Mike Woodson, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Miller Kopp and Race Thompson addressed the media prematurely of Indiana’s 2023 NCAA match spherical of 32 matchup in opposition to Miami (FL) at MVP Area in Albany, New York.
Watch the complete press convention beneath:
Transcript through ASAPSports:
THE MODERATOR: We’re joined by the student-athletes from Indiana. To my far left, Race Thompson with Miller Kopp and Trayce Jackson-Davis. We’ll open it up for questions.
Q. All through the entire Massive Ten season, you all the time had two nights, three nights, no matter between video games despite the fact that it was a grind. This weekend is admittedly only one. I used to be questioning for those who may take me by way of final evening, what time you bought to sleep, what kind of remedy work you do in your physique right this moment, and remedy main right into a Sunday evening recreation.
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: I feel most of it’s resting our our bodies. We obtained out of right here at 3:00 a.m., so a few of us didn’t get to sleep till 4:00 or 5:00.
We’re going to do quite a lot of resting right this moment. Do some capturing to maintain our our bodies energetic. And restoration, Timmy G, Dr. Rink do a very good job serving to us prepare for what we have to do. It’s not the primary time. We did again to again earlier than. We did final yr within the Massive Ten Match. We did it this yr within the Massive Ten Match. So we are able to nonetheless. We’ve simply obtained to go on the market and compete.
Q. Trayce, I feel you might have performed Nijel a few times in highschool. As you prepare for Miami, how have you ever seen him develop? How is he totally different as a participant? How does he match right into a backcourt that has quite a lot of factors between these three guys?
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Nijel is a superb participant. Their backcourt is admittedly, actually good. Simply watching him simply develop all through highschool and blossom into the participant that he’s now, simply having the ability — the way in which he shoots the ball after which passing, his capability to assault the rim is large keys and big developments that he’s been capable of work on.
So I’m excited. It’s not day by day you get to play somebody that you just grew up actually near.
Q. If all three of you wouldn’t thoughts giving your scouting report on Miami, particularly the sport final evening, what they did on the finish of that recreation. Then for Trayce, Norchad Omier, what you suppose will probably be like, what sort of participant you suppose he’s.
MILLER KOPP: Clearly they’re a extremely good group. Offensively they’re harmful. Most likely among the best, if not the most effective, offense within the ACC, averaging over 80 factors a recreation. They get out in transition. They shoot quite a lot of threes in transition. That’s actually certainly one of their strengths.
For us it’s going to be about taking good care of the ball, ensuring we’ve a very good shot each possession.
RACE THOMPSON: Yeah, Miami is a extremely good group. Like Miller stated, they’re actually good in transition, attempt to get again in transition. Take them out of their stuff slightly bit.
It actually comes all the way down to us. Our protection works rather well once we’re keying in collectively. We’re actually simply centered on what we do, and once more simply type of familiarize ourselves with what they achieve this we are able to type of see some issues coming.
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Yeah, I agree. They play a extremely quick, up-tempo offense. With Norchad Omier, he’s an excellent participant. He performs loads larger than what his dimension is, and he’s very energetic. He performs with quite a lot of power.
Yeah, it’s going to be a battle, and I can’t wait.
Q. Trayce, you’ve been taking part in much more of a face-up recreation currently, utilizing quite a lot of crossover dribbles. Final evening was the primary time ever I may need seen you undergo the legs to assault any person. Take us by way of the again story of your ball-handling capability over the past yr as a result of it looks as if it’s modified fairly a bit.
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: It’s actually all the time been there. You’ll be able to even ask Race. Eve all the time performed open gyms and stuff of that nature, and I’d take the ball up the courtroom, and he would say, effectively, till I see it in an precise recreation, I received’t imagine it. I stated, all proper, wager, that is the yr it’s going to occur.
RACE THOMPSON: That’s true. That’s true.
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: So simply having the ability to have the liberty to do stuff like that, making an attempt to arrange my teammates, making an attempt to place strain on the rim, it’s been nice for me and my improvement. Props to Coach Woodson for letting me do it.
Q. Guys, I wish to ask you slightly bit about Coach Woodson right here. It’s Indiana College, so it’s clearly an enormous factor in Indiana, however it’s additionally type of a giant factor Nationwide. What do you suppose it’s about Coach Woodson that like, in such a fish bowl with a lot scrutiny and so many individuals paying consideration, that he like features so effectively. What’s it about his persona?
