Head Coach Jim Boeheim - Selection Sunday
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Selection Sunday Press Conference
March 16, 2014
Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes
Opening Statement:
“We are excited to be in the tournament as everyone should be. It’s a start to the last section of the year. We are excited to be able to play in Buffalo I think that’s great for our players to be pretty close (to Syracuse). The field is tremendously challenging. You look at any team you are going to play in this tournament now and you have a tough game. There is no such thing as an easy starting game in the NCAA Tournament anymore. Western Michigan – we are getting stuff in on them. We have seen some stuff on them already. They are a very good basketball team. They won a very difficult conference and the conference tournament. We know it is a tremendous challenge for our players and our team. We are excited about it.”
What are your thoughts on the overall bracket?
“I haven’t looked, but they are all balanced. I really haven’t spent a lot of time looking at it. Everybody in this tournament is good. You just really have to look at that first game and try to get yourself ready to play that game.”
How do you feel about your team going into the tournament? Last year you had the momentum of the BIG EAST Tournament to ride?
“We played a tremendous game against Florida State less than a week ago, so I am confident we will play well. We played well for the most part against NC State. We shot the ball poorly and when that happens it happens. They (NC State) are a pretty good team. They are a tournament team. We shot the ball very poorly, they banked a three in and they threw another pass off the backboard that they got two points off of. Hopefully that won’t happen in the next game. Losing Jerami (Grant) for those two games – it was a big factor in those games, but getting him back I think he has played well against Florida State and played really well in the (ACC) tournament. I think he is back at full strength. I think getting everyone back together is huge for us. I am as confident of this team going into this tournament right now as I was last year of the team.”
What are your thoughts on playing in Buffalo?
“I think it is good to play in Buffalo. It is close by, but where you play isn’t going to have as much of an affect as how you play. How you play is what really matters. We are happy to be in Buffalo, but it is just about playing. You have to play well.”
Is there anything different you do to prepare to games closer to Syracuse?
“We went out a little earlier last year just to get prepared. That was the only thing we did differently last year.”
What’s the status of Trevor Cooney’s ankle?
“Trevor shot today. He’ll probably practice tomorrow. He should be at full strength by Thursday.”
What stands out about Western Michigan?
“We haven’t even seen the tape yet. They’re a really good team in a good conference. They won the tournament so they’re playing really well. They beat a good Toledo team going away. They’re a very, very good team.”
Do you think the ACC getting six bids was appropriate?
“I didn’t look at that stuff this year. I think it’s a good league. It seems about right.”
What does the week look like heading forward?
“We had a good practice today. We’ll practice tomorrow and Tuesday. We’ll probably go to Buffalo after practice on Tuesday.”
Can you gauge your excitement level right now?
“It’s the same every year. This is what you play 31 games for – to get into this tournament. Most years you go into it, you’ve lost in your conference tournament. Last two times we won the conference tournament, we lost in the first-round game. I don’t know if playing in your conference tournament is all that indicative. You never know. I’ve seen many teams who have played poorly in their conference tournament and have gone on to play well in the NCAA. Villanova did that and won it one year. It’s how you play starting this week. I’m very confident in the way we’ve played overall the last couple games. Before that, we didn’t have Jerami Grant so I’m very confident our team will be ready to play on Thursday.”
Can you talk about the toughness of this tournament field overall?
“I think it’s a great tournament. There will be some tremendous games ahead of us in this tournament. There are a lot of really good teams – a lot of really good balance. It’s as wide open of a tournament as we have had. There are a lot of difficult games right off the bat. We’ve struggled against everybody. It’s not like we’ve put anyone away. We won, but they were hard wins. You see that scenario for us. We’re not overpowering anybody. I think that’s just the way the tournament is going to be. There will be games that can go any way. It’s what has happened this year in college basketball. I think that’s what is going to happen in the tournament. To play in the NCAA Tournament is a tremendous privilege for our program and for our players. This is what you play for. It’s just not that easy to get in there. And once you get in there, it’s not easy. That’s what makes it interesting and challenging. It’s something you look forward to every year. You just want to be there and have that opportunity. In college basketball, anybody that has an opportunity can win. It’s the way I look at it.”
How concerned are you with the recent offensive struggles?
“It is what it is. I’m confident with our team. We’ve won with our offense a lot of games. I believe if Jerami (Grant) hadn’t of gone down, we could have won one or two more. Twenty seven is as many as we usually win around here. We’ve been to the Final Four a few times. We’ve been to the Sweet Sixteen 16 or 17 times and we hadn’t won 27 games in too many of those years.”
