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Author Topic: [Rosiak's Blog] The view from Louisville  (Read 1935 times)

ToddRosiakSays

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[Rosiak's Blog] The view from Louisville
« on: January 16, 2008, 08:30:06 PM »
The view from Louisville


Here are some excerpts of what coach Rick Pitino and wing Terrence Williams had to say today heading into Thursday's game against Marquette, compliments of Louisville Courier-Journal Cardinals beat writer Brian Bennett:

RICK PITINO

Thoughts on the rivalry with Marquette -- You all thought it was West Virginia last week. I think both points have to do with how the game is played. With West Virginia, we had a double overtime and a 20-point comeback to go to the Final Four (and) a very close game there. The games dictate the rivalries. Certainly, Marquette is the same way, exciting games, buzzer-beaters, very close. . .last year, although it was an 8-point victory they were in total control of the game at our place last year. So they've been great games and games dictate what you think as far as the fans are concerned. Our fans probably take this as the big game on their minds.

Relationship with Tom Crean -- We don't not get along and we don't get along. We don't have any contact except at Big East meetings where we're cordial to each other, as every coach is, and there's no animosity, no friendships. Just two coaches coaching their teams and I say that very honestly. Both programs trying to succeed, trying to work hard. He worked for my best friend many years ago (Ralph Willard at Western Ky.). So there's nothing more to it except two teams that play very tough against each other.

Thoughts on the game -- They're playing at a very high level. Their Notre Dame game was scary to watch because they had 17 steals. They're probably the best steals team in the country. They have the quickness, they have the attitude and they pursue the basketball. Quick hands. If you ever charted their deflections, which they probably do, it's probably off the charts.

How do you view Marquette's offense -- Dominic James is one of my favorite players in college basketball. Every year he adds something to his game, and now he's become a great passer besides a bulldog defender, terrific scorer. he really hurt us down the stretch last year, made very big bucket. And his defense is as good as his offense.

How does Marquette react to small lineups -- Marquette has many different attacks. They play well against man, well against zones, they attack pressure well. So they can adjust.

Luke Harangody had a big game against MU. How do you view the Golden Eagles' interior defense -- Their interior defense is very good; they swarm the basketball. It's just that Harangody is one of the best pivot players in the country. In terms of college basketball, he's a top 5 center in the game right now.

Thoughts on Marquette as a whole -- If you put the basketball on the floor they go after it. The thing about steals is steals leads to easy baskets, which leads to shooting a high percentage. If you're a big steal team you're going to shoot a high percentage. And they go to the backboard really well; they send a lot of people to the boards. They're fundamental at a lot of different things and they do a lot of good things that pose problems for teams.

Memories of victory at Marquette last season -- We had to beat Marquette and Pitt to have two great wins to make the (NCAA) Tournament. We were playing good basketball, we got healthy late, so it was very important. Anytime you beat a ranked team on the road it looks great on your resume'. When you win on the road. . .you have to play outstanding basketball to win on the road. Now, we did not play outstanding basketball at Rutgers. We played good enough to win the game, but we didn't play nearly as good as we did against West Virginia or Kentucky. But  that happens; you're not always going to be a good game every single night. The important thing is to play good enough defense to come away with a victory.

More thoughts on Marquette -- Everything they do, they do well. They'll play some (different) defenses, but everything is attacking the basketball. You always talk about getting your team to think steal, whether you're pressing, or you're in a zone or man-to-man. That means you always have vision of the basketball and you're always trying to figure out where the ball is going. Your hands are active and they take that to a different level. When you've got guards like Cubillan and Acker coming off the bench and you have James, Matthews and McNeal. McNeal is tremendous on the wing. When you have guys like that with those quick hands and then they got two guys coming off the bench with quick feet, quick hands. . .Dominic James is as tough a defensive player as you'll play against. Our point guards have a great challenge going against him. He is very low in his stance, gets in a wide base, draw the offensive foul terrific, he has great hands. They all have terrific hands, they play great defense.

What have you emphasized with your players -- You have to have good spacing and you have to be strong with the ball. When you rebound the basketball they're trying to take it away from you. Not only the outlet, but when you grab the basketball. Rutgers did that to us and got 3 or 4 of the balls back. So we're working on things like that.

TERRENCE WILLIAMS

How hard is it to prepare for Marquette -- It is real hard, but it is kind of like West Virginia when we played them. That was the most I'd ever prepared for a team going through a 1-3-1, the 1, the 3, the out of bounds plays. It is hard with Marquette because they've got great guard play. I think that with this practice here, we can get more used to them. We played them twice last year, and we didn't play West Virginia twice. It's gonna bring back memories of what we are going to do, you know, to play against them.

