Coach Boeheim Quotes - Wake Forest
Postgame Quotes
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim
Syracuse vs. Wake Forest
January 24, 2017 | Carrier Dome
Opening Statement:
“We had a lot of trouble, (John) Collins is really good inside. Just the offensive rebounds, second chances in the paint -- he killed us in there. Our defense was really good the whole game, but he’s really good. He’s got good hands, catches and finishes it down there.
I thought we struggled offensively for most of the game and we finally opened it up a little bit. We had Taurean (Thompson) screen and roll and get down and have some easy shots down there. He finished them. I thought the last play that we made, everybody touched the ball. It was perfect ball movement. Andrew (White III) got the open look and knocked it in. I thought Tyler Lydon hit a big three.
We made some really good plays. We haven’t been in any really close games, and when you get in one for the first time it’s not always that easy. They made really good plays when they had to. Wake Forest is a really good offensive basketball team. Even though they scored a lot, I thought our defense was really good tonight. On offense, we’re still struggling a little bit to get everything together. It was obviously much better in the second half and we’ve got to take this and build on it.
Do you think the team really picked it up and started to hustle in the second half opposed to the first half?
“It’s not the hustle. For one thing with (John) Collins, the ball didn’t come wherever he was. He had a good first half and he had five offense rebounds himself. We did a little bit better of a job getting around him and getting everybody back in there on the boards. They spread it out so much where they had four outside, which they didn’t have an extra guy on the boards, so that helped us in terms of defensive rebounds. It’s harder for us to cover that, but it’s better for the rebounding situation.
Look, we’re not a great rebounding team for sure. Andrew (White III) is a guard, Taurean (Thompson) is not quite ready to do the things he needs to do for us to be better and he has to do something. Our guards have to help us a little bit more. I thought Tyler Roberson was active tonight, he just had a couple of bad fouls there early, but I thought he was moving and getting aggressive. I thought he made a good block on that one play but those things happen.
I thought Wake Forest was a really good team and I thought we did the things down the stretch that you have to do to win. We were down six or eight and came back, took a six-point lead, missed a couple of free throws, and they got back in front. But we made real good plays on the offensive end and moved the ball. I thought it was a really good win against a good basketball team.”
How big was Andrew White III in this game?
“He’s looking good. We’re trying to get him shots and everyone’s playing him so tough, but that does leave openings for other guys. I thought he moved well. I thought he was more patient, he did a better job of getting himself shots. If he could just get it on the floor better. He’s making his threes, but he’s really not getting much more in the basket. Although he got fouled a couple of times today, which is good. He’s got to try to keep mixing it up and get to the basket and shoot the ball from the three-point line.
I thought Tyus (Battle) struggled a little bit. He’s been playing so well lately, I thought this was his first game where he struggled in a long time. Defensively, I thought he was really sound. But again, I think John (Gillon) made some good plays at the end and we’re just not getting enough out of those guys. We have to get more out of John (Gillon) and Frank (Howard) as we continue on here. You have to get more out of those two guys.”
How important is it for John (Gillon) to drive-to-pass like he did?
“Well he’s looking to do that and sometimes he finishes. You have to mix it up. We’re looking to pass and he did that, he’s got to keep looking. The end-game situations, there haven’t been any of those, but Tyus (Battle) fouled a little too soon. Let’s wait, get up here and then foul> We just don’t want anybody to have a three at the end. That’s what we don’t want.”
What did you think of Lydon’s performance?
“He passes it, he shoots it, he’s a defensive player. He’s doing everything for us.”
You made four-straight free throws down the stretch here. Was it just the right guy getting those?
“Well Andrew (White III) is a really good free-throw shooter, as is Tyus (Battle) and Tyler Lydon. They’re good free-throw shooters, and Tyler (Lydon) got some bounces on his fortunately. Tauren (Thompson) made his. He missed those two, but he made some earlier.
We made good plays. Not being in those situations, it’s easy to not make good plays. You have to be in them to get used to them, and I thought we made some really good plays on both ends of the court. And they made some. They took the lead and made the jumper, they made the three, they did some really good things too. We made a couple of more plays at the end of the day.”
What about John Collins?
“He’s good. He’s really good, and every game he’s getting better and better. He’s just got good hands, he takes his time, finishes inside. He knocked down that one jump shot there when it was a four-point game. He’s a really good player. They’ve got a great team.”
