University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Post-Game Quotesheet
11/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 14, 2006
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POST-GAME QUOTESHEET
Pitt vs.
Quoting Pitt Head Coach Jamie Dixon
Opening Statement:
"This game was exactly what we thought it would be. We knew they would slow the game down, try to limit our possessions and test our patience on both ends of the floor. I think we handled things really well, although I'd like to see us rebound the ball a little bit better. Still, 20 assists on 24 baskets and to beat a team that's this good by 17 points, I have to be very pleased."
On scheduling a team of
"There's no question that we did that on purpose. We knew exactly what they brought to the table, but I thought we handled it well. In particular I liked the way we were able to stay with our stuff defensively, having to play almost 35 seconds on every possession. It can wear on you mentally and physically, but we stayed focused."
On the rebounding of Levance Fields:
"We told Levance coming in that they had guards who took long shots, so he was going to have to be on top of the rebounds. It's something that Carl Krauser did very well when he was here, so we've stressed to all of our guards now how important that is to what we're trying to accomplish."
On Pitt's perimeter defense:
"They have two guards on their team who are Big East-quality players and really NBA prospects. It's our whole team obviously, but I thought in particular our six perimeter guys did a great job shutting down their guards. Every shot they took was a tough, contested shot with a hand in their face."
On Pitt's inside game:
"Size is one of our biggest advantages, so I think we're always going to use it to our advantage. Levon [Kendall] and Aaron [Gray] in particular are both great passers, so when teams collapse on them, they can kick it out and open up things outside. Obviously, they're great scorers too, but the passing is what really makes everything click."
On the passing of Levance Fields:
"We're very fortunate to have two point guards here who rank among the best in the country. Levance is great at getting his teammates involved and putting them in a position to create, and Ronald's a great scorer. We tend to bring Ronald off the bench because we like to substitute in the offense he brings, but both guys are a key to what we do.
On playing five games in eight days:
"I think overall it's very positive. We get to test ourselves against some good competition, and see some teams that bring different looks offensively and defensively. It's the kind of schedule you need to be prepared for if you want to have success throughout the year. It cuts down on the practice time for some of our younger guys, but fatigue shouldn't be an issue for us."
Quoting Pitt's Aaron Gray:
On beating a team as good as
"Yeah, it definitely feels good. I thought in particular we moved the ball really well, as our assists totals show. It's really one of our strengths, especially since we have so many guys who can score."
On his passing:
"I'm happy with how I did tonight, but it's something it's always working on. I want to get better at paying attention to what everyone else is doing around me on the court when I have the ball in my hands."
On playing three games in three days this upcoming weekend:
"It's a schedule that's going to prepare us for March and particularly the Big East tournament. It's going to be a great test on a lot of levels, specifically our conditioning. We're going to know what we need to work on once it's over."
Quoting Pitt's Levance Fields:
On his passing:
"When I'm on the court, I try to work out around and just get everyone involved. If a shot's there, I'll take it, but my job is to set my teammates up, not to force up something that's not there."
On his rebounding:
"It's something that Carl Krauser was very good at, so the coaching staff has stressed to me it's important for me to do it too. I just try to react quickly to the ball, then use my speed to beat maybe a taller guy to a spot on the floor."
Quoting Pitt's Levon Kendall:
On the importance of this game:
"A lot of teams we play early are good, solid teams near the top of their conference. This team was very patient and deliberate, and it really forced us to stay with our stuff defensively. It's easy to get impatient and try to do something impractical in that situation, but it says a lot that we were so successful."
On scoring primarily from the paint:
"Getting the ball inside is always something we want to do. If we work it inside, someone can either get a good look, or if they play in on us, pass it out for an open shot. We're effective when we get a lot of post touches, then play out of that."
Quoting
Opening statement:
"Tonight was a very good indication on just how good Pitt is this season. They are very deserving of their No. 4 ranking. They're a very talented team and they were able to get out early, causing us to play from behind the entire game."
On defending post players:
"We knew coming in to this game that we wouldn't see anyone more talented than Aaron [Gray] and Levon [Kendall]. It was something we prepared for and knew we were going to have to face."
On Pitt's guard play:
"They're a touch, good pair of guards; the best pair in the country. Not only are they tough, but they're strong and quick on defense as well and we weren't surprised on how well they were able to defend. [Jahsha] Blunt and [Aaron] Fleetwood took a lot of what we practiced and tried to apply it today against their defense."
Quoting
On struggling to get open:
"It was a struggle all night to get open. Everyone had a tough time trying to get free and that's what really hurt us tonight."
On being worn down throughout the game:
"We tried to use our power in [Aaron] Fleetwood during the first half. We really wanted to utilize him, but they [Pitt] were just able to wear us down."
Quoting
On matching up with Aaron Gray:
"We knew he would be tough. He's a tough player and he played a good game tonight. All you can do when you're up against someone like that is try to contain them."
