Head Coach Jim Boeheim: 2012 NCAA Selection Show
Head Coach Jim Boeheim
2012 NCAA Selection Show
March 11, 2012
Opening Statement
"We're excited to be a No. 1 seed. It's a great accomplishment for these guys. To be able to play in the East is great. Looking at the bracket, it's a very difficult tournament. It's filled with a lot of good teams. There are no easy games, and that's the way it should be.
"I think UNC Asheville is a very good team, and they've been a good team all year. They're very consistent. Obviously, we haven't seen a lot of them yet, but we will get the tapes and be able to see them tonight or tomorrow and get prepared for Thursday. There are no easy games. It used to be if you were a No. 1 seed you might see an easy game, but there's no such thing anymore."
Have you seen UNC Asheville play at all this season?
"No, maybe just a glimpse, but hopefully we'll have some tape pretty soon. From what I've looked at their schedule and who they've played and how close they played some of the teams, they're a pretty good team. You can tell that by the scores and how they've played people. It's a tough first game, they're pretty good."
Are you pleased with the number of BIG EAST that made it into the NCAA field?
"Yes, I think we had a good year in the conference, and I think the league was rewarded. I thought (Seton Hall) would make it, but the last couple teams are hard choices, very hard choices."
How big of a difference is being healthy as a No. 1 seed compared to two years ago?
"It certainly hurt us two years ago not to have Arinze (Onuaku), but this year we're going out there healthy, and that's a good thing. I think we've learned a little bit. We didn't play well in New York, and we lost. When you've lost seven or eight games, it doesn't matter, but when you've only lost one game and then you lose that next game, it makes you pay attention a little bit more. I think we realize what we have to do to be successful."
What is your take on how the team has practiced in the past two days?
"We had a couple good days. I think it is one advantage of being sent home early. When you play Saturday night, we have never really practiced on Sunday because we don't get back until 1:00 a.m. or 2:00 a.m., and it's just too hard. So we got back early, and had a good practice on Saturday and a good practice today, so I think that's a positive thing."
What is the biggest thing that your team learned in the two games in New York?
"We made some mistakes that we haven't made, turnover wise. Our defense was not good at the beginning of the game (against Cincinnati). After they went 6-of-7, the rest of the game they went 4-of-14 from the three point line, or worse. They made a couple long three's, and banked one in. Those things happen sometimes."
What do you think of West Virginia being a No. 10 seed and getting to play in Pittsburgh?
"I think they keep people closer to home if they can."
Are you happy to have the regional draw of Pittsburgh and then Boston?
"I think it's good. I'm not that concerned about where we're playing, I'm more concerned on if we play well. If you don't play well in this tournament, it doesn't matter where you play. If you play well, you win wherever you do play."
Are there any teams in the East region that stand out to you?
"Yes, they all do. They all look good to me. Kansas State is really good. Obviously, Vanderbilt is the only team that beat Kentucky on a neutral court. Indiana beat them on a last second shot. Florida State just won the ACC, and they beat Duke twice this year and beat North Carolina twice this year. This is a great bracket."
What is your confidence level with this team?
"I think this team has done what we've asked them to do from the very first day. They've been very consistent; they've been good in a lot of different situations. I think this is one of the better year's we've ever had, maybe the best year we've ever had in terms of the regular season, how they played throughout the regular season. There are nine teams from our conference in the NCAA Tournament. We only lost one game in the regular season, and that was on the road without Fab (Melo).
"I think the success of this team in the regular season is a little bit underrated and underappreciated. They've really battled hard. There were a lot of games that they could have lost, and didn't lose. I think they deserve an awful lot of credit for the year that they've had. It's been an amazing year."
Can you talk about the leadership of Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph in this tournament?
"I think they've been good all year, right from the beginning. The seniors set the tone for what you're doing. We have a lot of young guys. Brandon (Triche) has been good and solid, but the rest of those key guys are freshmen and sophomores. We're still a fairly young team when you look at the landscape of college basketball. We've had contributions from the two juniors, obviously, and the two seniors, but the four sophomores and two freshmen have been contributors from day one. With six sophomores and freshmen, that's a young group."
Are you going to keep using C.J. Fair in the starting lineup?
"I don't think there will be any changes."
Is there anything you can do at this point to keep the pressure off?
"I always tell the players going in, you just have to go out and play. If you worry about it, you won't play well. But the pressure's always there. The pressure is always on players, and they're used to it. They've had it from high school age, they've played in thousands of games, and they've been pressured all their lives. Every team that plays feels that same pressure. We've been in big games and tough games all year long, and we'll be prepared for the tournament.