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Effectively, the very first thing is he has zero social media. He’s old fashioned. He doesn’t know what anybody says, nor does he care.
MILLER KOPP: Nonetheless has his flip cellphone.
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Yeah, he nonetheless has a flip cellphone. He’s somebody that’s simply — he’s an excellent man. He would do something for any of us, however on the similar time, he’s all about enterprise. He’s all the time locked in. He meets with the teaching day by day for 3 to 4 hours simply engaged on stuff to assist our group.
However he bleeds Indiana basketball. I feel that’s the explanation why he got here again as a result of he needed to assist put this place again on the map, and he’s carried out an excellent job of that to date.
MILLER KOPP: Yeah, simply going off Trayce, I feel Coach Woody is at some extent — and I’m not going to talk for him, however I feel he’s simply carried out a lot in his profession that at this level in his profession, he’s seen all of it, he’s seen a lot basketball and skilled a lot, that nothing will get to him now. And he understands the large image of all of it.
He is aware of it’s in regards to the guys within the locker room and the blokes within the employees, and everyone included within the on a regular basis course of. So he’s simply centered on us and doesn’t care about actually anything.
RACE THOMPSON: Yeah, that just about lined all of it. He’s seen all of it. He’s been across the recreation longer than we’ve been alive, and he likes to say that. They stunning a lot lined it. That’s actually all I can say.
Q. Miller, when the opposition is speaking a lot about shutting down Trayce, shutting down Jalen, is that going to get you excited going right into a recreation understanding you’ll in all probability have extra offensive alternatives from the three?
MILLER KOPP: Effectively, I imply, that’s each recreation. Begin to end, from our first recreation until now, that’s type of — I do know that’s the sport plan.
Clearly some groups do some — some issues totally different, however I additionally — coming into each recreation I do know that the majority of my photographs are going to return from Trayce and in transition. I do know the place I’m getting most of my appears to be like, and Trayce is aware of too as a result of he’s the one passing them to me more often than not.
I’m excited each recreation often because I type of understand how groups are taking part in and the man guarding me particularly as effectively.
Q. Trayce, you’ve change into kind of on the brief record of nice Indiana gamers with all you’ve achieved in your 4 years. You’ve been capable of share that the final couple years with Coach Woodson, who’s on that record of nice gamers too. How a lot have you ever loved simply that a part of your relationship with him of kind of understanding the nice issues that each of you will have achieved at Indiana?
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: It’s been nice. I strive to not dwell on it that a lot as a result of we’re nonetheless in season, however me and him joke about it. We’re each very aggressive. I bear in mind once I was about to go him, I used to be cracking jokes at him, and he was type of mad about it.
However after it occurred, he was very emotional, and he was very proud. So simply having the ability to share moments like that with one other excellent participant like himself is large.
Q. Do you suppose getting a reasonably snug win final evening provides you any type of benefit going into tomorrow’s recreation?
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Completely not. Each recreation on this match is a dogfight. Simply since you play rather well in opposition to one group doesn’t imply that you just’re going to return out and it’s going to be the identical.
So we’ve obtained to be ready, we’ve obtained to be locked in, and we’ve obtained to be able to play as a result of I do know Miami needs to get to that subsequent spherical simply as unhealthy as we do. So it’s going to be a slugfest, and it’s going to be a brawl.
Q. Miller or Race, Miami has 5 guys capturing above 35 % from three proper now. Do you get a Penn State vibe while you watch them, or who do they remind you of on movie of whom you’ve performed this yr?
RACE THOMPSON: I’m unsure who they remind me of. It’s positively a menace. They’ve actually good shooters, actually good gamers on the perimeter, and actually throughout.
We watched some movie this morning. We all know we’ve obtained to seek out shooters in transition. We all know we’ve obtained to be slightly bit larger in our help-side protection.
However I imply, yeah, I can’t title a group they remind me of. Perhaps they’re like Penn State. I don’t know. I haven’t watched sufficient but, however I’ll watch extra later.
Q. Simply on condition that Miami, as you stated, is an up-tempo group, what challenges does that kind of tempo current upon your protection?
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: I simply suppose the most important factor of our protection is simply sticking with our tendencies, limiting transition, transition runs, and simply not letting them pace us up. I feel that’s the most important factor.
Video games within the 60s for us is loads higher than video games within the 70s and 80s. In order that’s what we’re going to attempt to do, and we’ve obtained to stay to our recreation plan.
