Coach Boeheim Quotes
Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse vs. Cincinnati
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Carrier Dome/Syracuse, NY
Opening Statement:
“The last two games, we held St. Johns to 18 and Cincinnati to 17 in the first half. I think it’s just a defensive turnaround. In the second half, we lost some intensity, which is normal. But in the first half, they shoot about eight percent from the three and in the second half, they shoot 50 percent. We contested almost all their three-point shots in the first half. They have good shooters and guys that have shot well all year. In the second half, we just didn’t’ move quite as well in our zone and they made some of their threes. Again, the last two first halves that we’ve played, defensively we’ve played really good. Offensively, we’re playing pretty well. I think we’re missing some shots that we can make. But we’re really doing a good job of getting good shots every time.
“The overall biggest difference is in this league, you don’t win games by a lot, it doesn’t matter who you play. Rarely do you have to play tremendous defense and tremendous offense to do that. In these two games, we played tremendous defense and really good offense too. With six turnovers tonight, we’re taking better care of the ball and getting good shots every time down the court. We have a quick turnaround here on Tuesday. Rutgers was in a three-point game with Notre Dame last week and a three-point game tonight with Providence. They’re a very good team that can give you a lot of problems. So we have to make sure we turn it around and get ready for the game on Tuesday.”
On the difference in play:
“I think just a little bit better effort maybe. We’ve been rebounding a little bit better and are moving a little bit better defensively.”
On the defense:
“Our defense has been good inside and outside. You can’t do one or the other, you have to do both. You have to do a good job playing defense on the shooters and you have to do a good job on getting back. We did a great job inside in the first half in terms of making them miss. We did a good job on the inside for pretty much the whole game.”
On the team’s overall play:
“I think everybody played well. I thought it was an overall good team defensive effort. Offensively, when they doubled, Arinze [Onuaku] had a couple guys and we got a couple baskets out of it. When they played zone, we got good shots. When they tried the triangle for a little while, that’s when Arinze made a couple good passes. They moved the ball really well.”
On the importance of winning this game:
“Well, you don’t get many games like this in this league. So we’re happy to get them and move on to the next game. Not many teams have many games like this, I can’t remember one, if any. Cincinnati is a really good basketball team. They’re 8-7 [in conference], they beat Providence twice and beat Georgetown and UNLV, so they’re a good basketball team. They beat West Virginia the other night. When they lose, it’s usually a very close, tough game. We played really well today.”
On Alvin Mitchell’s flagrant foul:
“There’s a question whether it was a flagrant foul or just a hard foul. They determined it was a flagrant foul, and that’s just a judgment call.”
On Kris Joseph’s play:
“I think his shoulder’s good and he’s learning. He had a real good effort out there. It wasn’t a lot of time. He’s been working hard in practice and I think he’s getting there and getting better.”
On where the team is:
“I think we’re getting better. We just have to keep working. Everybody’s got to keep working and get ready for Tuesday.”
