NIT SEASON TIP-OFF

November 29, 2002

Keith Langford

Roy Williams

ROY WILLIAMS: Well, the last 14, 15 minutes of the game was fun. Kids competed, got into it emotionally and played with some passion. I didn't think we did any of those Wednesday night. I was very concerned about that. I think in the first half tonight we missed some free throws and missed some opportunities two and three and four feet from the basket. I think our guys were a little shook up. We came out started the second half and made two quick ones and cut at 6 and they make two or three in a row after that, took it back out, and I was concerned at that point because I wanted to make sure that we kept competing. Took a couple of minutes of play and then from that point on again I don't know what -- I don't have a play-by-play, somebody said we were down 19 and we made a tremendous run after that. Those kind of things you can't gain anything from if that's the only thing because we're not (inaudible) -- but I did like the way our team competed, and Wednesday night I was not pleased with that and was not pleased with the fire that we had but for the last 15 minutes of the game. Tonight I was pleased with that part of it. We just needed to make a couple of plays and needed to make a couple of shots. We get it to two and again you have to congratulate Florida. We had it -- a 5-point game there, they make a big 3 -- I think Matt Walsh on the right side toward the corner. Some big plays when we were running them. Robinson and Brett all made some good shots from the 3-point line sometimes when we were flying at them. But you have to congratulate them. They are a good basket ball team. I think we are too. We just need to bounce back from what we have done and just the last four days.

ROY WILLIAMS: Well, I am looking at it they made 14. 14-for-31 on the stat sheet that I have. But they have got good shooters and the problem we had we didn't do good job guarding the basketball. Guarding the dribble, the dribble got inside, Justin Hamilton, particularly would penetrate, would have to help more than I wanted to help pitch it out. Again Matt and Matt and Anthony and Justin Justin made one big one for them too. Made more than one but one I remember specifically, but we have got to do a better job with the dribblers so they don't get it -- we have to draw the defense in, throw it back out. As I said, Aaron was all over Anthony, one time he made it. Brett one time he made it with, and with Matt one time. You have to congratulate them. We didn't shoot it as well. Kirk is a tough a kid as I have ever coached and you go back and look at the records, he's probably 1, 2 and 3 in Kansas's history as far as percentage from the line. He's 1 for 7. He's as tough as you could possibly be trying to get out there. He's a senior. The doctor said he couldn't hurt himself, he felt good about it. I gave him an opportunity. Do you have any questions for Keith?

KEITH LANGFORD: Well, like Coach said once one got penetration breakdown, then one guy has to help and you have to close out on another guy. You keep having to close out; it makes it harder to go at the penetration. They really did a good job of getting inside, it's just something that we're going to have to pick up with our effort in practice and guys we're going against are penetrating a lot more. We have to obviously get better at it.

ROY WILLIAMS: It is disappointing. We have had some great success here. I wanted this team to have success too. Playing in Madison Square Garden is a great thrill for kids. We played against two good basketball teams. North Carolina had a lot to do with how poorly we played, and Florida had a lot to do with it too. At the same time we made a great run tonight and Florida was tough enough mentally and physically to hold it off and I can't speak for Billy's team but I have got to think he's real proud of the big time and the shots that they made. To be a good college basketball today you have to be able to withstand good runs by good teams. They did. I am trying to build off these last 14, 15 minutes. I think we were shook a little bit with our confidence the other night; that continued on tonight first half. (Inaudible) It's a long season. We have a very difficult schedule and hopefully we'll start getting some W's in those very difficult games that we play.