Syracuse Player Quotes
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Syracuse vs. Cornell
Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Frank Howard, Sr., G
What were you thinking on that 3-pointer with a minute or two left, especially since you hadn’t hit one tonight?
“Make it. Got to make it. Looked up, saw the clock and just took it with confidence and knocked it down. I had a couple that went in and out, but I don’t think that was the problem. I just think it was mental tonight, especially for me. I just have to be better.”
How do you feel like your foot is coming along, is it just playing games?
“I think I was just overthinking things, pressing too hard, trying too hard, trying to force things. I think I had a three blocked tonight – that was ugly. I have to push through, have to be better, I will be. I needed this tonight, which is kind of crazy to say, but I definitely needed this to happen tonight. I’m comfortable now, I had to get over some mental stuff.”
Coach Boeheim was talking about you not going to the basket. Is that a physical thing or is that the mental part that you’re talking about?
“It’s definitely mental. I kind of psyched myself out, told myself it was physical. I feel good, when I let loose, and went out there and just played, I felt really good. I have to be better. When I locked in and focused up, that’s when we went on runs and got our stuff together and slowed things down a little bit. I’ll be better.”
Oshae Brissett, So., F
Do you put up more shots when you’re in a shooting slump?
“You do anything to try and get out of it – getting comfortable with the feel of the ball, keeping confidence in yourself. If you have a bad shooting night and you don’t shoot you’re not going to feel comfortable out there with the ball from beyond the 3-point line. Staying at it and keeping on working is something I’ve been doing.”
How much isn’t really the shot itself, but maybe rim luck, how good of looks you get, decision making, those type of things?
“All those factors are really key. The first shot is not going to be a step-back with a hand in your face. You want to get a nice rhythm shot to get yourself going. Everyone talks about heat checks after you hit two or three, you try and see if you’re hot, but everything factors in. You want to get a good open look, there’s good time on the clock left and make sure it’s in the flow of the offense.”
Do you feel like you guys are a better shooting team this year than last year?
“I feel like this year we definitely move the ball a lot more. We don’t really play ball dominant basketball. Last year it was Tyus (Battle), myself or Frank (Howard) really taking the shots, but this year I feel like we try to move it a lot more. We have Elijah (Hughes) now, Buddy (Boeheim), guys that really help us out.”
Buddy Boeheim, Fr., G
What were your emotions coming into the game?
“I just treated it like a regular game. We texted before the game, ‘good luck’. When the game starts we just focused on winning. When I was out there, it was obviously cool being out there with him, but I mainly just focused on what I can do to help and just making my shots.”
What’s going through your mind when Jimmy scored in front of you?
“Just weird at first seeing him out there playing against us and scoring against us. Just how we grew up rooting for SU no matter what, crying after games and now he’s going against us, cheering when they’re up and stuff. It’s hard to get used to but I am happy for him. I’m really proud of how he’s become a person and a player.”
What was going through your mind after the game?
“It’s crazy, I’m definitely going to watch it again just to relive it. It’s something that I will remember for the rest of my life. I am really happy and blessed I got to share that moment with him and having my dad on the sideline and having my mom and sister in the stands was a special moment and will highlight my basketball career.”
Tyus Battle, Jr., G
Did you feel this game was a hangover from the OSU win at all?
“I felt that a little bit. I mean, we were ready to go against Ohio State. It was a good outcome. Tonight, we were just sleeping a little bit. We weren’t listening to the scouting report, letting people get open threes. It’s college basketball, if anyone gets open three they are usually going to knock it down.”
What importance would you give the rest of these games before ACC play?
“Extremely important. Every game is important, it’s not just non-conference or ACC, every game is important. We gave away two in New York, so I’m trying to go out and for the rest of these non-conference games want it more.”
Where do you feel your shot is now?
“It was fine. It was always fine. I was just missing shots. We played two games and I didn’t make shots. It happens, slumps happen. Now I’m making some so it’s all good now.”
How dangerous do you think this team can be if you all start clicking?
“We can be really dangerous. First off we have to get better on the defensive end and once we do that we know we can score the ball. We know anyone can get going on any given night. It starts on the defense.”
