BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 4, 1999

Ryan Blackwell

Jim Boeheim

Jason Hart

JIM BOEHEIM: I thought today was a stretch in the first half. We just really played well defensively, and just executed well on the offensive end. And the half -- started the second half. We started in our zone; we really weren't active in it. We went back man-to-man, and I think that's the difference this year, between this year and the last two years. We can go back and kind of got that in the 8- or 10-minute stretch. I thought our defense got us where we needed to go. I told Ryan, "We've just got to schedule Villanova more." Etan was big in the middle. We had good balance. They played the zone against us in Syracuse, and we didn't react well against it. Today we moved the ball and knocked down a couple 3s, and I thought what was a big key in the game.

JIM BOEHEIM: I thought we were aggressive on defense. We were going for loose balls. We were picking up, getting after it. We were trapping; getting the steals. I can't say anything but good things about our defensive effort today. I think Celestand, John, has really matured into a great player in this league. He's very difficult to handle. I thought the key tonight is we did a good job coming off the screens on Lynch and Brown so they couldn't get open looks. The first few minutes, they got some open looks, and they make those shots. After that, we make them work harder getting around the screens Damone Brown did a tremendous job and Etan is getting better. I think we're getting better, particularly Ryan and Jason trying to find Etan. He's working hard there, he's getting offensive rebounds. I think the big difference in his point production is you look at his -- he's got 12 shots. He was getting 6 or 7 shots earlier and that's all he got today, but he got four or five -- five or six offensive rebounds, and that's where you've got to get some in college basketball. He's getting on the boards and that's the big difference in terms of his production, getting those opportunities. But Villanova, I think, has played very, very well over the last part of the season. They are a very tough basketball team. They do go with that smaller lineup. They always play very well in the middle, and they have got a veteran team: Three seniors, two juniors that have been through a lot, and I think they will be a good tournament team. They are a tough team to play against. They have got great shooting, and they are a good, solid defensive team.

Q. It seems like Jason Hart does well offensively and defensively. It seems like --

JIM BOEHEIM: You've got to have a good pointguard at Syracuse to win, you ought to know that. You used to do one of those things. You did one of those two pretty good. I think Jason has got a -- except when you made up your mind, you did them both. Still the best game ever played here in the Garden, I'll tell you that, college basketball. Jason is the key. I think really you have to have balance. There's no question we have to have balance, and I think the way Ryan's played, he's never been a dominant-type guy that says: I've got to do this. I think he's adopted that attitude. He's taken charge more. He's making more plays. He's getting involved more on offense and defense. I think that's made a difference in helping him and in helping our team and in helping Etan. I think Allen comes down here, I think he plays better in New York. I think he feels comfortable here. This was a good, tough win, tough game. We've played well, except for one-half, we played very well all year on the road and that's where we are and that's where we're going to be.

JIM BOEHEIM: I hope they have Voskuhl. If they put the five others guys out there, we won't be able to keep up with them. I hope they don't get that opportunity. They just played a great second half against us in Syracuse. They got up and down the court tremendously. We made some bad decisions on offense and they got in their running game, their transition game. When they do that, they are very tough. They have had their bad game in the tournament; so you know they are going to bounce -- come back with a vengeance tomorrow night, and we fully expect that.

JIM BOEHEIM: Really, it doesn't change that much. I mean, obviously Voskuhl is a very good player and a good defender inside. He gives, you know he's going to give any team problems. And with Hamilton there, he's going to score. He's going to get shots up and score. You know that. They have got a lot of good players. Today, Ricky Freeman -- why do I always say Ricky? Did I know somebody named Ricky Freeman? I always say that. I think it's confusing with Ricky Moore. But Kevin is always there and today he stepped up big. When you play Connecticut El-Amin and Hamilton both get going you're going to have a problem and today El-Amin didn't get going. And I was watching the game, and I told somebody he will make the last two baskets, and that's what happened. In that situation, when those two guys get going offensively, they are very difficult to play. I think that's why they are the third-best team in the country.

JIM BOEHEIM: I think they are playing better. Preston -- as long as he's got his confidence and he's shooting with confidence, he's going to play. If he's not going to take shots, he's not going to be in the ball game. But I think Tony is playing well. He's playing well. And that's important. That's going to be important.

JIM BOEHEIM: Well, if you're not concerned with wins, you should be in the poetry business or some other business. You're in this business to win. That's what you're here for and if you win, you're playing good; so I guess that answers your question, doesn't it?

JASON HART: Tomorrow we have a good team which is Connecticut and I think their adrenaline is going to be flowing so much I don't think you worry about being tired. We're going to come out tomorrow and try to go as aggressively as we can and try to get the W.

JASON HART: We learned a lesson. We have to get back on defense and we have to lead them in transition buckets, and if you do that, you have more of a chance in beating them.

RYAN BLACKWELL: Obviously, they are a very talented team. You have a lot of guys come off the bench and do a good job. They are role players. Freeman does a good job and Voskuhl, the rest of the guys obviously El-Amin and Hamilton are the go-to guys on the team and Ricky Moore -- they are a well-balanced team. They have get up-and-down the floor, they play good defense and cause a lot of problems; so, you know last Sunday we played a good first half. Second half we didn't get back on defense the first ten minutes of the game; so, we realize we have to do that tomorrow night.

JASON HART: Last time we played them in Syracuse, we just played passively, we didn't tap the zone and today, we were looking to do that. Got to driving kicks and get some shots closer to the buckets and that would give us a chance to get rebounds, easy pullbacks.

RYAN BLACKWELL: I guess when I think about Villanova, my eyes light up like a kid in the candy store or something like that. I don't know what it is. I just go out and I play well. I have confidence. I played well against them in the past; so I realize I can go out and do the same things when we're playing.

JASON HART: We need number 31. I need to go for that 31. That's the only thing I could do, get that No. 31, go back to 1986 or '84. We've definitely got them.

JASON HART: As long as we play hard, we've got a good chance.