NIT SEASON TIP-OFF

November 23, 2001

Skip Prosser

COACH PROSSER: To see Ron only had a ten-point level was obviously the telling point of the game. We talked about taking care of the ball was the key to beating Syracuse. I thought we did that in the first half with perhaps six turnovers. I think then we had 13 in the second half and there was the difference in the game. I thought we shot poorly. And we had a couple of chances even after they made the run. I thought, you know, regain control and we didn't hit a big shot or make a big play. Syracuse did and that's the reason why they're champions and we're not.

COACH PROSSER: It happened so fast. I mean, it wasn't -- I just don't think we were aggressive enough against it and we made some -- we didn't get the ball cross out of court. Again, it happened quickly, you know. We called our two timeouts. We tried to adjust, but again -- I don't think it was cryptically in anything they were doing. We just threw the ball to them.

COACH PROSSER: They played a two-three zone about 37 minutes, wouldn't you say. I don't think it was a problem. We had prepared against Arkansas pressure, one day in between, we didn't spend a lot of time on press offense. I think that was self-evident. Usually you don't.

COACH PROSSER: No, I wouldn't use that as a reason.

COACH PROSSER: I would disagree with that. It's the only way Ball State is going to get to play Kansas, I'm guessing, on a neutral force. I would -- I think it was -- it was a double-edge sword for us. In all honesty, the tournament -- we're a team with a new coaching staff that needs practice time. When you're in a tournament like this, especially you play off four games -- four? I think it's four that's necessarily then practice time we miss. But having said that, you know, I think we played four straight NCAA tournament teams. So that, obviously, exposed some things we need to work on.

COACH PROSSER: Our players are good kids and they're willing listeners. They're trying to do the right thing. As I said earlier, the only, you know, problems we just haven't had as much practice time the last couple of weeks. We played five games in the last two weeks. That's a bit of a problem when you have a new system, if you will, but the other part, it's not a big deal.

COACH PROSSER: To go against those guys to make those comparisons, that would be really invalid. I never coached against those guys.

COACH PROSSER: Nelson O'Connnor from St. Joe's. I can't think of anybody else.

COACH PROSSER: Yes.

COACH PROSSER: I think we panicked a little bit. I think that -- I think it was a collective effort. I don't think there was any one guy who made a flurry of turnovers. I think we were very democratic in spreading our turnovers around. I'd have to see the tape. I think just about everybody on the floor tossed one away, even after we came back and took the lead, not come back and took the lead was tied up. We still had several possessiones where we had open shots and missed them, or turned the ball over, and so we turned the ball over against the press. I thought we turned the ball over against the zone in the last four minutes, which we hadn't done the whole game. Again, I think that was a collective effort.