Q. Race, you’ve been at Indiana — that is, what, your sixth yr? You’ve had knees and groins and concussions. I imply, are you simply grateful you’re right here now? As a result of while you have been talking final evening, it sounded such as you’d been taking part in damage.
RACE THOMPSON: Yeah, I’m really simply grateful to be right here within the second. Once I obtained damage with my knee earlier this season, I actually thought it was over with, and I’ve stated that earlier than.
However I imply, simply being right here after every part I’ve been by way of, by way of my time at Indiana, I’m grateful to be right here and capable of play subsequent to those guys and my different teammates.
Q. Following up on what you stated about them, they do wish to play a transition recreation in opposition to you guys. I requested him, as a result of yesterday they performed very effectively defensively on the finish of that recreation to win the sport, and I stated, will you will have success for those who can maintain it a low-scoring recreation? He stated, no, we wish to get out in transition. Do you suppose they could possibly be profitable in opposition to you guys in a lower-scoring recreation like they’d yesterday?
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Completely. I don’t essentially suppose it’s a knock on them if we attempt to maintain it low scoring. I meant it extra as that’s simply how we prefer to play.
However I feel any group on this match, on the finish of the day, you’ve obtained to be a winner to get in. You’ve obtained to win a bunch of video games, shut video games. So on the finish of the day, it’s going to return all the way down to possession by possession, and whoever executes higher goes to win. In order that’s what I meant by that.
Q. You guys are all seniors. Clearly these moments are fleeting for you guys, however there’s enterprise to be dealt with. Yesterday do you guys end up type of simply taking all of it in, wanting round, like several of those video games could possibly be your final ones collectively? How do you guys type of work by way of these feelings?
RACE THOMPSON: It type of simply provides gasoline to the fireplace. Each time we put that uniform on, it could possibly be the final time we put it on. I bear in mind I instructed Trayce that tomorrow just isn’t promised proper earlier than the sport, and we type of joked about it due to the “Rocky” film.
Yeah, tomorrow’s not promised. So that you go on the market, you give it every part you’ve obtained, and also you type of obtained to dwell with the outcome so long as you’re leaving all of it out on the courtroom.
MILLER KOPP: It’s positively a thought that goes in your head. You wish to play prefer it could possibly be your final recreation for the college as a result of it very effectively could possibly be. So my aim, and I feel everyone else’s too, is to make this season so long as potential.
We’re taking it day-to-day and having fun with the method and coming in locked in day by day and making an attempt to increase our season.
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Simply piggy-backing on what they stated, actually simply because the begin of this final week, it type of hits you the place you’re going by way of your final practices main as much as the primary recreation, you’re type of nervous going on the market. However on the finish of the day, you’ve simply obtained to go on the market and play.
Any time it could possibly be your final time stepping foot on the courtroom, whether or not or not it’s from taking part in your final recreation or from harm. In order that’s type of how I have a look at it, the place each time I step out on the courtroom, I feel it’s my final time I’m going to be on the market.
However simply having the ability to play with these guys for this yr and final yr, Race 4 years, it’s been a blessing, and it type of hits near house and makes you wish to play slightly bit more durable so you may maintain your season going.
Q. Final evening, proper earlier than tip-off, they posted an image of you starters huddled up with Xavier proper earlier than the sport began. Clearly he’s needed to miss quite a lot of these items. However what’s it imply to have him be engaged and part of what’s happening with you guys?
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: Xavier, despite the fact that he’s been damage, he’s an enormous a part of our group. Even within the locker room — I bear in mind in opposition to Northwestern, once we have been taking part in at Northwestern within the locker room, he obtained us actually fired up. He was making an attempt to fireside us up and get us going, and we got here out and began taking part in effectively.
He does stuff like that, despite the fact that he’s not nonetheless on the courtroom, he’s nonetheless our level guard, he’s nonetheless our chief. He’s utilizing his voice and being vocal, hyping us up on the bench, and we want it from him as a result of it provides our gamers confidence.
MILLER KOPP: You see him on the bench, a shot goes up, he’s the primary one to place his hand up, saying it’s three ball. He’s the most important cheerleader on the bench actually, him and Anthony Leal, I feel, go nuts over there.
So it means loads as a result of he can’t have an effect on the sport on the courtroom, however he’s impacting the group and the sport off the courtroom, on the bench, within the huddles, within the locker room, and stuff like that. He’s positively doing as a lot as he can whereas he can’t play.
