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[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFREEWMEGA8[/youtube]
(Opening statement)
"I'll start just talking about last week. We had a good road win against a tough South Carolina team. I thought maybe that was the hardest we competed for close to a full game as we have all season. I think we came back against Texas A&M. I thought we would be really fresh. We gave the guys basically two days off, Wednesday and Thursday. For whatever reason, we just looked in my mind a little bit sluggish, and give Texas A&M credit now. They start three seniors and two juniors or vice versa, but they are mature and very physically strong team. Qualls is the guy who is kind of like an old NFL quarterback. He just doesn't throw interceptions, he's played in big games, and it's hard to speed him up. I thought he did a great job of controlling the game. Obviously this week, we go to Arkansas on Tuesday. We played very well against them the first time here. We have to play even better, in my opinion, one of the toughest places in our league to play in, to give ourselves a chance in that game. Then Saturday, obviously Auburn at home, with the return of Coach Pearl; he has his team playing very hard and very well. It should be a great environment for us on Saturday."
(On coaching at Arkansas previously)
"When I was the assistant at LSU, we played there a couple times over my four years. We played at Arizona two years ago. In my opinion, those two places were the loudest two places I've ever played in. I'm sure it will be another very crazy atmosphere on Tuesday.
(On if home crowd makes Arkansas' style more effective)
"Absolutely. I've always said, even with us, our press is always going to better on our home floor because that extra energy and extra juice the players get from the home crowd. So there's no doubt about it their press will be that much better, and it was good here, but it will be even better on the road. When they make runs, they start chanting and all the things those fans do at Arkansas. It gets pretty electric in there. It will be tough.
(On "woo-pig-sooie")
"They get a little crazy in there. They just love basketball. Going back to Coach Richardson's days, they've had good teams, great players, and their home crowd has always been very good for them."
(On limiting Bobby Portis)
"The biggest thing with Bobby is keeping him off the glass. He averages about five offensive rebounds a game in conference play, which is maybe the most amazing stat of anyone in our league. That's a heck of a stat, five offensive rebounds. Our zone limits post guys touches to a point. So the biggest thing, would be working to front the post and limit his touches when he catches, we will double him and make him kick it out. But more importantly, is boxing him out and not letting him get offensive put-backs."
(On when teams face UT's zone defense a second time)
"There are so many great coaches in this league that I'm sure everyone will tweak some things once they see us a second time and we will have an opportunity to do the same thing from a defensive standpoint and then adjust what we do offensively based on how they guard us as well. That's the nature of coaching. One thing about Mike, he has always had a system and a style of play that he is very successful with. So I'm sure he will tweak a thing or two but if you asked him, I'm sure he would say, "Hey, we're going to do what we do, which is play extremely hard, force tempo and try to create turnovers." So there will be some adjustments, but I don't know if that will be a huge thing in this game."
(On danger of Michael Qualls versus Bobby Portis)
"Yeah, different guys though. I think Qualls is a great athlete that is probably more versatile. He is multi-dimensional in the different things he can do. He can drive it, he can shoot it, they can post him. He'll offensive rebound it. He plays the passing lanes exceptionally well to come up with steals. In different ways, yes, but Bobby Portis to me is a possible lottery pick. He is one of those special, special guys because at 6-10, his motor runs, which with a lot of guys, it doesn't run consistently. His does. And the fact that he is so skilled... he can step out and make 15- to 17-footers. He is a great passer. They both do a lot of different things, but both guys are pretty scary, I can tell you that."
(On how teams are playing Josh Richardson defensively)
"I think the biggest thing is that they are just trying to make Josh earn every dribble. Maybe give the defense too much credit in regard to playing what we call a man-and-a-half and cheating toward him. When he does put it on the deck, obviously teams are going to try to slap down and collapse to make him give the ball up. But that is every good guard on every good team. We're playing [Texas A&M guards] House and Caruso the same way other teams are playing Josh. We're going to play Qualls the same way other teams are playing Josh. It's the nature of coaches doing their jobs and trying to make good players play to their weaknesses or take their strengths away. Josh has just got to continue to understand, sometimes when he drives it and draws two or three guys on help, he has to make a teammate better. He is going to get his shots because he is going to play 35 to 36 minutes a game, but maybe not just force it like he has a time or two here lately."
(On Jabari McGhee definitely redshirting due to the foot injury he suffered in December)
"I don't know yet for sure. We'll probably have a better update on his foot at the end of next week. I really don't want to use that kid's year unless we have to. I just think he is going to be a good player for us down the road. As well as recruiting is going right now, I would just like to probably save him as we move forward."
(On if the team's 3-0 conference road record provides it with confidence going into Arkansas)
"I'd like to think we are confident, having won some games on the road. I was asking our staff the last couple of games, two of the three at least, we have almost played a little bit more nervous in front of our home crowd than we have on the road. I don't know if that is purely coincidental or if guys do feel a little more pressure at home because all the fans are here, and they want to do so well to keep them coming out, if you will. Maybe they put too much pressure on themselves. [Against] Alabama, didn't play our usual way. Certainly [didn't] against A&M [either]. Both teams deserve credit for that. [Against] Arkansas, we played well. Really, only one of the last three home games have we really played the way we went on the road and played. I hope that trend continues, at least up until Tuesday night."
