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INDIANA UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 16, 2016OG AnunobyJuwan MorganRobert JohnsonBloomington, Indiana Indiana - 100, UMass Lowell - 78 Q. I guess there was a point there early in the second half, you guys posted something like 15-0 run. And you have shown the propensity to do that both in exhibitions and tonight. Just kind of what fuels those spurts where you cracked down it at both ends of the floor and build 15-0, 16-3 run? ROBERT JOHNSON: It all starts on defense. That's where you can get out in transition. Once we get stops, specifically defensive rebounds, we can get ourselves in place. And once (indiscernible) stops that's really good for us. Q. Also early in that second half, about three minutes in, there's a huddle right before Thomas went to the free-throw line. He was kind of gesturing to other end of the court, seemed like he was frustrated with defense or something. What was he saying at that moment? What was frustrating at that moment? ROBERT JOHNSON: I'm not sure, but in our huddles that's when we try to figure out issues that we have been having during the game. And it was probably something defensively that we didn't do a good job communicating with. So he probably was just trying to fix it. Q. How much do you inform yourselves of your shortcomings or what have you. How much do you try to pick each other up in those moments? ROBERT JOHNSON: We try to do it a lot just from the simple fact we're going to be a player-driven team. We're holding ourselves accountable, I think. That's the main way to get better. Q. Juwan, what was your sin on the dunk, for the call on the technical? JUWAN MORGAN: I honestly don't know. I dunked it and I felt somebody's head brush against me. I looked down and it dropped off the rim and I had a tech. Q. Juwan, we saw a catch, steal and spin from OG tonight and some other things. What are some things you've seen from him in practice, his offensive game growing, just the things that he did? JUWAN MORGAN: Just attacking right away. That's really grown and that came with as his confidence went up, as his shot got better. He's always in the gym. He's probably in there more than anybody else. And he's just always working on that. He's always working. And every time we're in practice there's something new coming out. As he gets better and better at it, it just almost becomes natural for him. Q. OG, what do you have to focus and concentrate on as a team and individuals when you're playing a team that you may be dramatically more talented than? OG ANUNOBY: Just not playing the team, just playing to dominate. Getting multiple stops on defense, rebound, and just move the ball on offense. Q. And how well did you feel like you guys did that tonight? OG ANUNOBY: We felt like we did it decently. We know we can do better, though. Q. For either of you guys how much easier is it to change [indiscernible]? JUWAN MORGAN: It's a lot easier. It opens up so much more of the floor, especially when -- I'm pretty sure guys, when they scout James, they already know he's a scorer, and then when he's locked in, even when they're keying in on them, he's still scoring, he's still driving, making plays. That just opens up things like that because extra passes, throwing inside to the post and they had to respect him. And it just opens up everything. Q. Juwan, De'Ron had a couple of big free throws for you guys tonight. He got a little bit more -- eight points, three rebounds. Even though he came in late, just how quickly have you seen him adapt and especially maybe when he's had guys like you and Thomas to work with in practice, how quickly has he grown? JUWAN MORGAN: It's been tremendous. The jump he made from week one to week two and then from week two to week three and so forth it's just an incredible rate that he's going at. And he's been in better condition on his own. That was something he came to me about, just saying he wanted to be in better condition, being able to be in the game longer, things like that. And with that change in his body he started to be more comfortable. As you could see it's starting to pay off. Q. To follow up, when you're in the preseason getting ready for the season, how do you work with a young guy on maybe getting his legs under him a little bit more if he hasn't had that summer? JUWAN MORGAN: I guess it would just be pushing him in practice, at times when he wants to take breaks when we're doing full-court things, just making sure he's in there. And like he does extra running and things like that when we have off days or something, and just helping him with that, being there supporting him with that. Q. How much have you worked on that press defense going into tonight? And is that something you will see more of going forward? ROBERT JOHNSON: At one point when we got up, kind of got a couple of shots in the back court, that was completely random. So that's something we want to continue to build on. We wanted to pressure them full court, man to man, but that was just something we did a good job of rotating with and it was good for us. Q. Juwan, I saw you in particular talking to Freddie at different points during the game, pointing where he needs to be. How much do you coach him up during the game, bring him along, get him up to speed? JUWAN MORGAN: Whenever he needs it. Whenever I see somebody in there that doesn't know what they're doing I try to know all five spots. That way if they're stuck on where they need to be I can help them. And even when I'm in the game, running to another spot, I'll try to be directing traffic, making sure they know where they're going, making sure they know what to do. And, I don't know, it just comes with it. Q. Robert, I'll ask you, I wouldn't think you would necessarily notice anything during the course of the game, but how awesome are the renovations here at Assembly Hall and do they have any impact on the game itself? ROBERT JOHNSON: I think they're really a big deal for us, especially for the program, recruits and things like that, for them to see that. But during the game, I really don't notice anything differently. Maybe the backdrop on the one side that's more open. But other than that, nothing really. Q. OG, what spots on the floor do you feel like you're more productive at than maybe others? OG ANUNOBY: I'd say I'm more comfortable everywhere. Q. When you see James take on like that, how does that help you as a shooter having that guy right next to you? ROBERT JOHNSON: It helps a lot. For the simple fact what J-Mo said, it spreads the court and opens it up that much more for driving lanes, so you're always putting the defense in the situation where they've either got to pick to stay with them or give you a lane to drive. Q. Do you guys feel like you're kind of learning what the refs you're going to call, besides that technical? Do you feel like you're kind of learning what's a foul and what's -- JUWAN MORGAN: I think we're adjusting just like everybody else is. It's kind of touchy, feely. Everything could be a foul, and you just have to be disciplined and keep your hands out. We preach that every day in practice. And I think we were better from game one to game two as far as the foul situation, keeping our hands out and tonight. And I think as time keeps going on we have to keep getting more and more better at that. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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