Colorado University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Colorado-Stanford Post Game Quotes
February 15, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Colorado Head Coach Tad Boyle
General
"That was a relief. We needed that win bad. We got a chance to take a deep breath. What I liked about it is that I thought it was really a terrific team victory. Our bench played well. We had a lot of guys contribute. It's nice, when your team's been struggling, to see them rewarded for their hard work. Up until this point, this year, a lot of times we've been finding ways to lose games and tonight we found a way to win one. The reason that our whole team is predicated on defense and rebounding is for games like this, when you shoot under 33 percent and you win the game. You find a way to win the game and that's what they did. It showed great resolve. I really challenged them at halftime and the media timeouts in the second half about defense, defense, and defense. They just take that upon themselves to be a constant. Our offense will get better. I thought we got good shots. We just didn't make them, but we're not going to shoot 33 percent every time out."
On Team's Play In Close Games
"I told them at the last media timeout, these games are won by teams and players who make plays. We have to make winning plays. That means getting stops, taking charges, getting loose balls and long rebounds, knocking down free throws. So, you've got to find a way to win games. We've found ways to lose them this year and today we found a way to win it. For that, I'm really happy for our guys. I think that locker room needed it and they deserved it. It's nice to see them rewarded."
On F/G Xavier Johsnon's Play And First Double-Double Of The Season
"He had a bounce in his step. I thought his rebounding was one of the keys to the game. He got his hand on a lot of balls; he was active; he got some good put-backs for us. The question is: can he rebound like that and play with that kind of energy and enthusiasm every single night? That's the challenge for our whole team is consistently bringing that energy and effort. That's something we shouldn't really have to talk about. It was nice having him back and getting him positive. I thought his energy level was positive and when it's positive it helps our team and, when it's not positive, it doesn't help our team."
On Rotation Of Players Minutes
"I'm not sure that we have guys every single night that you know what you're going to get from. Tonight was one of those nights where I just played the guys who had the flow going. Dom Collier started the second half, came out, and didn't go back in. It wasn't because I was dissatisfied with the way he was playing, but because Xavier Talton was playing really well, making a couple shots and making some plays for us. So, I want to reward guys when they're playing well. That's what I want our players to understand. We don't predetermine our subs. Sometimes we do it with feel. As a coach, it's dangerous when you do that. Tonight, if they were playing well and had the "mojo" going, I wanted to stick with it. I didn't want to over-substitute. It's easier to do when you're playing well. I'm talking about defensively, I'm not talking about making shots, as long as we take good shots and making good shots."
University of Colorado Student-Athletes
Xavier Johnson, Junior, Forward
On Team Performance
"It feels great. We've been down pretty much the entire season and we have had a lot of close games that we should have won. We have had some games where we just have embarrassed this program. So, it just feels good to be able to come out here and put two halves together defensively. Offensively, we still shot terribly, but defense and rebounding is what we always preach so I'm glad we were able to come out and execute."
On Today's Win in Terms of Confidence
"It's huge. We are going on the road now, so hopefully we can carry this defensive (effort) to the road."
On What to Take Away From Today's Game
"I just feel like we just finally needed to do what we've been talking about. I feel like we have done a lot of talking lately as a team and we just need to start showing it more. We are going to try from here on out to focus on mostly on defensive rebounding. We aren't going to be able to shoot lights out every night, so we have to focus on what we can control."
On Personal Performance
"It felt good. I heard that I got my first double-double (of the season) today, so I am happy about that. I have to credit my teammates honestly though we came out and battled."
On Mental Toughness
"That is one of biggest aspects of our team is that we lose focus a lot; through a timeout or just simple things. I just feel like you need five players to be on the same page for a team to run, so if one person is off everything is off."
Xavier Talton, Junior, Guard
On Win Being a Turning Point
"It could be a start. Like Xavier Johnson just said, we have to take it on the road and prove ourselves there as well. It doesn't even start in the next game, it starts in practice."
On Defensive Performance Against the Top Scoring Team In the Conference
"One of the things we try and hang our hats on is our defense and rebounding. Coach always preaches that and its one thing we work on every day in practice. So for to be able to come out and put two halves together especially (playing against) the top scoring team in the league."
On What the Did Differently Against Stanford Defensively
"We didn't do anything differently then what we normally talk about. This is actually one of the only games that we have played where they didn't do anything special that we don't guard every day in practice; ball-screens, back-screens, etc. It was great for us to put forty minutes together. I think they shot around 30% and that's one of our numbers, we try and hold teams under a 40% shooting average a game and we executed that today."
Stanford Head Coach Johnny Dawkins
On Rebounding Being A Difference In The Game
"The thing that hurt us was offensive rebounds. They had 18 offensive boards. It was a huge difference in the ball game because they were able to get second and third shot attempts."
On Stanford F Stefan Nastic's Foul Trouble
"It definitely hurts us. He's our anchor in the middle and he boards for us. When he goes out (with foul trouble) that's definitely a blow for us."
On guarding CU G Askia Booker differently in the second half
"[Askia] Booker is one of the best guards in our conference so we just try to give him appropriate attention. We wanted to make sure we found where he was and stayed with him (in the second half)."