Jim Boeheim Quotes Versus TCU
Coach Boeheim Post-Game Quotes
Syracuse vs. Texas Christian University
December 3, 2005
Carrier Dome – Syracuse, NY
Opening Statement:
“I thought Demetris (Nichols) really shot the ball well in the first half. He had really good looks. I thought Eric (Devendorf) shot the ball well the whole game. They changed defenses and played a lot of zone so we tried to keep our shooters in the game. Gerry (McNamara) didn’t shoot it well but he made good plays and I thought he did a good job of overcoming a bad shooting game with the 10 assists, penetrating well. I thought Demetris and Eric were really good and everyone else really struggled tonight.
TCU went with a small team so we went small because we wanted to play man-to-man. If we had been playing zone, we probably could have kept our bigger team in. But they really attacked our zone well, so I thought the difference in the game was our man-to-man in the first half. We got them into some bad situations and got some fast-break opportunities. In the second half, we were just OK. I think we’re playing better. Particularly in the last few games, we’ve been playing better in the first half but in the second half I think we were standing, we gave them too many layups. Our two big guys didn’t cover the three-point shooter (Stubbs) so we went a little smaller and I thought we did a good job overall defensively. Some of these games, you are going to be playing small teams. They’re going to spread you out, that’s what they did tonight – take the ball all the way out and try to dribble drive. We have trouble guarding with our two big guys in the game at the same time. First half, we did a good job defensively and that was the difference in the game, along with Demetris and Eric shooting the ball.”
On the offense…
“Well, last year, we only had one option from the perimeter, but obviously we had a better option inside, so if we didn’t shoot the ball well we could get it inside and score. That’s where we’re struggling right now. We get it inside, but we’re not catching it. Gerry did a good job getting it into Mookie, but he didn’t finish, Terrence didn’t finish a couple inside. We’re not good in there, but you know, Villanova’s not good in there either, they use their perimeter guys. We have to use our perimeter guys and find our big guys when they’re in open situations. I was discouraged with the way our big guys started the second half, they just didn’t come out ready to go, and they do that from time to time. That’s just not going to get it done.”
On Demetris Nichols…
“Well, he can shoot from anywhere within two or three feet of the (three-point) line. We’re coming off that tournament (2k Sports Coaches Versus Cancer) where it was back there anyway. If he’s shooting it well, getting his feet set right, both he and Gerry can shoot from anywhere. I thought Demetris has got to find ways to score other than the three-point shot. In the second half, he kept looking for it, and I don’t even think he made one. He’s got to look to get in and get the mid-range jumper from the foul-line in those situations.”
On Eric Devendorf…
“I thought he was more confident tonight, much more confident. He made just a couple turnovers, but he was much more confident, and I thought that was the difference.”
On Matt Gorman…
“It was unfortunate because he missed a shot he could make, he actually missed a couple shots I think he can make. But he was active. When you haven’t played, you’re not going to go out there and set the world on fire, it’s just not going to happen. But I thought he did show some signs that he can make plays, get in situations, and its just a matter of playing time for him.”
On Arinze Onuaku…
“I thought Arinze did a good job. His stats aren’t big, but he drew a charge, and he got some rebounds. I thought he did a pretty good job out there tonight.”
