University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Post-Game Quotesheet
11/8/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 8, 2013
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POST-GAME QUOTESHEET
Savannah State at Pitt, Petersen Events Center, November 8, 2013
Pitt 88, Savannah State 55
Quoting Pitt Head Coach Jamie Dixon
Opening Statement:
"I know it is a little later because of the trips to the foul-line. I don't know if it is going to continue, seems like it is across the board. We have to learn from it and we have to get better at it. I thought we made some adjustments and we have to cut down on the fouls. If they are going to call it that way, which they have consistently over the first three games, then we're just going to have to adjust. I think we did and we will continue to. Talib (Zanna) and Aron (Nwankwo) were unavailable tonight, Talib because of suspension for one game. He will be back next game and Aaron because of his mother (illness), obviously we are all thinking about her. I spoke with him today and will check in with him tonight to see how he is doing. We anticipate him being back with us shortly. The two guys that really stick out to me, because we haven't seen them play as well as they can, that's Jamel Artis and Chris Jones. We got a little more out of them tonight, but I think those guys are going to give us big minutes and they have given us big minutes in practice. Pretty much everyone else was in double figures and I thought they played well and unselfishly. I thought we could have handled the ball a little better as far as some turnovers in the second half. They got sped up by the constant traps and constant pressing, but that's what they do and it's the first game of the year so we have to get better at that."
On having seven guys play their first collegiate game tonight:
"We can't point to it. A lot of people have been saying all fall that we are young, but I never done it and I'm not going to start this year. I'm not going to allow them to have excuses. They have got to learn from their mistakes, which there were plenty of them tonight, but we've got to get better for it. We are really unselfish, you know, last game we talked about playing more patient defensively. This time our emphasis was rebounding and obviously we did a better job in that area. We seem to have addressed the things that we need to work on, but there is always room for improvement.
On changing defenses to adapt to the shifting emphasis of personal-foul calls in the NCAA:
"We will be playing more zone defense. Again, if the fouls continue, which I think is what is going to end up happening, we will play more zone. It's like moving the three-point line back, they thought that would open up the game, but that just means that teams are going to play more zone. Unintended consequences are on the way. I think that's where we are going with this."
Quoting Pitt guard Josh Newkirk
On his first regular season game:
"It felt good finally stepping out on the floor and being able to play against somebody. I just wanted to come out with great energy and do the right things on the court."
Quoting Pitt forward Lamar Patterson
On the young players' performance:
"The new guys played great. Josh [Newkirk] played great. [He] ran the team well. Mike [Young] and Jamel [Artis] played well. They're doing great right now."
On the team's decisions during the game:
"We had a lot of turnovers, but that's going to happen. It's the first game. It was a blowout. Guys lost focus a little bit, but we're just going to practice. We're good. We had a lot of assists. A lot of great decisions. [We] have shooters out there. Everything worked out."
On the officiating:
"The new rules really weren't in effect that much today. I felt it was more so in the last exhibition game. Those were good calls. I obviously fouled, so I can't complain."
Quoting Pitt forward Derrick Randall
On his first regular season game:
"It felt great going out there and playing again. I love my teammates. They would like to share the ball and everything. I felt great out there."
On the potential pressure to perform:
"Actually, it was more about just proving to everybody [that] I can play and just doing everything right. Just being there for my teammates and just doing hustle plays and just doing defense."
Quoting Savannah State Head Coach Horace Broadnax
Opening Statement:
"We came out slow, sluggish and nervous. I think in the second half we got it going a little bit. We've got a lot of young guys, and our objective is to be successful in our conference. I think we got some things accomplished, but overall, Pittsburgh is pretty good, physical and strong. They've got a lot of guys the same size that can switch and they're huge. They're big. Scoring on their part was very well balanced, so that's a good thing for them in the ACC."
On the first half being more of what Pitt was doing or if Savannah State felt tentative:
"I think it's a combination, probably more of what they were doing. I thought our first unit would be a little bit more under control with this type of environment. We've got Jyles Smith and Josh Montgomery, who have been in situations of this magnitude. (Pitt) was just making lay-ups. I think in the second half we sent them to the free-throw line quicker. I wouldn't say intentionally fouled, but be aggressive those first four minutes where they felt they were getting to the basket too easy. They set the tone getting to the basket. We didn't. We didn't set the tone of preventing them from getting to the basket."
On what he said to his team during halftime:
"You try to think long-term, and basically that's what we're doing. We needed to come out in the first four minutes. We didn't do what we needed to do in the first four minutes of the game. I just wanted them to play defense. I told them I've evaluating them. It's a long season, so I said I'm going to take the toughest ones that have the best IQs, the ones that want to play and compete. That's an evaluation that we're constantly going to make as the season progresses and we'll take the ones that want to do what we ask them to do. And at the same time, we weren't going to kick any chairs, as much as I wanted to. You don't want to lose kids this early."