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim
Syracuse vs. Wake Forest
January 24, 2017 | Carrier Dome
Opening Statement:
“We had a lot of trouble, (John) Collins is really good inside. Just the offensive rebounds, second chances in the paint -- he killed us in there. Our defense was really good the whole game, but he’s really good. He’s got good hands, catches and finishes it down there.
I thought we struggled offensively for most of the game and we finally opened it up a little bit. We had Taurean (Thompson) screen and roll and get down and have some easy shots down there. He finished them. I thought the last play that we made, everybody touched the ball. It was perfect ball movement. Andrew (White III) got the open look and knocked it in. I thought Tyler Lydon hit a big three.
We made some really good plays. We haven’t been in any really close games, and when you get in one for the first time it’s not always that easy. They made really good plays when they had to. Wake Forest is a really good offensive basketball team. Even though they scored a lot, I thought our defense was really good tonight. On offense, we’re still struggling a little bit to get everything together. It was obviously much better in the second half and we’ve got to take this and build on it.
Do you think the team really picked it up and started to hustle in the second half opposed to the first half?
“It’s not the hustle. For one thing with (John) Collins, the ball didn’t come wherever he was. He had a good first half and he had five offense rebounds himself. We did a little bit better of a job getting around him and getting everybody back in there on the boards. They spread it out so much where they had four outside, which they didn’t have an extra guy on the boards, so that helped us in terms of defensive rebounds. It’s harder for us to cover that, but it’s better for the rebounding situation.
Look, we’re not a great rebounding team for sure. Andrew (White III) is a guard, Taurean (Thompson) is not quite ready to do the things he needs to do for us to be better and he has to do something. Our guards have to help us a little bit more. I thought Tyler Roberson was active tonight, he just had a couple of bad fouls there early, but I thought he was moving and getting aggressive. I thought he made a good block on that one play but those things happen.
I thought Wake Forest was a really good team and I thought we did the things down the stretch that you have to do to win. We were down six or eight and came back, took a six-point lead, missed a couple of free throws, and they got back in front. But we made real good plays on the offensive end and moved the ball. I thought it was a really good win against a good basketball team.”
How big was Andrew White III in this game?
“He’s looking good. We’re trying to get him shots and everyone’s playing him so tough, but that does leave openings for other guys. I thought he moved well. I thought he was more patient, he did a better job of getting himself shots. If he could just get it on the floor better. He’s making his threes, but he’s really not getting much more in the basket. Although he got fouled a couple of times today, which is good. He’s got to try to keep mixing it up and get to the basket and shoot the ball from the three-point line.
I thought Tyus (Battle) struggled a little bit. He’s been playing so well lately, I thought this was his first game where he struggled in a long time. Defensively, I thought he was really sound. But again, I think John (Gillon) made some good plays at the end and we’re just not getting enough out of those guys. We have to get more out of John (Gillon) and Frank (Howard) as we continue on here. You have to get more out of those two guys.”
How important is it for John (Gillon) to drive-to-pass like he did?
“Well he’s looking to do that and sometimes he finishes. You have to mix it up. We’re looking to pass and he did that, he’s got to keep looking. The end-game situations, there haven’t been any of those, but Tyus (Battle) fouled a little too soon. Let’s wait, get up here and then foul> We just don’t want anybody to have a three at the end. That’s what we don’t want.”
What did you think of Lydon’s performance?
“He passes it, he shoots it, he’s a defensive player. He’s doing everything for us.”
You made four-straight free throws down the stretch here. Was it just the right guy getting those?
“Well Andrew (White III) is a really good free-throw shooter, as is Tyus (Battle) and Tyler Lydon. They’re good free-throw shooters, and Tyler (Lydon) got some bounces on his fortunately. Tauren (Thompson) made his. He missed those two, but he made some earlier.
We made good plays. Not being in those situations, it’s easy to not make good plays. You have to be in them to get used to them, and I thought we made some really good plays on both ends of the court. And they made some. They took the lead and made the jumper, they made the three, they did some really good things too. We made a couple of more plays at the end of the day.”
What about John Collins?
“He’s good. He’s really good, and every game he’s getting better and better. He’s just got good hands, he takes his time, finishes inside. He knocked down that one jump shot there when it was a four-point game. He’s a really good player. They’ve got a great team.”
