University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn 96, AIC 58
11/3/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 3, 2010
Connecticut vs. AIC
Connecticut Head Coach Jim Calhoun
"We entered the game zero and zero, we leave the game zero and zero, but at least we have some frame of reference. The thing we probably didn't do - and I think we did some things well - was keep our team model, which is the hardest working team in America. Because AIC, for at least 20 minutes of the game, outworked us. They're small, but they ran their offense exceptionally well."
"We weren't getting any loose balls, we certainly weren't rebounding the way we're capable of, we weren't moving the ball up the floor, and we weren't defending. In the second half, Donnell Beverly got into the game and the game changed. He got the tempo going offensively, and he along with Niels - who struggled offensively...when they put ball pressure on, the game changed."
"I'm trying to look at everything as a 40-minute little trip...to watch this team grow."
"There are some guys there who I don't think performed the way they're capable of. And I particularly don't think they gave us quite the effort they think they did. They're going to have to understand the effort we're talking about."
"At times we were pretty good. We were quick and played good defense."
On rebounding "The team we played tonight, we outrebounded them last year 47 to 19. The game just got away (tonight). We have to learn, when the game doesn't get away, don't give them second shots. That's probably the key element. It does concern me."
Connecticut vs. AIC
Player Quotes
Roscoe Smith "Everyone kind of contributed to their role."
"We need defense because Coach wasn't really happy with us at halftime. We weren't playing UConn basketball. Right after halftime, we started picking it up, running, playing defense."
On the freshmen "We don't have the mindset that we're freshman. We have the mindset that we're upperclassman."
Tyler Olander "We had a pretty good start to the first half, and then we kind of got a little lazy."
"We have so many versatile players who can play many different positions. Teams don't know what we're going to throw at them."
Kemba Walker "Some of the young guys played well. They played better than I expected. Early on, they were probably a little nervous."
On Shabazz Napier "I love Shabazz. I think he's going to be real good for us. He just needs to be more aggressive offensively. He's looking to pass a lot. I think we need him to take more shots."
Shabazz Napier "Every time I step on the court I play as hard as I can because it might be my last time playing. You have to find that drive inside of you and make sure you play hard every day."
Charles Okwandu On freshmen performance "I'm not surprised. I'm just impressed. I've seen them play in practice so I know they can score points. They are really good."
