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INDIANA UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCEJanuary 2, 2019Juwan MorganEvan FitznerBloomington, Indiana Q. It's a new year, but what do you see as trying to let people know what the Big Ten season is like, now that it's kicking back in? You're coming off a break, especially some of the younger guys; what do you try and tell them about what's coming up? JUWAN MORGAN: I'd say it's going to be the hardest stretch of basketball they're going to have to play. It's going to be just as mental as it is physical, just each and every game. It'll never be easy. I told them don't expect anything to really just come to you. You've got to go and take it. Q. To kind of go off that, with this first month, a lot of those guys are going to be on the road; after Illinois, six of eight are away from here. I guess with that, is there a mental sense of what it takes to actually go on the road and handle a Big Ten that's as up as it is right now? JUWAN MORGAN: Definitely, I tell them you have to go and do what we practice every day. Don't go -- you can't go on the road and do something that you haven't done every day. We have to play the same way we do at home and bring our own energy on the road. Q. What do you feel like you got out of that stretch in November and December where you won a lot of close games, won a game on the road, won a game on a neutral floor, and what maybe lessons from that stretch are going to be most important here as you resume conference play? EVAN FITZNER: I think winning close games like that just builds toughness moving forward, being in those situations. It's something you can't really simulate in practice, so I think it's good when we've been in so many of those close games. I don't know, just to have that experience moving forward will help us down the road in Big Ten and then hopefully in March, too. JUWAN MORGAN: Yeah, just echoing off Evan, it just builds character for us going forward because a lot of the games are going to end up being close. It just is what it is; the Big Ten is just great from top to bottom this year, and so just having those under our belt already, we know how to operate in those situations. Q. With Devonte getting the gold jersey in practice recently, what's stood out about his performances in practice and what he's done to sort of earn that? EVAN FITZNER: Yeah, I think the gold jersey, a lot of it is your offensive stats, and he's obviously a really good player offensively, but I think he brings some stuff defensively, as well. He's really quick and can stay in front of the ball. Just having him continue to improve will help our team moving forward for sure. JUWAN MORGAN: Yeah, I think he's one of the most laterally quick people I've ever met, and just his hands are so quick, just being able to get steals on ball and off ball, being able to be in the right position, and I know he gambles sometimes, but just getting him to stay, I guess, sound and be able to be in the right position, and as quick as he is, he can recover even if he is out of position a little bit. But I think just getting him to stay within the principles will do a lot for our team. Q. Juwan, what's the biggest key for you guys with Rob being out for a little while, like Coach said earlier? JUWAN MORGAN: Well, I think it really -- it falls on the whole team, but I think more so on like Al and Devonte just because they're the main ones handling the ball, and I just think them taking the approach with pride and just every day in practice, you know, not turning the ball over, being real key on those things and just running team, and I think as far as us for the bigs and everything, just doing everything we can to help the guards out when it comes to like screens, blocking out, getting all the 50/50 balls around the paint, just things like that helping them out. Q. You got a lot of praise locally and nationally for how you played in November and December. Is that your best two months of basketball in your mind? JUWAN MORGAN: I think it's up there. I really think I just try to get better from month to month, just keep trying to stack good games and good practices and just get better and better, so I don't think it will be my best ever, but I think it's up there. Q. Evan, I wanted to get your thoughts on Juwan. You've played with and against a lot of good players in your time in college. What's stood out about his play in November and December? EVAN FITZNER: Yeah, just being a leader, how hard he plays every game and really every practice. Like we see it every day. So yeah, it's been pretty impressive to see. He's definitely probably the best if not one of the best players in all of college basketball in my opinion, just watching the different teams and stuff this year. Yeah, I mean, it's fun to play with, it's fun to have a guy like that on your team, and hopefully -- I know he'll continue to do what he's been doing moving forward. Q. Coach described playing Illinois as a rock fight. How do you prepare for a game like that against a team that's looking to muddle it up as much as they do? JUWAN MORGAN: You almost can't prepare for a team like that. You just have to deliver the first blow, I guess. They're going to get in there, they're going to try to muddy everything up. They're a real intense team, and when you play a team like that, you have to be able to run things, and you also have to be able to have a play get broken up and make something of it. So I think that will be the key, just making sure we stay, I guess, calm and confident in what we do, and even if a play breaks down, we can't get frazzled and just pick up the ball or just throw it away. I think that will come down on guys like me and Evan and Devonte just having been in big games before, just showing the younger guys that it'll be frantic, it'll be a very hectic game, but you've just got to stay sound. Q. Evan - what did you tell your sister about Bloomington and IU since she has signed an NLI to play volleyball here next year? EVAN FITZNER: Just that it's a great place. All the people around in the city really support IU athletes, and yeah, I think she's going to love it here. Just getting to know Coach Aird, too, has been -- he's a great guy, a passionate guy. I think he's really going to do well for the volleyball program. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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