Coach Boeheim Postgame Quotes
Coach Jim Boeheim Press Conference Quotes
Syracuse vs. Long Beach State University
December 13, 2008
Carrier Dome/Syracuse, NY
Opening Statement: “When you’re off for ten days, I think you’re shooting and rhythm are going to be off, and our shooting was off in the first half. We had a couple of defensive mistakes. In the second half I think our offense got a little bit smoother. We fed the ball inside to A-O [Arinze Onuaku] better. Defensively we got through the screens better. They missed some open shots which helped our defense. They had a bad shooting night which contributed to our defensive efforts, but in the second half we got on the boards. We got outrebounded in the first half. We did a better job in the second half getting back on the boards and doing the things we need to do. I think when you’re off for ten days it’s going to be difficult and you’re going to show some rust. We’ll take today and tomorrow and get ready for Cleveland State on Monday.”
On the Orange run to open the second half:
“We made them take some tough shots, but the most important thing is that we got the rebounds. In the first half, we made them take some tough shots but didn’t get the rebounds. There were some long rebounds, but our guards got back in and got a couple rebounds which we need.”
On the team’s first half defense:
“We weren’t defending really well early. They got some open shots and [T.J.] Robinson had a couple of drives inside. I thought Kristof [Ongenaet] was really good the first couple minutes of the game, and in the first seven or eight minutes of the second half. He gives us a presence out there that’s important. I thought Rick [Jackson] came in and did a tremendous job in there for us tonight. He and Arinze [Onuaku] weren’t in there together, but we got a lot out of that position tonight [28 points].”
On getting the ball inside to Arinze Onuaku:
“Well, we want to get him the ball if we can. They were doubling him in the first half, they’re going to do that, but we’ve got to keep patient and keep looking for him. Rick [Jackson] got the same opportunities in the first half because A-O [Arinze Onuaku] wasn’t in there that much, but we still got 15 or 16 points from that position in the first half. There wasn’t that much of a difference.”
On preparing for a Cleveland State team that has been picked to win their division:
“I haven’t seen a lot of Cleveland State. I saw Butler had to make a last-second shot to beat them, and Butler is undefeated. They have a tremendous coach and their kids are always ready to play. At this stage of the year, we’ve got to be concerned with how we’re playing, and be sure we’re ready to play. We’ve played eight games in 17 days, so this shouldn’t be something were not used to.”
On Eric Devendorf’s and other’s play:
“He [Eric Devendorf] has been shooting the ball better in practice although he didn’t shoot it very well today. I though Andy [Rautins] got off with a couple and that’s a good sign. This was the first game that Jonny [Flynn] hasn’t shot the ball or played great, he’s human and he’ll have those kind of games. All things considered I thought we were able to overcome guys not playing their best, and that’s a good thing. We did some good things defensively too, and they didn’t make many shots which helped.”
