Dec. 20, 2014 Recap | Final Stats | USATSI Gallery
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Georgetown University Head Coach John Thompson III
On Georgetown's offensive rebounding advantage...
We've been focusing on rebounding in general. It's not necessarily something we focused on this week, but we realize that we have to continue to be a better rebounding team. We wanted to limit them, because they are a very good offensive rebounding team, so if you're looking for positives today that can be a positive. They only got nine (offensive rebounds). I don't know what they average, but a large chunk of their offense comes from second shots.
On Charlotte's success on drive and kick plays ...
That's something we have to work on and we need to pay attention and we need to listen so that stops happening.
On the concern of Charlotte making 6-of-11 from three-point range in the second half...
They got too many open looks. Our goal was to not let them get threes and they got threes. We need to work on it, we to listen, we need the reps, we need to talk about it, we need to watch film, we need to practice against it. You come away with a win; great, but our defensive execution was not where it needs to be.
On the play of L.J. Peak, Paul White and Georgetown's freshmen...
They were OK. I think we're at the point in the year now where we need to stop talking about them being freshmen. They've played significant minutes, they've played in big games, they've played in key situations...We all have to do more of that, running a three-point shooter off the line and making free throws.
On the reason behind the game's momentum shifts...
I have to go back and look at the tape, it's probably a little bit of everything. I said to our guys, we have to get to the point where if we have a bad defensive possession it doesn't turn into a bad offensive possession and if we have a bad offensive possession it doesn't turn into a bad defensive possession. I think we were a little frustrated with the shots they were getting and it may have affected us on offense, but that can't happen.
On Charlotte's defense...
(Charlotte) did a good job. Their zone slowed us down a little bit, we had some easy shots that didn't go in. We wanted to make a concerted effort to get inside and draw fouls, which Jabril did a good job of, but we just have to do a better job of moving the ball. I thought we were too stagnant.
On the transition offense ...
We can get out and run when we get stops and rebounds. We have a team that is very good in transition. We look to get out and run every possession if we can, so I thought a couple of things happened in the first half. I thought the person with the ball did a good job of snapping it ahead instead of holding it and trying to make a play. I think our wings, most notably AB, Jabril, Paul once or twice and L.J. got out and ran.
Senior Guard Jabril Trawick
On his rebounding, both personally and with the team ...
It was key today ... I just wanted to attack the boards on offense and defense, I had four offensive rebounds and I was able to keep some plays alive. That's what I am going to do and continue to do as well.
On the thought process when the 16-point lead went down to one ...
We have to stay composed, we can't get flustered. That's what good teams do, and if we want to be a good team, we have to be able to pull games out against these types of teams.
On what needs to improve on the defense ...
We have to pay attention to personnel. We knew #15 wanted to drive and dish, but he was finding his teammates and we knew that was what he wanted to do. We let them get some wide open shots, we need to be there defensively on three point shots. That's what we are going to work on in practice.
Charlotte Head Coach Alan Major
Opening Statement
Congrats to Georgetown. I think the game came down to the 50-50 plays. We scored 78 points, 46-percent from the field, 15 assists and 12 turnovers. It was a very solid offensive game for us. We held them to 39-percent, which I think they've been averaging 48-percent, but I think some of the second opportunities that they got added up and, against a good team which they are, you only get so many opportunities and to keep giving them those second chances to convert. Congrats to those guys - they made the plays they needed to make. I am very proud of our guys for not giving up. To be down 16, a lot of people would have cashed it in and that 16 becomes 30, which has happened here a lot. I'm proud of the guys for banding together and to keep on fighting and to give ourselves a chance at the end.
On whether tape on Georgetown showed a softness for three-point shots ...
They have got such great length on their team, we felt that making the extra pass would give us some opportunities. We felt like we had to move them, drive them, make sure they don't get to stand around and load up defensively on us. So when we got to the lane, I thought all these guys did a great job of looking for each other because their defense really compresses when you drive. You're not going to get a one-legged layup against these dudes. When you get it in the lane, you have got to look for each other. I thought our guys did a good job of that.
