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On what happened at 10 minutes in the first half when Colorado went zone:
“I thought once we were trying to figure out some substitution patterns, we knew going into the game tonight it would be first time we had our team on the same bench and we talked about it long and hard trying to figure out what would be the best way to do it to give every guy a chance to play well when they went out there and we definitely lost some of our rhythm, we started having some defensive breakdowns where when we were in some switching situations on the other end and we turned the ballover trying to do too much. They went zone and I don’t think that is what Tad wants to do, but he was willing to stay in it until we hurt it, which we never really did, and we wanted to get the ball in the middle which is what we have always done with it. I thought once we started missing those shots we had guys that were really hesitant to shoot those shots we needed to take and it affected us on the defensive end too where we got back on our heels, but you know they are going to make a run because they are too good of a team. We came out and got our transition going and doing a lot of good things, but once we started our substitute pattern that we have not had one bit of practice doing, that caught up with us and to take nothing away from them at all because I thought it was a really smart move on him to go zone because we haven’t had enough days since we were shut down to spend as much time on our zone offense as we had previously before we got shut down ourselves and we just weren’t sharp there. We got very hesitant and that’s something I am not concerned about, my biggest concern would be the fact that we didn’t rebound the ball the way we have to, to be the team we want to be, and that is probably the biggest disappointment is we didn’t rebound the ball the way we needed to.”
On what he liked about what they had defensively in the game, especially Jaden and Keon as they had some moments in the second half:
“That’s what they do, they really are good at ball hawking. they will get in there and we talk about tackling the ball, getting your guy in your grasp and try to take the ball away from them and both of those guys have that ability. I thought Jaden was good. He missed Friday’s workout not feeling well and then he came back, and I thought he really impacted the game. Both of them made one really big mistake they have to get out of, when they turn the ball over they went up to try to get it back and let the ball get behind them and both times we gave up baskets there, but I thought defensively they can do that and that’s where we think they can help us, but between them they had seven turnovers, that’s the biggest thing we try to talk to them about in practice because they are both too good of offensive players to continue to turn the ball over the way they do. Defensively I thought Jaden was good, Keon had his moments too but then he had some pretty bad moments where he turned it over then he panicked and threw it away again, but those guys will be fine because they are competitive and those guys have been affected by the shutdown more than anybody, they were getting into a good groove, then they missed two weeks, so they were effected more than anybody.”
On if he still expects to have a fluctuating lineup moving forward:
“We still are trying to get the best rotation going within our team that is what we have to figure out and I was really proud of VJ because he has always been more of an offensive minded player so I thought he came out and did a really nice job to start the game on McKinley Wright, who is arguably one of the best players in the Pac-12 and best players in the country, but I thought VJ set a really good tone for our team and making him work, and also getting it going offensively a little bit. I knew that because of the respect we have for Colorado that we would have to play some guys some heavy minutes, because right now what you don’t want to do is let those young guys get out there and make so many mistakes it just lingers in their mind for a long time and so we were trying to let them stay out as long as we could, but then you start seeing the patterns that develop in practice and you got to get them out, but I can see the lineup staying like this for a while or changing it, again we have to figure out our pattern and we don’t have it yet I can tell you that.”
On if he anticipates playing four guys 30 minutes or more going down moving forward, with the depth they have and once the younger guys get more acclimated:
“Yes, I do, there’s no doubt we expect it to go down, we don’t want anybody really above 32 minutes, but we felt tonight with Colorado they were going to force us to play guys that have experience big minutes, but we felt it was going to be a really close game as it was and we knew they were going to make a run to get back in it after we were up early and they did, but it’s not fair to put those young guys out there in some tight situations early in the year because like I said you don’t want to lose them with their confidence and the mistakes they made tonight I think they will be able to look at it and learn from it, but we need to get those minutes down. With Fulky, he hasn’t practiced since Friday, so I wasn’t surprised he wouldn’t be very good, I kept telling the coaches I hope you’re wrong, though I do think we responded at the end of the game he came up with a couple plays. Yves struggled, and as he senior he should never be tentative with the ball and he was a few times, but rebounding the ball we did a great job, EJ Anosike I thought for the first time out he did some really good things, he was shooting the ball in an area that we don’t want the elbow jumper we want him to be inside around the SEC, and he just wasn’t aware he was on the court attacking against a zone, but we want to use our depth and again this game was going to be tough and we knew it, but we felt like we would’ve been able to play some guys some more minutes but going forward we hope to do that.”
