Coach Boeheim Elon Quotes
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Syracuse vs. Elon
November 21, 2015
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach Jim Boeheim
Opening Statement:
“I think we have to use this game to learn some things, obviously. Mike (Gbinije) is way too important for us. He cannot get in foul trouble. We really need him to be on the court. He just makes us a different team.
"I thought tonight that defensively we played good, for the most part. We had some breakdowns in the second half. They were smart, they moved the ball, and they were patient.
"Offensively, we’ve got to get more production. That’s something we’re just going to have to keep working on. It’s new to Mike (Gbinije) to be at the point guard. He’s doing a good job. He has to do better. Malachi (Richardson’s) going have some off shooting nights. He’s not going to shoot 45 percent every night. I thought Tyler Roberson was better tonight. He was trying to get to the board, trying to be active. I thought that was key. Offensively, we’re going to have to play better to have any success this year.”
It seemed like Trevor (Cooney) really helped you guys out in the second half. Did you see that?
“We’re not getting him good looks. Mike (Gbinije) gave him one good look and he made it. People are staying with him. That’s when we have to get offensive production from other people. Trevor did get to the basket and he has to do that.
"Right now five guys are contributing. We can’t go very far with that. We could have played eight and lost the game, but I didn’t want to do that.
"Frank’s (Howard) been doing okay. Kaleb (Joseph) has to do something. DaJuan (Coleman) and Chinoso (Obokoh) have to be able to do something. Tyler (Lydon) is not going to be able to play center against everyone we play. He’s not big enough, but it makes us a better team for this game.”
You talked about Malachi (Richardson) getting a lot of outside shots. Is it good that he’s getting a lot of these looks?
“That’s what you have to do if you’re a shooter, and if you can’t make them then you’ve got to try to get to the basket.”
How do you think Tyler’s (Lydon) been defensively when he’s in at the five?
“He’s done a good job in there. They took a little advantage of him in there tonight to start the second half, but some of it is he didn’t get help from the forwards on those plays, and Malachi’s (Richardson) not good at that. Ideally if Mike (Gbinije) stays out of foul trouble I’d like to see him at the forward a little bit. We’re better defensively that way. We just have to get somebody better at the guard spot to do that.”
Tyler Roberson scored minimal points first two games but tonight had a double-double. What have you seen differently from him?
“The opportunities are there for him. We just have to keep looking for him. We’re getting penetration and his man is helping and he has a clear route to the basket to get the rebound. I think he got six or seven offensive rebounds and that’s his best way to be productive. People are going to be concerned about Trevor (Cooney), Mike (Gbinije), and Malachi (Richardson). He has to find those spots. Tyler Lydon’s got to do a better job. He was hiding a little bit. He’s got to find those open spots but he’ll get better. It’s early.”
Tyler Roberson offensively -- is this what you really want out of him?
“He has to rebound and play defense. In our offense, we’re creating opportunities for him by screening and rolling and moving. The more screens he sets, the clearer path he has. If he doesn’t set screens and stands there, then they block him out. So the more he screens and moves the more opportunities he gets to get to the offensive glass. Tyler Lydon’s got to be the same way. They’re getting better at that. A lot of smaller teams will switch, the bigger teams won’t do that so those games will cause a little bit more trouble, but then they hurt you in other ways too.”
Closing Statement:
“We’ve had three difficult games against teams we should beat, but they’re not, by any stretch of the imagination, easy games. There really aren’t that many easy games anymore. We had an opportunity against Lehigh to make it a little easier, but we did some foolish things that we can’t do.
“We can’t turn it over 15 times against this team when there’s no pressure. Those are just mistakes. We can’t make those kinds of mistakes. We’re a perimeter team, we’re shooting three’s, we’re driving, and we have to minimize our mistakes to be effective. We’re not doing that. We’re winning because we’re a little bit better than these teams, but we still have to get a lot better. There’s no questions about that. I think we will but we’ve got a lot of work to do. The (Battle 4 Atlantis) tournament will help. You get away from home, new surroundings, really good teams, and that will help us coming back.”
