|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 14, 2014Shawndre' JonesChris MooneyAlonzo Nelson-OdodaBROOKLYN, NEW YORK VCU - 71 RICHMOND - 53 COACH MOONEY: Congratulations to VCU. I thought they obviously took control of the game early. I thought Briante Weber played great. I thought we hung in there and fought. We didn't give ourselves a chance by making enough shots, which we would have needed to do. I thought we defended okay. I thought we couldn't generate enough on offense. Obviously for us, if Kendall shoots 2‑for‑15, it's going to be really hard for us to win any games at this point. You know, disappointed in the outcome but proud of our effort. Q. Can you talk about the fatigue factor, if you felt more tired tonight and how much that might have affected the Spiders? SHAWNDRE' JONES: I don't think it was a fatigue factor. I just think we would have played better. We could have came out more aggressive. I don't think it was too much of fatigue. Q. What can you guys learn about this going forward, such a young team playing against a good VCU team, they really took it to you tonight; how can that help you going into next season?  ALONZO NELSON‑ODODA:  I think we can learn how to handle these different defenses, how VCU plays, aggressive. We need to it's a long off‑season, and we are all going to be working hard so it doesn't happen next year. SHAWNDRE' JONES: Like Alonzo said, I think we use it as a learning‑‑ a learning opportunity, if we can just get better, take it into next year, move on, but don't forget it so we'll be prepared for next year. Q. For both players, I guess for Alonzo first, what does it feel like when VCU has its game going like it did tonight and you guys are trying to keep up? ALONZO NELSON‑ODODA: It's pretty frustrate being, but like I said, the defense is pretty overwhelming tonight. Yeah, I mean‑‑ Q. I'll follow‑up by asking: For such a young team, you guys embraced the possibility of playing more this year, and continuing the season; Alonzo? ALONZO NELSON‑ODODA: What was that? Q. Because you have such a young team, you want to keep playing this season? ALONZO NELSON‑ODODA: Oh, definitely, yes. Definitely want to keep playing this season. Q. There's an opportunity out there‑‑ ALONZO NELSON‑ODODA: Yes, and if we get an NIT bid, we do want to play. Q. Did they do anything specific to Kendall? It looked like they really made him put on the floor; he wasn't a catch‑and‑shoot guy tonight. COACH MOONEY: Extremely aware of him. I think any time a ball screen or he made a drive, guys were really helping off their man, giving him a lot of extra attention, and you know, he forced some things. He has a lot of responsibility at this particular time, so I can understand, but he forced some things, and that probably didn't help. Probably didn't help him and probably didn't help us. Q. Can you talk about the performance by ShawnDre', pretty impressive for a freshman in his first A10 tournament. COACH MOONEY: Yeah, ShawnDre' is going to be a really good player. He has a very good sense for the game. He's very poised. I think he obviously needs to get stronger but he's in college and we'll work very hard on that. But I think he's going to be a really good player and thought he had handled himself well tonight. Q. If you don't mind, could you just talk about what VCU is like to play against when they have got everything rolling like they seemed to have tonight? COACH MOONEY: Well, the pressure is really, really good, and then, you know, I thought the last two games against us, their halfcourt defense has been good. And so, you know, it comes back to the fact that they have really good players and guys who can make shots, guys who can score in a variety of ways. Just a really good, deep team. Q. Similar question to what I asked the players. What can you learn in a game like this? COACH MOONEY: Well, that we have to get better. I thought we felt good about how we played last night, and felt good about our opportunity today. But just that we have to play a little bit better, whether it's 0‑0 or whether it's 6‑0; when we're in the second half and we're trying to make a run, we just have to do a little bit better. Just understand how hard it is to win at this level of college basketball. Q. I presume the Spiders will be interested in participating in NIT if possible; would the spiders also be interested in playing in the CBI? COACH MOONEY: I don't think so. I think we'd like to see how the NIT process shakes out and hopefully we'll be a team that gets invited. Q. Why would you not participate in another tournament? COACH MOONEY: Just I think right now with our rotation being limited and‑‑ I think it's probably always a good‑‑ it's probably always good to play, and especially with our young team. I just think that we have a unique circumstance with our rotation of players. We're basically playing seven guys right now. I think that might be, you know, a little bit more taxing than we want to do. Q. I know you're not on the selection committee, but do you think this team is a team that deserves to get an NIT bid? COACH MOONEY: Sure, you know, it's hard because I don't see the other‑‑ what they call, resumés and whatnot. I think we have a pretty good one. I know our strength of schedule is really good and we have beaten some good teams. I hope so. I hope so. 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
|