RACE THOMPSON: Yeah, he’s been an excellent teammate. You couldn’t ask for a greater teammate than X. Like they stated, he’s the primary one cheering. He’s paying consideration within the scout. That’s how he is aware of what’s happening. He’s hollering out performs.
Once more, he’s a frontrunner within the locker room. Simply maintaining everyone collectively, maintaining it gentle when it must be gentle, being critical when it must be critical. So I feel simply him being that nice teammate and being a extremely good chief has helped us get thus far.
Q. Trayce, you stated final evening early within the information convention that your hip pointer was bothering you. Is {that a} widespread prevalence, is that like simply final evening? How is it now?
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS: It’s good now. Simply obtained to simply maintain getting remedy on it, simply get it to the most effective prospects to have the ability to play.
I did it really on the very starting of the sport on yesterday. So I nonetheless performed fairly effectively. But it surely’s simply one thing that I simply have to play by way of. It’s not likely that large of a deal to me. I’ve performed injured earlier than. I’ve performed with little knocks and bruises. These guys have too. It’s one thing you cope with in faculty basketball.
THE MODERATOR: Pupil-athletes, thanks very a lot.
We’re joined by Head Coach Mike Woodson. We’ll open it as much as questions.
Q. Mike, any person simply requested about X and simply the position he’s tried to fill as he’s not been capable of play, and perhaps notably because it’s change into clear that he received’t come again this season. What’s he bringing when you may’t put him in uniform however it looks as if he’s nonetheless energetic on the bench, energetic in huddles, issues like that?
MIKE WOODSON: One other coach. He’s been — I feel he’s been glorious for Jalen and guys that deal with the basketball up entrance. He’s been good in that space.
Coming into this season, none of us thought we might lose Xavier Johnson as a result of he was such a giant piece to the puzzle final yr. He’s continued to work slightly bit, can’t do a lot nonetheless, and we’re working our butts off to attempt to carry him again for subsequent season. And solely time will inform if that can occur.
However he’s been a significant optimistic for our ball membership despite the fact that he hasn’t been capable of gown and play.
Q. With all that Trayce has achieved in his profession, he’s definitely on a brief record of nice Indiana gamers, and clearly you’re on that record as effectively. In your two years with him, how a lot have you ever loved simply kind of seeing him excel on the stage he’s and simply the private interactions you’ve had? He did point out when he handed you on the scoring record that he was type of ribbing you slightly bit, and also you didn’t like that a lot.
MIKE WOODSON: Effectively, information are supposed to be damaged, however once I take into consideration the place we began making an attempt to get guys to remain on board, to remain on the group, that for me was probably the most humbling expertise once I took this job, while you sit guys down and also you give them an All-Star speech and also you ask guys to lift their hand and see who’s going to remain on board, and all the blokes have been walk-ons, that’s very humbling.
The truth that I went to the highest and I began with Trayce Jackson-Davis and he gave me the chance to educate him, it’s been type of good to see the place we began and the place he’s right this moment. There’s been main, main enchancment.
I imply, you guys see it on a night-in and night-out foundation, and we see it day by day in follow and as soon as we play the sport. It’s been a pleasant carryover into the ball video games. My teaching employees has carried out a wonderful job in serving to me get him thus far.
Q. Mike, the College of Indiana basketball program is not only in style in Indiana, however it’s obtained kind of a nationwide viewers, and you’ve got a job that’s in all probability one of the extremely scrutinized in faculty basketball. Have been there a set of expertise that you just realized while you have been taking part in and training in New York or a mindset that you just suppose you will have been capable of apply on this job that can assist you cope with all of that?
MIKE WOODSON: It’s an excellent query as a result of I feel, again to once I first obtained into teaching and my journey as an assistant coach to get to the highest to be a head coach. And as soon as I grew to become a head coach in Atlanta, once I obtained my first gig there, it was very humbling as a result of I had simply come off of profitable an NBA title with the nice Larry Brown and that crew.
I took a younger group from nothing again to the highest in Atlanta, and it took me 4 years to do it. And in doing it, I simply thought it didn’t matter the place I coached and who I coached. I actually thought — and I don’t imply this in a braggadocious method — that I may get a group to win. If you happen to have been round through the Knick days, there’s nothing like New York, in terms of the media in how they scrutinize and wiggle their method into your world.
