University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn-Southern Conn. St. Postgame Quotes
11/2/2018 11:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley
Opening Statement:
"So, it was obviously ugly at times, but it was good to get some of those opening night jitters out of the way. I thought we played real hard, we just had a multitude of defensive breakdowns in the first 10 minutes. I think they were on their way to putting 110 on us. We just started guarding a little more responsibly and, obviously with their lack of depth, just wore them down with pressure man. I think it was good just for our guys to get out here, play in front of a crowd and get one under their belts. Obviously, there's a lot of things for us to fix, both ends of the court. We gave up too many threes in the first half, just hesitated in closeout situations, scramble situations, gave up way too many threes. I pride myself on my teams taking away the three-point line and we didn't do a very good job of that in the first half. I thought the rebounding was scary bad at times, and I just think the ball didn't move the way it needed to move at times with our guards. We obviously have stuff to work on, it was good to get one under our belt and avoid a nightmare of a night in these exhibitions."
On the team showing nastiness and his personality during the game:
"Obviously we're not a very complete team in terms of having everything that you need; size, length, rebounding, post scoring, perimeter shooting. So, we have to be scrappy, we have to be hard playing, gritty. We have to have an edge to us. That's how we practice, we practice hard and you can win a lot of games in college basketball or any level of sports if you're the hardest playing team on the court. That's what I demand as a coach and I think with the exception of when the ball went up on the backboard, they showed it. We will be correcting that in the next couple of days, break out some of those old school rebounding war drills. There may be blood the next couple of days."
On the team's fast break throughout the game:
"I think we have a pretty good group of guards, so we're going to have to get the ball down the court quick and try to get some early offense. Use our speed and quickness to get in the open court. We don't want to get trapped in a ton of half court games. We're not really built for that, in terms of the makeup of the team. If we can get better at rebounding the ball then we can get it off the glass and go and get a chance to make plays, get in the paint, and finish at the rim. And obviously we have to force turnovers. I thought we pressured the ball well at times, but not enough, and I don't think that we were in passing lanes and where we needed to be at times, I thought we got a little tired."
Freshman Guard Brendan Adams
On if he was nervous playing his first Div. I collegiate game:
"It was really just fun. At first I think I was a little nervous but as the game went on I got into a little flow and it became just playing basketball."
On what worked for him offensively:
"Just taking the right shots and taking what the defense gives me. Not forcing anything, just taking the open shots and the right ones and making plays.
Senior Guard Jalen Adams
On the attitude of the team coming into the season:
"I think just going into the season very humble, and know that not a lot of people are expecting us to win games. But our team is just humble and hungry and can't wait to get out there and prove a lot of people wrong."
On his misstep and what he learned from it:
"That I just have to do the right thing and fall in love with the process. There's no shortcuts to success so I just got to buy in 100% to the coaching staff's game plan and I'm sure things will work out for me."
On pace of play vs. last season:
"Most definitely [Coach likes playing with pace]. I think our bigs did a good job getting the ball out of bounds very fast and to guards. … I think me, [Christian Vital], Brendan [Adams] did a great job getting to the rim, making the right play, kicking it to the big and getting the easy baskets.
Junior Guard Alterique Gilbert
On getting out on the fast break:
"It's a great style to me, I'm just thankful for my teammates and my coaching staff for letting us play and get out and compete on both sides of the court.
On Coach Hurley's intensity:
"Every day he shows his passion for the game and he wants us to meet his intensity."
On getting healthier and his confidence:
"Health wise and confidence wise that goes into my preparation each and every day so I'm feeling great. I just want to thank my teammates and my coaching staff for allowing me to be in this position." Â
Head Coach Scott Burrell
Opening Statement:
"Before the game, it was just an exciting evening. It's great to be honored for things you've accomplished here. I was more happy for my family to see my name go up there. Over the years, people would ask my family why my jersey wasn't up there and what could we ever say? It was great to see it go up there and it was fun for me to bring these guys up here. Our guys compete, but we just didn't have the horses to sustain it. It was fun to watch our guys compete, our guys battle every day. Our two seniors here, Isaiah and Luke, what can I say they gave it their all."
On what he saw from UConn:
"They had a little nastiness to them. But that's the way Danny coaches his team and that's what's going to make them very good. They picked us up, they're long and their guards are strong and quick. They're definitely a better team this year too if they keep making their shots. They made shots and they got to the hole, they're good."
On what other opponents are going to see from UConn:
"They're going to play an up-tempo game. They're a team that's going to be physical and in your face, a lot of movement on offense. Plus, when he gets more of his recruits here they're going to be athletic and they're going to be fun to watch. They might not even be that big but they're going to be tough."
Senior Guard Isaiah McLeod
On how this game helps them:
"They were really physical with us so that definitely helps. When we're playing other teams we'll be comfortable with that physicality and we'll be able to fight back with it. It just helps us because a lot of teams we play aren't going to be that size."
On what they can draw from Coach Burrell's ceremony:
"That's just motivation for us. It was great seeing that. He's been playing basketball his whole life so everything he tells me I try to absorb and take in to use as a basketball player because he's seen it all, he's been through it all, he's played at the highest level, and he knows what he's talking about so I make sure I'm always engaged."
Senior Forward Luke Beesley
On what they can draw from Coach Burrell's ceremony:
"In practice every day he always gets on us and he wants us to be better. Today I thought we came in prepared but they pressed us all 94 feet. I thought we battled in the second half and competed, but just came up short."
