Post-Game Quotes: Minnesota
2/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Head Coach Tom Izzo Quotes
Opening Statement
The better team won; I give them credit. They played hard, they stuck around, and we had our chances. We got it up to seven or eight a couple times. We've had some guys that have played awfully well down the stretch but one of those guys didn't play very well tonight. They sort of do what they do; they've hung around all year. Give them a lot of credit they've had a tough year because they've lost a lot of close games. Tonight they hung around and found a way to win a close game. I really didn't plan on fouling at the end this time because they were switching five. So I'll take complete responsibility for that. I have to tell you it's a sickening loss. I don't want to take anything away from them.
On whether there was a discussion to foul in the huddle...
Yes, there was. With 13 seconds left, I didn't want to foul with that much time left. With the way we were shooting free throws I didn't want to go to that even or. It's a choice I made and it's a choice I'll live with. If guys would do their damn job and do what their supposed to do we wouldn't be in that position. It was just another game that we had foolish turnovers. We had a ton of missed free throws by some of our best free throw shooters, and we had a guy or two that just didn't come to play.
On whether there was something wrong with Branden Dawson...
I don't know you'll have to ask him; I'm not in his body. That's a good question. I would ask the same question because I have no clue. Give him credit because he's had a year where his motor has been running at a high pace. I was concerned about this game and I think fans, media, everyone wonders why you never give teams credit. I'll give teams credit from now on in the summer. I think he struggled all game from the opening tip. It hasn't been that way.
On the late game execution issues...
I thought Trice did an incredible job tonight, missed some free throws, but he was unbelievable in the huddles trying to rally everybody. That poor kid is an 82 percent shooter, and he goes six for 13. Maybe this team is not that good and we're just finding ways to stay in games late. You can look at it both ways.
Minnesota Head Coach Richard Pitino
Opening Statement...
Obviously, we are happy about this win. We made some mistakes and never hung our heads, that was the biggest thing I thought. We didn't get a rebound, but then we rebounded from it. Made big time plays. To score 96 points in one of the toughest environments in college basketball, versus one of the elite programs and one of the best coaches says a lot about our team. A big thing we wanted to do was get to the foul line. I think we shot 35 free throws in the second half and in overtime. Obviously, last year we came here and lost in overtime so we found a way to break through. We are very excited about this. It's worth one; we will enjoy it and then move on.
On being prepared for a close game...
I don't know. I think we stayed the course if anything. Guys have been very positive. We blacked out the noise if anything. I don't want to say that we've been unlucky, but I don't want to say we've been lucky so we just had to create our own luck. To do that versus such a great program, unbelievable respect for Tom Izzo, that is a legend and that is such a stable program. We got a long way to go but to do that was big. Carlos Morris hit such a big shot. It's a free throw, I might have cut down the nets but that's okay. We found a way to get it back in overtime. The biggest thing is we got so much respect for this program and for Coach Izzo.
On this game being the biggest win in his coaching career...
I don't really rank them, that's more you all's job, you guys do that. It was a good one. But again it was worth one, and we know that. We get to go back home which is great; we have two games at home. We want to build some positive momentum moving forward and it was a good win.
On not winning in the Breslin Center since 1997...
We never get to play them at home, we play them here every year. I'm waiting for them to come to us one time. That part has been good, we've had plenty of opportunities. It's great, I don't know how many times we have legitimately played here, but we're going to enjoy it on the flight back but we're not going to get too high and we're not going to get too low because it's only worth one. We keep chipping away. What I was really proud of with these guys, I told them before the game, was that to play with the commitment level, the enthusiasm that you had opening night against Louisville and they had that. Regardless of what happened, they had that tonight and everybody was together so it was a great win.
