University of Tennessee Athletics
Donnie Tyndall Media Luncheon: Feb. 16
February 16, 2015 | Men's Basketball
(Opening Statement)
"Let me start with this past week. Obviously it was a very good win over a well-coached, very good Vanderbilt team. It was a tough environment. I thought our kids showed great toughness and resiliency. We made plays late in the game to force overtime. Again, we were just fortunate enough to make one or two more plays than Vanderbilt did on that night. We came back against LSU. For the first time all year, in the first half of that game, I don't feel like we played Tennessee basketball. I can't really explain why or what the reason was. I think certainly part of it was LSU is really, really good. They played exceptionally well. We didn't have the grit and fight we have had in the 24 other games to that point. In the second half, we played like we normally do, but the hole was just too big. This week obviously (we face) the best team in America. I just said this on our conference call, that it is arguably the best team to be assembled. I goback to one team I think is comparable, (and that's) the team with Stacey Augmonand LarryJohnson and that group at UNLV. This teamhere is right there intalk for being the most talented team ever assembled--I really believe that. They are really well coached. Coach (John) Calipari makes sure the right guys take the right shots. They guard you, so we have a huge challenge there tomorrow night. Then we go to Ole Miss where Andy Kennedy has done a great job. Their team is probably playing as well as anyone in our league with the exception of Kentucky. So it is a huge week for us."
(On how to approach Kentucky's defense)
"Well you just have to be opportunistic. The problem is that they don't make a lot of mistakes, and by that I mean you have to be yourself and throw the ball to the post. But are we really going to score a lot of post baskets with Armani (Moore) at 6-4 and Derek Reese who is a pick-and-pop four man? Probably not. The ball still has to go (to the paint) to converge the defense a little bit and go inside-out. You emphasize driving the ball because it is so important again to get paint touches, but at the end of the play, you have to finish over three 7-foot guys. A lot of times it is going to be penetrating to pass in hopes you can find an open teammate or again be opportunistic if they help up, then you play with the guy behind the defense for a dunk or layup. But they are a great defensive team."
(On what a few other SEC teams have done to keep Kentucky in close games)
"I have watched every conference game they have played in over the lasttwo days, every single game. Ithink the biggest thing is that the teams that have played them tough have, first and foremost, made perimeter jump shots, at least kept the rebounding numbers close and in some cases even and the third thing is you have to limit your turnovers. If you give up second shots, which means you are going to lose the rebounding battle or you don't shoot it well where they are able to play in transition or you turn it over where they can play in transition, then you have no chance. You have to make this team score in the half court, so with that being said, are we going to press? Yes, we will still press, but it may be a little bit containment-type press. You have to shrink the floor and do the best job you can of putting yourself in rebounding position, which is easier said than done, because they have guys that can make shots at 22 or 23 feet. Then you have to take care of the ball on the other end. You are better off getting a 35-second shot-clock violation and they have to take it out of bounds than take a bad shot or turn it over and now they are playing in the open floor."
(On Tennessee possibly wearing down as the season progresses)
"I'm not going to sit here and make excuses for our team. I don't think wearing down is an excuse or a reason. I think what happens is that over a long period of time or through the conference schedule, teams become even more aware of your weaknesses and your deficiencies. Certainly we have done the same thing in trying to prepare for an opponent. We see more weaknesses or deficiencies and try to expose those, but I think our team is being exposed in some areas that maybe early on we did a good job of hiding or at least camouflaging a little bit. Now we are beingexposed. The bottom line is we have to do a better job as a coaching staff of finding ways to put these guys in position to be successful, and we are working day and night to do that."
(On Robert Hubbs III's lefthand injury)
"He is fine. He dislocated his thumb (during the LSU game). We thought it was broken at first. It is a little bit tender, but he is fine. He practiced (Sunday). He will practice today and obviously play in the game."
