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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCEJanuary 7, 2013Mark GottfriedMARK GOTTFRIED: Well, you know, I think any time you win on the road, it makes you feel a little bit better about things, which we were able to do this past weekend in Boston. We have a very challenging game with Georgia Tech, who I think is a lot better than they were a year ago. They came to Raleigh last year and beat us, and we have a lot of respect for them, and I think more than anything that's what we've got to concentrate on. Q. Can you talk about the dynamic of having such a short bench, playing essentially a seven‑man rotation so much of the time and the problems that presents, and does it make anything easier? MARK GOTTFRIED: Well, I think that even though‑‑ I think we're playing eight guys right now, and some of those guys maybe the minutes aren't as high, but we've got eight scholarship players, and all eight are playing. If it happens to be where for a particular game we don't go that deep, then we'll just make it work. But I don't think those are issues in college basketball. Q. TJ Warren is your first guy off the bench and playing essentially starter's minutes as you rotate him in there. But is it that he‑‑ he seems to accept that role well, and not everybody would. How has he responded to that in your eyes? MARK GOTTFRIED: I think he's done very well. I think he knows that he could be in the starting lineup, and I've told him many times that if I was allowed to start six, I would. Whether he or Rodney start, I don't think it matters that much. I think they know they're both going to contribute in a big way, so I think TJ has been very good. Q. I just wonder, you just obviously played a tough game with Boston College. Can you talk about them? Have they made an improvement this year from last year, and if so, what's the difference? MARK GOTTFRIED: Well, I think, yes. The answer to the question is yes, they have improved, and I think in a lot of areas. The first one is Ryan Anderson is better. He was a freshman a year ago, and he has a year under his belt and he's a tough match inside. I think the two freshman guards that they recruited are both very good, Rahon and Hanlan. I think Hanlan is going to be a great player in this league. And I also think it takes the pressure off of Jackson to be a ball handler like he had to last year a lot and frees him up to have fresher legs and be a more effective shooter. I just think they're a lot better, the freshmen who became sophomores are better, and then I think the freshmen are both very good. I think they're much improved. Q. How sweet is it to open the conference play with a road victory? MARK GOTTFRIED: I think when you win on the road in your conference it's always significant. There's a‑‑ it helps you in a lot of ways, and what you can't do is give one away at home, which we did a number of times last year. But I do think that it certainly helps you in a great way to win on the road. Q. Senior Scott Wood, he's averaging 11 points a game shooting, 43 percent from three‑point range, 91 percent from the line, and in the game with Boston College the other day it was he that was getting the ball in the last minute and continuing to sink the free throws. What does he bring to your team? MARK GOTTFRIED: Just what you just said. He's a great shooter, and he's a senior, and he's got great confidence. I think the part that's a lot of times overlooked about Scott is even defensively, he may not be the most gifted athlete, but he's been through the wars of college basketball, he understands how to defend, he communicates very well, he switches when there needs to be a switch. A lot of times he's coaching these young guys on how to defend as the play is happening. He brings a lot to our team. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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