|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 13, 2013Ed CooleyNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK CINCINNATI – 61 COACH COOLEY: First, you got to credit Cincinnati. I think they played well. I think that's one of the better games they've probably played probably in the last three or four weeks. So credit them and their energy that they came out with, take us out of some of the things we wanted to do. As I just explained to our program‑‑ because I expect to be in big games as we move forward. I think our program has come a long way in the last year. First and foremost, not playing on Tuesday, getting to Wednesday, I think, was important as a growth piece for our program. But our program isn't ready for that moment yet. We're not ready for that moment. Cincinnati's won six games in the last three years in this building. Providence hasn't won in this building in I don't know how many years. So it's my job. I need to do a better job educating our kids on how to play in the moment, and we're just not there yet. I thought we made a big jump from a year ago in conference play to get to where we were. We've positioned ourselves, and unfortunately, we haven't played well enough to win the last two basketball games. But I'm encouraged about our future. I don't know if we have more basketball games left in us. But if we don't, I'm proud of what we've achieved this year. It's tough losing. But you've got to credit the guys that won the game. Cincinnati did a really good job. I thought their early pressure bothered us, put us on our heels. But I thought, when we did get back into the game, we're just not ready for that moment. When you've got guys like Kilpatrick, more so Parker and Wright that have been through the wars, and Mbodj, they've been through the wars. They know what they're doing, and they've embraced the moment. Right now our program just isn't there right now. Hopefully, in the future, we can get there. Q. Do you think they're going to come back or was it the start?  Obviously, the start really doomed you? COACH COOLEY: I'm just talking about as a program. I'm talking about programmatic success. That's my job, and I need to do a better job of building that programmatic success, you know what I mean. We'll get there. Right now we're just not there. I thought their depth really hurt us today as well. Q. Can you explain that start? Both sides really just‑‑ COACH COOLEY: I don't know. Their energy, they came out. I thought we definitely got back into the game. I thought my young guys were a little nervous to start. But, no, it was just one of those things‑‑ the start hurt us. I don't think the start won the game for them. I thought the 40 minutes bothered us more so than anything. A lot of errors. I think we got it to about four or five. Then we had two really awful possessions. We had the game right where we wanted it. They scored 60 points. I mean, come on. You're not going to win many games scoring 60 points. Wow. If you'd have told me before the game that they have 60, I'd say we've got a great shot at winning the basketball game. We can't go 0 for 7 with our best shooter or whatever we shot from the three‑point line. You're not going to win many games doing that. It's not like we had contested shots. I thought we had open shots. We just missed. Q. What are some of the things, specific things over the last ten games that give you optimism going into next season? COACH COOLEY: The guys sitting out. It's called recruiting. The guys sitting out. The guys that are in our program. Dunne is doing really well. Kadeem having a breakout season. You win in this league and win in these tournaments, A, if you have special young players, but, B, if you have juniors and seniors. Look around college basketball. If you just have phenomenal, phenomenal freshmen, these go in stages, and you have to change their draws every now and then. Q. The shooting from three was 1 for 16. COACH COOLEY: Yeah, gross. Q. Do you attribute that‑‑ you said the team is not ready for the moment yet. Do they not believe enough in themselves coming in? COACH COOLEY: I'm not going to say they don't believe in themselves. I thought we had wide open shots. Cotton doesn't miss too many wide open shots. They didn't go down today. Again, credit Cincinnati? Was it their length? Probably. I want them to shoot seven more shots. I believe in them that much. It's not that they don't believe in themselves. Our kids got some belief. If they didn't, we wouldn't be in this game. Q. Looking ahead at your‑‑ to the new Big East, what kind of opportunity do you think that league will present for teams that have been in the bottom half of current Big East. COACH COOLEY: I haven't thought about that.  First and foremost, it is‑‑ I'm going to miss the old Big East, if that's what you want to say, you know what I mean? It's unfortunate that things have changed. Without change, sometimes there's no progress. I'm excited about our league that we're going to be going in. But to take away some of those rivalries. I was born and raised on the Big East. You know what I mean? I don't think there's any better basketball in the country, Big Ten, ACC. That's just basketball. This is God's basketball here in the Big East, and it's unfortunate, the things that have happened. Embrace change and look forward to a better future. Q. Coach, you mentioned the advancement. You're reaching Wednesday as opposed to Tuesday. Isn't it just a matter of experience now? Your guys will be playing more games like this now. COACH COOLEY: I hope so. I mean, I have to grow as a head coach in this league. Our players have to grow. Our program has to grow. I thought we did this year. I thought our players did a tremendous job. I didn't realize we started 0‑3 to get to where we were to position ourselves to probably have success. Some of our shortcomings, A, is our depth. We came down here with eight scholarship players. We've had to coach a team through four or five different personalities, with injury guys coming off of eligibility. I'm proud of our guys. Today is not indicative of the future for us. We just had a bad game, and they played well. Unfortunately, it's a tournament, so you pack your bags and go home. Pat them on the back and look forward to hopefully another game. Q. How important do you think it would be for the program to have an opportunity to play another game? Even last year, a team like Pittsburgh had a rough regular season? They went to the college basketball invitational, not the NIT, and won it. Would you like the opportunity to coach this group in another team regardless of the tournament? COACH COOLEY: If we don't play in the NIT, our season is gone. I didn't come to Providence college to play in another basketball tournament. If the standard is the NCAA, that's the standard. You know what I mean? I don't think we need to. You move on, and you move forward. I think those other tournaments, they do a great job. I played in one at Fairfield. That's not where our program is. That's not downplaying anybody. That's just my personal opinion. If somebody don't agree with it, that's just your problem. JOHN PAQUETTE: Coach, thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|