Coach Boeheim Quotes
Northern Colorado at Syracuse University
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, First Round
Thursday, Nov. 11, 2004
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Opening Statement:
“We got off to a great start and when that happens they (Northern Colorado) were just a little bit overwhelmed. We played well and everybody was sharp tonight. It was a really good overall team effort. We were better with the basketball and our defense was better. Everybody that played made a contribution. Now we will get ready to play Princeton. I thought both Princeton and Bucknell were very impressive tonight. I think that they are both teams that are going to win their leagues and be in the NCAA Tournament. We have our work cut out for us with Princeton. They execute as well, or better, than any team in the country. It will be a tremendous challenge for us on the defensive and offensive end of the court. They are very good on defense.”
On the Terrence Roberts injury:
“We really won’t know anything until tomorrow. I don’t think it is anything too bad. It is sprained and we will just have to wait and see how he feels tomorrow.”
On playing in the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament:
“It is a privilege to play in this tournament. It has raised a significant amount of money to fight cancer. It has certainly raised cancer awareness.
“The exposure that we will get by having early games like this is tremendous. I think this is a great way to start the season. It is great for the teams because you get a high level of competition in November. The fact that we can do some good is great.”
On the attitudes of the players at the start of the game:
“We were focused, but you never can tell until they start playing. We were sharp and executed really well. When you execute and then hit the shots then that’s how you get off to a great start.”
On the play of the sophomores:
“We are a team that is an ongoing work and we have a lot of work to do. In sports, everybody tends to get ahead of themselves. We are in November and we are miles from where we need to go. I think this group has worked hard at this stage, but we still have a lot of work to do. There are a lot of great games ahead of us and tough teams. The key for us is how we grow through the early parts of the season and into the conference games. We realize we have a lot of work ahead of us and we have to get better.”
On the play of the defense:
“Our defense was very good. I thought we were very active. We did make mistakes and they (Northern Colorado) missed shots. That can make your defense look better than it is.”
On freshman guard Josh Wright:
“He is learning and he has a lot to learn. He is a young player and he works hard. He has pretty good judgment, and he doesn’t usually make the same mistake twice. He has a good overall feel for the game.”
On Princeton:
“They are difficult to play against. I think they are the toughest team to guard in the country, because of their ball movement. They have a great coach (Joe Scott). He did the best coaching job in the country last year at Air Force. I really like their team. It is not just the system, they have really good players in the system. Their defense is exceptional, and it will be a great challenge tomorrow.”
On the 24-0 start to the game:
“We look at this game as an opportunity to work on our game and get better. When it is 24-0, you tell the players that it is 0-0, and the players understand that. The young guys can get in there and it is good experience for them.”
