Obviously, the game got away from us a little bit early. I think we talked about it for a few days in preparation that the first five to 10 minutes of the game were going to be the most critical, because that's when you have the opportunity to keep them (Duke) back on their heels and establish in your mind and in their mind that you're here to play. And we did not do that. |
One part of building a program is to play the kind of basketball that your players like and your fans appreciate. Our guys are playing hard, and that is the first and most important part of being appreciated as you play the game the right way. I think [the fans] really appreciate these guys because [the players] are putting their hearts out for them every night. |
Our offense got stagnant. They got what they tried to get, and we didn't. They're a rhythm team that averages 80 points a game, and we really never took away their rhythm. |
Our worst fears are starting to come true in that the things that we have been prepared for and have been talking about are the things that cost us. And I don't think it was for lack of desire. The body and the mind are not moving right now collectively, top to bottom, as much or as well as they should be. |
Overall [Diane] played pretty steady and pretty smart offensively, especially at key times late in the game. The steal and dunk and 3-pointer were energizers that gave us a lift. |
Regardless if it's practice or a game against Longwood you have to play the game a certain way. We played to our competition level - no disrespect to Longwood - as opposed to what our level is supposed to be. |
Sean Singletary has proven himself worthy of being a first-team All-ACC player. In our first year together, he has meant so much to us on the court, but more importantly off the court. We look for even better days ahead for Sean and our team. |
Something has gone off inside of him that has allowed him to increase his aggressiveness while staying out of foul trouble. |
Stanford had a lot to do with it. They played us physical, bumped us. |
Steals and we turned the ball over. Essentially, the game was decided by that. The pressure. Half-court and full-court. |
Take your pick. It's all in the same pot of stew. |
That woke 'em up. It was a well-timed, great speech by Coach Greenberg. That's what happens when you go on the road. More power to him and more power to them. It really energized them and, from that point on, they were really attacking us. |
That's been our problem. We stopped executing. We didn't really get too many good looks the last part of the second half. And we didn't defend. ? And things they weren't doing, they started to do. |
That's in the past. I don't really focus on it. We were at four, let's get to five. Now we're at five, let's get to six and keep going from there. |
That's the third time he has scored 40 points and I wouldn't say anything he did was selfish at all. He really knows the game of basketball. Usually, that is something you see from a guy in the NBA in his eighth year. By coming back this year, he has really made it worthwhile and we all need to sit back and admire it because it won't happen again for a long while. |