Syracuse vs. Florida Coach Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse vs. Florida
December 2, 2011
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes
“I thought the game tonight -- neither team could really get going shooting the ball. This is the first really bad shooting game. I thought we had good shots, but they picked up their shooting and got to them, started making threes. We could not get it going.
Fortunately Brandon [Triche] hit a huge one when we went down three and then Scoop [Jardine] hit a big one coming off a screen. I think the thing with Scoop that I’d like to address is the New York City game. Dion [Waiters] and Brandon were playing great and we left them in during the second half. Scoop cheered the whole time, they played great, and we won both nights. Scoop never said anything to me, he never even came to see me, and he came to practice and worked. We had him out in the second half and he didn’t get up on a shooter so we went back with him and he won the game, simple as that.
Other guys obviously made plays, C.J. [Fair] was good, Brandon was really good, but I think Scoop won the game and our defense won the game. I think that was what it came down to. If you don’t shoot well, somehow you’ve got to try to find a way. I thought we did that tonight. I think Florida is a very good team and they’re certainly going to be a team to reckon with.”
On Fab Melo’s play:
“He was really good early, but I didn’t think his defense was as good as it can be. But he was real good early. I think he is still working, still a work in progress. I think he still has work to do. He’s got to get better and I think he will.”
On C.J. Fair’s play:
“He can shoot the ball. 11 rebounds, nine points -- that’s what he does. He just makes plays and he’s a real key guy. There’s not too many times a guy comes off the bench and makes All-Tournament. He’s that kind of player. Dion [Waiters] and C.J.[Fair] are like starters. When we mad a run a couple of years ago we had Scoop [Jardine] and Kris Joseph doing the same thing.”
On his exchange with Coach Donovan:
“I consider Billy a friend of mine, even though we aren’t close. We played against him at Providence, we play against him; we might as well schedule them cause we play them all the time. He said 'just hang in there.’ I think he’s a great man, I really like him. I think he’s a great coach, I think he’ll be in the Hall of Fame and win 1,000 games maybe.”
On Brandon Triche’s confidence:
“Well he had a great game in New York and then he started a little slow tonight. The thing with Brandon is that he’s done that in the past. He’s come in last year, get nothing and then get 15 in the second half. I still don’t think he realizes how good he is. I just don’t think he realizes. I don’t think anybody can guard him and I think he’s a tremendous player.”
On Scoop Jardine’s 1,000 point mark:
“If he [Scoop Jardine] didn’t get that, we wouldn’t be talking about winning. He got us there and then he got 1,000. Dion [Waiters] wasn’t playing great, he was 1-for-7 in the first half and he just didn’t seem to have it. We got him in there to start the second half but I had a feeling -- usually my feelings don’t always work out but this one did. He went in there and literally won the game. We were dead, and he made a couple of drives that were really hard. After he made those, he came off the screen -- I knew he was going to make that three.”
On the defense against Florida:
“I’m surprised. I thought they missed more shots than they did. I thought they were helping us but in the second half, they shot 50 percent from the three and 53 percent from the field. We shot 38 percent from the field and 23 percent from the three. I look at that and I say, ‘who won this game?’
It doesn’t look like we would win this game with those numbers. It’s shocking. Those numbers are important. I think we did a better rebounding job, had only been seven, six less turnovers, that helps. But with those shooting numbers, and really the three tough games we’ve had, Virginia Tech, this [Florida], and Stanford, we’ve allowed people to shoot better than normal against us. I think all three teams were in the mid 40’s from the field. But really, the first half was not so good.”
Did you say something to Scoop after the games in NYC?
“No, I think I might have said something passing by, one day. It was no big thing, I really don’t know if I did. I think I said, ‘Dion’s [Waiters] playing great’ and he said ‘It’s nothing’.
I think the one last thing I will say is that I watched a little bit of Marshall. I usually don’t look ahead but I thought Marshall might be better than anybody we’ve played, so I think that will be a difficult thing for our players now to turn around this thing by Tuesday to get ready. I’ve been watching teams we’re playing: Marshall, GW [George Washington], and Tulane is 8-0. These teams are playing good; there are a lot of good teams. Hopefully that will help us to get going.
I didn’t play Michael [Carter-Williams] tonight, I just felt it was not the right game for him but he will play Tuesday. I think he’s ready to play and will play. We went with the veteran guys today, and that’s what happened.”
