Head Coach Jim Boeheim Quotes
Syracuse Men’s Basketball
Syracuse vs. North Carolina
February 29, 2020
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim:
Opening Statement:
“I thought North Carolina just really played well and moved the ball. They shot the ball extremely well in the second half and we just couldn’t get to them. We couldn’t get a stop against them. They had three different guys making 3’s and I thought we gave it all we had, battling as hard as we can.
Bourama (Sidibe) was tremendous tonight. He’s really found himself the last couple games, but we struggled in other positions. I just thought they played the way they are capable, and we had a lot of injuries and a lot of different things happen to them. But they’ve got everybody back and healthy now and I think they are a really good team.
“The fans have also been unbelievable this year. The support has been as good, maybe even better, than it’s ever been. We just haven’t played as well at home as we would’ve liked to, but obviously since the league started, we have played better on the road. We won five, and then lost two. We were very, very late in the games. We have played better, I think we have pressed a little bit at home, but we have played much better on the road this year. We just need to regroup, get ready, and go out and play well in our last two games.”
How much did North Carolina’s offensive rebounding determine the first half?
“We battled back for the first half. We got within five, so we did ok. I mean, they are going to out-rebound us, that’s who they are. Ten rebounds: that’s three more offensive rebounds than we got. We can live with that. But we just didn’t get to their three-point shooters. We did a very poor job in defending the three-point line, which we have done this year, unfortunately. And we haven’t shot it well. We had pretty good looks. I wouldn’t say too many, maybe one or two, that were rushed, we just haven’t made enough 3’s for the last ten to twelve games. I think we’re shooting less than twenty-five percent from the three-point line. We need to make those shots. I thought Bourama (Sidibe) was great, I thought Quincy (Guerrier) really started to play better at the end, but he did nothing for the first twenty minutes. He’s got to be better than that for us. Joe (Girard III) struggled a little bit. The ball wouldn’t go down for him, he had good looks, but he’s learning. They’re all learning.”
Did you expect Buddy as well as he did with his ankle?
“No, I didn’t know what he’d do. He practiced yesterday but I didn’t really count on him today. He made the first four shots -- probably the hardest four shots he’s made all year. They were really hard, and he played really well and kept us in there. Bourama kept us in there but we just didn’t get enough. With everything, our defense just wasn’t good enough.”
What did it mean to you to have John Wallace here tonight?
“He was a great player and so important for our program. When he came and what he did was incredible. We were very thin in numbers and he had a great first three years and an even better senior year. You know, he took his team to the last game and was a phenomenal player for us. He’s been a great supporter. From the first day I talked to him when he was in high school, he was like “I’m Syracuse”, and he has been Syracuse consistently, day-in and day-out. It was great to see him and all the other guys back
After the game were you able to talk with Tom Brady and Jimmy Fallon?
“I’m a huge Tom Brady fan. I always have been. He’s the best that ever did it and I’ve always admired the way he handles himself. Just who he is - I think he is phenomenal. Edelman is phenomenal. They are both phenomenal football players.
"Jimmy Fallon, it was great having him there, a great atmosphere. We just haven’t played as well as we need to.”
Syracuse vs. North Carolina
February 29, 2020
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim:
Opening Statement:
“I thought North Carolina just really played well and moved the ball. They shot the ball extremely well in the second half and we just couldn’t get to them. We couldn’t get a stop against them. They had three different guys making 3’s and I thought we gave it all we had, battling as hard as we can.
Bourama (Sidibe) was tremendous tonight. He’s really found himself the last couple games, but we struggled in other positions. I just thought they played the way they are capable, and we had a lot of injuries and a lot of different things happen to them. But they’ve got everybody back and healthy now and I think they are a really good team.
“The fans have also been unbelievable this year. The support has been as good, maybe even better, than it’s ever been. We just haven’t played as well at home as we would’ve liked to, but obviously since the league started, we have played better on the road. We won five, and then lost two. We were very, very late in the games. We have played better, I think we have pressed a little bit at home, but we have played much better on the road this year. We just need to regroup, get ready, and go out and play well in our last two games.”
How much did North Carolina’s offensive rebounding determine the first half?
“We battled back for the first half. We got within five, so we did ok. I mean, they are going to out-rebound us, that’s who they are. Ten rebounds: that’s three more offensive rebounds than we got. We can live with that. But we just didn’t get to their three-point shooters. We did a very poor job in defending the three-point line, which we have done this year, unfortunately. And we haven’t shot it well. We had pretty good looks. I wouldn’t say too many, maybe one or two, that were rushed, we just haven’t made enough 3’s for the last ten to twelve games. I think we’re shooting less than twenty-five percent from the three-point line. We need to make those shots. I thought Bourama (Sidibe) was great, I thought Quincy (Guerrier) really started to play better at the end, but he did nothing for the first twenty minutes. He’s got to be better than that for us. Joe (Girard III) struggled a little bit. The ball wouldn’t go down for him, he had good looks, but he’s learning. They’re all learning.”
Did you expect Buddy as well as he did with his ankle?
“No, I didn’t know what he’d do. He practiced yesterday but I didn’t really count on him today. He made the first four shots -- probably the hardest four shots he’s made all year. They were really hard, and he played really well and kept us in there. Bourama kept us in there but we just didn’t get enough. With everything, our defense just wasn’t good enough.”
What did it mean to you to have John Wallace here tonight?
“He was a great player and so important for our program. When he came and what he did was incredible. We were very thin in numbers and he had a great first three years and an even better senior year. You know, he took his team to the last game and was a phenomenal player for us. He’s been a great supporter. From the first day I talked to him when he was in high school, he was like “I’m Syracuse”, and he has been Syracuse consistently, day-in and day-out. It was great to see him and all the other guys back
After the game were you able to talk with Tom Brady and Jimmy Fallon?
“I’m a huge Tom Brady fan. I always have been. He’s the best that ever did it and I’ve always admired the way he handles himself. Just who he is - I think he is phenomenal. Edelman is phenomenal. They are both phenomenal football players.
"Jimmy Fallon, it was great having him there, a great atmosphere. We just haven’t played as well as we need to.”
