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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Postgame Quotes vs. FGCU
12/29/2018 | Men's Basketball
Head Coach Kermit Davis
OLE MISS HEAD COACH KERMIT DAVIS
Opening statement…
"I think coaches in general are always scared a little bit, especially scared of the game before break, and really nervous before break. I thought in both games we weren't perfect, but I thought our energy level was good. Our energy level was really good at the start of the game where Florida Gulf Coast is a talented team, and I thought we really took them out of some things early with our pressure. Then our 1-3-1 is getting a lot better, and our guys are starting to have confidence. You know 22 assists on 31 baskets made the ball move so it was good. We had two or three bruises, but all those guys are going to be fine. I think we'll have everybody back to practice next week."
On the injuries…
"Yeah KJ (Buffen) had no swelling in his ankle and he just tweaked it. He did that a little earlier in the year and I think that scared him a little bit, but he should be fine. We'll take off tomorrow before Monday or Tuesday's practice. Blake (Hinson) had kind of a hit in his thigh. He's going to be okay. He could have come back in the game, and Devontae (Shuler) was just a cramp late."
On where the team is at heading into SEC play…
"For any team in college basketball to go undefeated in December, that's hard to do. I don't care what schedule you play, the road games, I mean going into today's game we had played more games away from home than any team in the SEC (six out of our first 11). And so I'm proud of our guys for that. We've made a lot of progress, we still have a lot of progress to make. Since the first day I got the job I told them, 'Guys, we're trying to be built to win games on the road in the SEC.' The toughness, the different things we try to do. It's always exciting for me, I'm so happy. I know the teams are going to be really, really hard. There's going to be some ups and downs in the league as there is with any league that you play in. I know our guys will have a great week and look forward to Vanderbilt."
On doing enough in non-conference play to be in the NCAA Tournament conversation early on…
"No question, no question about it. If you look at the NET, we're 44 or 45 and it's so much different than a place where I came from. No. 44 or 45 going into (Conference USA), I loved that league, but it's not good enough. Now we get so many opportunities. There are so many opportunities with Quadrant One, Quadrant Two road wins, home wins. But you know there's going to be a lot of basketball ahead of us, and there are a lot of teams that are fighting just for those kinds of things. I'm looking forward to seeing how our team responds."
How are the post players performing…
"Yeah, I think they're getting better, I really do. I've been experimenting a little bit later playing both of those guys (Bruce Stevens, Dominik Olejniczak) together a little bit. Defensively is where one of those guys has got to guard a 6-7 live forward, so that's something we've looked at. I thought Dom had great presence defensively tonight. I thought he changed a bunch of shots. I was really pleased with him tonight, and Bruce is really starting to settle in. Both those guys just give you a little different aspect at the same time at the same position."
On post-defense improvement…
"Today they didn't really throw the ball to the post to post-up players. You know in this league they'll start to do that. We have started to throw in some different things schematically that we haven't shown a lot that we'll start to show in SEC play to try and guard the post better. There are teams that may hurt us when we get into foul trouble down there. I do think that our zone defense is another way to help to guard it, but I think both those guys are very capable in doing that."
On if he's pleased with defensively rebounding…
"Not really. We have to be better rebounders at that spot. Dom did have five (rebounds) today. Bruce has rebounded it better than Dom. He had four. Now you know, those guys are playing half of the game, but I still think those guys can be better rebounders out of their area. The whole team needs to be, but those guys (your bigs) have to bail you out of possessions. They have to get balls out of their area to finish possessions off."
On offensive balance…
"I just thought the ball moved, I thought it was great movement. A lot of times in the second half there wasn't any set offense, it was just guys playing off of draw-and-kick, playing off of dribble penetration, extra passes, the ball just moved. The guys were just so unselfish, it was fun to watch. So I'm really proud of that, and that's the reason we keep shooting around 50 percent, if you keep the ball moving – 22 assists on 31 baskets."
On Terence Davis' continued success…
"You know we were texting over the break and I texted him that you're fixing to have the three best months of your whole career. I said, 'You've earned it and you just got to play relaxed and let the game come to you.' Tonight, he made a couple defensive mistakes and fouled, so my staff said take him out with two fouls. I said, 'I want to see if he can play with two fouls.' In this SEC, TD (Terence Davis) and Breein (Tyree) have to learn to play with two fouls, three fouls with 16 minutes to go at times, and he didn't do a very good job of it – got out of his stance and got into some foul trouble trying to catch up. But he really has (improved). He's the leading rebounder, leading assists, second scorer. He's had a really well-balanced first half of the season."
On improved ball movement…
"I just think it's the practices, I really do. I think it's just trying to get the ball off the floor. When we play the ball the right way and the ball moves, it's just a huge emphasis. I don't know, it's just something that's been with me forever. It's something we emphasize every day and it's such a fun way to coach, fun way to play, and fans love to watch it. So hopefully we continue to get better at it."
On where the team is at versus preseason expectations…
"You know if someone said we were going to be 10-2 after being down 27 points to the Ottawa Gee-Gees on our last game in Canada (on Aug. 9), I would have said you're crazy. But we've made some progress since then. What I like about it is we're improving. I think we're getting better, but our team has to continue to make a ton of progress these next two months. I like where our team is, we know how difficult this league is. We know how difficult Saturday is going to be, but to be 10-2 and play in front of over 7,500 on a Saturday at 1 o'clock, I mean what progress. It's great progress, and I was tickled to death of the fans and we just want The Pavilion sold out Jan. 9 when we play (No. 11) Auburn and make this place one of the toughest places to play. Y'all have seen it, y'all know how it is. I haven't really seen it, and I can't wait. So I think our guys will keep working at it. With the 10-2 (record) and the crowds getting a little bit bigger, that feels good to all of us."
| OLE MISS HEAD COACH KERMIT DAVIS |
Opening statement…
"I think coaches in general are always scared a little bit, especially scared of the game before break, and really nervous before break. I thought in both games we weren't perfect, but I thought our energy level was good. Our energy level was really good at the start of the game where Florida Gulf Coast is a talented team, and I thought we really took them out of some things early with our pressure. Then our 1-3-1 is getting a lot better, and our guys are starting to have confidence. You know 22 assists on 31 baskets made the ball move so it was good. We had two or three bruises, but all those guys are going to be fine. I think we'll have everybody back to practice next week."