(On if the team shoots better on the road)
"Very possible. I just think it's a young, inexperienced team trying to find their way. Every team and every kid has a different way of being prepared mentally, and maybe some of these newcomers are a little more nervous at home."
(On team's assertiveness against man-to-man versus zone defenses)
"Again, I thought [versus] Alabama, we just played and settled for jump shots. We weren't aggressive. I thought against Texas A&M, we stayed fairly aggressive. They are big inside and challenged some shots, but we stayed pretty aggressive and made some shots. Arkansas played mostly zone the last 10 to 12 minutes of that game, and we were aggressive and drove the ball and didn't settle. We are making progress. The biggest thing is we don't have a lot of playmakers. Josh is the one guy who can really create off the dribble, and the other guys are what I call shot-fake, one or two dribbles, then they either have to get a shot up or get it out of their hands. They will get better as their careers evolve and they get older, stronger and more mature. When you play against a zone, there is only so much you can do. You have to be able to punch those gaps, get inside the defense to draw fouls or kick it out for weak-side jump shots. Then, it is a matter of making those shots."
(On the future hopesof Tennessee basketball teams looking like theAlabama or Arkansas' lengthy rosters)
"Absolutely. I think that when you look at those teams both of them are big, strong guys with length. We got some long guys that are not big and strong yet. It is just a matter of growing and developing those guys. Alabama started three or four juniors and seniors. Texas A&M starters were juniors and seniors. With that experience and growth, three or four years in the weight room, it all adds up. In due time we will look like those teams."
(On the biggest problem during the second half of the Texas A&M game)
"The biggest thing early in the half was our transition defense which is usually a staple for us and how we guard and get back. We don't up easy baskets in transitions. The first four or five minutes ofthe second half we gave up three transition baskets. Really over the course of the last12 to 14minutes we did a decent job of making them miss the first shot, but we didn't block out and they would get second or third shot opportunities. You can't do that against a good physical team. We missed a ton of block outs in that game."
(On overcoming the lack of size to try to even the rebounding against SEC teams)
"We have to do a better job of blocking out. Our guards have to do a better job with what we call rebounding down. That being said, we played two of the more physical teams in our league with South Carolina and Texas A&M. Both those teams are strong physical teams that play very hard. There are going to be some nights that even though as hard as we are trying the lack of size and depth will take its toll."
(On the approach to the sometimes-quick turnaround between games against SEC teams)
"I don't think we came out flat. I just don't think we had as much energy as maybe we usually do or that we had hoped to have had with two days off. That is a tough call. I wrestle with that and lean on my staff asking their opinion.When you don't have a lot of depth and guys are playing significant minutes, which we have five or six that are, there is fine line between trying to rest them but then losing the edge a little bit.Or you aregrinding them so they keep their edge but then on game night maybe they are worn down and fatigue. So, that is the million dollar question. You just have to trust your instincts and have a good feel for your team. Let maybe the assistants talk to the players when I'm not around to see how they are feeling. Then add it all up and make a decision."
(On ever having a team before that felt more comfortable playing on the road than at home)
"Again, I'm not saying I definitely think that. That is a question I ask myself and our staff. I don't want to be one of those guys that we lose one and all of a sudden I got 20 different excuses. That is not what I'm about and I don't want to make it sound that way. I just think that maybe because we are at home and they want to play so well for our home fans that they play a little bit tight, if you will. I don't know if that is the case. We are 8-2 at home, so it is not like they have done that very night. You have to give the opponent credit. Alabama and Texas A&M are two good team.Their size and physicality has bothered us. So I don't know but we have to continue to get better every day. At Morehead State, Kenneth's (Faried) senior year which was our team that beat Louisville, we played Eastern Kentucky at home on national TV. We had like a 29 game home winning steak. We got beat by a team that we had beaten 9 out of the last 11 times we played them. Our team that particular game played nervous. It was a sold out crowd, the biggest crowd in the history of Morehead. We just didn't play well. We played tight, nervous, tried too hard or whatever you want to call it. We went on to win 11 of our next 13 game. Our loss was to Murray State for the title game at Murray and to Richmond to go to the Sweet Sixteen after we beat Louisville. It is basketball. You have to continue to grow, learn from the tape and let these guys get better. Hopefully we will win 11 of our last 13 here."
(On why the team has had so much success on true road games)
"I just think that our toughness at times as been a little bit of a difference. The environments we have played in have been tough and challenging. We have played good teams. We go on the road and I think we make ten threes at Mississippi State. That gets you over the hump. I think at South Carolina we had 11 there. That gets you over the hump. Shooting the ball well behind the three can help make up for some deficiencies in other areas. Like I always say, that is not going to be there very night. You have to be constant in your blocking out andrebounding the ball. We have also done that on the road for the most part."