What do you need to do against MU -- Contain the ball, you know. Contain the ball and get out to the shooters in a hurry. Dominic James, you know, they beat us convincingly last year at home, we don't want that to happen again, but Dominic James hit some tough threes from deep out so what we need to do if we are in zone is make sure we know where he is at, you know, or Fitzgerald on the wing and be able to talk and communicate like we've been doing. They are all quick and the way they react to the ball is very great, especially McNeal. You know, he led the country or was second last year in steals, so. They all play defense, you know. Coach P uses the term of look for a steal and that is what they really do is look for a steal, you know. When our big men get the ball they take one dribble, they go and trap with a guard and not a big man so we have to be able to get to the corners or, you know, move without the ball, you know, to give our big men the outlet pass. What I say they do very well is react to the ball very well.

What about MU's offense -- Their offense is tough because if you go man and they set a pick and roll with the big man, and our big man has to blitz out and Dominic James or McNeal or Matthews see our big men then they are going to take our big men on. And it kind of hurts our big man like last year, you know, getting in foul trouble. If we can stay away from that it could be a good game. But if we go man a lot and they come off the pick and rolls then they are going to try to get our big men in foul trouble. They are just very quick, especially Dominic James, probably the quickest point guard in the country, I believe, so he caused matchup problems for our guards and hopefully we can cause matchup problems for them though.

Is this rivalry as heated as it gets -- Probably for Jerry, you know, being from there and probably for this program with the tradition of us playing them, but every game, I feel, should be heated. You should want every game to be looked at as Kentucky, you know, this is our rival. You want to go into it with everybody pumped up to play, you know. You don't want nobody to be down for no game, you know, because that is when you lose. But I would say it is heated because last year we won as a buzzer beater and some people may not have really liked the win, but we'll take it because it was another check in the win column. I'll say it is kind of heated because, I wouldn't say the two teams don't like each other, I don't know really about the past, you know, we are just two teams trying to survive in this league.

Do you enjoy this kind of game -- I enjoy every game I play, but I enjoy this game because I know Dominic James. You know, when I went to Big East media day last year, me and him met there. We talked and exchanged numbers and stuff like that. I talked to him. I love playing against people I know so I can talk to them during the game. If I don't know them then by the time the game is over, I meet them.

How tough an assignment is it to cover Dominic James -- I feel like it is a tough assignment, but I know whoever is guarding him, the other four guys are going to give him help. It is not going to be a one-guy beating us, you know, we are going to give him help and if it becomes to tough we'll adjust and somebody else will have to guard Dominic or I'll guard him or I'm wouldn't say it's going to be him destroying everybody, but it'll be a tough assingment, but whoever is guarding him, we are going to give him help.

Do you look at this as a good chance to get a victory against a ranked opponent -- Every win is a big-time win to us, it depends on who is looking at it. So it will be a good win to get a win over a ranked opponent, I don't know what they are ranked, but to get a win over a ranked opponent. and to keep moving and to keep winning in the Big East. That is what you want to do. You want to keep winning in this league. You don't want to fall with losses in the 'L' column and fall to the bottom. You want to just keep getting wins no matter who it is over. Tomorrow is Marquette so yeah, it would be great to get good a win over a ranked team.


http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2008/01/16/the-view-from-louisville.aspx
« Last Edit: January 16, 2008, 08:45:12 PM by mu_hilltopper »

spiral97

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Re: [Rosiak's Blog] The view from Louisville
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2008, 08:58:18 PM »
interesting.. kept hearing about DJ.. McNeal.. Matthews.. even mentions of Fitz and Cube.. no mention of hayward.  If they're not thinking about how to contain him too then their defense will start breaking down and they'll be forced out of their game plan.

Hopefully Barro and/or Burke will have a big game (with some significant Trend assist) and be 3 more unaccounted for variables to knock them off balance!
Once a warrior always a warrior.. even if the feathers must now come with a beak.

Big Papi

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Re: [Rosiak's Blog] The view from Louisville
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2008, 10:42:40 PM »
I certainly hope they overlook Hayward because he will burn them if they do.

Funny how both Pitino and Williams dance around the questions about rivalry and Pitino's relationship with TC.  I would say with all the close games, gamesmanships from years past and the comments from Pitino/Williams that reflects more dancing than what you get on Dancing with the Stars, this is definitely a heated rivarly.

bilsu

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Re: [Rosiak's Blog] The view from Louisville
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2008, 12:41:57 AM »
The key to this game is keeping Hayward out of foul trouble.

mufan924

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Re: [Rosiak's Blog] The view from Louisville
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2008, 08:50:25 AM »
the key to the majority of our games is foul touble, agreed...with jerel as well
"it's over...it's been over" -George Carlin

The Lens

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Re: [Rosiak's Blog] The view from Louisville
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2008, 09:11:17 AM »


Funny how both Pitino and Williams dance around the questions about rivalry and Pitino's relationship with TC.  I would say with all the close games, gamesmanships from years past and the comments from Pitino/Williams that reflects more dancing than what you get on Dancing with the Stars, this is definitely a heated rivarly.

One of TC's best friends is Calipari, that may have something to do with his relationship wth Pitino, Rick & Cal have always seemed to be rivals.
The Teal Train has left the station and Lens is day drinking in the bar car.    ---- Dr. Blackheart

History is so valuable if you have the humility to learn from it.    ---- Shaka Smart

 

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