University of Tennessee Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Vols 70, Kansas State 58
January 28, 2017 | Men's Basketball
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Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes
(Opening statement)
"I really thought we got out to a great start defensively and offensively, and had a little luck there in the first half. We had a couple shot clocks winding down and were able to knock down a shot. Really happy and proud of Kyle Alexander. He was just terrific to start the game, just going after it with rebounds. He was terrific. I though he was a guy that really set a great tone for us on both ends, in terms of what we were trying to get done. We won a game today against a really good basketball team. We told our team that in some ways, they were as tough as anybody we will play. You go back up until today, they were really four or five points from being an undefeated team. Just a really good win for us."
(On the fan reaction to Lew Evans and on what has the team playing the way they are playing)
"I don’t know because he doesn’t quite have it with me yet. Lew has a lot to do with where we are right now. Maybe a little bit too much. He knows what we are trying to get done, as a team, when our point guards get out of it a little bit. He was trying to force the ball to Robert (Hubbs) a little bit too much tonight. He has a tendency to break out of what we are trying to get done. But the fact is, where he has helped us as much as anything is defensively. He’s a guy that switched out tonight, did a pretty good job for the most part. You’d like to think that a fifth-year senior would understand what goes into winning. What we have done the last two games for certain, and three really, is when teams have made a push back at us, we have been able to handle it. We knew that when we were up, they were in a game the other night against Iowa State where I think they were down 19 or 20 and came back and took the lead. Our players are starting to understand that no lead is big enough. Going back to Lew, I think his experience has really helped us in the last two weeks, especially."
(On Kyle Alexander’s ability to impact the game)
"Kyle is going about it every day. He is still growing into his body. We know that. All we keep saying to him is, ‘Do what you do.' And some games he is going to be more effective. In a real physical game, he is going to struggle a little bit. Today, I thought he was physical. I though he really moved his feet, and his matchup was a tough matchup. (D.J.) Johnson is a really good player. Kyle was working as hard as he could. I thought he did a really good job in the first half helping us with our ball screens. They run really good stuff and we just felt that if we could defend them early, we could get them into some ball screens. We worked on that a lot the last couple of days, really worked on it because we have been getting hurt by it so much. Our guards did the best job they’ve done with that, but Kyle was terrific with ball-screen stuff today and post defense. On the other end, he just went and got the ball. I thought he was working to get his post up. The last shot he took he was tired. He shouldn’t have shot that. He was tired. With him, one thing we know about him, he’s going to do everything he can to be a great teammate and help his team win. He’s going to always be ready. He’s like every player, some days you have a little more than other days, but in terms of his focus and attitude, he’s always going to be ready."
(On how gratifying was it to see the team build a first half lead)
"We’ve had a chance to work on that the last couple of days, too. Trying to learn how to run a play without Robert (Hubbs) in the game because we’re going to have to do that. We have confidence in the guys we’re putting in the game. Some of them are still finding their way through with it, but the fact is, when (Hubbs) left the game, we moved Grant (Williams) around a little bit today. He played on the perimeter, he moved down in the paint. Grant played three different positions today but with Robert out of the game it makes other guys really move and play as a team, whereas sometimes we get bogged down trying to get him the ball too much. I thought that happened in the middle part of the second half."
(On answering the Kansas State runs)
"We brought that up at halftime, being here and what does it take. I did not think we came out particularly well the first four minutes. We lost the first four minutes by a bucket, I think. I just thought we were a step slow to get started. Started switching out of convenience and when they cut as hard as they cut, if you are not on edge, we let them get going from the 3-point line and again that was just defensively. Every time we made a push to get the lead back, it started on the defensive end. When we’re aggressive on the defensive end and playing hard we’re a much better offensive team."
(On how many more games he things Tennessee has to win to be considered a bubble team)
"I don’t know. All I know is that these guys have played one of the toughest schedules in the country and it’s separation month. You can talk about bubble teams, you can talk about NCAA teams. Right now people can go ahead and pencil in teams. There’s a few but there isn’t a lot. I’ve seen teams that were really good that you think are there go down the stretch and go away. There’s just a lot of basketball left to play and there’s probably 150 teams or so that are in a position to make a push to get themselves into postseason play. You can’t get caught up in that; you just have to play the next game. Get into conference play and there are no easy games. We know that. This week coming up, we’ve got two tough road games. I still don’t understand why we’re still playing in the central time zone at 8 p.m., I don’t understand that yet. That’ll put us back here Wednesday at 2 a.m., then we turn around and go to Mississippi State Thursday. It’s a big week for us. We’re going to have to make sure we get our rest and do what we have to do. The only thing we need to think about right now is to continue to get better."
