Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes - Duke
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Syracuse at Duke
February 22, 2014
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, N.C.
Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim
Opening Statement
“This was as tremendous a game as we had at Syracuse. This is just two teams playing as hard as they can play. I thought that this was a different game than at Syracuse. It was an offensive game at Syracuse and pretty much an all defense game here. I thought we played as good of a defense as we’ve played all year long. I thought the game was extremely well-officiated, as well as we’ve had all year. I make jokes, but that’s not a joke. I thought it was tremendously well officiated - three great officials.”
On the block call and ejection:
“The new rule is it’s a block. That’s the new rule; we’ve had it explained a hundred times. CJ (Fair) got in his motion, I saw the replay, and the guy was moving. Simple as that. It’s a new rule, it’s a block. I just wanted to see if I still had it in me to get out there, and I did. I got out there pretty good. I thought I was quick, I stayed down. I didn’t get injured, so all those things are good. That was the game-decider right there. We weren’t happy with that call. The players finished the game and we see what happened. It was a great game, a tremendously well-officiated game, I just didn’t agree with that call. I kind of thought that we would lose the game. I don’t know if I was really thinking that much at the time, but I thought that was the game-decider. I just thought it was the worst call of the year, that’s all. I just hate to see the game decided on that call.”
On tight games:
“We played great. We were down six and we made a great comeback, I thought. We’ve won eight (tight games) this year and lost two. You’re going to lose tight games, it’s part of the nature of the game. We were down six, they made a great move to get back in the game. Tonight we played as well defensively as we’ve played. We had the opportunity to win the game and at the end that’s all you can shoot for. You see pretty much everything over the course of the season, what people try to do against us and we try and make adjustments.”
On the difference between the two games:
“I thought our defense was better. We didn’t let them throw it in and out. We made the guy at the high post make plays. We didn’t let them hit the threes that they got at Syracuse, that was the only really difference we made defensively. That was an adjustment we made. They’re a good defensive team, they’ve gotten better and better. (Cameron Indoor Stadium) is a great atmosphere; it’s a great place to play. Those people up there, they can make all the noise they want. They don’t score any points. We’re a good road team. We come in and play the way we play. We’re the only team that was in the Big East the whole time and had a winning record."
"This was a great game. Both teams went at it as hard as they could the whole time. This was just a different game. At the beginning of the year, if I could split with Mike (Krzyzewski) I would’ve taken it without any hesitation. It was two great games. People will remember this one for 30 years because the old coach went out there and got a little excited. I think the fans will remember Jim Boeheim down here. Two great games. I’m happy to be a part of it and it’ll be okay to see Duke once next year.”
On the rest of the season:
“This end of the year is important for us. We flew through obviously and escaped a few times. We knew the end of the year would be hard and that’s fine. These games help you. This will help you. This was a tournament game. This will help you. We played slow and you see that in tournaments. We’ve learned a lot and we’ll learn a lot more. We know how tough our next few games are.”
Syracuse at Duke
February 22, 2014
Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, N.C.
Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim
Opening Statement
“This was as tremendous a game as we had at Syracuse. This is just two teams playing as hard as they can play. I thought that this was a different game than at Syracuse. It was an offensive game at Syracuse and pretty much an all defense game here. I thought we played as good of a defense as we’ve played all year long. I thought the game was extremely well-officiated, as well as we’ve had all year. I make jokes, but that’s not a joke. I thought it was tremendously well officiated - three great officials.”
On the block call and ejection:
“The new rule is it’s a block. That’s the new rule; we’ve had it explained a hundred times. CJ (Fair) got in his motion, I saw the replay, and the guy was moving. Simple as that. It’s a new rule, it’s a block. I just wanted to see if I still had it in me to get out there, and I did. I got out there pretty good. I thought I was quick, I stayed down. I didn’t get injured, so all those things are good. That was the game-decider right there. We weren’t happy with that call. The players finished the game and we see what happened. It was a great game, a tremendously well-officiated game, I just didn’t agree with that call. I kind of thought that we would lose the game. I don’t know if I was really thinking that much at the time, but I thought that was the game-decider. I just thought it was the worst call of the year, that’s all. I just hate to see the game decided on that call.”
On tight games:
“We played great. We were down six and we made a great comeback, I thought. We’ve won eight (tight games) this year and lost two. You’re going to lose tight games, it’s part of the nature of the game. We were down six, they made a great move to get back in the game. Tonight we played as well defensively as we’ve played. We had the opportunity to win the game and at the end that’s all you can shoot for. You see pretty much everything over the course of the season, what people try to do against us and we try and make adjustments.”
On the difference between the two games:
“I thought our defense was better. We didn’t let them throw it in and out. We made the guy at the high post make plays. We didn’t let them hit the threes that they got at Syracuse, that was the only really difference we made defensively. That was an adjustment we made. They’re a good defensive team, they’ve gotten better and better. (Cameron Indoor Stadium) is a great atmosphere; it’s a great place to play. Those people up there, they can make all the noise they want. They don’t score any points. We’re a good road team. We come in and play the way we play. We’re the only team that was in the Big East the whole time and had a winning record."
"This was a great game. Both teams went at it as hard as they could the whole time. This was just a different game. At the beginning of the year, if I could split with Mike (Krzyzewski) I would’ve taken it without any hesitation. It was two great games. People will remember this one for 30 years because the old coach went out there and got a little excited. I think the fans will remember Jim Boeheim down here. Two great games. I’m happy to be a part of it and it’ll be okay to see Duke once next year.”
On the rest of the season:
“This end of the year is important for us. We flew through obviously and escaped a few times. We knew the end of the year would be hard and that’s fine. These games help you. This will help you. This was a tournament game. This will help you. We played slow and you see that in tournaments. We’ve learned a lot and we’ll learn a lot more. We know how tough our next few games are.”
