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INDIANA UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCEJanuary 7, 2017James Blackmon Jr.OG AnunobyThomas BryantBloomington, Indiana Indiana - 96, Illinois - 80 THE MODERATOR: First question for the players. Q. James, Question on how satisfying it is to get out to a fast start. JAMES BLACKMON JR.: Yeah, we're happy about that. We're happy about our effort and how we came out from the beginning. That's one thing we've got to keep working on. We've just got to maintain. Q. Talk about that start. What was going right from the start? JAMES BLACKMON JR.: I think it was a mentality thing. We were talking a lot more. Guys were engaged and helping each other out. And then when we get stops like that we get out and run it. Q. Question about the Illini's shooting percentage by half. THOMAS BRYANT: I would say no, not really. They were just making some tough shots. There were a few defensive coverages that we got confused on, but we picked it up in the second half, though. Q. Thomas, you had an efficient game rebounding and everything. What did you feel was working with the ball offensively? THOMAS BRYANT: Just having the right mentality going out there into the game. This conference has real good teams in them. You've got to bring your hard hat each and every time you go out there on the floor. That's what I try to instill in myself and my teammates. Q. Question on foul trouble? THOMAS BRYANT: Not really, I just felt like I had to play my game. We had a real good week of practice and everybody knows to do their job. So I feel like everybody was out there. I just got the ball at the right time. So that's all. Q. Speaking more about the second half, how much did you feel that that 3 in particular is kind of maybe epitomizing the way you guys were able, even when you broke down? THOMAS BRYANT: About the three I made? Q. Second half. A little busted possession. Zach drove the lane out to you? THOMAS BRYANT: I just took the wide-open shot. I work with Coach with shooting and also the low post. And then it was a wide-open three and my teammate, Zach, hit me right there. So I just took it. Q. James, talk about your good week of practice. JAMES BLACKMON JR.: Really just buying into the scouting report. The coaches do a great job giving us what we need to do. Then it comes upon us. And I feel we were great tonight. We talked about it before the game and in the game and it got us going. Q. Thomas, how much of an impact did the foul trouble and foul calls have on you? THOMAS BRYANT: It was just foul calls, you know. We just gotta be in better position. We're out there on the floor sometimes with different refs. It's all fine. We've just got to work through it. That's all. Q. OG, a question on the defensive effort. OG ANUNOBY: Talking more. We were more directed and we were playing hard? Q. James and Thomas, speak about the importance of the win? JAMES BLACKMON, JR.: It's really important. Every team we play in the Big Ten is going to be great, you know, Illinois. We've just got to know that one game is never going to define us and just having a short memory and build on it. THOMAS BRYANT: It's just having a short memory about the losses, just continue to build each and every day. We can't listen to the outside -- we know what's going on in here. We've just got to keep improving with Coach and each other each and every time we go out there. Q. You mentioned you had a really good week of practice leading up into this. Was there one or two things that maybe stood out from the week of practice carrying into the game? JAMES BLACKMON JR.: We did a lot of individual things that players needed to work on, like me and Rob would do things that we needed to work on, and other guys would get in work they needed to do. I feel like once we came together we carried it out well. Q. Talk about Devonte Green being back healthy again. JAMES BLACKMON JR.: Yeah, definitely because he's a competitor and he listens well and he follows what he needs to do. He does everything that he needs to do, so I definitely feel like he can. Q. Thomas, what worked for you this week? THOMAS BRYANT: Just looking towards helping my teammates and helping myself, you know, just down there in the low post. And also just being a more versatile defender, always find a way to bring the energy too. Q. Question to Thomas on Robert and James' scoring. THOMAS BRYANT: It gives us a big boost out there on the court because when those guys are hitting, it opens a lot more stuff up for me, OG, the bench. And they have to put so much time and effort on those two, it opens up the floor that much for all of us. Q. OG, you guys did a lot better job taking care of the ball, four turnovers in the first half. You didn't have any for the game. Was that an emphasis, making simpler plays, that kind of thing? OG ANUNOBY: Yeah, we never want them. Q. Was it more of an emphasis this week? OG ANUNOBY: Yeah, but it's always an emphasis. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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