Selection Sunday Press Conference
March 16, 2014
Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes
Opening Statement:
“We are excited to be in the tournament as everyone should be. It’s a start to the last section of the year. We are excited to be able to play in Buffalo I think that’s great for our players to be pretty close (to Syracuse). The field is tremendously challenging. You look at any team you are going to play in this tournament now and you have a tough game. There is no such thing as an easy starting game in the NCAA Tournament anymore. Western Michigan – we are getting stuff in on them. We have seen some stuff on them already. They are a very good basketball team. They won a very difficult conference and the conference tournament. We know it is a tremendous challenge for our players and our team. We are excited about it.”
What are your thoughts on the overall bracket?
“I haven’t looked, but they are all balanced. I really haven’t spent a lot of time looking at it. Everybody in this tournament is good. You just really have to look at that first game and try to get yourself ready to play that game.”
How do you feel about your team going into the tournament? Last year you had the momentum of the BIG EAST Tournament to ride?
“We played a tremendous game against Florida State less than a week ago, so I am confident we will play well. We played well for the most part against NC State. We shot the ball poorly and when that happens it happens. They (NC State) are a pretty good team. They are a tournament team. We shot the ball very poorly, they banked a three in and they threw another pass off the backboard that they got two points off of. Hopefully that won’t happen in the next game. Losing Jerami (Grant) for those two games – it was a big factor in those games, but getting him back I think he has played well against Florida State and played really well in the (ACC) tournament. I think he is back at full strength. I think getting everyone back together is huge for us. I am as confident of this team going into this tournament right now as I was last year of the team.”
What are your thoughts on playing in Buffalo?
“I think it is good to play in Buffalo. It is close by, but where you play isn’t going to have as much of an affect as how you play. How you play is what really matters. We are happy to be in Buffalo, but it is just about playing. You have to play well.”
Is there anything different you do to prepare to games closer to Syracuse?
“We went out a little earlier last year just to get prepared. That was the only thing we did differently last year.”
What’s the status of Trevor Cooney’s ankle?
“Trevor shot today. He’ll probably practice tomorrow. He should be at full strength by Thursday.”
What stands out about Western Michigan?
“We haven’t even seen the tape yet. They’re a really good team in a good conference. They won the tournament so they’re playing really well. They beat a good Toledo team going away. They’re a very, very good team.”
Do you think the ACC getting six bids was appropriate?
“I didn’t look at that stuff this year. I think it’s a good league. It seems about right.”
What does the week look like heading forward?
“We had a good practice today. We’ll practice tomorrow and Tuesday. We’ll probably go to Buffalo after practice on Tuesday.”
Can you gauge your excitement level right now?
“It’s the same every year. This is what you play 31 games for – to get into this tournament. Most years you go into it, you’ve lost in your conference tournament. Last two times we won the conference tournament, we lost in the first-round game. I don’t know if playing in your conference tournament is all that indicative. You never know. I’ve seen many teams who have played poorly in their conference tournament and have gone on to play well in the NCAA. Villanova did that and won it one year. It’s how you play starting this week. I’m very confident in the way we’ve played overall the last couple games. Before that, we didn’t have Jerami Grant so I’m very confident our team will be ready to play on Thursday.”
Can you talk about the toughness of this tournament field overall?
“I think it’s a great tournament. There will be some tremendous games ahead of us in this tournament. There are a lot of really good teams – a lot of really good balance. It’s as wide open of a tournament as we have had. There are a lot of difficult games right off the bat. We’ve struggled against everybody. It’s not like we’ve put anyone away. We won, but they were hard wins. You see that scenario for us. We’re not overpowering anybody. I think that’s just the way the tournament is going to be. There will be games that can go any way. It’s what has happened this year in college basketball. I think that’s what is going to happen in the tournament. To play in the NCAA Tournament is a tremendous privilege for our program and for our players. This is what you play for. It’s just not that easy to get in there. And once you get in there, it’s not easy. That’s what makes it interesting and challenging. It’s something you look forward to every year. You just want to be there and have that opportunity. In college basketball, anybody that has an opportunity can win. It’s the way I look at it.”
How concerned are you with the recent offensive struggles?
“It is what it is. I’m confident with our team. We’ve won with our offense a lot of games. I believe if Jerami (Grant) hadn’t of gone down, we could have won one or two more. Twenty seven is as many as we usually win around here. We’ve been to the Final Four a few times. We’ve been to the Sweet Sixteen 16 or 17 times and we hadn’t won 27 games in too many of those years.”
