University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Post-Game Quotesheet
3/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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POST-GAME QUOTESHEET
Pitt at Wake Forest • Lawrence Joel Coliseum • Winston-Salem, N.C. • March 1, 2015
Wake Forest 69, Pitt 66
Quoting Pitt Head Coach Jamie Dixon
Opening Statement
"Well again congrats to Wake, extremely disappointing for us to come back from a slow start and then not finish. I though we really played hard. I thought we got after things, but at the end of the day some turnovers and some missed free throws cost us the game. I told our guys we have to get ready for Miami. This is extremely disappointing to be up and not finish it like we were, but we have to get ready for a quick turnaround for our last home- game senior night."
On the team's turnovers...
"Obviously on the back court, the one for the steal and the play at the end when we were down, but we put ourselves in that position. We got down and did not finish it. I thought we got some good shots that we missed, some wide-open layups that we missed and a drive that we lost the ball on. I would say we went cold. We had some turnovers when we were down. It was a combo of things. We had a 9 point lead with 11 minutes left...we have to finish it and we did not."
On stopping Wilbelkin...
"We did a little bit differently in the second half by guarding, but I do not think it was so much against his shooting, We got some break downs that gave him some open looks and so we went to the man the second half and played much better defense but we did not at the end of the game."
On offensive rebounds...
"Well that is something we have been trying to get better at, but it did not seem like we were getting the finishes of the layups, rebounds and free throws. You need to get more second chance points and we did not and that is something that needs to be addressed."
On team's defense...
"I thought we adjusted and made some changes in the second half, and it was good for us and that obviously got us the lead, but down the stretch when you give them opportunities, with McIntyre and his back to back steals, it does not even give you the chance to set up your defense."
Quoting Wake Forest Head Coach Danny Manning
Opening Statement...
"This afternoon's game was a very hard fought ball game. Pitt is a tremendous team and Jamie is doing a great job with them. They are very physical and they are very strong. They have a huge presence in the game. Tonight they rebounded the ball exceptionally well too, especially on the offensive end. We have to do a much better job than that. I am very happy with the way our guys continue to grind, and continue to battle down the stretch. We did a little bit better job in the second half guarding. They missed some shots they normally make, but their percentage did go down, so to me that's some type of indication that we are a little more locked in with attention to detail on the defensive end. Offensively, we had some guys step up and be aggressive and drive to pass and kick the ball out and step up to the free throw line and knock down free throws. I am very happy with the win and it's a nice way to close out our home-court regular season."
On being down by seven with less than four minutes left....
"We got some timely stops and we made some timely shots as well. Codi finding Dinos late, that three was huge. Our freshmen being in the game in that situation and handling the heat, with a team pressing you full court in a very desperate situation. I thought we handled that fairly well. I thought our upper classman did what they were supposed to do when we went offense-defense substitutions, getting those stops. It was a great overall effort by our guys who went out there and made it happen."
On the emotion of the team....
"I like it. We need to have that all the time. Tonight was a different, special night. It's senior night. You want to make sure your seniors go out on a right note. It all worked out very well for us and we are very happy and fortunate with the outcome. We need to continue to build on it and take the same mentality on the road with us for the next two games."
On the impact of Cornelius and the freshmen...
"Our freshmen have done a great job all year long. You look at our stats, all three of those guys have made over 40 threes. That's pretty good when you talk about freshmen having to step up and knock down shots on a regular basis. Sometimes they make them, sometimes they don't make them. But I like their aggressiveness because they are always a threat when they are out there because they shoot them."
