Post-Game Quotesheet
11/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 9, 2007
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POST-GAME QUOTESHEET
Pitt vs.
Quoting Pitt Head Coach Jamie Dixon:
Opening Statement:
"This was a very good first win for us. We had a size advantage coming in, and I thought we exploited that well and were able to use it to our advantage. I was very impressed with our passing too. I thought that even though we pushed the ball a lot in the first half, a lot of that was made possible by good passing. To get 31 assists when we shot the ball like we did in the first half is something to be proud of. I was glad we shot better from three in the second half, because I thought we were getting good looks."
On Pitt's pushing the ball in the first four minutes of the game:
"Houston Baptist had a couple of turnovers that we turned into quick baskets, so I think it was as much reacting to what they were doing as it was a conscious effort on our part to push the ball. I was also very pleased with our unselfishness in that situation, I thought we did an excellent job finding the open man to get an easy basket."
On the play of DeJuan Blair:
"DeJuan is really playing well right now. He's made an effort in practice to put in extra time on the mental aspects of the game, which says a lot for a freshman. He's worked hard to improve his free throw shooting which is coming around, and he knows he has to improve on his defense, which is half the battle right there. It's really fun to have a
On Pitt scoring 103 points:
"We felt like Houston Baptist was as a team that wanted to play that kind of game. They're a team that likes to press and push and maybe take a quick shot rather than run the clock down. We feel comfortable playing against that style, but we don't go into a game looking to score a certain number of points. That kind of thing is often dictated as much by the opponent."
On the play of Sam Young:
"Everyone is going to be impressed with the slam dunks, but what impresses me is the way he's taken on a leadership role with the team. It's neat to remember the way Levon Kendall taught Sam things as a freshman, and now Sam is doing the exact same thing to our younger players. Sam really relishes doing things like going over the scouting report and helping his teammates learn the finer points of our offense. It speaks to how far he's come as a player."
On Pitt's offensive rebounding:
"Offensive rebounding is a big part of our offense. We believe that if you move the ball around like you should, and spread the defense out with a good shot, that our players will have a good chance to come up with the ball. It's nice to have players like DeJuan and Sam that excel at getting those kind of boards, but it's a team effort that makes it happen."
Quoting Pitt's DeJuan Blair:
On his first game at Pitt:
"It was a lot of fun out there. We played excellent defense, passed the ball really well; everything was clicking early on and we just kind of rode that out for the rest of the game. We didn't quite shoot the ball the way we'd hoped, but I know that's going to come soon."
On his performance tonight:
"It's pretty good to get in the record books for best debut as a Panther. There have been a lot of great players to come through here, so to have a debut like that that ranks as high as it does is really special."
On his feelings before the game:
"For whatever reason, I wasn't nervous at all. My teammates, my coaches and everyone else here makes me feel very comfortable and relaxed. The crowd was great too and, I was just excited to play in an atmosphere like that."
On his offensive rebounding:
"That's what I do. I told the guards when they were missing early to not worry and just go ahead and keep shooting, because I had their back. With us rebounding like this, when our guards start making their shots, which they will, other teams are going to be in trouble."
Quoting Pitt's Sam Young:
On Pitt's transition game:
"When I came here, we were a team that was known for our defense. We're still committed to playing as hard as we can on that end of the floor, but now when we get our chances, we're going to run when we can. When we get the opportunity to blow teams out early, we're going take them."
On how his knees feel:
"My knees feel a hundred times better. I have no hesitation when I stop now, and I can cut on a dime and jump like I want to off of one foot, not just two. Getting healthy has also helped my defense a lot to by allowing me to use my athleticism and quickness to get after guys on that end of the court."
On Pitt playing a more wide open style:
"I love it. This is how I've played my entire life. When you have to play a deliberate, slow down offense it doesn't match with my strengths. I like to beat the other four guys down the court, then catch the ball in the open floor and use my athleticism and quickness to get to the hoop."
On the play of DeJuan Blair:
"DeJuan's a great player and I love having him down low with me. His passing skills are phenomenal and I can't say enough about the shots he gets me because of it. I'm looking forward to being a dynamic duo with him down low."
Quoting
Opening Statement:
"Tonight, we were just outmanned in a lot of ways. The tell-tail thing about tonight's game was Pitt's rebounding. They're a whole lot stronger and a lot more physical this year. We did a good job adjusting with different defenses and we got some different looks, but it just wasn't enough."
On Pitt's transition game:
"I had a feeling they were going to come out and play like they did today with the fast, quick pace. When you lose someone like Aaron Gray, your game is going to change a bit. I kind of figured they'd run more like they did tonight. Usually, that's our style, too. We're a quick team, but we just couldn't match up with them tonight. Pitt really is an impressive team. [DeJuan] Blair is just so big. I swear they were just throwing up balls from the three-point line just so he could put them back in."