(On if he reviews film or just wipes the slate clean when there is a quick game-to-game turnaround)
"I have done it both ways in the past. In this case, I really wanted our guys to see the first half (of the LSU game). So we showed the entire first half, just because we weren't our normal self. I'm looking big picture. It is not just about this team and getting ready for the next game, but for these young guys looking forward to next season and in the future. It is not okay to play the way we did. So these guys needed to see it. I think it will help our team tomorrow. It will certainly help these young guys moving forward."
(On John Calipari's comment that Kentucky doesn't have one superstar player this season)
"I think on their team they don't have a guy that is a superstar, but if that particular guy was on a bunch of other teams in our league, then he would be a superstar. He does an unbelievable job of managing personalities and egos. He has done a great job of getting them, once again, to be what he said in the conference call, a pack of wolves instead of a singular wolf, if you will. Those guys that bought in, they have great players and they probably have nine, maybe 10 guys that will have a legitimate shot at playing in the NBA. What is so amazing to me is how he gets them to defend the right way and how unselfish they are."
(On the team's response after reviewing film of the first half of the LSU game)
"Our guys know. They are a prideful group. They are good people. We don't have a bunch of guys with bad body language or that resist coaching. I've said that all year. I said, `You guys see it. It's a joke. It's embarrassing. It's not what we are about.' Not one guy in that room was rolling their eyes or looking away. They knew. To their credit, they have played 25 games and have had one bad half from an effort standpoint, that's pretty good. Yet, on the flip side, even one bad half is not acceptable."
(On what he told the team when reviewing the LSU film)
"We talk endlessly about, `Okay, teams are making a run, things aren't going our way. Okay, this is when we have to have poise and throw the ball to the post. This is when we have to have poise and not settle for a double-pump, off-balance shot.' We didn't do those things the first half. Second half, we did."
(On Willie Carmichael III avoiding foul trouble)
"Yeah, it's not going to happen. Not going to happen. We are 25 games in. We've shown him clips, edits, preached it and talked about it. He is a great kid, but he just is not strong enough to eliminate being in bad position in the post, which is where he gets about 80 percent of his fouls. I hope I'm wrong, but at this point in time, I don't think that is going to be eliminated."
(On projected starters vs. Kentucky Tuesday)
"Right now as it sits, we are going to go with the same lineup--Josh (Richardson), Kevin (Punter), Robert (Hubbs III), Armani (Moore) and Willie (Carmichael III). We'll see how today unfolds."
(On the team's attitude as it looks to bounce back from a poor showing against LSU)
"Most of the teams I've had, yes, [bouncing back with a strong showing off a bad game] has been the case. Even against VCU, the first game of the year, we didn't play well the first half. We didn't play with [zero] effort. We played with effort. We just didn't play very well. Yet, the second half, we come out, respond, play the right way, cut it to eight two or three times and had a chance. That has been the M.O. of our team all year--to never give up and to scrap and claw when things have not gone our way. I won't expect anything but 100 percent effort with a great energy level tomorrow."
(On Kentucky's size and how bigger teams have affected UT this season)
"It has been a concern all year. The way we play lends itself to protecting the rim a little bit with our zone. We collapse and double the post a lot of times with our forward on the ball side of our zone, which isn't necessarily tricky, but it makes them kick it out and gives teams some perimeter opportunities. For the most part, we have done a pretty good job containing big guys with the exception of (Jordan) Mickey the other night--just dominated the game. It is a concern. There were times the other night I thought in the second half that Derek (Reese) and Armani (Moore) were giving great effort, trying to rebound the ball. When you watch the tape, they are giving unbelievable effort, wheeling off guys and going to grab it with two hands. Then, Mickey or (Jarell) Martin kind of [get the ball] right over the top of them. They are 6-8, 6-10, and our guys are 6-4, 6-7. As long as they play hard for the most part, I am comfortable we will win enough of those battles against Kentucky. It really is a whole different ball game with five guys 6-10, 6-11. They aren't just big stiffs. They are all really, really athletic guys."
(On impending winter weather forecasted for Knoxville)
"I certainly hope our fans will come out. I understand the concerns about the weather. This game is probably as important to our fans as any game we play all year, so I'm pretty sure they will find a way to make it. Hopefully, it will keep a few Kentucky fans back in Lexington."