On the injuries…
"Yeah KJ (Buffen) had no swelling in his ankle and he just tweaked it. He did that a little earlier in the year and I think that scared him a little bit, but he should be fine. We'll take off tomorrow before Monday or Tuesday's practice. Blake (Hinson) had kind of a hit in his thigh. He's going to be okay. He could have come back in the game, and Devontae (Shuler) was just a cramp late."
On where the team is at heading into SEC play…
"For any team in college basketball to go undefeated in December, that's hard to do. I don't care what schedule you play, the road games, I mean going into today's game we had played more games away from home than any team in the SEC (six out of our first 11). And so I'm proud of our guys for that. We've made a lot of progress, we still have a lot of progress to make. Since the first day I got the job I told them, 'Guys, we're trying to be built to win games on the road in the SEC.' The toughness, the different things we try to do. It's always exciting for me, I'm so happy. I know the teams are going to be really, really hard. There's going to be some ups and downs in the league as there is with any league that you play in. I know our guys will have a great week and look forward to Vanderbilt."
On doing enough in non-conference play to be in the NCAA Tournament conversation early on…
"No question, no question about it. If you look at the NET, we're 44 or 45 and it's so much different than a place where I came from. No. 44 or 45 going into (Conference USA), I loved that league, but it's not good enough. Now we get so many opportunities. There are so many opportunities with Quadrant One, Quadrant Two road wins, home wins. But you know there's going to be a lot of basketball ahead of us, and there are a lot of teams that are fighting just for those kinds of things. I'm looking forward to seeing how our team responds."
How are the post players performing…
"Yeah, I think they're getting better, I really do. I've been experimenting a little bit later playing both of those guys (Bruce Stevens, Dominik Olejniczak) together a little bit. Defensively is where one of those guys has got to guard a 6-7 live forward, so that's something we've looked at. I thought Dom had great presence defensively tonight. I thought he changed a bunch of shots. I was really pleased with him tonight, and Bruce is really starting to settle in. Both those guys just give you a little different aspect at the same time at the same position."
On post-defense improvement…
"Today they didn't really throw the ball to the post to post-up players. You know in this league they'll start to do that. We have started to throw in some different things schematically that we haven't shown a lot that we'll start to show in SEC play to try and guard the post better. There are teams that may hurt us when we get into foul trouble down there. I do think that our zone defense is another way to help to guard it, but I think both those guys are very capable in doing that."
On if he's pleased with defensively rebounding…
"Not really. We have to be better rebounders at that spot. Dom did have five (rebounds) today. Bruce has rebounded it better than Dom. He had four. Now you know, those guys are playing half of the game, but I still think those guys can be better rebounders out of their area. The whole team needs to be, but those guys (your bigs) have to bail you out of possessions. They have to get balls out of their area to finish possessions off."
On offensive balance…
"I just thought the ball moved, I thought it was great movement. A lot of times in the second half there wasn't any set offense, it was just guys playing off of draw-and-kick, playing off of dribble penetration, extra passes, the ball just moved. The guys were just so unselfish, it was fun to watch. So I'm really proud of that, and that's the reason we keep shooting around 50 percent, if you keep the ball moving – 22 assists on 31 baskets."
On Terence Davis' continued success…
"You know we were texting over the break and I texted him that you're fixing to have the three best months of your whole career. I said, 'You've earned it and you just got to play relaxed and let the game come to you.' Tonight, he made a couple defensive mistakes and fouled, so my staff said take him out with two fouls. I said, 'I want to see if he can play with two fouls.' In this SEC, TD (Terence Davis) and Breein (Tyree) have to learn to play with two fouls, three fouls with 16 minutes to go at times, and he didn't do a very good job of it – got out of his stance and got into some foul trouble trying to catch up. But he really has (improved). He's the leading rebounder, leading assists, second scorer. He's had a really well-balanced first half of the season."
On improved ball movement…
"I just think it's the practices, I really do. I think it's just trying to get the ball off the floor. When we play the ball the right way and the ball moves, it's just a huge emphasis. I don't know, it's just something that's been with me forever. It's something we emphasize every day and it's such a fun way to coach, fun way to play, and fans love to watch it. So hopefully we continue to get better at it."
On where the team is at versus preseason expectations…
"You know if someone said we were going to be 10-2 after being down 27 points to the Ottawa Gee-Gees on our last game in Canada (on Aug. 9), I would have said you're crazy. But we've made some progress since then. What I like about it is we're improving. I think we're getting better, but our team has to continue to make a ton of progress these next two months. I like where our team is, we know how difficult this league is. We know how difficult Saturday is going to be, but to be 10-2 and play in front of over 7,500 on a Saturday at 1 o'clock, I mean what progress. It's great progress, and I was tickled to death of the fans and we just want The Pavilion sold out Jan. 9 when we play (No. 11) Auburn and make this place one of the toughest places to play. Y'all have seen it, y'all know how it is. I haven't really seen it, and I can't wait. So I think our guys will keep working at it. With the 10-2 (record) and the crowds getting a little bit bigger, that feels good to all of us."
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's Basketball
Center
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
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