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Coach Boeheim Quotes - Louisville
Postgame Quotes
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim
Feb. 13, 2017 | Carrier Dome
Opening statement:
“I thought we played hard as we’ve ever played. I thought it was an unbelievable battle to get back in it. We should have been out both times, but they (the team) didn’t give up and they kept coming back. To be down as many as we were, I thought it was impossible. We did an unbelievable job coming back. I thought John (Gillon) got to the basket a couple of times, but that’s the way it goes in these games. For the entire game, we got shots, we just weren’t making them. It was unbelievable effort to get back in it.”
On the last play in overtime, what were you trying to get off there?
“It was a dribble-handoff play. He (John Gillon) had just hit one and he got fouled on one, so it was a good play. We got the rebound, just the wrong guy got it.”
On the last play of regulation, what were you hoping for?
“We were thinking they would be zone, but they went to the matchup and I wanted John (Gillon) to do just what he did. He got right in the lane, he just didn’t finish. That’s just the way it goes.”
What did you think of the way Andrew (White III) played tonight?
“He played great and he played hard, he just couldn’t make anything until the end. He made them in the end to get us back in it.”
Were they (Louisville) doing anything specifically to keep Tyus Battle out of the lane?
“I think Tyus still isn’t back in peak shape. I didn’t think he had it today. I think Frank (Howard) went in and did a great job. I didn’t think Tyus had his legs. When you miss three days in a row with the flu, it’s tough. He just didn’t look like himself.”
What did you think about the defensive effort from the team?
“I thought it was good except that we got the lead in overtime and we didn’t come up on the shooter. We got a three-point lead and we knew the kid was going to shoot. We’ve done that all year, we haven’t been able to get a stop. If we win a game, it’s because we outscore someone. That’s it. We cannot get stops. That’s just the way it is.”
How has Andrew White’s leadership been in situations like this?
“It’s been great. He’s been great down the stretch. He takes big shots and makes big plays. We were done in regulation and then he hits that three and gets fouled and makes all three. He’s been great in end-of-game situations.
“We’ve been down in four or five situations and we’ve won them all until tonight. That’s not easy to do. We probably should have lost two or three of those at least. These guys fight. When you’re down against Louisville seven, eight or nine in regulation and you come back and have a chance to actually win the game, that’s unbelievable. Then you’re down nine in overtime and you get it to two.
"Louisville is a top 10 team, top five maybe. That’s an unbelievable accomplishment to come back like that against a team like that. An unbelievable effort. You really have no chance in games against Louisville when they’re pressing and you’re down nine points in regulation and come back and have a shot to win the game. That’s impossible. When you get down to the end and you need a three, we’ve already had one of those this year and I don’t know if you get two of those.”
Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim
Feb. 13, 2017 | Carrier Dome
Opening statement:
“I thought we played hard as we’ve ever played. I thought it was an unbelievable battle to get back in it. We should have been out both times, but they (the team) didn’t give up and they kept coming back. To be down as many as we were, I thought it was impossible. We did an unbelievable job coming back. I thought John (Gillon) got to the basket a couple of times, but that’s the way it goes in these games. For the entire game, we got shots, we just weren’t making them. It was unbelievable effort to get back in it.”
On the last play in overtime, what were you trying to get off there?
“It was a dribble-handoff play. He (John Gillon) had just hit one and he got fouled on one, so it was a good play. We got the rebound, just the wrong guy got it.”
On the last play of regulation, what were you hoping for?
“We were thinking they would be zone, but they went to the matchup and I wanted John (Gillon) to do just what he did. He got right in the lane, he just didn’t finish. That’s just the way it goes.”
What did you think of the way Andrew (White III) played tonight?
“He played great and he played hard, he just couldn’t make anything until the end. He made them in the end to get us back in it.”
Were they (Louisville) doing anything specifically to keep Tyus Battle out of the lane?
“I think Tyus still isn’t back in peak shape. I didn’t think he had it today. I think Frank (Howard) went in and did a great job. I didn’t think Tyus had his legs. When you miss three days in a row with the flu, it’s tough. He just didn’t look like himself.”
What did you think about the defensive effort from the team?
“I thought it was good except that we got the lead in overtime and we didn’t come up on the shooter. We got a three-point lead and we knew the kid was going to shoot. We’ve done that all year, we haven’t been able to get a stop. If we win a game, it’s because we outscore someone. That’s it. We cannot get stops. That’s just the way it is.”
How has Andrew White’s leadership been in situations like this?
“It’s been great. He’s been great down the stretch. He takes big shots and makes big plays. We were done in regulation and then he hits that three and gets fouled and makes all three. He’s been great in end-of-game situations.
“We’ve been down in four or five situations and we’ve won them all until tonight. That’s not easy to do. We probably should have lost two or three of those at least. These guys fight. When you’re down against Louisville seven, eight or nine in regulation and you come back and have a chance to actually win the game, that’s unbelievable. Then you’re down nine in overtime and you get it to two.
"Louisville is a top 10 team, top five maybe. That’s an unbelievable accomplishment to come back like that against a team like that. An unbelievable effort. You really have no chance in games against Louisville when they’re pressing and you’re down nine points in regulation and come back and have a shot to win the game. That’s impossible. When you get down to the end and you need a three, we’ve already had one of those this year and I don’t know if you get two of those.”
