Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes - Clemson
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Syracuse vs. Clemson
Wednesday, January 9, 2018
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Opening Statement:
“Clemson is a really, really good defensive team. We weren’t making anything, so we wanted to keep driving, trying to get to the basket, and trying to get to a situation where we could get to the foul line. Threes just weren’t going. In the first half, we were 10 for 12 from the two and 3 for 14 from the three and every three we had was just what we had the other day when we made 11. So you have to find a way to win. We did a good job defensively. We did a really good job on Reed until near the end. Marek and Bourama did a good job on Thomas for the most part.
"We were fortunate at the end. They missed a wide-open lay-up which would have made it difficult and they then missed a three at the end which was pretty wide-open, so we got one there. But, on the other hand, we had four or five shots that were good shots that we didn’t make at the end. Tyus makes those shots. He just couldn’t get it to go down tonight. He had a bad shooting day. I think he made one shot. The rest were lay-ups.
"They’re a good defensive team. They have fifth-year guys. They’ve been to the Sweet Sixteen. They know what they’re doing. Overall, our defense was really good in the first half. It was still good in the first half, but it was really good in the first half and we should’ve had more separation in the first half. We had opportunities and we just did some dumb things and made some dumb turnovers. But again, these are tough games and tough wins. But overall, we did the things we had to do and at the end we made a couple of stops and made our free throws.”
How did Marek’s passing high above the three-point line contributing to the win?
“Well, it gets Thomas away from the basket and if he doesn’t come up, he can make that. It opens up things for the drive. When Paschal is in there, Thomas stays right in the middle of the lane and we can’t get anything going towards the basket and they’re such a good perimeter defensive team that it’s hard to get shots off there. You have to find a way to get him away so that when you do drive, you have a chance to finish. But it was strictly trying to be more mobile and when Bourama went in, he was really good in the first half. He made some plays that really made a difference for us. And one of the keys was when we got to six, we pressed. We got two big turnovers and scores and went up 12. Then they got an easy one.
"So, I think that the press served its purpose. We got up 12 or 13 with it and that gave us enough separation. We weren’t good at the end of the game in terms of just being patient and moving the ball. We did a fairly good job, but then we missed the shot. When you’re taking time off and moving the ball and you get a good shot you have to make that shot and we didn’t do that. But they’re a very good team and they have a lot of veteran guys. This a tough week. We have a lot of basketball. So, I thought this was a good overall effort.”
Did you want the defense to get in front of Thomas because of the size differential?
"You want to get in front of him as much as you can. You don’t want him to catch an elbow. They get it in the high post and we did a good job of not letting them get it down. They did hit a couple in the high post area but that’s going to happen. You’re going to give up something. Those are twos. It’s better than threes. But again, both teams struggled shooting the ball from the perimeter and I think the difference was the press and that we got to the free throw line a little bit.”
What’s Bourama doing differently over these past couple days?
“I think he’s moving better. He’s playing like he was when he healthy. Last year when we played him, he played quicker. He used his quickness to move and spin inside. That’s what he does. Going after the ball and blocking shots. That’s what he can do and that’s what we saw early last year. We haven’t seen it this year. It’s been a little bit better in practice. I don’t know whether it’s just taking him a long time to get used to being there and healthy, I don’t know. But he’s been better. I thought that Jalen and Buddy did a good job defensively. They had a couple of opportunities. But it will come. They’re young. Down the stretch, we’re going to go with the seniors until they can’t get it done and I think they can get it done so that’s who is going to play.”
Does it seem like Frank Howard is starting to feel his shot a little better?
“A little bit better. I think he’s better. I think it’s much closer. I think he’s getting there. I really do.”
Did you put the press on based on how the moment of the game felt?
“We’ve been working on it in practice every day and we wanted to try it. They’ve got a lot of guards but we did a really good job. They made two big mistakes. We got two turnovers and that’s the big difference in the game. But then they got a dunk. So the press can help you and it can hurt you.”
Was that the all-around game that you pictured from Marek when you put him in the starting lineup?
“I think this was the best he’s been. I think he’s getting better. He’s a good player.”
Do you feel like this team is finally building momentum?
“Well, we’ve got a long ways to go. We’ve played two games. I think if we had made shots tonight, this would have been an easy game and we would have had a lot more to think about in terms of being positive about everything. But this was a struggle. They’re a good defensive team. They’re not going to give you much easy so you’ve got to make something from the perimeter. And we’re getting shots that we would like to have. I think that we didn’t get any better shots than we did against Notre Dame than we got here. I think these were as good or better than Notre Dame. Hopefully Oshae and Tyus going zero for ten from the three won’t happen too much. It’s a good win. This is a tough league. Everybody in this league can play. If you’re not ready, you won’t play well. We’re going to have long nights in this league. Top to bottom it’s tough. But it’s good to get this and we’ve got a couple days to get ready for Saturday night.”
