Syracuse vs. Seton Hall Coach Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse vs. Seton Hall
Coach Jim Boeheim
December 28th 2011
Opening Statement:
“I thought our defense was as good as it has been all year, making defensive plays. We had 17 steals and 14 blocks. It was an incredible defensive effort. I think offensively we have a lot of work to do and we have a lot of things that we can get better on.
“This was strictly a defensive game for us and that was the difference. I think that Seton Hall coming in here last year, I would think that they would come in with confidence with what happened up here last year. I thought that we just didn’t allow them defensively. We started the game with four or five great defensive plays and didn’t get anything out of them. We just couldn’t get ourselves open offensively but we finally got a couple baskets; however it was mainly defense.
First game of the league and I think Seton Hall has done a great job, I have watched a lot of their games and they have had some really good wins. I thought we did a good job tonight interior on Pope and getting to their shooters.”
Can you talk about the force that Fab has become inside?
“Well he and Baye Keita both are very good in there, in the basket area. They can stop the defense. We are doing a better job finding him and the open spots and he is finishing them.”
Fab had a number of blocks tonight. Can you talk about his defensive numbers?
“They kept coming right at him and he was there. He only played 25 minutes too so he had a great defensive game.”
Herb Pope only had four points and a lot of turnovers, what were you able to do defensively against him?
“I thought our forwards did the best job all year of getting back in there and helping with him, and then Fab and Baye blocked a lot of shots.”
What does it say about your team with Kris going scoreless?
“I think we have enough guys that if someone has an off game, we have guys that will pick it up. Kris couldn’t get any rhythm tonight. He had some really good passes and he made a couple of really good steals defensively. That’s all apart of the game. Oh and we got our rebounded again.”
Do you think opponents will alter their offense with Fab becoming more of a force inside?
“I have enough problems with my offense and what we are doing; I’m not going to try to guess what they are going to do. I think our defense has been good, I think it was a little better tonight that it has been. They made two three’s right at the end of the game so I thought we did a great job defensively.
“The defense has to be there every night. It’s like at the beginning of the game, we misfired on offense, we made a couple bad turnovers; we didn’t get anything going but we were still ahead. We didn’t get off to a good start offensively which, that happens to every team. Your defense has to be there, that’s the key to any basketball team, any game, anytime, in any sport. The defense has to be good.”
Have you looked ahead at DePaul and their team?
“We are watching that stuff tomorrow.”
Fab tried a couple jump shots today
“Yeah he took two; air-balled one and made one. He’s not a bad shooter.”
What does it say that your offensive bench almost outscored the entire Seton Hall team?
“The bench has been good all year. I like our bench, they have been good. I thought C.J. Fair was really good, I didn’t look at his numbers but I thought he was really good tonight. He had some steals and I thought he was just really good. I thought Michael Carter-Williams did a good job. I didn’t get him in there in the beginning but in the second half he was great. He played some really good minutes and it was good for him to get that time.”
It looked like Dion may have tweaked his thumb a little during the game…
“Yeah it has been bothering him. It’s one of those things that when you have injury like that with him and Brandon, they get hit everyday in practice. The only way you can get better is not to play but that’s not an option. That’s one of the bad things with hand injuries; you just have to play through it. It didn’t seem to bother him too much tonight.”
How much do you think it is going to help Michael Carter-Williams getting those minutes in the second half and to get the BIG EAST experience?
“Well I like to get him as many minutes as we can and if we need him, he will be ready. He’s a good player, but he’s just playing behind guys that are better. He’ll get some time.”
Coach Jim Boeheim
December 28th 2011
Opening Statement:
“I thought our defense was as good as it has been all year, making defensive plays. We had 17 steals and 14 blocks. It was an incredible defensive effort. I think offensively we have a lot of work to do and we have a lot of things that we can get better on.
“This was strictly a defensive game for us and that was the difference. I think that Seton Hall coming in here last year, I would think that they would come in with confidence with what happened up here last year. I thought that we just didn’t allow them defensively. We started the game with four or five great defensive plays and didn’t get anything out of them. We just couldn’t get ourselves open offensively but we finally got a couple baskets; however it was mainly defense.
First game of the league and I think Seton Hall has done a great job, I have watched a lot of their games and they have had some really good wins. I thought we did a good job tonight interior on Pope and getting to their shooters.”
Can you talk about the force that Fab has become inside?
“Well he and Baye Keita both are very good in there, in the basket area. They can stop the defense. We are doing a better job finding him and the open spots and he is finishing them.”
Fab had a number of blocks tonight. Can you talk about his defensive numbers?
“They kept coming right at him and he was there. He only played 25 minutes too so he had a great defensive game.”
Herb Pope only had four points and a lot of turnovers, what were you able to do defensively against him?
“I thought our forwards did the best job all year of getting back in there and helping with him, and then Fab and Baye blocked a lot of shots.”
What does it say about your team with Kris going scoreless?
“I think we have enough guys that if someone has an off game, we have guys that will pick it up. Kris couldn’t get any rhythm tonight. He had some really good passes and he made a couple of really good steals defensively. That’s all apart of the game. Oh and we got our rebounded again.”
Do you think opponents will alter their offense with Fab becoming more of a force inside?
“I have enough problems with my offense and what we are doing; I’m not going to try to guess what they are going to do. I think our defense has been good, I think it was a little better tonight that it has been. They made two three’s right at the end of the game so I thought we did a great job defensively.
“The defense has to be there every night. It’s like at the beginning of the game, we misfired on offense, we made a couple bad turnovers; we didn’t get anything going but we were still ahead. We didn’t get off to a good start offensively which, that happens to every team. Your defense has to be there, that’s the key to any basketball team, any game, anytime, in any sport. The defense has to be good.”
Have you looked ahead at DePaul and their team?
“We are watching that stuff tomorrow.”
Fab tried a couple jump shots today
“Yeah he took two; air-balled one and made one. He’s not a bad shooter.”
What does it say that your offensive bench almost outscored the entire Seton Hall team?
“The bench has been good all year. I like our bench, they have been good. I thought C.J. Fair was really good, I didn’t look at his numbers but I thought he was really good tonight. He had some steals and I thought he was just really good. I thought Michael Carter-Williams did a good job. I didn’t get him in there in the beginning but in the second half he was great. He played some really good minutes and it was good for him to get that time.”
It looked like Dion may have tweaked his thumb a little during the game…
“Yeah it has been bothering him. It’s one of those things that when you have injury like that with him and Brandon, they get hit everyday in practice. The only way you can get better is not to play but that’s not an option. That’s one of the bad things with hand injuries; you just have to play through it. It didn’t seem to bother him too much tonight.”
How much do you think it is going to help Michael Carter-Williams getting those minutes in the second half and to get the BIG EAST experience?
“Well I like to get him as many minutes as we can and if we need him, he will be ready. He’s a good player, but he’s just playing behind guys that are better. He’ll get some time.”
