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PUERTO RICO TIP-OFF MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 7, 2012Ed BiedenbachQ. Coach, to get things started, obviously you advanced last year to the NCAA and you've opened up the season with a couple of exhibition games, give us a synopsis of how the preseason has gone for you so far. EDDIE BIEDENBACH: You know, we are replacing six seniors, four of whom started and one other that started some games. You know, it's almost an entirely new team. The five regulars that will be starting in the game were with us last year and got playing time with the exception of D.J. Cunningham who was red‑shirted last year as a result of a knee injury. All in all, you know, we are fairly talented, and you know, all of us coaches, the talent level is really game playing talent. As far as size and shooting ability and jumping speed, things like that, I think we are a good basketball team. As far as playing in the game, I don't know how our talent is going to be. Right now, we are a little sloppy. We are not‑‑ we don't execute as well as we can. Our defensive intensity is not where it was. But these guys have been on a team that did that last year and responded in all the areas. We were not perfect last year, either, but we were pretty good. I think we can get to that level with this team because we have enough talent, and it's a talent with a little bit of size, a little bit more size, particularly, than we had last year. So, so far, we are not where we were, but we are really looking forward to this tournament and the calibre of play that we are going to have to adjust to to be successful down there. Q. Are there one or two players that have stood out? EDDIE BIEDENBACH: They have not stood out as far as execution and the intensity level that I would like but we haven't played that kind of competition, either. We won handily on Monday night in an exhibition game against Division II team and didn't play very well. I'm encouraged by that because I know we have the ability to play better, but Jeremy Atkinson was picked for preseason all conference. He's a 6‑4 forward wing that can shoot the ball and he's strong. So he's a good player. Our two guards have good size at 6‑3 and 6‑4, and they are strong and fast and they can shoot the ball. That's Trent mire and Keith Hornsby, who is the son of Bruce Hornsby, the sinker. He's had a lot of‑‑ he played at Oak Hill Academy and he's had a good background, he's only a sophomore but he's very athletic and can shoot the ball. Our big man, D.J. Cunningham, was a starter for us as a sophomore when we went to the NCAA Tournament, freshman to the tournament and as a sophomore, and then last year he didn't play with an operation. He's back and seems to be at full strength, has matured many and is a better player. But again, we have to see where he is in games, but he's bigger than 6‑10 and 260 pounds. He's going to be good for our league and we'll see how good against some of the bigger teams. Jaron Lane has been problematic with us, he's been injured and has been a really good player for us, maybe our best player last year and he's on a bad ankle and he's had that operated on after the season last year and has not recovered yet and we are not sure where we are going with him at this time. He has not had a chance to scrimmage for than a few minutes, but I don't know where he is. If he's back, and can get back in great shape and be okay by Christmastime then we are libel to be a really good team. But we'll just see where he goes. Q. What are the strengths of your team going into the season? EDDIE BIEDENBACH: Well, I think size and athletic ability were good. Perhaps not in comparison to NC State and Oklahoma State and Tennessee, but for a mid‑major school, we think we have some pretty good size and athletic ability. We shoot the ball okay, better than okay. But our shot selection and everything is not quite what we would like. We have three freshmen that we think can really be good for us. Will weeks, Sam Hughes and Marcus Neely are all quality freshmen that I feel are going to play an awful lot for us, if not start at times. Q. Talk a little about the tournament format, playing two days, off a day and playing again on Sunday and also speak a little about your first round opponent, Tennessee, who last year I think you lost to by four points. EDDIE BIEDENBACH: Yeah, there's some things about the Tennessee game that I'm not allowed to say but I'll talk about. I think they are a good basketball team, a very good basketball team, someone that we have had trouble with for a long time. We played them on an average of about every other year, and we have really enjoyed the competition. It's a two‑hour drive from here in Asheville and we have tried to get them to come here and I thought that was going to work out at one time but now with the new arena we might be able to swing that. I love playing Tennessee. I'd rather play them in Knoxville or Asheville than in Puerto Rico but I would rather be in Puerto Rico than Asheville and Knoxville. It's one of those kind of deals. I'm very happy to play Tennessee. I think that we'll get a lot of semi‑local publicity for the game playing somebody that we are naturally‑‑ one of our competitors, and so we think that's good and he does a great job. They are going to be quite improved over last year, and we should take a little bit of a step back early in the season. But we are bigger and able to match them better on the inside and so we'll see where that leaves us this year. The format over there is great. The only thing I have concern about is missing class by leaving here on Tuesday and coming back on Monday. You know, that's right prior to the Thanksgiving holidays and that makes it tough on our guys. It's all part of what you have to do in college athletics. I marvel at baseball and how they missed so many days of school with the baseball schedule, and ours spans two semesters so we don't miss too much in any one semester. This will be the most we have ever missed in the first semester. Sometimes with the NCAA Tournament and your conference tournament, you have a situation like this in the second semester, but I don't know if you can stand two of them in one semester. This one at least is in the first semester. That part is problematic for us but we love the opportunity. I don't think our guys are going to miss class much. I don't think that's going to bother them any. They will be happy to be there and not be in class. But that's worrisome. As far as taking a day off for the finals, the final day of competition, I think that's an excellent way to do it. I just wish we wouldn't miss so much class. Q. You mentioned all of the turnover and at the same time all the familiarity, does that almost extinguish the familiarity? EDDIE BIEDENBACH: No, because with TV the way it is, you'll probably forget that I'm really old and the games‑‑ when we had TV, it was like a Saturday black and white game on a miniature screen. But our guys watch games, they watch Midnight Madness and all of the different things that happened, and with AAU ball and these guys, they know those players; they know them better than I do. So from that standpoint, Tennessee has a world of publicity in Western North Carolina, and we kind of know what's going on or what to expect and we have a good relationship with them. So we are very, very familiar with their program. Q. The scheduling, moving forward is that something that you foresee? And have you had conversations? EDDIE BIEDENBACH: No, we have not talked about it at length.  That was one of their previous assistant athletic directors that's now at Kansas State. Tennessee has told us that playing here‑‑ because they do a lot of football recruiting in Western North Carolina, a lot of basketball recruiting and they like‑‑ they feel that that's a possibility. But to be honest with you, Ohio State said that they would like to come in. North Carolina was nice enough to put up a new arena last year. We need for some of those big schools to come in here and cause a little more interest and Tennessee would be a great one to do that. My alma mater is NC State and they have not been able to talk them into coming in. They opened our arena, the civic center, in Asheville years and years ago when they had David Thompson. But getting those big schools to come and play at your place sometimes is difficult, and for a reason. That costs you $1million if you're at Ohio State, North Carolina or Tennessee with a home game, you bring in that much. To go on the road when it's just as easy to go over there, I don't mind them paying us a big guarantee. It's not a real push but I would like some of those teams to come in here for our fans once in awhile. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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