Pitt Men’s Basketball Quotes Pitt vs. West Virginia • Saturday, December 9, 2017 Backyard Brawl presented by EQT Corporation Petersen Events Center • Pittsburgh, Pa.
Pitt Head Coach Kevin Stallings
Opening Statement: “Well obviously we are disappointed that we couldn’t quite make it over the hump there in the last few minutes. I couldn’t be any more proud of my team and their effort, how hard they fought. We got our butts kicked in the first half and guys of lesser character would put their head between their legs and think the night was over, but there was none of that with our guys at halftime at any point. I couldn’t ask for anymore out of them that they could of have gave. The difference was that they made shots and we didn’t, we got hurt on the offensive boards too much, but go figure we out rebounded them. They just jumped up and made shots, and made some difficult ones I mean we played really good defense a few times. It’s great to have the atmosphere in here that we had with the Oakland Zoo, and I’m just sorry for my team, and sorry for the fans that we couldn’t quite get over the hump there.
On if the atmosphere brought more out of the team and Marcus Carr in the second half: “I don’t know if it brought anything more out of Marcus [Carr] in the second half, Marcus [Carr] is pretty good normally, but it brought more out of the team. When we started getting on a roll and started to cut at their lead and making the run that’s why they call it home court advantage. They were just too good tonight, but we got better tonight and that’s our deal is that we have to keep getting better.”
On how the young Panthers faired against WVU’s press: “We haven’t been great at taking care of the ball, that’s one reason. Second reason is there is as good as turning people over as can be. I thought rebounding was the thing that gave us a chance to win, that’s what gave us a chance to be in the game. We were 6-of-25 from three, and that’s not going win many games against good people like that. Most of our three’s were relatively good shots but the thing about playing them is you get rushed and you are not in rhythm because that’s what their defense does. He’s really good at getting you to play out of your comfort zone.”
On how to keep the momentum going towards the next game: “After the game I told our guys what allowed us to play this way tonight is the way that they come out and try to prepare everyday. I don’t take any consolation in losing. I am heart broken that I couldn’t of have done a little bit more to help them get over the top of this game, but its all about us continuing to get better. Hopefully this team will do nothing but continue to get better and I think that they will because I trust who they are as people and they want to be coached and they let me coach them and they listen. I hate that we are 5-5 but I love going to practice everyday because I work with a great group of kids.”
Freshman Guard Marcus Carr
On if the team looked closer to how they looked in practice against the press: “Definitely a lot closer, especially in the second half taking care of the ball. I don’t think we turned the ball over that much on the press, I think some of them were kind of just ill-forced, and I don’t think we could have simulated their physicality in practice. They are a pretty physical team, but obviously we did a much better job today.”
On how it was playing in the rowdy atmosphere: “I live for games like this. I’m really excited, you can see by my demeanor on the court that I live for these games, and that’s why I play basketball. I would hope that showing the fans that we can play basketball at a high level will have them come out and support us the rest of the season no matter who we are playing because tonight I think we showed a big step in the progress of our team, and also that their support makes a difference in the game.”
On if they learned something about themselves in the second half: “No, I think we just did what we know we can do. We knew that we could be this team from the first time we started practicing and got assembled, but it was a matter of time of putting all together in to the finished product that you saw today, and honestly, we still didn’t play our best. I think this was the hardest we played in a game but not our best. It’s a step in the right direction, but we are still building and are confident in how we can keep growing as a team.”
Senior Forward Ryan Luther
On if the crowd brought energy to the game: “I think the Oakland Zoo always does. There were a lot more people there today, but the Zoo always does a good job and I definitely think they were a big part of helping us cut down that lead. I thought the atmosphere was good.”
On how the team got back in it in the second half: We defended. I thought we did a good job of only letting them get one shot and not get any easy baskets and we were able to string a couple shots together of our own. I thought we could have made a few more shots, especially myself but we fought hard and played hard.
On having to play with four fouls: “I have to be a little bit smarter. In the beginning of the game I cannot put my team in that position. There is a difference between playing hard and going for rebounds and taking cheap fouls like I did. But after that, we competed. The guys that went in, Peace [Ilegomah] and Terrell [Brown] held their own out there. I can’t put my team in that position though so when I went back out there I tried to play hard without fouling and still be aggressive.”
On bringing back this rivalry between the two schools: “Pretty much nobody in this game has played each other before so there wasn’t that familiarity, but I thought the atmosphere was great. Obviously we knew they were going to have a lot of people there because they are right down the road but I think it was pretty awesome and that both teams played hard.”
On why he was bringing the ball up: “That was just a release for their pressure. When they were locking up on our guards I would bring it up or be at the top when they were in their one-three-one zone action and kind of loosen things up and get our guards better catches.”