On effect of a different environment in TBA:
“Well, I do think it affects the guys who've been here before. Understanding what Thompson Boling Arena is like, if you bring it team like Colorado, it would have been packed house. The fact that we've been able to practice down here a little bit more, I thought they did a nice job with the crowd noise tonight. I didn't think it was overbearing I didn't think it was a major. I think it was what it had to be and I appreciate the fans that were here. It is what it is right now. Again, they get out there and start playing, people would probably be surprised even when the building is sold out and it’s crazy in there, what goes on between the lines sometimes, we're all oblivious to it. Until there's certain times—also you know you feed off the crowd and you do that, but we’ll learn a lot from this. It was different, it is definitely different I can tell you. It's a much different feeling I mean think about it, it’s December and we're just now playing our first game and I don't think any of us knew exactly what it was going to be like other than when we talked about it. They've seen enough games on TV to see some of it at other places, but it's definitely a different feeling and that's why I'm just glad that we're going to get some games going hopefully from here on out.”
On Yves Pons attacking the rim more:
“We talked to him a lot about that. I think that is where he's got to have that feel to know they were going let us catch it there and shoot it. We spend a lot of time in that area, but I would almost venture to say as much as anybody in country that those 8-10-foot range area there. We tell him if you go look for trouble you are going find it and if you are open just shoot the ball like you mean it. There is no reason to hesitate. We needed to get a little more rebounding out of it. If there’s anybody to blame for that is me because you know we worked on a lot of things we had two days prep to get ready for these guys and we did hit the zone because we felt like it's something that they could throw at us. We had to get a lot of things going to get ready to play and even though we know that Tad (Boyle) has not been a zone coach and we know what he prides himself in. We will be better against it; I really think that. When we got back control of the game is with our defense and we got out in transition and got more of an attack type mentality and we need to continue that when we get to the benches and guys come in. Some of these guys were tentative which you would expect, but we have got to get through that.
On defensive performance and Kim English scouting Colorado:
“Whether Kim was there or whatever I mean they were scouted well. They knew what we wanted to do they had us scouted well. Kim knew what they were doing but he would have been able to do that whether he was with him or not. Like I said, I thought they did a nice job scouting us too. First, it was important I think that his relationship really got the game on to be quite honest with you. I cannot even begin to tell you what Mike Schwartz and Reece Steven have done to try to get a schedule. I mean constantly still talking, still trying to find a game that we can fit in at some point in time. So, we can at least get to 25. Ken did a nice job and I said before I do not think there is a better coaching staff in the country in terms of game preparation, getting guys to understand what we need to do to win and he knows those guys. He is still very close to that staff. He has got a great relationship with all of them. I respect them as much as anybody because I understand the way Tad does things and we need more guys in college basketball with Tad Boyle type character.”
On engagement of team on bench and from administrative standpoint:
“We got on our bench during one of the timeouts. We felt like when they made their run to get back in it, we were dead as a bench. It is different but still they should be very vocal. They've got be in it doing what they need to do. Like I said it's the first time that we've been together on the same bench around the court. I mean it's different it really is. We're trying to move people around during timeouts so guys are not sitting beside each other. Guys were conscientious, I'm not obviously, but people are working it trying to tell this guy sit here, this guy there so it's different, it really is it. The timeouts were ok because that's kind of how we normally would do it but the bench itself it is just different. Like I said, that's the first time we've done it. We had scrimmages but we've had both ends you know we work both ends and separated them, but I mean think about it I'm looking around trying to yell at guys to get in the game and I look up and Uros (Plavsic) is sitting on the baseline you know and I'm like you better get there and take you know take your sweats off when you get there. Jayden was trying to take his sweats off but he's going to run over there. So those are some things we have to talk about. We’re going to make sure they get to the table first, then worry about. The building is a little bit different. It’s probably not aswarm. It doesn't get as hot as it normally would because more people in there you know but the benches yeah, I'm going to have to get used to that too because I was looking around and trying to see guys and I wasn't sure where they were.”
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