Jan. 22, 2011
– GEORGIA TECH HEAD COACH Paul Hewitt
Opening Statement:
“I thought I could have had them better prepared. There were a couple of things that I saw in the game that we talked about, but didn’t practice enough. So, I told the guys after the game that I did not have you prepared as well as you should have been, especially in those three-point shots. We talked about it a lot and they know what we had to execute but we didn’t do it.”
On three-point shooting
“When they see Georgia Tech on the shirt, if they are open, it’s going in. I promise you. At halftime, I was thinking, seven for eight. You can put teams in a gym by themselves that wide open and they are not going to make seven out of eight. It just shows you that have to be prepared to stop people as opposed to hoping that they miss.”
On Virginia starting four guards:
“We were ready for that and we talked about it. It was just a guess on our part. I watched the second half of Boston College and [Joe} Harris played a lot of the four. I had a hunch that they were going to play him at that four so I wasn’t surprised when my staff came back in the locker room and said that.”
On being prepared:
“There are some things that we could have done better. I don’t think I spent enough time on a couple of things. We talked about it great length. You are at the time in the season where you worry about their legs too much, but I probably worry about their legs too much, and not work on the execution. I think in the second half we did really well. We tightened up some things and adjusted well.”
VIRGINIA HEAD COACH TONY BENNETT
Opening Statement:
“I think we were sloppy at the very end, and I think we left a lot of points on the table. Whether it was finishing layups or making free throws, that would have made it a little different. But [the team] played longer, withstood a little dry spell in the second half, and we got looks. I thought there were stretches of real good basketball, where the floor was spaced, we got nice rhythm, and defended okay. I didn’t think it was a great defensive performance, but I thought it was solid. I’m very thankful for the win. I was glad to see Joe [Harris] stuck his nose in there and got eight rebounds–we needed that. I told the guys, `Keep knocking–you’re getting close. Just keep knocking. You’ve been in a lot of games for stretches.’ That was our theme going into the game.”
On defensive focus
“Georgia Tech beat North Carolina by 20, and they beat Wake Forest handily. At home they’ve played so well their last two games, and those two guys, [Iman Shumpert and Glen Rice, Jr.], have been hot. We knew they were probably going to try to post them up on that mid-post area, but we said to make them earn it. There were a few shots they got easy, but for the most part, we really tried to work hard to make other guys beat us.”
On three-point shooting:
“I want them to take good rhythm shots. We’re trying to get paint-touches off the dribble and make the next pass. When feet are set and hands are ready, and a ball is kicked out, you’ve got to take that. When teams are going to pressure you or extend and get into you, you have to use the dribble. Then we say to make the next pass. I thought we did that well, and the guys got a little rhythm. I like that we were getting into the lane, whether it was a three [pointer] resulting from it or some drives or drops, those are good things. Like I said though, shooting’s a funny thing. You keep shooting as long as they’re good shots and don’t get to discouraged when they’re not going in. When they are, you just keep letting them fly.”
On play of Mustapha Farrakhan:
“His ability since we’ve opened the court a little more, his ability to beat you off the dribble, and his ability to shoot the three–he’s showing completeness offensiveness. Then defensively, he’s being challenged with guarding a leading scorer or one of their better scorers. He’s playing like a senior and playing well in the stretch. I’m happy for him. We’ve been knocking and we’ve been close, and I keep encouraging him to lead and make us finish and bring the guys together. I think he’s been pretty steady for us.”