On playing Pierria Henry for most of the second half with four fouls ...
It was only a 12-point margin and we were getting a little bit of traction as far as how the game was going. He had a deep bruise from our game on Thursday night and he was not 100-percent today. He was limping a lot and was a big concern, even before tipoff, how much he could go. We just felt like `Let's get him out there' and his best shot was to keep it warm as much as he could. He triggers a lot of the things we do from his energy and our defense. He's a senior leader so we thought we'd roll with him as best we can, obviously without putting him in jeopardy.
On shooting 6-11 from three-point range in the second half ...
It was just about being a little bit more patient. They got a lead in the first half and I thought there were a couple of possessions where we did things a little quickly but I thought guys settled down and started looking for each other. Again, its playing after the play that gave us some success.
On adjusting down to Georgetown's early offense ...
They are at their best when they get off to fast starts. And the games they have struggled in is when teams have tightened up on them early and kept them from getting a lot of things easy. We gave up 13 points in that first four-minute segment and I thought that gave them some comfort. We came back later in the half and was able to settle things down and I thought we finished the first half really well. In the last four minutes, I think we ended up scoring seven in a row. Finished the half strong despite not starting the half well.
On Georgetown's offensive rebounding ...
We played some zone and actually accomplished what we wanted in terms of trying to force them to shoot some jump shots. But the thing about zone is, as we continue to improve ours, there is not a designated guy that is right next you like in man-to-man. Sometimes in zone you are trying to cover areas and there were few times where either the ball got on the ground or we just missed putting a body on somebody. Clearly we know that is an area we can get better at but, on the flipside of it, it did give us a chance to be in position to win because it kind of took some steam out of their motion and forced them to shoot Js.
On switching from zone to man-to-man
They are such a rhythm team. The Princeton offense, when it gets into a rhythm and starts clicking, and they can start figuring out what they get, whether its back cuts or things like that, that's when those teams are really hard to deal with. We thought playing some zone would mix it up and keep them off balance, eliminate some of the cutting and driving and make them play around us and shoot over us.
On what they saw in Georgetown's defense that led to open three-point shots ...
Like I had mentioned earlier, I think our guys had started playing after the play, meaning you run your initial action but then you don't stop, you just keep the ball moving. They will have five guys at times in the lane, and it's very difficult to get a layup or an easy basket at the rim. But they do give you some seams at the perimeter when you drive it in there. I thought [Pierria Henry] got in there a few times and found open guys. Everybody did it. The guards were doing a good job of playing buddy ball and looking for each other. I thought that helped us because guys paid attention to the scouting report from the standpoint of, if you drive it there, play off of two feet and then someone getting open is going to develop.
Sophomore Guard Braxton Ogbueze
On adjusting when players get in foul trouble ...
I think it comes down to picking each other up, just coming together as a team. All season we talk about brotherhood, fighting for one another, so that is what it comes down to.
On being the recipient of some wide open shots in the second half ...
That is when we are at our best, when all of us are looking for each other, trying to play together. I think it doesn't get better than that. Whether its me or Keyshawn (Woods) or [Pierria Henry} or Torin (Dorn) or whoever, if we are getting in the lane looking for each other I think we give ourselves a real good chance.
On his confidence after making a couple of shots ...
Yeah. I would say seeing a couple go in makes it more easier to get in the flow of it.
Freshman Guard Keyshawn Woods
On the last play, if that was the shot he wanted ...
Originally I was looking for Braxton (Ogbueze) to come off a curl, running our last minute play. But once I saw that the dude was trailing him, and I saw that my defender backed up, last second I just thought "Get a shot up or try to draw the foul in the process" because the clock was winding down.
On the second-to-last possession, if they were looking for a three-point shot or layup ...
Originally we were looking for a three, but we took what they gave us.
On if a game like this, despite the loss, will help the team ...
Yes. It shows that we can compete with anybody in any league. Now we know that we have more stuff to work on for March.