Syracuse Player Quotes - Virginia Tech
Syracuse Men's Basketball
Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech
January 7, 2020
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Player Quotes
Elijah Hughes, R-Jr., F
What are your thoughts on Coach Boeheim saying that the wings are having trouble getting out to the shooters in the zone?
“He’s right. It’s kind of difficult, but it’s something that we can improve on. He’s not asking us to do something out of our power, we just have to do it. We have to know where guys are and the personnel. We’ve got to do a better job.”
How do you guys adjust to physical defenses like Virginia Tech’s?
“We have to finish. We’re getting in the lane, we got in the lane a couple of times today, and we just didn’t finish, myself included. So I have to get in there and I have to finish. We have to finish.”
Is the issue with finishing that you have to expect to fight through contact?
“Not necessarily. I just have to go make a layup. If somebody is on my hip, then I have to go score.”
Did you notice any of Virginia Tech’s guards putting a lot of pressure on your guys on the perimeter?
“Wabissa Bede, who I’ve known since high school. He’s always been that pitbull defender and he gets underneath you. He’s a great defender, one of the best in our league, so that makes it difficult for us.”
Quincy Guerrier, Fr. F
How does your team improve defensively?
“I think they had ten three-point shots today, I’m not sure, but it was better than last game. We had a lot of mistakes guarding the shooters. We had two fouls on the three-point line.We can’t do that.”
How have you been improving your rebounding in the past couple of games?
“I just have to be at the right spot and use my physicality, use my speed. That’s pretty much it.”
What are you focusing on looking ahead at your rematch with Virginia this Saturday?
“We have to go back to practice with a different mindset on Thursday and Friday. We’re going to have two practices and it’s really important to get ready because Virginia lost tonight too. They’re going to want to bounce back against us. We just have to keep working hard in practice and fix everything defensively.”
Joe Girard III, Fr., G
Why do you think this team has struggled in the last ten minutes of games?
“In the past two games, we’ve gotten to a point where we were playing really well. Then, there’s just a few little things that happen where they get open shots or they force a turnover or something to get the advantage. We have to figure it out and clean those things up. We just have to figure out how to win games.”
How do you get better looks against a physical team?
“Usually, you have to be strong with the ball and get in the lane. You have to try to make a shot or make a play for somebody else. Usually when you get in the paint, something good happens. It’s just getting in there and getting the ball to where it needs to be.”
It’s been a rough start, starting 1-3 in the ACC. What is it like in the locker room right now?
“Right now, it’s a little down. Usually when we get out on the court we’ll be alright though. It’s next man up, next day up, next game up. We just have to stay focused and we can’t be too down, because we have to turn right around and play a team like Virginia.”
Syracuse vs. Virginia Tech
January 7, 2020
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Player Quotes
Elijah Hughes, R-Jr., F
What are your thoughts on Coach Boeheim saying that the wings are having trouble getting out to the shooters in the zone?
“He’s right. It’s kind of difficult, but it’s something that we can improve on. He’s not asking us to do something out of our power, we just have to do it. We have to know where guys are and the personnel. We’ve got to do a better job.”
How do you guys adjust to physical defenses like Virginia Tech’s?
“We have to finish. We’re getting in the lane, we got in the lane a couple of times today, and we just didn’t finish, myself included. So I have to get in there and I have to finish. We have to finish.”
Is the issue with finishing that you have to expect to fight through contact?
“Not necessarily. I just have to go make a layup. If somebody is on my hip, then I have to go score.”
Did you notice any of Virginia Tech’s guards putting a lot of pressure on your guys on the perimeter?
“Wabissa Bede, who I’ve known since high school. He’s always been that pitbull defender and he gets underneath you. He’s a great defender, one of the best in our league, so that makes it difficult for us.”
Quincy Guerrier, Fr. F
How does your team improve defensively?
“I think they had ten three-point shots today, I’m not sure, but it was better than last game. We had a lot of mistakes guarding the shooters. We had two fouls on the three-point line.We can’t do that.”
How have you been improving your rebounding in the past couple of games?
“I just have to be at the right spot and use my physicality, use my speed. That’s pretty much it.”
What are you focusing on looking ahead at your rematch with Virginia this Saturday?
“We have to go back to practice with a different mindset on Thursday and Friday. We’re going to have two practices and it’s really important to get ready because Virginia lost tonight too. They’re going to want to bounce back against us. We just have to keep working hard in practice and fix everything defensively.”
Joe Girard III, Fr., G
Why do you think this team has struggled in the last ten minutes of games?
“In the past two games, we’ve gotten to a point where we were playing really well. Then, there’s just a few little things that happen where they get open shots or they force a turnover or something to get the advantage. We have to figure it out and clean those things up. We just have to figure out how to win games.”
How do you get better looks against a physical team?
“Usually, you have to be strong with the ball and get in the lane. You have to try to make a shot or make a play for somebody else. Usually when you get in the paint, something good happens. It’s just getting in there and getting the ball to where it needs to be.”
It’s been a rough start, starting 1-3 in the ACC. What is it like in the locker room right now?
“Right now, it’s a little down. Usually when we get out on the court we’ll be alright though. It’s next man up, next day up, next game up. We just have to stay focused and we can’t be too down, because we have to turn right around and play a team like Virginia.”
