University of Memphis Athletics
Post-Game Quotes
Dec 28, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2009
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Memphis Post-Game Quotes
Memphis 87, IUPUI 67
Memphis (9-2), IUPUI (9-5)
December 28, 2009
FedExForum
Memphis, Tenn.
Memphis Coach Josh Pastner
Quotes on IUPUI game
On perimeter defense and three-point shooting?
First, I was a little bit disappointed because we were up 13 with a chance to pull away, and we let them back in. The second part is that we shot 60 percent from three-point range. Our big three goals were to hold a team under 40 percent from the field, which we did. We wanted to hold them under 30 percent from three-point range, which we did not. They shot 38, 39 percent from three-point range, which is too good. The third thing is that we've got to hold our opponents to single-digit offensive rebounds, which we did not do.
Now, all that being said, winning is hard. We got the W. It's much better to win. No matter how you slice it up, we got the W. We did some good things. We made some shots. We did a good job on the glass offensively. We kept a lot of second and third opportunities alive, but for us, we have to hold teams under 40 percent from the field, under 30 percent from three-point range, and we have to keep them to single digits on the offensive glass.
On rebounding battle and whether or not facing IUPUI's zone will help them in upcoming Syracuse game?
There were some things against the zone we did well and some things we didn't do well. A couple of times we got a little stagnant, and that's something we have to spend some time on. Our best zone offense is when we rebound the ball, push the ball ahead, and get the ball up the floor in order to create gaps. In order to do that, you have to get stops. The most important thing on the defensive end is getting stops. When you get stops that creates offense.
On assists in the past two games?
I give a lot of credit to Willie Kemp. He had eight assists and zero turnovers today, which is a terrific stat. He did a really nice job. I'm very proud of Willie and that's that.
On whether or not he'd have taken a 9-2 start looking at the schedule at the first of the season?
Absolutely. I'd have been doing jumping jacks and cartwheels down Beale Street. At 10 p.m. of course, not at midnight. I always tell the guys nothing good happens after midnight. To be 9-2 after 11 games is a credit to three areas. The most important area is players. Players win the games. That's the bottom line. Our staff has done a good job an unbelievable job with scouting reports. All three assistants have done a nice job. Tonight, Coach (Jack) Murphy had the scout. All three assistants have done a great job in preparing the guys and getting these guys better. The last thing, but maybe the most important to the players, the fan base was tremendous. You look at the crowd today of 17,000. Look at the crowd of Dec. 22 versus SEMO at noon. Here were two noon games in the middle of the holidays and we've got 15,000, 16,000, and 17,000 people here. That's why this is the most unique job in the country is because this is the city's team. The city is our sixth and seventh man. They do an amazing job rallying around this team. A debt of gratitude goes to this entire city, and this entire Tiger Nation fan base.
IUPUI Head Coach Ron Hunter
Postgame Quotes
What are your thoughts on the game?
"I thought our kids played hard. Memphis was 11 of 19 from the three and that was the difference in the game. We withstood their defensive pressure for the most part, but they killed us on the glass and they made threes. With those two things happening, you can't win."
Talk about the difference on the glass in the second half.
"We took better care of the basketball and made better decisions and calmed down in the second half. The good thing is we don't have to play Memphis in our conference. We can get better and get back to playing teams at our level in our conference. Hopefully, this will get us back on track in winning.
Talk about having four players finish in double figures.
"It wasn't so much the offense, we just didn't block out on the offensive glass and allowed to many threes. If you would have told me they would make 11 threes we wouldn't have come down here. They shot the ball extremely well, probably the best they have shot it all year."
You played a zone defense, was the zone the best way to go after Memphis?
"Well, we don't call it a zone because it is a matchup. Win, lose or draw, that's what we do and we pride ourselves on not giving up the three point shot, but they made it and we have to give them credit for that. If they don't make those shots, we probably have a chance. I haven't seen them shoot the ball this well all year and you have to give them credit for that."
The defense played well with contested shots, talk about the defensive pressure.
"They were contested shots, good shots. About four or five times I turned around and said that was good defense. In our conference, not many guys are going to make those shots. We went with a box and one and probably should have stayed in it a little while longer because it took (Eliiott Williams) out of the game. That kind of got us going again, but he is such a good player. Again, I think this was a good experience for our kids. We have a tough week to go on, but this was the best game of the week. We will see what happens from here."
