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BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 8, 2007Mike BreyRussell CarterColin FallsLuke HarangodyNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK MIKE BREY: Well, certainly a heck of a win for us. Our poise was pretty good when we were down in the first half, and I thought we hung in there. And our offense eventually got in gear. It took a 57-point half for us to escape with a win. We needed every point. Thought we made big buckets and I thought we made big free throws to win the game against a very good team. Syracuse is a heck of a basketball team. Q. When you're down three to start the second half and you get on that 13-3 run, what really got you guys settled down? MIKE BREY: I think it's these guys now, you know, we've got these two seniors that have certainly been very poised. One of the things we talked about that we didn't do a very good job of the last time we played in this building against St. John's is we got a little rattled and we were not very poised and a lot of that was St. John's playing very well quite frankly. I thought we did a better job of just handling tough stuff and just hanging in there and that's what we have done all year. We have gotten a lot better in that area and that's why we have been pretty consistent all year. Q. In the first half you got back in the game -- MIKE BREY: It was our offense kicking in, baby. We can offense you now. You've been watching us all year, haven't you? We put numbers on that board. As it's going, my assistants are yelling about changing defenses and I just said, fellas, let's make sure we score the ball, because they can score it and we can score it. We're going to have to score this thing and we got into a heck of a rhythm. Certainly zone helped. It changed the tempo. It changed the rhythm of the game a little bit for them. Q. With 34 three-point shot attempts -- MIKE BREY: Absolutely in the game plan. I said, "Just let it fly." The one thing, they didn't zone us in the Carrier Dome; they manned us. When you play them, they can really push you out. You have to take a couple good ones and let your guys shoot and have a free mind. You can't react to a bad shot or a quick shot. They have to be able to play, and to beat that system, you know, you can talk about, you hear commentators talk about, you've got to get it to the high post and you've got to screen the back of the zone. Yeah, you've got to do all that but you've got to make some shots. That's the first thing that sets the table or all that other stuff. I don't want our guys worried or looking at the bench when they shoot it, our good shooters stepping up and taking it. Q. Colin, all your shots came from the outside; were you just feeling it out there or did you not want to go inside and take a jumper? COLIN FALLS: I just think spacing-wise I got a bunch of clean looks. I missed a lot of shots but I guess I have to mix it up a little more. Q. You guys were up 76-70 and struggling against the press a little bit and you hit a three, how important was that down the stretch? COLIN FALLS: Rob hit a big one, Russell was making free throws, I think I was on the clock and you just have to make plays down the stretch to win big basketball games and that's what we were doing. Q. Can you talk about what this win does for your profile? MIKE BREY: My profile personally? One of the things we talked about as we came here, that I've been really impressed with that I think the committee looks at, but no one talks about; we have been ranked 12 of 13 weeks. I don't care about RPI, strength of schedule or any of that. That sheet is in front of those people in Indianapolis, too. That's pretty consistent. But certainly beating a Syracuse team here and getting a chance to play the regular-season champion helps, absolutely. We're trying to play for a trophy here and seeding next week right now. Q. What are the keys for you guys to beat -- inaudible? COLIN FALLS: Obviously you have to move the ball, but when you have four guys who you can spread them out with, even their length, really can't guard that. Q. Now that you've got Georgetown, any thoughts on playing them? RUSSELL CARTER: Well, last time, you know, they whipped us, so to get a chance to play them again, as Coach said, they are the regular-season conference champs, and it's a tough challenge and we have to be up for it. Q. What has to be different this time than last time? RUSSELL CARTER: We have to win. (Laughter) Q. Luke, what allowed you to be effective down low all day today? LUKE HARANGODY: I think it was just for getting inside the zone and getting some good looks inside, I just had to finish the big guys. Q. A couple of the 3s down the stretch, you seemed as excited as the fans. MIKE BREY: Yeah, I just love we were playing with a free mind. When Rob took that one in the corner, I'm trying to get him to shoot it all year, that was a big bucket right there and for him to step up and knock that down, I'll be our biggest cheerleader when we get into a groove like that. Q. Syracuse has been so successful with their perimeter game, what did you do to take that away today? MIKE BREY: I thought we did a pretty good job in man defending the 3-point line and not letting them really get going from there. Only five three-point shots. They drove us, they got into the paint a little bit. We'll give up some of that because we'll trade some of our threes for your twos through the game and that's been our philosophy. I do think when we went to zone a couple of times, it changed the rhythm and all of a sudden, shooters are getting shots in a different rhythm. We challenged and we rebounded there. Our defense was good, too, it helped out. When we went zone, we created some turnovers. We didn't even have to rush the ball -- because rebounding the ball was an adventure for a while because they can really get up on the board. Q. You've come to New York with some very good point guards but talk about the job that Corey did. MIKE BREY: Well, I've not come in here with a tougher guy, I can tell you that much, physically and mentally, going 40 minutes tonight. He was fabulous. He got into the gaps and the middle of that zone, he defended, forced steals, got his hands on stuff. Just the toughness factor that that young man brings, along with our other freshmen, has really helped us mentally and physically be tougher overall. Q. You take away the perimeter game -- inaudible? MIKE BREY: My feeling was, those count, too. Especially when we get a lead in the second half which we've had a lot in games, then we become even more aware, and it may be from the 14-minute mark of three-point shots going in on you being able to close the gap. See, you don't help in the post, and if our big guys cannot handle it on their own, if we are scoring the ball pretty well, we'll give up twos and just guard that line. You know, we've gotten pretty good at that. End of FastScripts |
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