It wasn’t enjoyable at instances, however my stroll of life in New York once I coached the Knicks was unbelievable as a result of we did some issues there that hadn’t been carried out in a protracted, very long time.
So I’ve been ready as a coach to study on the fly and cope with the media like your self, and it’s what it’s. I perceive you guys have a job to do, however I’ve a job to do as effectively. And Indiana hadn’t modified, similar to New York Knicks, they hadn’t modified. Once I performed there in 1980-’81, it was the identical, and it’s nonetheless the identical. And I don’t imply that in a foul method, I like the New York Knicks.
Indiana has been the identical from the time I stepped foot in there in ’76 till now. It hasn’t modified. Our fan base has been nice, and our media expects us to win, and that’s the way it needs to be.
Q. Talking of that, you performed and had an excellent profession at Indiana, however you didn’t get what Quinn and Isaiah and Randy and Steve obtained, which is a Nationwide Championship. As you’ve gotten older, have you ever seen that as a void in your profession in any respect, and what wouldn’t it imply for Trayce to get Indiana again the place it was once?
MIKE WOODSON: It’s a giant void. You don’t come to varsity basketball, particularly at Indiana, again throughout that point and never count on to win a Massive Ten or a nationwide title as a result of that’s the way it needs to be, and that’s the way it was underneath the nice Bob Knight.
And I actually thought my senior yr we have been proper there, not off course, after which accidents occur, and it’s part of sports activities, man. Generally you may stroll right into a scenario — I relate to — I inform Larry Brown this on a regular basis in Detroit. He needed to be the luckiest coach, not solely an excellent coach, however one of many luckiest coaches as a result of we had no issues that yr with that Detroit Piston group. That group was meant to win. He was the driving power behind it.
That doesn’t occur on a regular basis in sports activities. Sadly for me, my senior yr, we obtained damage. Randy broke his foot. I had again surgical procedure. Was capable of come again. However we didn’t get it carried out. So, yeah, there’s a void.
As a coach, I didn’t come again to IU simply to educate Indiana basketball. I wish to win some Massive Ten titles and a nationwide title. We’ve obtained an opportunity, similar to all of the groups which might be left on this match. I’m not promoting them on something lower than that.
We’ll see what occurs. Solely time will inform.
Q. Miami has an skilled backcourt, match skilled backcourt at that. What’s your stage of concern over that? And there’s a method you may X and O tendencies on the courtroom, however are you able to try to take them out of the poise they’ve constructed up over their careers?
MIKE WOODSON: Once more, they’re coach pushed. They’ve an excellent coach, man, that’s polished, that’s been there, carried out it. And so they’re a mirrored image of their coach.
I get it. So I do know our group has obtained to return in and commit for 40 minutes and see what occurs, man. That’s the one method I can inform our group. You’ll be able to’t run from it. We obtained Miami tomorrow. They’re an excellent group, effectively coached. We’ve obtained to return in and commit on each ends of the ground for 40 minutes and see what occurs.
Q. How a lot of a weapon has Trayce change into going through the basket, catching the ball on the perimeter, driving? It looks as if that’s improved considerably over the course of this season. Has that opened issues up for you this yr offensively? What did he do to develop these expertise that you just’ve seen over the past couple years?
MIKE WOODSON: Effectively, we’ve been capable of put him in these positions in follow, and it’s been a pleasant carryover within the recreation. We’ve been making an attempt to maneuver him round out on the ground.
And I feel what’s helped him greater than something is the very fact he’s been capable of rebound the ball and push the ball out and provoke our break. We’ve given him the latitude to do this, and I feel he’s fulfilled that place actual effectively.
I imply, we’re benefitting from it, the Millers and the Gallos, whoever will get in entrance of the ball, he’s been a man that’s prepared to go it. So it makes it type of good to see him doing issues like that.
Q. Have you ever ever seen a locker room rally behind a scarf as a lot as yours did final evening with Miller’s headband?
MIKE WOODSON: Shoot, I didn’t even discover it. The one factor I did discover, him making photographs. That’s the one factor that issues to me. I don’t care about no headbands.
Q. Mike, how a lot of a luxurious is it to have Jalen accessible, when Xavier will get injured, to have that caliber of participant to show the group over to in some capability?
MIKE WOODSON: It was large. Once we got down to recruit Jalen Hood-Schifino, I used to be his largest fan. Yan, Kenyon, they launched the younger man, and I couldn’t get sufficient of going to AAU tournaments and going and watching him in highschool.