(On being concerned about a letdown)
"Was I concerned about it? I didn’t think a lot about it because I do think we were pretty good. This time of year our practice is cut back. What we’re looking for is intensity and guys coming out getting ready to play. I do think that they had good focus in practice. If we had lost this game, that would have been a question I would have asked but we won a game today against a really good team. A team that when we were up 18, 19 we told the guys that they came back, it’s not easy, it’s not supposed to be easy. It’s not going to be easy. It’s never going to be easy. If you think you’re going to blow somebody out, you’re going to find out it’s not going to happen. We’ve played enough games were the only thing that will disappoint me is if we don’t continue focusing on what we need to do to get ready and we don’t go out and compete."
(On consistency and maturity)
"We knew for a fact that our team was going to play as hard as they could every night. I think we all feel pretty good about it. They probably think we are going to win more than we will lose with that attitude. We have had times this year where we didn’t do that. There is still room to get better. We didn’t do it at the beginning of the second half. When we pushed it back out there, you could see a difference in where we locked in. That might be on me letting guys stay out there too long and them getting fatigued, but coming out of the locker room, we should not be a step behind and we were today."
(On words from Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber)
"It’s a compliment coming from Bruce. I think he is one of the most underrated basketball coaches in the country. You talk about teams that play hard. That’s what we told our guys; (Kansas State) is going to play hard from start to finish, and I think they did today. For him to go zone, you know that he’s having to work through some stuff and trying to break rhythm. We got off to a great start and we have to keep building."
(On improvements in rebounding)
"Last game, the guards had a lot to do with it. Today, team rebounding wise, Kyle was getting them all early. Bone had three today. Bowden only had one. Robert had seven, and he’s playing a perimeter position. Lamonté had three. Lew had five, which he didn’t do early. Admiral only had three. I think we are going to rebound it best when our guards get down there because there are a lot of loose-ball rebounds when we play. Guys are normally a bit longer than us. We talked a lot and made the comment of that’s the area we have to improve in. That goes with all five guys when we go get the ball. Actually, going into the Kentucky game, Coach Lanier made a comment to the team that we don’t think we’ll be perfect but need to move in that direction. We did it in the Kentucky game, and I thought we took another step that way today. I do think our guys are starting to understand how important rebounding really is and how important it is to take care of the ball. Shot selection has been a big part of it too because we know where the shots are coming from and guys are in position to go get it."
Tennessee forward Grant Williams
(On the team winning its third straight game)
"Throughout the season, we would have a good game, and then we would take a step back. So we just preached to each other that we were going to play hard and play our game and we did a good job with that tonight."
(On if three straight wins shows growth in the team)
"I would say so. I feel like we’re maturing a little bit, but we have a test at Auburn and we have to keep it going."
(On Kyle Alexander’s performance)
"He set the tone for us offensively and also on the defensive end. He just played hard, he did his job, and it really inspired us to play harder with him."
Tennessee forward Kyle Alexander
(On what outrebounding the opponent by 14 says about an undersized team)
"That’s the whole thing with our team this year, is that we’re the most undersized team in the conference, and maybe in the nation, so the fact that we were able to be plus-14 on a really good team, I think that says something about our fight and what all we can accomplish on the court."
(On his mindset coming into the game and if that propelled him to a fast start)
"I just knew that if I was starting, I had to come out and make an impact as soon as I could and come out and try and do everything that I could. And in those first few minutes, I made the most of my opportunity. I just tried to focus on tonight, and it worked out in my favor."
(On if he saw his teammates feed off his energy early in the game)
"I think if somebody’s able to bring energy early, it really helps. Grant (Williams) is really good at doing that. Most games I think when somebody brings energy, you can feed off of it, and that’s what we do a good job of doing."
Tennessee guard Lamonte Turner
(On if being able to respond well after a big win shows maturity from the team)
"I definitely think we’re getting more mature, guys are starting to really understand their roles and what this team needs of them. I think we’re growing up."
(On what the difference was in being able to hold onto a lead)
"I think we’re really just learning how to finish games. At the beginning of the second half, they came out and made some really big shots, but we didn’t get rattled. We put together some stops and had some buckets on our own, and we were able to finish."
(On what has helped the improvement of the defense)
"I think Coach is expecting more of us. If you’re not doing your job and you’re not playing hard, you’re going to come out. So I think that’s just guys buying into the system and giving their all for however many minutes Coach asks of them."
Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber
(Opening statement)
"We knew that we had a tough game in front of us. Tennessee is coming off their third home game in a row. They played very well. They played their butts off. They competed, and they really dealt with us inside. It’s not an excuse, but it’s a fact. D.J. Johnson and Dean Wade haven’t practiced in a week. Right now, they’re fighting through injuries, probably like a lot of people in the country, and we just didn’t get enough out of them. Kyle Alexander beats his average in the first two minutes of the game, and Grant Williams, between those two, eight and nine, 17 and six. Lew Evans was nine and five, and that was probably the difference in the game. I didn’t think we competed as hard as we need to. That was the whole thing. We knew how hard they competed, and until the second half, we fought a little bit and competed. We gave ourselves a chance, and got it to 10. Now, you have to play smart, and make the right play. We have to share the basketball better. We didn’t share it at all. In the first half, we had to make the extra passes. I think that’s what made us special so far this season. Hats off to Tennessee and Coach Barnes."
(On Tennessee jumping out to a lead in the first half)
"I thought they had a good practice and good preparation. We kept it short yesterday. They play hard. They’re good defensively. You don’t just go beat Kentucky and beat Mississippi State without being a pretty good team. I think they’ve made improvements. I keep talking to our guys and say, ‘we’re just running through the motions. We’re passing, cutting, moving, and screening, but we have to get some of that going’. I didn’t think the first half we were very stagnant. They did a good job in ball screens. Certain team, you can use ball screens and have success. Obviously, tonight we didn’t have much success with that, especially in the first half. They really bogged us down. The other part is that if you get the stops and get the rebounds, then you get transition. The second half, we got stuffed. We got rebounds. We pushed it. We got the transition. We scored…no. Now, who didn’t score in the second half? They scored for quite a while. Stealing those easy baskets off of transition makes the world of difference."
(On his team not competing as hard as they needed to)
"I said we didn’t compete as hard as we needed to. Tennessee competed. They played hard. We didn’t match that. We knew that was going to happen. We lost the play on our turn for the second time in a row. Again, you look at our team, and D.J. Johnson and Dean Wade have been our two leaders on the play. They’re struggling right now. I give them credit. They’re encouraged to try and play in the game, but right now, we need to get healthy. We have a day off tomorrow. Dean Wade has made a little bit of progress, but he needs to get back in practice. For D.J. Johnson, between his foot and his hamstring, he’s just trying to fight through the dark days of the season, and hopefully we’ll get those guys back. Those are the two that make a difference for us."
(On the most frustrating part was of the first half)
"The second-chance points. If you look at it, it’s a big difference. Sixteen points is a way over the difference in the game. The rebounds were definitely the biggest thing. We got a little out of character offensively trying to do stuff on our own instead of relying on some offensive movement."
(On the team’s play-hard chart and how was Tennessee able to rebound despite a height disadvantage)
"Grant Williams is a unique young man, and he plays so hard. (Kyle) Alexander was obviously really good tonight. They got us in some scramble modes, they have penetration, now you have rotation and to box out. We didn’t do that. They jumped for rebounds and we didn’t. Our play-hard chart is deflections, loose balls, dive on the floor, taking charges, offensive rebounds. The 16-to-seven offensive rebound difference is hard to make up in any game."
(On how they were able to keep Robert Hubbs III quiet throughout the game)
"I think Wesley Iwundu has good length. He knows their sets, their plays, their actions, because we guarded them at Texas. Hopefully a little bit of Wes, and a little bit of the scouting report. (Hubbs) still played a good game. So 10 and seven. I am sure he will take that with a victory."
(On the team’s attitude after dropping two straight)
"I think we need to worry about one game, and then TCU on Wednesday. That’s all I worry about. We have to focus, get healthy, worry about TCU. There are a lot of ups and downs in the season. We have a chance to go 5-4 at the turn in the league, staying up in the upper half, and that’s all we can worry about. That is what our focus has to be."
(On Tennessee’s play and understanding preparation)
"I was kind of hoping they would have a let down a little bit after the two wins but they didn’t. They took it to us right from the start. They play hard and they compete. Rick (Barnes) has done a nice job, and that is something we have taken pride in. That gives them a chance. There is no doubt about that. Their only loss in this stretch is Mississippi, and they had that one for around 30 minutes or so. They have made a nice run and taken nice steps. We knew as a staff that it would be a hard game, but I would have hoped we would have played a little better, but we didn’t. Now we just have to move forward."