Syracuse vs. Cornell
Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Frank Howard, Sr., G
What were you thinking on that 3-pointer with a minute or two left, especially since you hadn’t hit one tonight?
“Make it. Got to make it. Looked up, saw the clock and just took it with confidence and knocked it down. I had a couple that went in and out, but I don’t think that was the problem. I just think it was mental tonight, especially for me. I just have to be better.”
How do you feel like your foot is coming along, is it just playing games?
“I think I was just overthinking things, pressing too hard, trying too hard, trying to force things. I think I had a three blocked tonight – that was ugly. I have to push through, have to be better, I will be. I needed this tonight, which is kind of crazy to say, but I definitely needed this to happen tonight. I’m comfortable now, I had to get over some mental stuff.”
Coach Boeheim was talking about you not going to the basket. Is that a physical thing or is that the mental part that you’re talking about?
“It’s definitely mental. I kind of psyched myself out, told myself it was physical. I feel good, when I let loose, and went out there and just played, I felt really good. I have to be better. When I locked in and focused up, that’s when we went on runs and got our stuff together and slowed things down a little bit. I’ll be better.”
Oshae Brissett, So., F
Do you put up more shots when you’re in a shooting slump?
“You do anything to try and get out of it – getting comfortable with the feel of the ball, keeping confidence in yourself. If you have a bad shooting night and you don’t shoot you’re not going to feel comfortable out there with the ball from beyond the 3-point line. Staying at it and keeping on working is something I’ve been doing.”
How much isn’t really the shot itself, but maybe rim luck, how good of looks you get, decision making, those type of things?
“All those factors are really key. The first shot is not going to be a step-back with a hand in your face. You want to get a nice rhythm shot to get yourself going. Everyone talks about heat checks after you hit two or three, you try and see if you’re hot, but everything factors in. You want to get a good open look, there’s good time on the clock left and make sure it’s in the flow of the offense.”
Do you feel like you guys are a better shooting team this year than last year?
“I feel like this year we definitely move the ball a lot more. We don’t really play ball dominant basketball. Last year it was Tyus (Battle), myself or Frank (Howard) really taking the shots, but this year I feel like we try to move it a lot more. We have Elijah (Hughes) now, Buddy (Boeheim), guys that really help us out.”
Buddy Boeheim, Fr., G
What were your emotions coming into the game?
“I just treated it like a regular game. We texted before the game, ‘good luck’. When the game starts we just focused on winning. When I was out there, it was obviously cool being out there with him, but I mainly just focused on what I can do to help and just making my shots.”
What’s going through your mind when Jimmy scored in front of you?
“Just weird at first seeing him out there playing against us and scoring against us. Just how we grew up rooting for SU no matter what, crying after games and now he’s going against us, cheering when they’re up and stuff. It’s hard to get used to but I am happy for him. I’m really proud of how he’s become a person and a player.”
What was going through your mind after the game?
“It’s crazy, I’m definitely going to watch it again just to relive it. It’s something that I will remember for the rest of my life. I am really happy and blessed I got to share that moment with him and having my dad on the sideline and having my mom and sister in the stands was a special moment and will highlight my basketball career.”
Tyus Battle, Jr., G
Did you feel this game was a hangover from the OSU win at all?
“I felt that a little bit. I mean, we were ready to go against Ohio State. It was a good outcome. Tonight, we were just sleeping a little bit. We weren’t listening to the scouting report, letting people get open threes. It’s college basketball, if anyone gets open three they are usually going to knock it down.”
What importance would you give the rest of these games before ACC play?
“Extremely important. Every game is important, it’s not just non-conference or ACC, every game is important. We gave away two in New York, so I’m trying to go out and for the rest of these non-conference games want it more.”
Where do you feel your shot is now?
“It was fine. It was always fine. I was just missing shots. We played two games and I didn’t make shots. It happens, slumps happen. Now I’m making some so it’s all good now.”
How dangerous do you think this team can be if you all start clicking?
“We can be really dangerous. First off we have to get better on the defensive end and once we do that we know we can score the ball. We know anyone can get going on any given night. It starts on the defense.”
