Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes - Duke
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Syracuse vs. Duke
February 1, 2014
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes
Opening Statement:
“I think, first of all, the fans were unbelievable. When you have a game like this, with the buildup, I thought our players were unbelievable in terms of concentrating on playing Wake Forest, not thinking about this game, coming back here and getting ready. It’s a tough three games in seven or eight days that we’ve played. The kind of defensive pressure that was exerted for 45 minutes and no matter which team was down, that team made a play. We had good position on the game. (Tyler) Thornton comes in, makes three three’s in a row and then we make a couple plays. At the end of regulation, C.J. (Fair) tried to get the foul. I didn’t take a timeout and tell everybody, I wasn’t sure with 4.6 (seconds remaining) coming all the way up, usually you have to take a throw, which they did, it just happened to go in. But in the overtime, we found it does leave you open if you make a mistake but it worked. C.J. Fair was phenomenal tonight. He broke out of that good, solid player into a great player. He was a great player tonight. Jerami Grant picked it up. They had the little guards in there and he was able to post down low and get some buckets in the overtime. It was just a great game. I don’t think I’ve been involved in a better game here that I can remember where both teams played at such a high level. You can have close games, tough exciting games. But I don’t think I’ve seen a game where two really good defensive teams and it’s 91-89. Both teams just went after it. I can’t say enough about the quality of this game. It was the highest quality possible. If you paid $3400 on the market for a courtside seat it was money well spent. You should be happy that you did. And if you sold your tickets to this game you should be ashamed because you made some money and missed an epic.”
How did you feel about Duke’s presence on the offensive glass?
“We’re going to give up some offensive rebounds. We had 12, they had 18. It’s going to happen.”
Can you talk about Rakeem Christmas’ and Tyler Ennis’ performance?
“I think Rakeem was tremendous. I think he’s getting better all the time. I think he’s become a great factor. He makes his two free throws. Tyler Ennis, there is nobody better I think in the end game situation, making plays, making the right decisions. He found Jerami (Grant) on that first isolation then after that we just called it, but he’s a tremendous player. Duke is tremendous. (Jabari) Parker is a tremendous player, he is a load down there. (Amile) Jefferson played as well as I’ve seen him play. (Rasheed) Sulaimon. They have a tremendous team and they’re going to win a lot of games. They’re a very difficult team to play against."
Can you talk about Trevor Cooney handling the ball more today?
“Yea, that was good for him. Tyler (Ennis) and Trevor (Cooney) did a really good job. In fact, I thought he made the play that put us in a good position. He made a great drive and had a good lay up shot. Jerami (Grant) had one go in and out. We had a couple of those. This team just does not seem to be bothered when something doesn’t go in or if (the other team) makes a three to start overtime. It just doesn’t seem to bother them. They just come back and make the play.”
After they hit the three at the beginning of overtime, what’d you say to them in the huddle?
“Stay in the game. We’re home and we have a good team.”
What was it like coaching against your good friend?
“I try not to think about that. I’m focused on Duke’s players. I don’t think about that. My two best friends are P.J. (Carlesimo) and Mike, and I coached against P.J. 22 or 23 times. We’re probably good friends because I beat him every time. This was just a great game. It was great to be a part of this game. If we lost the game, I wouldn’t be all happy like you always would be. This building is a special place. I don’t think people, in this room especially, appreciate this building, the fans, what they think of Syracuse basketball, what the rest of the world thinks of this building and Syracuse basketball. Believe me, it’s a lot higher than what you people think.
“It was just a great game. I learned one thing that the way they play, when we go down there, we’re going to have an unbelievable night. They have a great team. We played the best we played all year offensively, by far.”
What did you think when they switched to their zone?
“Mike (Gbinije) did a good job. I would have left him in a little longer but they went to the zone and I didn’t want to play against the zone, because we were going against their man. I knew if Trevor (Cooney) back, they would have gone back and played man.”
