Was an interesting conversation with the head coach postgame...
Quote of the night, in my opinion:
"I told the guys when we went in the locker room that I love this team. I really do love this group, but that's not going to win. That's not going to win in the Big 12, what we did today. It's nice to win and learn. But that can't be our effort for 40 minutes as a team and I've got to do a better job with our preparedness as a group, that we have that urgency that we need on both sides. I mean, honestly, it was how loosely or with the basketball offensively that led to transition baskets. So I mean, it's not just your effort defensively. It's it's both and that's where this team will continue to improve."
On shots not going in:
"Yeah, that's a good question. And I need a watch the film to get the full scope of it, but it does feel like we're not making the extra pass. Honestly, it feels like there's a half second late on making the right read or a half second late on delivering the ball to the right guy on time and on target. And maybe we're half second on shooting the one that could be a better one for somebody else. I love this group. I do believe we'll get it right. We've got time to get it right. But we've got to do a better job of playing for each other."
Expanded thoughts on a similar topic of maybe oversharing the ball, question came from @J. Ramirez:
"It's both right. I mean, like then you're trying to overshare the basketball, I'm trying to find that balance. And honestly, we just we need more time together and this team will get better. They love each other and they care a lot about each other. And and our team can shoot really good. And it's just a matter of making sure we're getting the right shots and when we're getting them. I mean, this team we've had three different leading scorers, and every game, I think speaks to the ability of this roster and that's where maybe it is difficult to find the balance of who and how you want to do it. And I've got to do a better job. Honestly, giving us direction offensively to where it's simpler for us to make the right play."
On team rebounding:
"I mean, we're gonna have the team rebound. Honestly, just this inside. Trying to get a rotation the guys that have experience in size in can, you know, have proven that they have rebounded that at the highest level. I mean, that's, that's going to have to be us as a team. Obviously, Darrion stepped up in some crucial moments late, especially in coming down with basketballs in traffic, which, I mean, it's not like he's playing over the rim, he just has a knack. We didn't quite do as good a job as we did the other day and rebounding as a team. Our guards weren't as active as we were."
On defensive effort from Chance:
"we've definitely gotten better. I think that I thought their ability to drive the basketball caused us problems and kind of when the game got away from us, they really drove it hard and that's where the charge and being more physical and being there early and making them play through bodies. is got to be something we do better. Chance, given for example, he got driven a couple of times and he came out of the game and the first thing he said was like, Coach, I gotta do better. Guarding the ball being more physical. And that to me tells me we're gonna be really good."
On Warren Washington and the smaller rotation when he went down:
"That's something that we've got to improve on. And we've got to get better because when we do that Devan obviously offers different things. I mean, he can drive it he's he's a great cutter, he can make it open three. I've got to do a better job of helping him utilize his strengths when we go smaller. Part of it is the guard lineup that we have in there with them changes and then it highlights different streaks of other guys and that's where more time together I think will will help us with those different lineups."
On trip to Bahamas, four game stretch away from home:
"I think honestly, this team's walking out there looking around like how are we going to win right now? And trying to figure out like, what does it actually look like for 40 minutes? And we've got stretches where it's good for 20 and then we're like looking around like let's just see if we can you know keep playing good. And I think there's there will be a growth and urgency. And that's where film will really benefit us over the next few days. When we step into a really tough road swing where we're going to play four legit, Big 12 type teams. And how do you prepare every day? And how do you prepare every second when you play in that urgency? We're still trying to figure that out."
Quote of the night, in my opinion:
"I told the guys when we went in the locker room that I love this team. I really do love this group, but that's not going to win. That's not going to win in the Big 12, what we did today. It's nice to win and learn. But that can't be our effort for 40 minutes as a team and I've got to do a better job with our preparedness as a group, that we have that urgency that we need on both sides. I mean, honestly, it was how loosely or with the basketball offensively that led to transition baskets. So I mean, it's not just your effort defensively. It's it's both and that's where this team will continue to improve."
On shots not going in:
"Yeah, that's a good question. And I need a watch the film to get the full scope of it, but it does feel like we're not making the extra pass. Honestly, it feels like there's a half second late on making the right read or a half second late on delivering the ball to the right guy on time and on target. And maybe we're half second on shooting the one that could be a better one for somebody else. I love this group. I do believe we'll get it right. We've got time to get it right. But we've got to do a better job of playing for each other."
Expanded thoughts on a similar topic of maybe oversharing the ball, question came from @J. Ramirez:
"It's both right. I mean, like then you're trying to overshare the basketball, I'm trying to find that balance. And honestly, we just we need more time together and this team will get better. They love each other and they care a lot about each other. And and our team can shoot really good. And it's just a matter of making sure we're getting the right shots and when we're getting them. I mean, this team we've had three different leading scorers, and every game, I think speaks to the ability of this roster and that's where maybe it is difficult to find the balance of who and how you want to do it. And I've got to do a better job. Honestly, giving us direction offensively to where it's simpler for us to make the right play."
On team rebounding:
"I mean, we're gonna have the team rebound. Honestly, just this inside. Trying to get a rotation the guys that have experience in size in can, you know, have proven that they have rebounded that at the highest level. I mean, that's, that's going to have to be us as a team. Obviously, Darrion stepped up in some crucial moments late, especially in coming down with basketballs in traffic, which, I mean, it's not like he's playing over the rim, he just has a knack. We didn't quite do as good a job as we did the other day and rebounding as a team. Our guards weren't as active as we were."
On defensive effort from Chance:
"we've definitely gotten better. I think that I thought their ability to drive the basketball caused us problems and kind of when the game got away from us, they really drove it hard and that's where the charge and being more physical and being there early and making them play through bodies. is got to be something we do better. Chance, given for example, he got driven a couple of times and he came out of the game and the first thing he said was like, Coach, I gotta do better. Guarding the ball being more physical. And that to me tells me we're gonna be really good."
On Warren Washington and the smaller rotation when he went down:
"That's something that we've got to improve on. And we've got to get better because when we do that Devan obviously offers different things. I mean, he can drive it he's he's a great cutter, he can make it open three. I've got to do a better job of helping him utilize his strengths when we go smaller. Part of it is the guard lineup that we have in there with them changes and then it highlights different streaks of other guys and that's where more time together I think will will help us with those different lineups."
On trip to Bahamas, four game stretch away from home:
"I think honestly, this team's walking out there looking around like how are we going to win right now? And trying to figure out like, what does it actually look like for 40 minutes? And we've got stretches where it's good for 20 and then we're like looking around like let's just see if we can you know keep playing good. And I think there's there will be a growth and urgency. And that's where film will really benefit us over the next few days. When we step into a really tough road swing where we're going to play four legit, Big 12 type teams. And how do you prepare every day? And how do you prepare every second when you play in that urgency? We're still trying to figure that out."
