Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes - Maryland
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Syracuse vs. Maryland
Monday, November 27, 2017
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach Jim Boeheim
Opening Statement:
“I thought we played with tremendous heart tonight. They are a very good team. They are very physical. They out-rebound everyone they play and we out-rebounded them, which is pretty good. We did a tremendous job on the boards. When they shoot 11-for-23 from the three and we shoot 3-for-18 – I don’t think we’re going to win that game too many times.
We have to start making some shots. I think we had some wide-open shots, really, the whole game and we just could not knock anything down until that last play. Frank (Howard) did a good job coming off and Tyus (Battle) went to the corner and got a really good look. [Tyus] was probably 50 percent tonight but he made that play and then he made his free throws and we got that break against the press.
"(Kevin) Huerter is a tremendous player, and we didn't have scholarships – that’s another factor that everybody thinks well, the NCAA (penalties) don’t hurt you too much – oh yeah, it hurts you. It crushes you. We knew he was a good player and a great shooter—a perfect wing-type of player for us. We just couldn’t go after him at the time because we didn't have scholarships. But he is a tremendous player and a tremendous shooter. On the last one, we should have been up on him, but they did a good job moving the ball. We did a really good job on the post player. When he got in there, we did a good job defending that guy, but we just did not find Huerter a couple of times. They are a very good team and they shoot the ball very well on the perimeter. They’ve got a lot of guys who know what they’re doing out there.
“I thought we made some tremendous plays and forced some turnovers, but we made a couple bad turnovers that we can’t make. I thought Oshae (Brissett) was very good—he’s active but he just could not make anything. He made a lot layups but that’s all he made – he was 0-for-13 outside the layup line. I thought Marek (Dolezaj) was good. Paschal (Chukwu) scored. They have to rebound better and defend better but again, Maryland is a good team and it was a very good win.”
Can you talk about Oshae Brissett’s play tonight?
“He’s been a much better rebounder than we ever anticipated. He has really gone and got the ball. He worked hard this summer, and he got stronger. He is a very good shooter, he is just not making shots. He had a really good game. If he made some shots, he would have had 25 points easy. He can make that shot but he is a tremendous rebounder.”
How was the transition defense tonight?
“A couple times in the first half we did not get back well, but overall it was okay.”
You took Tyus Battle out of the game for a few minutes. Was that due to his injury?
“He said he could play. He didn’t look right but when a player says he can play, I am going to play him. Geno (Thorpe) was fine in there but we wanted Tyus in the game. In the end, he made the last seven points. He is our best player and he needs to be in the game if he is able to play.”
What does this game say about your young team?
“We have had some tough games and this one was really tough. For the most part, Toledo was really tough, too. We have had some games and this was another one. We still have a long way to go. You know there is going to be some really tough games ahead. They are doing everything they can, they are working hard, and we will try to get a little better. I think we can learn some things from this game. Some mistakes we just can’t make, but we will get there.”
How does this year’s defense compare to last year’s?
“We have been better so far, but we still have a long way to go. We are rebounding much better and we are doing a much better job contesting shots around the basket.”
How would you rate Frank Howard’s play this season?
“Frank is doing a great job and he is taking charge of the team.”
Syracuse vs. Maryland
Monday, November 27, 2017
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach Jim Boeheim
Opening Statement:
“I thought we played with tremendous heart tonight. They are a very good team. They are very physical. They out-rebound everyone they play and we out-rebounded them, which is pretty good. We did a tremendous job on the boards. When they shoot 11-for-23 from the three and we shoot 3-for-18 – I don’t think we’re going to win that game too many times.
We have to start making some shots. I think we had some wide-open shots, really, the whole game and we just could not knock anything down until that last play. Frank (Howard) did a good job coming off and Tyus (Battle) went to the corner and got a really good look. [Tyus] was probably 50 percent tonight but he made that play and then he made his free throws and we got that break against the press.
"(Kevin) Huerter is a tremendous player, and we didn't have scholarships – that’s another factor that everybody thinks well, the NCAA (penalties) don’t hurt you too much – oh yeah, it hurts you. It crushes you. We knew he was a good player and a great shooter—a perfect wing-type of player for us. We just couldn’t go after him at the time because we didn't have scholarships. But he is a tremendous player and a tremendous shooter. On the last one, we should have been up on him, but they did a good job moving the ball. We did a really good job on the post player. When he got in there, we did a good job defending that guy, but we just did not find Huerter a couple of times. They are a very good team and they shoot the ball very well on the perimeter. They’ve got a lot of guys who know what they’re doing out there.
“I thought we made some tremendous plays and forced some turnovers, but we made a couple bad turnovers that we can’t make. I thought Oshae (Brissett) was very good—he’s active but he just could not make anything. He made a lot layups but that’s all he made – he was 0-for-13 outside the layup line. I thought Marek (Dolezaj) was good. Paschal (Chukwu) scored. They have to rebound better and defend better but again, Maryland is a good team and it was a very good win.”
Can you talk about Oshae Brissett’s play tonight?
“He’s been a much better rebounder than we ever anticipated. He has really gone and got the ball. He worked hard this summer, and he got stronger. He is a very good shooter, he is just not making shots. He had a really good game. If he made some shots, he would have had 25 points easy. He can make that shot but he is a tremendous rebounder.”
How was the transition defense tonight?
“A couple times in the first half we did not get back well, but overall it was okay.”
You took Tyus Battle out of the game for a few minutes. Was that due to his injury?
“He said he could play. He didn’t look right but when a player says he can play, I am going to play him. Geno (Thorpe) was fine in there but we wanted Tyus in the game. In the end, he made the last seven points. He is our best player and he needs to be in the game if he is able to play.”
What does this game say about your young team?
“We have had some tough games and this one was really tough. For the most part, Toledo was really tough, too. We have had some games and this was another one. We still have a long way to go. You know there is going to be some really tough games ahead. They are doing everything they can, they are working hard, and we will try to get a little better. I think we can learn some things from this game. Some mistakes we just can’t make, but we will get there.”
How does this year’s defense compare to last year’s?
“We have been better so far, but we still have a long way to go. We are rebounding much better and we are doing a much better job contesting shots around the basket.”
How would you rate Frank Howard’s play this season?
“Frank is doing a great job and he is taking charge of the team.”
