Syracuse Player Quotes - Cornell
Syracuse vs. Cornell
November 23, 2019
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Buddy Boeheim, So., G
Tell me what it was like to go up against Jimmy (Boeheim)?
"It kind of just set in after the game really. After the game with the handshakes. Just being with Jimmy is really special. I grew up looking up to him, he gave me that competitive edge and never let me beat him in whatever we did. I always wanted to be better than him and tried to be at the level he was at. He helped me get here, so just being out there and sharing that experience with him was great."
He played really well. What worked for him?
"He played really well. He’s really good inside and when he's knocking down a couple threes -- he hit two and it really opened up his game. He was getting to the line and playing aggressive and that’s what they need him to do. They are a really smart team. They were using the shot clock well and getting it down to 10 seconds and getting it inside to make a play."
I know you guys got the win but he had the team-high in terms of points. Who’s going to have the bragging rights, you or him?
"Me, definitely. I’ll take the win any day."
I know this is nothing new for you guys, but you only have one more after this. Does that make these games more special?
"Yeah, definitely. Sharing the court like that, you only get that once a year. I’m really proud of the progress he has made and I’m looking forward to next year now."
I know this means a lot to your mom. Your dad isn’t overly emotional but what do you think this means to him?
"He’s definitely just proud of both of us. He always supported us in everything we do and never really pushed us or forced us to play basketball. He knew that we loved it. He’s proud of the people we are and the players we are on and off the court."
"I wouldn't say so. I think that I play with the same mentality no matter what the game is. Maybe I try to key in on him a little more or I’ll get a little more upset when he scores."
Will there be a little more trash talking now that he scored 25 and you had 16.
"As long as we win that’s all I care about. I think that I have the final word with that, but he played real well."
Elijah Hughes, R-Jr., G
What did they do to try to get you going after you came out of the game there?
“Nothing specifically. Coaches said, ‘try to get in the lane, get some assists, make things happen in the lane, and the jump shot would open up eventually.’”
The warm-up shirts. Were they your idea or a couple guys’ together?
“It was a team effort. We decided that we wanted to support what the protestors are doing, what the students are doing on campus. Just let the campus know that they have our full support.
There were a couple timeouts that Jim (Boeheim) called.You guys went right to Quincy out of them. Was that just you guys knowing he could get inside?
“Coach is going to get on you, get you going, get you riled up, and it worked. Quincy got going in the second half a little bit and it was good to see.”
Quincy Guerrier, Fr., F
When you went into the game in the second half, it seems like you went in very ready. What did Coach (Boeheim) say to you in there?
"He’s always telling me just to be physical, use my physicality. That’s pretty much it. He wanted me to play hard, and that’s what I did. I was on the bench, I wanted to play so I was just using my physicality."
After you hit that three it seemed like you had a lot of emotions. Is this the kind of game that can just get you in rhythm?
"Yeah, first game I missed like all of my shots, so I was kind of happy and relieved that I finally hit a three."
Do you think, you made the three because you started out inside and made a couple free throws?
"I was in my rhythm. I worked really hard this week. I’ve been shooting a lot with coach (Autry) and I was just really ready to take the shot and I made it."
How hard is it for you defensively for you sometimes to figure out where you’re supposed to be, especially this early on in your career?
"Every day I’m getting better. Sometimes I am making some mistakes, but Coach Boeheim tells me what to do exactly and I adjust every time."
What was it like going up against Jimmy (Boeheim)?
"I played against Jimmy this summer so it was not something new. They wanted me to attack him and that’s what I did. I think I scored once on him and I stared him down after just to make sure he knew me."
