Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes - Bucknell
Coach Jim Boeheim Press Conference
Syracuse vs. Bucknell
Nov. 23, 2019
Opening Statement:
“Our ball movement was really good, and we found people. Elijah (Hughes) got us off to a great start with two really well set-up threes.
Our defense was really the key. Bucknell is a really good 3-point shooting team and we just didn’t give them many good looks. Bourama (Sidibe) was good inside. I thought both him and Marek (Dolezaj) did a really good job defensively inside when they tried to go in there. We guarded the perimeter really well.
Bucknell is a pretty good basketball team. They’ll be in the hunt at the end of the year for the NCAA tournament. We just played great and made shots. We stopped them from getting shots but then they missed some when they had opportunities. We just moved the ball well and looked for the guy that was hot.
Joe (Girard III) did a really good job, again, at the point. It was a good learning experience for Jesse (Edwards), Quincy (Guerrier) and Brycen (Goodine) to get some time out there and be able to play. They made some mistakes, but they’re things they can learn from. I thought that Howard (Washington) did a good job. He’s steady. He can go in and set the pace for us.
Again, we’re not that good and they’re not that bad. It’s just one of those games where everything went right for us and nothing went right for them. I think they have a really good team. I think they’ll be right there at the end of the year with Colgate for the NCAA berth in the Patriot League.”
Were you encouraged by the way the team pushed the ball in transition?
“We got some opportunities to get out. When they missed shots and when they turned it over, that’s how we got some points. They turned it over quite a bit. I thought some of it was because of our activity on defense. We were really active. They thought there were people open and we just cut the lane and got there. Our defense was really good today. We’ve been working on it and getting a little bit better. But today, it was really good.”
Has anything surprised you with the team five games into the season?
“No. We just have to keep working. We knew we could shoot and we haven’t shot great, but we’re getting better. I think we’ll get better. We still have a long way to go. But I think we can get better and we’ll need to get better.”
How did you feel about the play from your bench players today?
“I think Quincy (Guerrier) and Brycen (Goodine) were good. We’re trying to get those two guys ready and I think that’s important. I think those are two guys that I’m most concerned with. We’ll see how we go with the bench as we move forward. Jesse (Edwards) gets overpowered a lot in there. But he just has to get stronger. He has good instincts for the game, especially on offense, and he’s long.”
Are Marek (Dolezaj) and Bourama (Sidibe) becoming better at playing with each other?
“I think so. Marek (Dolezaj) was really good. His stats don’t show it, but he got his hands on balls and blocked some shots. We blocked more shots today than we’ve blocked all year. That’s amazing. We were really active on defense. Bourama (Sidibe) was really good. He played more like we think he can play in there. That’s the way he’s going to have to play. But we’re still a long way away. We have so much work to do to try and get better.”
What have you seen from Joe (Girard III) since he has taken over as starting point guard?
“He’s been steady, and he’s been making good decisions. His defense has been good and he’s rebounding out of our zone for the most part. His assists to turnovers are pretty consistent. He’s been very solid. He’s a freshman, so he has a lot to learn. But he knows how to play.”
Have you felt that Elijah (Hughes) has been as effective at distributing as he has been at scoring?
“That’s what I think Elijah (Hughes) brings to the game. He can score but he can make plays. He knows where people are and he’s really terrific. When you get a forward to average five or six assists per game, that’s a lot. But I think everyone is looking for each other and trying to get people the ball and that’s a good thing.”
Syracuse vs. Bucknell
Nov. 23, 2019
Opening Statement:
“Our ball movement was really good, and we found people. Elijah (Hughes) got us off to a great start with two really well set-up threes.
Our defense was really the key. Bucknell is a really good 3-point shooting team and we just didn’t give them many good looks. Bourama (Sidibe) was good inside. I thought both him and Marek (Dolezaj) did a really good job defensively inside when they tried to go in there. We guarded the perimeter really well.
Bucknell is a pretty good basketball team. They’ll be in the hunt at the end of the year for the NCAA tournament. We just played great and made shots. We stopped them from getting shots but then they missed some when they had opportunities. We just moved the ball well and looked for the guy that was hot.
Joe (Girard III) did a really good job, again, at the point. It was a good learning experience for Jesse (Edwards), Quincy (Guerrier) and Brycen (Goodine) to get some time out there and be able to play. They made some mistakes, but they’re things they can learn from. I thought that Howard (Washington) did a good job. He’s steady. He can go in and set the pace for us.
Again, we’re not that good and they’re not that bad. It’s just one of those games where everything went right for us and nothing went right for them. I think they have a really good team. I think they’ll be right there at the end of the year with Colgate for the NCAA berth in the Patriot League.”
Were you encouraged by the way the team pushed the ball in transition?
“We got some opportunities to get out. When they missed shots and when they turned it over, that’s how we got some points. They turned it over quite a bit. I thought some of it was because of our activity on defense. We were really active. They thought there were people open and we just cut the lane and got there. Our defense was really good today. We’ve been working on it and getting a little bit better. But today, it was really good.”
Has anything surprised you with the team five games into the season?
“No. We just have to keep working. We knew we could shoot and we haven’t shot great, but we’re getting better. I think we’ll get better. We still have a long way to go. But I think we can get better and we’ll need to get better.”
How did you feel about the play from your bench players today?
“I think Quincy (Guerrier) and Brycen (Goodine) were good. We’re trying to get those two guys ready and I think that’s important. I think those are two guys that I’m most concerned with. We’ll see how we go with the bench as we move forward. Jesse (Edwards) gets overpowered a lot in there. But he just has to get stronger. He has good instincts for the game, especially on offense, and he’s long.”
Are Marek (Dolezaj) and Bourama (Sidibe) becoming better at playing with each other?
“I think so. Marek (Dolezaj) was really good. His stats don’t show it, but he got his hands on balls and blocked some shots. We blocked more shots today than we’ve blocked all year. That’s amazing. We were really active on defense. Bourama (Sidibe) was really good. He played more like we think he can play in there. That’s the way he’s going to have to play. But we’re still a long way away. We have so much work to do to try and get better.”
What have you seen from Joe (Girard III) since he has taken over as starting point guard?
“He’s been steady, and he’s been making good decisions. His defense has been good and he’s rebounding out of our zone for the most part. His assists to turnovers are pretty consistent. He’s been very solid. He’s a freshman, so he has a lot to learn. But he knows how to play.”
Have you felt that Elijah (Hughes) has been as effective at distributing as he has been at scoring?
“That’s what I think Elijah (Hughes) brings to the game. He can score but he can make plays. He knows where people are and he’s really terrific. When you get a forward to average five or six assists per game, that’s a lot. But I think everyone is looking for each other and trying to get people the ball and that’s a good thing.”
