. Our guys did the adjustments that we asked them to make in the second half."
On Similarities To The Auburn Game
"We were going to change at halftime. I didn't know what we were going to do, but we were gonna change our defensive ballscreen coverage because of the first half. And it's not what we do, it's how we do it. How we were doing it wasn't working. So I've got to credit our team.
"It's one game on our schedule, whether we won it or we lost it. I think we can gain some confidence from it and say hey, what we did against Auburn wasn't a fluke. We know that we'll be in this position again throughout the season…and we can come back. My college coach is in the Hall of Fame and he always said, 'coming back is easy, but coming back and winning is hard'. So I credit our players' toughness and resolve."
On being afraid of Gordon's three point shots
"No, because Wes is a good shooter. As long as they're good shots, and they're in rhythm, they're fine. That's why you've got to work on your game. If you recruit a big guy, you're not going to be stuck on the block. We'll try to get you the ball down low for mismatches, and we did a good job of that in the first half with Josh and Wes, but we'll want our big guys to step out and be perimeter threats as well, and Wesley showed that tonight."
On Different Players Stepping Up:
"The balance of this team is what will make this team really special. Wes Gordon, Tre'Shaun Fletcher, Josh Fortune, those wings off the bench…we've got a lot of different weapons on this team.
"I credit our bigs, I credit Dom (Collier), I thought Josh Fortune's defensive intensity – and Tre'Shaun Fletcher's on Clavell – those guys really tried to take a challenge on. I have not seen Josh Fortune that dialed in on the defensive end since he's been here. To me, that's a great sign of progress."
On Wesley Gordon:
"The way he rebounded the ball, the way he got us going – he made a couple jumpers there out of halftime, and shot them confidently.
"We want Wesley to be aggressive. When he plays like he did tonight, on the boards and offensively, he's a really good player. I mentioned he's an X-factor before, and he is. He has the capability to be as good as he wants to be, and hopefully he can use tonight as a springboard."
On Josh Scott:
"[CSU] fronts him, and they make him work for everything. Last year he got really frustrated, and this year he knew it was coming, he expected it and really made an effort on the offensive board."
On Coming Back From Double-Digit Deficit
"We were definitely in this position before in the Auburn game, I forgot the deficit but we were down by a lot and it hurt at half time. It hurt at half time today too but we all came together and said we needed to play harder and do the small things."
On Second Half Energy
"We just came out with pride and played with energy. We knew this was a big game of the year and we didn't want to lose. With that being said, we just came out and played hard."
On His First Rivalry Game Against CSU
"It was definitely what I expected. They beat us last year and I think we got them the year before last. So to get them this year feels pretty good."
On What this Game Meant for Josh Scott
"Yeah. Being his last time playing CSU, he wanted to win very bad. We all wanted to win but Coach Boyle and Josh [Scott] wanted to win the most because they both are Colorado natives."
On Making Shots After Halftime
"We had some key stops and they didn't shot the ball as well as they did in the first half, so we had to just capitalize on that. We needed to get to the line more and just play defense."
On Physicality of Today's Game
"Every game is different; every game is physical. We just have to stay focused and play our game."
On Half time Message
"We told us, obviously they shot the ball amazing, so he just told us to make them drive it to the basket and, when they do, to contest the shot."
Josh Scott
On What this Game Meant to Him
"In a way yes [this game did mean more than the last seven]. I have made my opinions clear, it means a lot to win against CSU. Last year we didn't have a very good taste in our mouth when they came and beat us in our house and this year we came out with the win. I am very happy."
On Difference of Halves
"We came out and guarded. I think our guards took it upon themselves to get stops. The game was won by them. They got stops. Wesley [Gordon] was aggressive. I have been telling people that Wesley Gordon is a force on offense and I think you saw that today. Those thing combined we got the win."
On Personal Performance
"That's just my game. I am not a big forcer; I am not going to press it in. I think that's the way basketball should be played, play within the team setting and things work out for you. You know there are probably going to be times where we will probably have to press but today was one of those things where you have to trust your teammates."
On Double- Digit Deficit Game
"I think in our heads it was like, "We've been there, we've done it and came out with the win." Auburn was no where near as hostile as this but there is no give up in us. Honestly, it's just one of those things where we just had to bring it in the second half and play with passion, which is what we did."
On Wesley Gordon
"Wesley can shoot. He shoots in practice all the time. Last year, I remember I had to yell at him like, 'You have to shoot it. You can shot,' and I think you are going to see more aggressive Wesley this year in general. People will not be ready and that is going to work in our benefit. He has the ability to make us go from a good team to a great team, that's just Wes. He is super talented and it's what he is capable of, probably even more. You are probably going to see some big games from him this year."
On Dominating the Boards
"With CSU you have to respect their rebounding ability, some of them do really well. For us, we knew that we were going to have to keep them off the boards, that's why we were in the weight room all summer. I remember just thinking after this game was over last year, I cannot wait for this game this year, and all that hard work paid off for us."
On Second Half Three Pointer
"I felt comfortable after that. I felt very confident in my jumper. It felt good seeing the ball go in. It just opened up opportunities for me to stay aggressive and show myself that there is no reason for me to be unconfident in my jumper and offensive game."
On Josh Scott Saying We Can See this More From Him
"Yeah that is what I have been hearing a lot in the locker room. I have to stay aggressive on offense and don't let missed shots affect me."
On Half Time Message
"Mental toughness and that we have been here before down in Auburn. We just have to stay together as a group and then we will come back. We knew that they weren't going to stay hot and that our defense was going to pick up, which is what happened."
On Personal Stats
"Yeah. I would like for them to go up faster but yes, I am slowly but surely coming."