Syracuse vs. Duke
February 1, 2014
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes
Opening Statement:
“I think, first of all, the fans were unbelievable. When you have a game like this, with the buildup, I thought our players were unbelievable in terms of concentrating on playing Wake Forest, not thinking about this game, coming back here and getting ready. It’s a tough three games in seven or eight days that we’ve played. The kind of defensive pressure that was exerted for 45 minutes and no matter which team was down, that team made a play. We had good position on the game. (Tyler) Thornton comes in, makes three three’s in a row and then we make a couple plays. At the end of regulation, C.J. (Fair) tried to get the foul. I didn’t take a timeout and tell everybody, I wasn’t sure with 4.6 (seconds remaining) coming all the way up, usually you have to take a throw, which they did, it just happened to go in. But in the overtime, we found it does leave you open if you make a mistake but it worked. C.J. Fair was phenomenal tonight. He broke out of that good, solid player into a great player. He was a great player tonight. Jerami Grant picked it up. They had the little guards in there and he was able to post down low and get some buckets in the overtime. It was just a great game. I don’t think I’ve been involved in a better game here that I can remember where both teams played at such a high level. You can have close games, tough exciting games. But I don’t think I’ve seen a game where two really good defensive teams and it’s 91-89. Both teams just went after it. I can’t say enough about the quality of this game. It was the highest quality possible. If you paid $3400 on the market for a courtside seat it was money well spent. You should be happy that you did. And if you sold your tickets to this game you should be ashamed because you made some money and missed an epic.”
How did you feel about Duke’s presence on the offensive glass?
“We’re going to give up some offensive rebounds. We had 12, they had 18. It’s going to happen.”
Can you talk about Rakeem Christmas’ and Tyler Ennis’ performance?
“I think Rakeem was tremendous. I think he’s getting better all the time. I think he’s become a great factor. He makes his two free throws. Tyler Ennis, there is nobody better I think in the end game situation, making plays, making the right decisions. He found Jerami (Grant) on that first isolation then after that we just called it, but he’s a tremendous player. Duke is tremendous. (Jabari) Parker is a tremendous player, he is a load down there. (Amile) Jefferson played as well as I’ve seen him play. (Rasheed) Sulaimon. They have a tremendous team and they’re going to win a lot of games. They’re a very difficult team to play against."
Can you talk about Trevor Cooney handling the ball more today?
“Yea, that was good for him. Tyler (Ennis) and Trevor (Cooney) did a really good job. In fact, I thought he made the play that put us in a good position. He made a great drive and had a good lay up shot. Jerami (Grant) had one go in and out. We had a couple of those. This team just does not seem to be bothered when something doesn’t go in or if (the other team) makes a three to start overtime. It just doesn’t seem to bother them. They just come back and make the play.”
After they hit the three at the beginning of overtime, what’d you say to them in the huddle?
“Stay in the game. We’re home and we have a good team.”
What was it like coaching against your good friend?
“I try not to think about that. I’m focused on Duke’s players. I don’t think about that. My two best friends are P.J. (Carlesimo) and Mike, and I coached against P.J. 22 or 23 times. We’re probably good friends because I beat him every time. This was just a great game. It was great to be a part of this game. If we lost the game, I wouldn’t be all happy like you always would be. This building is a special place. I don’t think people, in this room especially, appreciate this building, the fans, what they think of Syracuse basketball, what the rest of the world thinks of this building and Syracuse basketball. Believe me, it’s a lot higher than what you people think.
“It was just a great game. I learned one thing that the way they play, when we go down there, we’re going to have an unbelievable night. They have a great team. We played the best we played all year offensively, by far.”
What did you think when they switched to their zone?
“Mike (Gbinije) did a good job. I would have left him in a little longer but they went to the zone and I didn’t want to play against the zone, because we were going against their man. I knew if Trevor (Cooney) back, they would have gone back and played man.”