I made it very clear I’ve to get Jalen Schifino in an Indiana uniform. That was my first actually precedence. And it’s labored out as a result of, once more, I by no means thought I’d lose Xavier. I actually didn’t. I assumed Xavier, despite the fact that I used to be going to begin them each, Xavier would educate him and tutelage him alongside the way in which. We simply by no means obtained to it sufficient.
Mainly, we’ve thrown Jalen to the wolves, and he’s type of dealt with it, man. I imply, he’s been poised. He’s had his ups and downs, man, however for probably the most half, we’re siting right here taking part in Miami as a result of Jalen Schifino has had a very good freshman season.
Q. Forgive me, I do know it’s kind of a loaded query to ask you this about your personal participant, however particularly given your NBA background, having to arrange for guys on brief turnarounds and issues like that, how would you go about getting ready for a participant like Trayce that’s not simply the factors and the rebounds, however the defensive presence, his passing capability, his capability to have an effect on the sport in so many various methods?
MIKE WOODSON: I don’t know. I imply, he does so many issues. Belief me, each group we play, I’m positive they’re sitting there saying we’ve obtained to do that, do this, however there’s not one factor he can’t do on the ground. It makes the coach that’s sitting there getting ready for him, it makes you marvel how are you going to cease this man?
There’s been groups which have doubled him a lot — I feel again to the Purdue recreation there. He patiently waited till the precise time in direction of the tip of that recreation to essentially make his transfer, and he simply sacrificed his recreation — and most superstars will wrestle with that. I’ve seen it a lot through the years within the NBA. They only really feel like they’ve obtained to get theirs.
He sacrificed that evening till the precise time, and it was very nice to see as a result of quite a lot of the gamers round him really benefited that evening at Purdue.
Q. What are you anticipating out of the Miami offense tomorrow, particularly, Isaiah Wong and Nijel Pack?
MIKE WOODSON: I do know Wong struggled yesterday. He’s been type of their go to man. Pack has been stable all season. I assumed he carried them yesterday in opposition to Drake, after watching it.
Their large fella inside is a workhorse. He does quite a lot of good issues for his or her ball membership. They’re not a one-man present. They’ve obtained 4 guys that common in double figures. So there are key matchups everywhere in the ground that we’ve obtained to essentially focus in on and focus it for 40 minutes.
Q. One of many belongings you didn’t actually discuss an excessive amount of final evening was the job that Trey did on the Carry child. When your perimeter protection has been good this yr, you guys have been actually good. Are you able to discuss just a bit bit about what he offered final evening and clearly the carryover to the Miami guards tomorrow?
MIKE WOODSON: Effectively, once more, Carry was type of the top of the snake. We knew that getting into, for Kent State, and was a key matchup. I assumed our guys actually performed him, tried to make his catches powerful, tried to essentially get into him, and held onto the basketball, and we had some success.
But it surely’s simply not one man. I don’t educate group protection as one man. We’ve obtained to all sacrifice for the sake of the group, and when there’s a breakdown, you’ve obtained to belief that any person’s there that can assist you. That’s type of how we constructed our defensive system.
Q. Once you have a look at Miami on tape, what do you see from them?
MIKE WOODSON: They’re perimeter pushed. They’ve obtained perimeter play that sits on the prime of school basketball. They do quite a lot of good issues from their perimeter. Their fella inside, he’s a banger. He works.
Like I stated, there’s not one key man. There’s a lot of guys that we’ve obtained to focus in on and lock in and play them for 40 minutes.
Q. He’s going to wish to get out in transition in opposition to you guys, and also you’ve stated protection wins championships. They received yesterday with a press, full-court press within the final two minutes of the sport and a 10-run. They’ll win that model of recreation. Is it a battle of wills, your model over their model, or is it NCAA, March Insanity, possession by possession who’s going to win this recreation?
MIKE WOODSON: All the above. No, actually. It’s the group that doesn’t flip it over offensively and will get good photographs, handles the strain of being pressed, and defensively getting after them and taking issues away that they love to do. Then while you do this, you’ve obtained to complete it with rebounding.
So if we’re capable of do these issues, then it needs to be a aggressive recreation.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, thanks very a lot. We’ll see you tomorrow evening.
Filed to: 2023 NCAA match, Mike Woodson, Miller Kopp, Race Thompson, Trayce Jackson-Davis