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BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 15, 2013Otto Porter, Jr.Markel StarksJohn Thompson IIINEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK SYRACUSE – 58 Q. John, can you go through the last possession, 14 seconds left, called time. And maybe, Otto, you can go through what you saw and what transpired on the play. COACH THOMPSON: We saw own ball on one side of court and tried to run Otto off a screen along the baseline to give him the ball on the other side of the court. They played it well. Q. John, the last game, you guys really shut them down from the outside, and then that first half you hit that stretch where you made a few. What was the difference at that point? COACH THOMPSON: I think that they did a better job of getting each other open, setting screens and getting each other open. Through three games now, Southerland has given his Gerry McNamara imitation very well. But I think they did a better job of helping each other get open. Q. Coach, when Boeheim came out here, he said that they had made a conscious effort to play up higher in their zone to neutralize Porter and Sparks. Did you tell your players to work for Hopkins a little bit more down low. Did you make that adjustment? COACH THOMPSON: Yeah, it was obvious. I said that after every time we played them. You say the Syracuse two‑three zone, but he adjusts, tweaks, even from the first game to the second game, they played us differently. So we anticipated they were going to play us a little bit differently, but that's why everything was open along the baseline. Nate got a few baskets down there. Markel was constantly open down there because they were‑‑ last game between Markel and D'Vauntes made shots, and we knew they were going to focus on Otto. Q. Considering what this has been to college basketball, fitting it went into overtime. When that last three was in the air, did you think it was going in? COACH THOMPSON: Fitting that it went into overtime, I think it's‑‑ yeah, it is. It's a shame that they're heading down‑‑ it's a shame they're heading down to Tobacco Road for a few dollars more. This is a rivalry that meant a lot to our program and to their program and to this conference. I could give you my spiel about intercollegiate athletics is going through an evolution, and this is just part of it, and you heard me say that. But it's a shame that we are no longer going to have the same type of relationship. I thought it was going in. I don't know what they thought. MARKEL STARKS: I'm going to say definitely again. Q. Coach, I'm curious, Otto and Markel, just not being in the championship game, obviously, you carry certain disappointment, but having that extra day of rest, having one fewer game take its toll ahead of next Thursday or Friday, just how does that change preparation for you, and is that something that is a potential advantage coming into the NCAA Tournament? COACH THOMPSON: That's the wrong time to ask that question because I had not planned on not playing tomorrow. So in theory, does the next day make you better off? Yes. But we came here with every intention of playing tomorrow night. Q. Markel, could you just describe the atmosphere in the second half as you guys are making a comeback and whether you feel that on the floor, get some energy for it, or are you so blocked out? MARKEL STARKS: To be honest with you, obviously, it was loud in there, but I don't want to dwell on the atmosphere. Obviously, we felt like we made some plays down the stretch, some positive plays. We did some good things. But that doesn't mean anything with the outcome. Obviously, we will learn from this experience. Obviously, it hurts right now. But at the same time, we just didn't‑‑ we didn't execute when we really needed to. I'm not going to knock Syracuse for their victory. It was a good game. It was an excellent game. Both teams were playing hard. All the players that played, played hard. The fans were into it. I don't want to take away from Syracuse's victory, but at the same time, it hurts. It hurts. Q. Otto, when you go to Georgetown, what do you hear about the Syracuse rivalry when you first get there? Do you sense the importance of it as soon as you arrive or know about it ahead of time? What's the feeling throughout the program when you get there? OTTO PORTER: I mean, it's Syracuse. Anybody from Georgetown will tell you that they don't like them. It's the best rivalry in college basketball. They're going to let you know right away. Q. Otto, Coach Boeheim called you the best player that he's seen in the Big East at the small forward position. What does a compliment from someone who has seen so much basketball mean to you? OTTO PORTER: It means a lot coming from him. It's tough playing against him and his team. He just makes tweaks and things on his own. It's a great compliment. JOHN PAQUETTE: Georgetown, thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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