Syracuse vs. Elon
November 21, 2015
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach Jim Boeheim
Opening Statement:
“I think we have to use this game to learn some things, obviously. Mike (Gbinije) is way too important for us. He cannot get in foul trouble. We really need him to be on the court. He just makes us a different team.
"I thought tonight that defensively we played good, for the most part. We had some breakdowns in the second half. They were smart, they moved the ball, and they were patient.
"Offensively, we’ve got to get more production. That’s something we’re just going to have to keep working on. It’s new to Mike (Gbinije) to be at the point guard. He’s doing a good job. He has to do better. Malachi (Richardson’s) going have some off shooting nights. He’s not going to shoot 45 percent every night. I thought Tyler Roberson was better tonight. He was trying to get to the board, trying to be active. I thought that was key. Offensively, we’re going to have to play better to have any success this year.”
It seemed like Trevor (Cooney) really helped you guys out in the second half. Did you see that?
“We’re not getting him good looks. Mike (Gbinije) gave him one good look and he made it. People are staying with him. That’s when we have to get offensive production from other people. Trevor did get to the basket and he has to do that.
"Right now five guys are contributing. We can’t go very far with that. We could have played eight and lost the game, but I didn’t want to do that.
"Frank’s (Howard) been doing okay. Kaleb (Joseph) has to do something. DaJuan (Coleman) and Chinoso (Obokoh) have to be able to do something. Tyler (Lydon) is not going to be able to play center against everyone we play. He’s not big enough, but it makes us a better team for this game.”
You talked about Malachi (Richardson) getting a lot of outside shots. Is it good that he’s getting a lot of these looks?
“That’s what you have to do if you’re a shooter, and if you can’t make them then you’ve got to try to get to the basket.”
How do you think Tyler’s (Lydon) been defensively when he’s in at the five?
“He’s done a good job in there. They took a little advantage of him in there tonight to start the second half, but some of it is he didn’t get help from the forwards on those plays, and Malachi’s (Richardson) not good at that. Ideally if Mike (Gbinije) stays out of foul trouble I’d like to see him at the forward a little bit. We’re better defensively that way. We just have to get somebody better at the guard spot to do that.”
Tyler Roberson scored minimal points first two games but tonight had a double-double. What have you seen differently from him?
“The opportunities are there for him. We just have to keep looking for him. We’re getting penetration and his man is helping and he has a clear route to the basket to get the rebound. I think he got six or seven offensive rebounds and that’s his best way to be productive. People are going to be concerned about Trevor (Cooney), Mike (Gbinije), and Malachi (Richardson). He has to find those spots. Tyler Lydon’s got to do a better job. He was hiding a little bit. He’s got to find those open spots but he’ll get better. It’s early.”
Tyler Roberson offensively -- is this what you really want out of him?
“He has to rebound and play defense. In our offense, we’re creating opportunities for him by screening and rolling and moving. The more screens he sets, the clearer path he has. If he doesn’t set screens and stands there, then they block him out. So the more he screens and moves the more opportunities he gets to get to the offensive glass. Tyler Lydon’s got to be the same way. They’re getting better at that. A lot of smaller teams will switch, the bigger teams won’t do that so those games will cause a little bit more trouble, but then they hurt you in other ways too.”
Closing Statement:
“We’ve had three difficult games against teams we should beat, but they’re not, by any stretch of the imagination, easy games. There really aren’t that many easy games anymore. We had an opportunity against Lehigh to make it a little easier, but we did some foolish things that we can’t do.
“We can’t turn it over 15 times against this team when there’s no pressure. Those are just mistakes. We can’t make those kinds of mistakes. We’re a perimeter team, we’re shooting three’s, we’re driving, and we have to minimize our mistakes to be effective. We’re not doing that. We’re winning because we’re a little bit better than these teams, but we still have to get a lot better. There’s no questions about that. I think we will but we’ve got a lot of work to do. The (Battle 4 Atlantis) tournament will help. You get away from home, new surroundings, really good teams, and that will help us coming back.”
