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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCEFebruary 6, 2012Steve DonahueCOACH DONAHUE: Last week I thought we played two really hard fought games and played well. Unfortunately, came down to the last minute in each of those games and we just don't get a victory. But really pleased with our guys and how competitive they were. Not executing great, that's for sure, especially on the offensive end. But I think we're competing and getting better each and every day. Q. Do you measure progress, like the week before you all played 30 good games and then let it get away from you in the last ten minutes. The last week you took it down to the wire in the two games. I know you want to win, but is that the kind of progress you want to see? COACH DONAHUE: You know what, Al, I think that's a great point. I think it's a good way to look at it. Part of this is trying to get guys to compete for 40 minutes, figure out ways that you can help your teammates and beat your competition. So, yeah, I think that's a good way of looking at it. The other way, obviously, I'm looking at other things. Execution has got to continue to improve. The way we play has to improve. There are certain things I look at as well. But the bottom line is we're very young. We're probably outmanned in most games going in, and we've got to figure out a way to stay competitive. I think the guys have done a really good job of doing that. Q. Florida State has led the conference and the nation in field goal percentage and defense. Defense has been renowned. Is it as good as its reputation? If so, what makes it difficult to attack? COACH DONAHUE: I think it is as good as its reputation. I think they're legitimate in every aspect of defense. They play aggressive, yet they don't give up easy shots. So think about that. There is a team that's in passing lanes and jumping around, yet you don't get easy shots. That's, by design, I'm sure. It's also with how they recruit, they've got good length, especially at the rim. So you're not going to get easy looks, but they also speed you up and not let you feel comfortable on the perimeter. It's just a real good game plan that Coach Hamilton has done for years. It's as good as advertised. Q. How is Patrick Heckmann doing in dealing with mono? Is there any chance that you'll get him back at some point? COACH DONAHUE: The answer to the former, he's doing fine. It's frustrating, because when you have mono, there is really nothing you're allowed to do exercisewise. I'm trying to get him to look at games and sit back and really take in, now that you're in that competition and try to learn from what's going on out there what you can do better. So I don't know if there is anything physically. The prognosis going forward, I would think that we're going to try to see the doctor this week at some point. Try to start exercising again for another week or so then get them back here a week to ten days, two weeks, maybe. That's, unfortunately, that's not a really direct exactly when, but that's where it stands. Q. How does a player in that situation, can they really concentrate on trying to learn from watching from the bench? He's bound to be frustrated by this certainly, but it's easier said than done. COACH DONAHUE: I think it is, but I also think these guys have been in a unique spot where they come in and have no idea what college basketball is about, especially Patrick. He was thrown in there playing 30 minutes a game. He had some good moments and some really shaky moments for him. It's almost like I can take a deep breath for a second, and try to see what coach is telling me about. How my improvement can be made by watching the game being played. We'll watch film with them and do some different things with them. If it's a kid who is a junior and he's running out of time and his eligibility and he's trying to help his team make a run in the NCAA Tournament, I think it can be frustrated. It's a little different with the situation with Patrick, and I hope he benefits from it. It's not something he wants, for sure, but like anything in life, you have to figure out ways to do stuff when negative things happen. Q. Coach, in reaction to that, does Patrick's absence mean more minutes for Gabe Moton. COACH DONAHUE: I think it does because we just bring another guard out there. Patrick's, we're using him at so many different positions. We were able to sneak some four minutes at him and play smaller, spread the floor. I thought it was something going forward, that's how my teams have played. That being happening, I think Gabe has gotten the opportunity to step in there and play some more minutes, where Patrick may have been playing. I also think you see Matt Humphrey play more minutes as well. Just because he's a bigger guard. He can guard bigger guys. We throw him at the four at times like we did at Georgia Tech, and we do different things out of that as well. Q. Did I see you play Caudill and Clifford together? Is that the first time all year? Is that something we'll see a lot of or a little of? COACH DONAHUE: It was the first time in the league that we did it, and we did it at Georgia Tech as well in the N.C. State game.  I think deciding and rotating Ryan, Dennis and Kyle at the four and five spot for a little bit, just to make and see what happens with those guys. All three, I think, are playing fairly well. They'll bring in something else. So if we want to go big, we can go big. As I said before, I'd love to be able when Patrick goes back to go smaller again, and get the ball moving and play faster. The way we're playing now is a way to teach these guys how to be competitive. But the reality is that's not how we play and win at Cornell, and it's not how we're going to try to win here in the ACC going forward. We'll have to try to play fast and do more things on the offensive end than we're doing right now. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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