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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

January 10, 2011

Jeff Bzdelik

Q. Jeff, what are you focussing on this week? What do you want to see better?
COACH BDZELIK: Obviously I would say probably a couple of major areas. No. 1, defensively, we need to contain the ball better. We have given up almost 40 layups in our last two games, discounting the high-point game, Gonzaga, I think we gave up 19 layups. Against NC State, we gave up 21 layups. We just have to do a better job, obviously, of containing the ball and plugging up holes.
And then we need to finish possessions defensively by blocking people off with force, carving out space and limiting teams' second-chance points. We gave up 20 offensive rebounds against NC State, I believe it was 25 points total off the offensive glass. You're not going to win basketball games, in those two particular areas.
And then shot selection. Our shot selection, we take some quick, bad shots and teams just run out on us and get easy baskets. With the young, inexperienced team, those three areas have been a concentrated effort over the last couple of months to be frank with you.

Q. Have you been surprised -- are you any further behind than you think you would be?
COACH BDZELIK: I thought we would be further ahead to be quite frank. We have had some challenges with Tony Woods and tone Chennault's injury, and Tony Woods, his situation and then Melvin had an illness that he was out with mono for a while. Then that slowed us and we kind of played players out of position.
The adjustment to the academic world at Wake Forest coupled with the challenges that we faced on the court, as I mentioned, have really made it a work-in-progress, no question.

Q. Have you discussed, you're taking over a new program, the challenges that come with recruits and getting them to adapt to your style and maybe earning their trust?
COACH BDZELIK: Well, you know, I think there's a lot of truth and validity to that obviously. I think that respect, trust, all of those kinds of things come over a period of time. It doesn't just happen overnight.
But at the same time, it's a new group totally. Fifty percent of our team are freshmen, and then we have two sophomores, two juniors and one senior, and the upper classmen are playing more minutes than they have ever played in their life and in different roles, for example. They playing in the guts of the game, as opposed to getting some random minutes here and there, while others shouldered the load under the heat, so to speak.
So everything is new. And I'm trying to -- I just don't want to come in and implement my system. I want to -- beginning to get to it, but at the same time making sure that I put these players with their talents in a position for them to excel. So, it's an adjustment, no question.

Q. After the game the other day, a lot of the guys talked about you need to get tougher. Is there an easy way to implement that to make that happen?
COACH BDZELIK: Well, I mean, we have about six, seven opportunities to take charges on Saturday. Took none. Dodged them. Tried to block shots instead of just standing there and taking it.
Blocking people off, hitting people, carving out space, driving people back, pursuing the basketball; those are -- steadying screens and we have avoided screens. We had about four or five opportunities to set good screens and free up jump shooters. Yeah, toughness. Toughness isn't hitting anybody; toughness is executing under duress; toughness is setting screens; toughness is taking charges; toughness is blocking people off. All of those areas we need to grow in. It's that simple.
Inexperience, youth is no excuse. You need to do those things if we are going to have a chance to win games.

Q. What is Chennault's status? Do you expect him back any time soon?
COACH BDZELIK: He's beginning to -- he's just been cleared to shoot and to have individual workouts, so he is improving on a daily basis, when and if he returns this season to play games, it's a day-by-day basis to see how he progresses. We are going to err on the side of caution obviously. He's a young player that we don't want to rush back into action because we want to be 100% healthy and cleared to be able to do stuff.

Q. I wanted to get an update on Melvin, as you mentioned, out with mono early; is he back to full speed or is he still weakened to some degree?
COACH BDZELIK: No. Melvin, now he just needs to get in condition. When we were starting to play him now, minutes, but his condition is such that he's far behind everybody else. He's had trouble completing any conditioning requirements but he's getting there.
He's getting closer, but at the same time, you know, he played seven minutes the other day and had three quick falls. You know, just a lot of rust there from not having played and practiced, and his conditioning has to be improved so that he can have an impact in a positive way on the court. But we are slowly getting there, as well.

Q. I was also wondering about Ty Walker in that he's been giving you real good block shots, but would you talk about his rebounding and his offensive contribution; what he has to do to improve in those two areas?
COACH BDZELIK: Well, there's more to the game than just standing there and blocking shots. A lot of times what he does, he'll try and block everything, and with shots he has no chance to block, and then what happens is his man has a clear path to the offensive glass.
You have to play with physicality under there around the rim, and you have to close steps to the ball (ph) and you have to run the court hard. You can't let people get in post position on you. You have to pick your spots to block shots; you have to block off with force. You can't just stand there and allow people to catch the ball and then try to block the shot after the fact. There's a lot more to it.
So until he learns to do those other things, it's hard to get him a lot of extended minutes to be quite frank.
THE MODERATOR: Coach Bzdelik, thanks for joining us.

End of FastScripts

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