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AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 13, 2014Niels GriffeyShabazz NapierKevin OllieMEMPHIS, TENNESSEE UConn - 72 THE MODERATOR: We'll get started. UConn Head Coach, Kevin Ollie, Student Athletes, Shabazz Napier and Niels Griffey. Coach? COACH OLLIE: The game was played at a high speed and I thought our guys came in with the right mind‑set and that mind‑set is togetherness. We shared the basketball. We put on the board that we wanted to get 15 plus assists and we hit 15. Our defense was phenomenal from the tap, and we didn't give them anything easy and the biggest thing we had on the board was transition defense and we held them to 8 transition points and when they played in the LX Center, our last game against them, they got 20. So I thought limiting them to 18 points in the paint, and then also 8 transition points in the paint allowed us to get out on the break and we shared with the basketball and Niels phenomenal, but everybody down the list came in and contributed you know Shabazz with his leadership also and Ryan with his floor game had 6 assists and it was a phenomenal game and we have to fuel back up and get ready for Cincinnati because you know what type of game that's going to be, it's going to be a war. We gotta have that heart, we gotta have that hustle. The same thing we had tonight to beat a great team like Cincinnati. Q. Niels, can you talk about your night and what you were feeling coming into the game? Obviously you were feeling the shot that you were putting up with authority, but what was going through your mind as the game went on? NIELS GRIFFEY: This game was similar to the Louisville game, coming into the game. They had a home crowd and we knew that we had to be‑‑ had to give them a different game than the Louisville game. So we really came in with a good mind‑set, really energetic and like Coach said, we had to stick to certain points that we were emphasizing. That was rebounding and getting back in transition. I think we did a great job staying solid, especially in the first half, where we had a couple of runs. I think that was the main thing that our team did really well tonight. Q. Shabazz, you guys shot 55% in two games here. What is it about this building that brings out the best in your offense? SHABAZZ NAPIER: I don't think it's the building, I think it's the way that Memphis plays defense. They definitely double a lot of pick‑and‑rolls, which leaves guys like Niels open and DeAndre and Lasan open and you got some good shooters. If you give them time to shoot the ball, you can see what happens. Niels was 6 for 8 today, he's been the greatest shooter, he has this whole year and if you leave him open, which is astonishing, coming into this, a lot of people around the country know Niels as a shooter, but the way they play defense they double a lot and leave shooters open and we're not afraid to pass the ball at all so Niels got the shots and knocked 'em down and kept it rolling. Q. Was y'all game playing against sophomore Shaq Goodwin ‑‑ seemed like when he had the ball in his hands y'all threw two or three guys at him? SHABAZZ NAPIER: We didn't want them to score in the paint as much as they have. We know Shaq Goodwin is definitely a great talent and we dug down a little bit. We wasn't doing anything different than we did last few games with them and we manned up and we told the big guys as soon as we see them in trouble we're going to go give help but our guys did a great job on him, definitely getting him in foul trouble and he was definitely playing DeAndre and playing DeAndre on the perimeter is definitely tough for a big guy and we got him tired and kept moving from there. Q. Kevin, you shook the lineup up a little bit, starting Niels and Phil tonight. Particular reason for that? COACH OLLIE: I just wanted to do something different. Them guys were still going to play, Lasan came here and gave us a great effort and Amida came in and gave us great effort, but I wanted to change it up and get Niels out there so he could spread the floor and get more space for my guards. I know Louisville, they tried to wear Shabazz andRyan Boatright down and we wanted to give them more space and Niels made me look like I was a good coach so thank you, Niels. Q. Niels, what was it about your defense that made it so tough for them to score? NIELS GRIFFEY: Memphis is a great team and they score in the paint, so we focused on clogging up the whole paint and helping guys out as soon as the ball came in there and make them make their shots from outside. That was one of the keys we thought about. THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, thank you very much. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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