Drake does a great job with its defensive system. But we were only 5-for-19 on three-pointers and I don't remember many of those being tough shots. Basically, they hit shots and we didn't. |
Every one of the five incoming guys can play multiple positions. We expect all of these newcomers to challenge and compete for immediate playing time. |
I think we're a better basketball team than we were last year but the league is better top to bottom. This may be the best year that we've ever had. |
In my mind, the greater accomplishment was getting back to the tournament. We had lost 70 to 75 percent of our scoring. We were really a different team when we went back. A lot of the players we had were in supporting roles [in 2001], and most importantly they just expected to win. |
In the first half we probably caught them off guard with our zone defense, and out shooters matched theirs. But in the second half, UNI got more second half opportunities. They turned missed shots into offensive rebounds and then three-pointers. |
In the first half, we probably caught them off-guard with our zone defense, and out shooters matched theirs. But in the second half, UNI got more second-half opportunities. They turned missed shots into offensive rebounds and then three-pointers. |
It happened so quickly that you wanted to cherish it for a while, but you had to get ready for the next game. |
It's a challenge, but you're challenging yourself. |
It's been a long time since we won on the road. |
Jason is such a talented player. He keeps getting better, and he hates to lose. He is such a joy to coach. In the second half, fatigue caught up to him a little bit. He played a lot of minutes (37) today. |
Obviously, that was not the prettiest ball game, especially in the first half. We knew it was going to be that going in because Illinois State is so good defensively. |
Our guys played so hard. But give credit to Coach (Jim) Les and Lawrence Wright and Bradley. They made one more play than we did. |
That's Southern Illinois basketball at its finest. That's what they do. They certainly took us out of any offense in the first half. |
That's their M.O.. That's why they're good. They don't adjust for anybody. You know when you're going to play Southern Illinois, it's going to be a physical war. |
Their defense is different in that they have the athletes and the ability to get on you one-on-one. Other teams pressure through different schemes. They are very good at what they do and have been good at it for five or six years. |