2012 NCAA Selection Show
March 11, 2012
Opening Statement
"We're excited to be a No. 1 seed. It's a great accomplishment for these guys. To be able to play in the East is great. Looking at the bracket, it's a very difficult tournament. It's filled with a lot of good teams. There are no easy games, and that's the way it should be.
"I think UNC Asheville is a very good team, and they've been a good team all year. They're very consistent. Obviously, we haven't seen a lot of them yet, but we will get the tapes and be able to see them tonight or tomorrow and get prepared for Thursday. There are no easy games. It used to be if you were a No. 1 seed you might see an easy game, but there's no such thing anymore."
Have you seen UNC Asheville play at all this season?
"No, maybe just a glimpse, but hopefully we'll have some tape pretty soon. From what I've looked at their schedule and who they've played and how close they played some of the teams, they're a pretty good team. You can tell that by the scores and how they've played people. It's a tough first game, they're pretty good."
Are you pleased with the number of BIG EAST that made it into the NCAA field?
"Yes, I think we had a good year in the conference, and I think the league was rewarded. I thought (Seton Hall) would make it, but the last couple teams are hard choices, very hard choices."
How big of a difference is being healthy as a No. 1 seed compared to two years ago?
"It certainly hurt us two years ago not to have Arinze (Onuaku), but this year we're going out there healthy, and that's a good thing. I think we've learned a little bit. We didn't play well in New York, and we lost. When you've lost seven or eight games, it doesn't matter, but when you've only lost one game and then you lose that next game, it makes you pay attention a little bit more. I think we realize what we have to do to be successful."
What is your take on how the team has practiced in the past two days?
"We had a couple good days. I think it is one advantage of being sent home early. When you play Saturday night, we have never really practiced on Sunday because we don't get back until 1:00 a.m. or 2:00 a.m., and it's just too hard. So we got back early, and had a good practice on Saturday and a good practice today, so I think that's a positive thing."
What is the biggest thing that your team learned in the two games in New York?
"We made some mistakes that we haven't made, turnover wise. Our defense was not good at the beginning of the game (against Cincinnati). After they went 6-of-7, the rest of the game they went 4-of-14 from the three point line, or worse. They made a couple long three's, and banked one in. Those things happen sometimes."
What do you think of West Virginia being a No. 10 seed and getting to play in Pittsburgh?
"I think they keep people closer to home if they can."
Are you happy to have the regional draw of Pittsburgh and then Boston?
"I think it's good. I'm not that concerned about where we're playing, I'm more concerned on if we play well. If you don't play well in this tournament, it doesn't matter where you play. If you play well, you win wherever you do play."
Are there any teams in the East region that stand out to you?
"Yes, they all do. They all look good to me. Kansas State is really good. Obviously, Vanderbilt is the only team that beat Kentucky on a neutral court. Indiana beat them on a last second shot. Florida State just won the ACC, and they beat Duke twice this year and beat North Carolina twice this year. This is a great bracket."
What is your confidence level with this team?
"I think this team has done what we've asked them to do from the very first day. They've been very consistent; they've been good in a lot of different situations. I think this is one of the better year's we've ever had, maybe the best year we've ever had in terms of the regular season, how they played throughout the regular season. There are nine teams from our conference in the NCAA Tournament. We only lost one game in the regular season, and that was on the road without Fab (Melo).
"I think the success of this team in the regular season is a little bit underrated and underappreciated. They've really battled hard. There were a lot of games that they could have lost, and didn't lose. I think they deserve an awful lot of credit for the year that they've had. It's been an amazing year."
Can you talk about the leadership of Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph in this tournament?
"I think they've been good all year, right from the beginning. The seniors set the tone for what you're doing. We have a lot of young guys. Brandon (Triche) has been good and solid, but the rest of those key guys are freshmen and sophomores. We're still a fairly young team when you look at the landscape of college basketball. We've had contributions from the two juniors, obviously, and the two seniors, but the four sophomores and two freshmen have been contributors from day one. With six sophomores and freshmen, that's a young group."
Are you going to keep using C.J. Fair in the starting lineup?
"I don't think there will be any changes."
Is there anything you can do at this point to keep the pressure off?
"I always tell the players going in, you just have to go out and play. If you worry about it, you won't play well. But the pressure's always there. The pressure is always on players, and they're used to it. They've had it from high school age, they've played in thousands of games, and they've been pressured all their lives. Every team that plays feels that same pressure. We've been in big games and tough games all year long, and we'll be prepared for the tournament.
