Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes - Iowa
Syracuse vs. Iowa
Opening Statement:
“We played three games in a row against a big guy that dominated us and it’s something we can’t handle defensively. I thought we did a good job for a while tonight, but sooner or later they’re going to wear you down like when (Jordan) Bohannon hit a couple threes.
"But right now, our biggest problem is our offense. We’re not getting good movement. I think when we do get some movement, we’ve gotten some shots and we haven’t made them. But offensively, we’ve got to be a lot better.
"A large part of these three games is that we can’t handle a guy like the three guys we played against. They’re probably three of the better offensive big guys that I’ve seen. We did a pretty good job starting the second half. The shot clock almost expired and they made two threes at the buzzer. Those things happen sometimes when you’re not going well.
"We’ve got to get better movement. Obviously, our young guys just aren’t ready yet for top-50 teams. That’s what we’re playing right now. We’ll keep working and we’ll get better, but, right now, we’re not ready for these games. One of the big things that we found out in New York was when the game was within six or eight, we tried to press and we can’t press with this team and that just blows the game out. We’ll get better. We just have to get better offensive movement and get guys going. We’re trying to play our best offensive players and right now, they’re not able to score enough.”
What do they need to do offensively when they’re not getting inside?
“We’re still trying to get to the basket. We’re not making shots. We’re not shooting very well from the perimeter. We’ve been getting to the basket, we’ve been getting to the foul line, and we’ve shot a lot of free throws. But we’re not making shots that you have to get to the basket.
"Marek’s got room out there, because they’re so concerned with our shooters that he’s getting a good area to operate in out there, and he’s got to be better. Bourama, they’re helping off him, but he’s got to get into position where he can get some points because they’re really not playing him. I think he was half speed in New York from a cold, he’s still struggling with that. I think he’s getting better but his game is movement and he’s not moving the way he needs to. Our young players are making mistakes, made turnovers in the first half, silly ones, but that’s what’s going to happen. But once he [Bourama] gets in and around the basket he’s letting the little guys take the ball away from him. He’s got to be stronger down there, but it’s a learning experience for those guys. They have a long way to go. We’ll just keep working there.”
What can you point out Buddy and Joe shooting and their confidence shooting the ball?
“They just have to keep shooting. They’re good shooters. They have struggled the last three games against better defenses and tougher shots. We can do a better job on screening for them, getting the better shots, but we don’t have the alternative right now. Brycen just looks uncomfortable out there. I’m not sure what is going on with him. Joe and Buddy need to shoot for us to be effective.
"We have to get better play from everyone. Elijah, start of the season, I thought he was playing great and moving the ball and looking for people. He was about four to five assists per game and I don’t think he’s doing that now. I think he’s looking to score and I think he’s got to look at other people too.
"We have to play better together.We have played better together this year, we look for people, but we are really not scoring a lot, and we’re not going to get a lot of assists in those situations. We got a lot of work to do. The four teams are just bigger, stronger, and better than we are, and we’re going to have to work harder to get better. It’s obvious to me that we can play a lot better than we are, but those four teams are proving better than we are, so we have got to get better.”