Syracuse vs. Clemson
Wednesday, January 9, 2018
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Opening Statement:
“Clemson is a really, really good defensive team. We weren’t making anything, so we wanted to keep driving, trying to get to the basket, and trying to get to a situation where we could get to the foul line. Threes just weren’t going. In the first half, we were 10 for 12 from the two and 3 for 14 from the three and every three we had was just what we had the other day when we made 11. So you have to find a way to win. We did a good job defensively. We did a really good job on Reed until near the end. Marek and Bourama did a good job on Thomas for the most part.
"We were fortunate at the end. They missed a wide-open lay-up which would have made it difficult and they then missed a three at the end which was pretty wide-open, so we got one there. But, on the other hand, we had four or five shots that were good shots that we didn’t make at the end. Tyus makes those shots. He just couldn’t get it to go down tonight. He had a bad shooting day. I think he made one shot. The rest were lay-ups.
"They’re a good defensive team. They have fifth-year guys. They’ve been to the Sweet Sixteen. They know what they’re doing. Overall, our defense was really good in the first half. It was still good in the first half, but it was really good in the first half and we should’ve had more separation in the first half. We had opportunities and we just did some dumb things and made some dumb turnovers. But again, these are tough games and tough wins. But overall, we did the things we had to do and at the end we made a couple of stops and made our free throws.”
How did Marek’s passing high above the three-point line contributing to the win?
“Well, it gets Thomas away from the basket and if he doesn’t come up, he can make that. It opens up things for the drive. When Paschal is in there, Thomas stays right in the middle of the lane and we can’t get anything going towards the basket and they’re such a good perimeter defensive team that it’s hard to get shots off there. You have to find a way to get him away so that when you do drive, you have a chance to finish. But it was strictly trying to be more mobile and when Bourama went in, he was really good in the first half. He made some plays that really made a difference for us. And one of the keys was when we got to six, we pressed. We got two big turnovers and scores and went up 12. Then they got an easy one.
"So, I think that the press served its purpose. We got up 12 or 13 with it and that gave us enough separation. We weren’t good at the end of the game in terms of just being patient and moving the ball. We did a fairly good job, but then we missed the shot. When you’re taking time off and moving the ball and you get a good shot you have to make that shot and we didn’t do that. But they’re a very good team and they have a lot of veteran guys. This a tough week. We have a lot of basketball. So, I thought this was a good overall effort.”
Did you want the defense to get in front of Thomas because of the size differential?
"You want to get in front of him as much as you can. You don’t want him to catch an elbow. They get it in the high post and we did a good job of not letting them get it down. They did hit a couple in the high post area but that’s going to happen. You’re going to give up something. Those are twos. It’s better than threes. But again, both teams struggled shooting the ball from the perimeter and I think the difference was the press and that we got to the free throw line a little bit.”
What’s Bourama doing differently over these past couple days?
“I think he’s moving better. He’s playing like he was when he healthy. Last year when we played him, he played quicker. He used his quickness to move and spin inside. That’s what he does. Going after the ball and blocking shots. That’s what he can do and that’s what we saw early last year. We haven’t seen it this year. It’s been a little bit better in practice. I don’t know whether it’s just taking him a long time to get used to being there and healthy, I don’t know. But he’s been better. I thought that Jalen and Buddy did a good job defensively. They had a couple of opportunities. But it will come. They’re young. Down the stretch, we’re going to go with the seniors until they can’t get it done and I think they can get it done so that’s who is going to play.”
Does it seem like Frank Howard is starting to feel his shot a little better?
“A little bit better. I think he’s better. I think it’s much closer. I think he’s getting there. I really do.”
Did you put the press on based on how the moment of the game felt?
“We’ve been working on it in practice every day and we wanted to try it. They’ve got a lot of guards but we did a really good job. They made two big mistakes. We got two turnovers and that’s the big difference in the game. But then they got a dunk. So the press can help you and it can hurt you.”
Was that the all-around game that you pictured from Marek when you put him in the starting lineup?
“I think this was the best he’s been. I think he’s getting better. He’s a good player.”
Do you feel like this team is finally building momentum?
“Well, we’ve got a long ways to go. We’ve played two games. I think if we had made shots tonight, this would have been an easy game and we would have had a lot more to think about in terms of being positive about everything. But this was a struggle. They’re a good defensive team. They’re not going to give you much easy so you’ve got to make something from the perimeter. And we’re getting shots that we would like to have. I think that we didn’t get any better shots than we did against Notre Dame than we got here. I think these were as good or better than Notre Dame. Hopefully Oshae and Tyus going zero for ten from the three won’t happen too much. It’s a good win. This is a tough league. Everybody in this league can play. If you’re not ready, you won’t play well. We’re going to have long nights in this league. Top to bottom it’s tough. But it’s good to get this and we’ve got a couple days to get ready for Saturday night.”