December 2, 2011
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes
“I thought the game tonight -- neither team could really get going shooting the ball. This is the first really bad shooting game. I thought we had good shots, but they picked up their shooting and got to them, started making threes. We could not get it going.
Fortunately Brandon [Triche] hit a huge one when we went down three and then Scoop [Jardine] hit a big one coming off a screen. I think the thing with Scoop that I’d like to address is the New York City game. Dion [Waiters] and Brandon were playing great and we left them in during the second half. Scoop cheered the whole time, they played great, and we won both nights. Scoop never said anything to me, he never even came to see me, and he came to practice and worked. We had him out in the second half and he didn’t get up on a shooter so we went back with him and he won the game, simple as that.
Other guys obviously made plays, C.J. [Fair] was good, Brandon was really good, but I think Scoop won the game and our defense won the game. I think that was what it came down to. If you don’t shoot well, somehow you’ve got to try to find a way. I thought we did that tonight. I think Florida is a very good team and they’re certainly going to be a team to reckon with.”
On Fab Melo’s play:
“He was really good early, but I didn’t think his defense was as good as it can be. But he was real good early. I think he is still working, still a work in progress. I think he still has work to do. He’s got to get better and I think he will.”
On C.J. Fair’s play:
“He can shoot the ball. 11 rebounds, nine points -- that’s what he does. He just makes plays and he’s a real key guy. There’s not too many times a guy comes off the bench and makes All-Tournament. He’s that kind of player. Dion [Waiters] and C.J.[Fair] are like starters. When we mad a run a couple of years ago we had Scoop [Jardine] and Kris Joseph doing the same thing.”
On his exchange with Coach Donovan:
“I consider Billy a friend of mine, even though we aren’t close. We played against him at Providence, we play against him; we might as well schedule them cause we play them all the time. He said 'just hang in there.’ I think he’s a great man, I really like him. I think he’s a great coach, I think he’ll be in the Hall of Fame and win 1,000 games maybe.”
On Brandon Triche’s confidence:
“Well he had a great game in New York and then he started a little slow tonight. The thing with Brandon is that he’s done that in the past. He’s come in last year, get nothing and then get 15 in the second half. I still don’t think he realizes how good he is. I just don’t think he realizes. I don’t think anybody can guard him and I think he’s a tremendous player.”
On Scoop Jardine’s 1,000 point mark:
“If he [Scoop Jardine] didn’t get that, we wouldn’t be talking about winning. He got us there and then he got 1,000. Dion [Waiters] wasn’t playing great, he was 1-for-7 in the first half and he just didn’t seem to have it. We got him in there to start the second half but I had a feeling -- usually my feelings don’t always work out but this one did. He went in there and literally won the game. We were dead, and he made a couple of drives that were really hard. After he made those, he came off the screen -- I knew he was going to make that three.”
On the defense against Florida:
“I’m surprised. I thought they missed more shots than they did. I thought they were helping us but in the second half, they shot 50 percent from the three and 53 percent from the field. We shot 38 percent from the field and 23 percent from the three. I look at that and I say, ‘who won this game?’
It doesn’t look like we would win this game with those numbers. It’s shocking. Those numbers are important. I think we did a better rebounding job, had only been seven, six less turnovers, that helps. But with those shooting numbers, and really the three tough games we’ve had, Virginia Tech, this [Florida], and Stanford, we’ve allowed people to shoot better than normal against us. I think all three teams were in the mid 40’s from the field. But really, the first half was not so good.”
Did you say something to Scoop after the games in NYC?
“No, I think I might have said something passing by, one day. It was no big thing, I really don’t know if I did. I think I said, ‘Dion’s [Waiters] playing great’ and he said ‘It’s nothing’.
I think the one last thing I will say is that I watched a little bit of Marshall. I usually don’t look ahead but I thought Marshall might be better than anybody we’ve played, so I think that will be a difficult thing for our players now to turn around this thing by Tuesday to get ready. I’ve been watching teams we’re playing: Marshall, GW [George Washington], and Tulane is 8-0. These teams are playing good; there are a lot of good teams. Hopefully that will help us to get going.
I didn’t play Michael [Carter-Williams] tonight, I just felt it was not the right game for him but he will play Tuesday. I think he’s ready to play and will play. We went with the veteran guys today, and that’s what happened.”