On when the team started to realize they had a shot in this game: I think it started at halftime. We were down I think 18 but we knew the game was a lot closer than the score suggested. They had made some tough shots and we had missed some layups so we kind of settled down at halftime and realized that if we did what we needed to do we would be right there at the end of the game. We could have made a few more shots.”
On if this game will help them moving towards conference play: “We don’t take too much consolation in a loss because at the end of the day, we lost. But I think we stuck together and played extremely hard, and think if we can keep snowballing and keep getting better in practice we will get a lot better by the time conference play starts.”
Men’s Basketball Opponent Quotes Pitt vs. West Virginia • Saturday, December 9, 2017 Backyard Brawl presented by EQT Corporation Petersen Events Center • Pittsburgh, Pa.
West Virginia Head Coach Bob Huggins
On Pitt’s second half resilience: “I told our guys in practice for two days. Kevin [Stallings] can coach. I have great respect for him and what he has done over the years. When he was at Vanderbilt, we had him down in Puerto Rico and they came back. He runs good stuff. His guys play hard. They kicked our butt on the glass. I wasn’t surprised. I told our guys for two days that that’s what I was afraid was going to happen.”
On his decision to switch to the 1-3-1 in the second half: “I was trying to survive. We had three or four starters with four fouls.”
On restarting the rivalry with Pitt: “It’s fun for the fans and for you guys [media], but for me it’s work. I’d be a liar if I sat here and told you that I had fun. I didn’t have any fun at all.”
On the difference between the Pitt program now and during their play in the Big East: “It’s different because we were in the same league. We used to play each other home and home every year. That part of it has changed. Kevin [Stallings] will get it going.”
On if his team can learn any lessons with the win: “I always say, ‘You have to be really dumb to have to lose to learn.’ I believe that. Why can’t you take something from every game? It just blows my mind. Everyone wants to be a pro. They all think they are pros. Those guys, counting exhibition games and playoff games, play 100 games. One hundred. These guys play 30 and they are tired. They are going to be a pro?”
On if his younger players can learn what it takes to win from a game like this: “The frustrating part about it is, if you look at it, we scored virtually every time coming out of time outs. That’s not because my coaching staff and I are geniuses, it’s because we could get our guys to do what they were actually supposed to do. We could draw it up for them. We haven’t reached the point yet where I can call something and I’ll have five guys out there who can run it.”
Senior Guard Jevon Carter
On West Virginia’s game plan going in to the game: “We were just trying to speed them up and take away passing lanes. We were watching for back cuts. Really, we just wanted to get a win.”
On his advice for teammates while he is in foul trouble: “I just told them to make sure they were in the right spots and make sure they know what they are doing. I was really just trying to be another player on the sidelines.”
On if the atmosphere of the zoo effected his play: “No. this was just another away game. It sounded like a home game honestly.”
Sophomore Guard James Bolden:
On the atmosphere tonight: “It was just like playing at Kansas out there. Coach told us it was going to be a hard one and it came down to the end. We made a few plays to pull this one out.”
On the West Virginia crowd turnout: “It was great, I loved it. Our fans are the best in nation I think. For them to come out here and fill those stands up out there, and overcrowd their crowd, it was awesome.”
On if the team bought in to the challenge of playing with how loud the zoo is: “Yeah, we did. We knew it was going to be hard to come out of here with a win. It showed out there. We just executed at the end and pulled this one out.”
On his play while other players were in foul trouble: “We just had to go out there and be poised and execute the plays and get stops on defense. There was stretches where we didn’t and we paid for it and there were stretches where we did and we executed plays and we got a couple shots.”
On what he felt worked for him on defense: “Just getting out and pressuring the ball, in the corner when the ball gets there, and contesting there threes when they are out there. All the ones I contested I think I did a pretty good job. Rotating is the hardest part is when the ball gets skipped.”
Senior Guard Daxter Miles Jr.
On handling pressure: “It’s still early. I’m going to ride for my guys. Were just going to try to do what we can.”
On what changed as Pitt went on their run: “I think we got comfortable. We weren’t guarding.”
On how he helps on the bench while in foul trouble: “We have to become coaches on the bench and cheerleaders. We have to cheer our guys on. That’s what makes teams good. When we are down, other players have to step up. I think they did a good job of that.”
On if Pitt changed their game plan at any point: “Basketball is about runs. They made a great run. They were hitting a lot of shots. Good job by them. They were hitting a lot of shots. We just got comfortable and stopped guarding.”
On if they environment felt like a home environment: “It did, it did. Shout out to Mountaineer nation. Thank you for the love and support you guys give us every game. We’re just going to try and continue it.”