Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse vs. Robert Morris
November 11, 2009
Carrier Dome
Syracuse, N.Y.
Coach Jim Boeheim
Opening remarks:
"I thought the other night (against Albany) we had a tremendous defensive game and we really struggled on offense and obviously that was the concern coming into this game tonight. We had a very good defensive game but we really played well offensively. We had a tremendous game offensively. We really moved the ball. Scoop and Brandon had 13 assists in the first half. They both just really looked for people and found the open people.
Whatever defense they (Robert Morris) played, we attacked it and got good shots every time down. Our big guys were very good inside.
Obviously, Andy is not hurt that bad. He gets open looks and he is going to make those shots.
I think what we are doing offensively is that the big guys are scoring down there. They are going to have to help in there. We can get some good looks from the perimeter. That’s really what happened tonight.
I think that one thing that is deceptive is that Robert Morris is a very good team. They were in the NCAA tournament last year and they have four guys back from that team. They have a couple of good freshmen. When the game started, it was still a six- or eight- point game for a long time. We played so well and made so many open-look shots that we have not been making. We make those shots and they can't do much with us inside and that makes us very good offensively.
What happened tonight -- we were very good on the offensive end. I believe by the end of the year that Robert Morris will be a very good basketball team. We just did not let them look like that tonight. With our defense we are forcing a lot of turnovers. We were very active. That is something to build on. We played two early games and we have a long way to go.
It was good for the freshmen to get that opportunity and to show them what they need to work on. I think that was a good part of this game, to get them that many minutes. I thought it was good for Mookie to get some open looks. He played better, he was much more solid. This was a really good performance.
We have a few days to get ready to go to New York. I think this is one of the better tournaments we have ever played in. I think all four teams all could be ranked in the top 10 or 15 teams in the country. It will be a good test for us next week."
On Andy Rautins being able to play after injuring his ankle vs. Albany:
"I asked him in the locker room and he shot some today. He felt good. It was his decision. I told him yesterday that he could decide what was good. If Brad (Pike, the head athletic trainer) thinks you can go and I think you can go then it is up to you. Andy always wants to play but I think everybody is telling him different things sometimes. It comes down to the fact that a player has to decide if he can go. Honestly, I didn’t expect that much. I thought that we would give him a few minutes and see what happened. He came out really confident. He missed his first attempt and then he made a corner shot and another one right after that. His defense was good -- he was getting his hands on balls. He had four steals again tonight. He was tremendous. We were prepared either way; we practiced yesterday without Andy so we were prepared to play without him if we had to. I like having the two guards involved. They are good together; they can play very well together."
On the play of Wes Johnson:
"Wes was good. He didn’t get off to a great start but he made a couple plays and kept his patience. He hit a three and then got going in the second half. He was solid. He would have had a big game if he needed to be in there."
On if Arinze Onuaku is where the team needs him to be in terms of coming back from his injury:
"He still needs a lot of work. He is good, he is better, but he is still many games away from getting where we need him to be."
On the defense forcing many turnovers:
"We have been trapping the ball more than we have in the past. I think that we are more active than we have been in awhile. We are a little bit bigger so the traps are more effective when you have the size. This is the best our defense has been in a long time. We still have a lot of work to do and hopefully we will continue to get better defensively."
On the play of Scoop Jardine after missing last season:
"I think that he has done a great job of penetrating and finding people. His assist-to- turnover ratio is good. Occasionally, he does something that he knows he should have thought better of. I think he is penetrating and finding people He is playing well. I think Brandon is playing well, I like the way that both guys are playing."
