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ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPMarch 10, 2017Mark SchmidtDenzel GreggJaylen AdamsPittsburgh, Pennsylvania RHODE ISLAND 74, St. Bonaventure 63 MARK SCHMIDT: I give all the credit to Rhode Island. I thought they did a really good job offensively and defensively. They are more physical than us and we had a hard time scoring the ball. We tried to change things up and one-three-one, two three, man-to-man, try to fool them, and at times, it worked, but they just -- you know, they hurt us inside from an offensive standpoint, and we didn't have much resistance. One of our weaknesses is we have young guys inside and they took advantage of that. And then their defense was really effective. They shocked the ball screens, and when we had open looks, we needed to knock those open looks down and we struggled in that area, as well. But you know, Rhode Island is a really good team and hopefully they get to the NCAA Tournament. But all credit goes to them. They played really well. Q. Can you explain a little bit how tough it is to deal with those horses inside? They were big and strong and tough. DENZEL GREGG: They are good players. We struggled with that all year, the bigger bigs, and it showed tonight. Credit goes to them. They played really well. Hassan for 10, he had a great night. Q. They didn't do anything really that surprised you; right? You knew what was coming? DENZEL GREGG: Yeah, they didn't do anything new. It's just hard to guard. It is what it is. Q. It was also kind of a carbon copy from that first game in Kingston in terms of what they did to you guys offensively, really trying to hound you and Matt. They held Matt to no field goals today. They made you work for your points. What did they do defensively? How hard was it going against that again today? JAYLEN ADAMS: It's more of the same. I don't think they did anything knew. They were just more physical than us. Something that we've got to work on in the summer. I think we turned the ball over too much, me personally, and I think we've just got to get better from here. Q. When Matt gets shut down like that, how much more difficult is it for you to carry this offense? JAYLEN ADAMS: I mean, other guys hit shots. I think Idris played well today. Denzel gave us a lift. But it's something that as a leader, I'm willing to shoulder. Today they weren't falling, and they beat us up and they got one today. Q. They have always been a hard team for you guys to score on, they are a hard team for everybody to score on. They make it so you don't maybe get a lot of the shots that you want. What do they do to sort of take you out of that offense, just from -- you know, as a team. JAYLEN ADAMS: They played a real physical plan of basketball, and I think today we handled it a little differently. In the first game, I think we handled it a little better but today we weren't able to stick the open shots, and that really hurt us because when you can't hit open shots, they can pressure you even more. And I think that was a big problem today. Q. For either of you guys, obviously not the outcome you wanted this weekend. I'm not sure where maybe the NIT conversations is with you guys right now. Do you feel like that's still a possibility, or do you feel like the season maybe came to an end today? Has that gone through your mind at all? DENZEL GREGG: It's March. Anything can happen. A lot of basketball left to play for other people, and we're just waiting, see what happens. Q. You were down six at halftime and got a really good response, within three minutes you're back ahead. You're encouraged, I would think at that point. MARK SCHMIDT: Yeah, we took the lead. But Rhode Island is a good team and they came back at us. We got the run coming out of the half and that was what we wanted. But they answered it. And then it was back and forth, and had just such a hard time guarding them inside. They got too many easy baskets. And everything that we got, you know, it was a struggle. But like I said, give them credit, just like Jay and Denzel alluded to. They were a really good defensive team. They are physical and they make you work for everything and we had a hard time getting good looks, and when we got the good looks as Jay said, we missed some shots, too, against a good defensive team like URI, you've got to make those. Q. You can relate to the position Rhode Island finds itself in. Are you optimistic that the committee will treat Rhode Island better and the league better? MARK SCHMIDT: I have no idea. I have no idea. No idea. No idea. You know, they are deserving of going to the tournament. You know, they are a really good team and hopefully they get a chance. Q. You've got 20 wins. If you could talk to the NIT committee, what argument would you make for your team? MARK SCHMIDT: We're good. We came in fifth in the Atlantic 10. We've had some good wins. We get great crowds. You know, and I think we're deserving of that. But you know, as every coach says, it doesn't matter what I say. But we have a very good team, and they are deserving of playing in the NIT, and hopefully we get that chance. If not, that's the way it goes. Q. As a guy with some Pittsburgh connections and you had your fans make a little shorter trip here than what it is to Brooklyn -- MARK SCHMIDT: It's terrific. I said that in the Media Day back in October. This is a great venue. You know, they pulled out the red carpet for us. Pittsburgh is close to my heart. My wife's from here and I coached here for six years. It's a great city. They have done a fabulous job here, and hopefully we can come back. Q. You knew what was coming and you talked about it yesterday, just because they are so physical. MARK SCHMIDT: Yeah. Q. Were you at times, did you feel like defenseless trying to coach, because you can talk strategy and X's and O's, but there's certain points in that game you could do nothing against them to stop them. MARK SCHMIDT: We tried to trick them. They are just more physical than us. They are men inside and we had young guys trying to battle, and they fought, but they were just out-matched. We need to do a better job offensively of scoring the ball a little bit better. But here it was hard defensively. We go into the one-three-one and they just seal us, and when they get the ball in the middle of the zone, it was really difficult. But yeah, you just try to do the best you can, and our guys fought. But they were, at times, overmatched, physically. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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