TKR TV: Rutgers Basketball HC Steve Pikiell talks Bryant postgame
Rutgers Basketball HC Steve Pikiell talks with the media following today's win over Bryant University inside of Jersey Mike's Arena.
Head Coach Steve Pikiell
Opening Statement:
"It's nice to be here at Jersey Mike's. The crowd makes a huge difference and the fans we have here are special. A 12:00 game is a little bit different, and I want to congratulate Bryant. Coach Martelli is doing a great job and I think that team is going to win 20 games. I like their talent a ton. One day to prepare is tough and they didn't run any of their 1-2-2 zones but our guys adapted and adjusted. I love that we were able to out rebound them with 19 offensive rebounds. After the Princeton game we really made a concerted effort to be a really good rebounding team. Obviously that showed up tonight, but I have to give Bryant a lot of credit. I'm thankful we played a home game, I think I'm learning a lot about my team. Guys had to step up, Cliff [Omoruyi] went 8 for 8 from the free throw line, and he tied his career rebounding high. He really bounced back for sure. Aundre [Hyatt] has become a really good leader for us and a voice. We got tested today and that's good for us. A tough win, but I'm thankful for home games."
On second half adjustments:
"With Cliff [Omoruyi], when he has that great focus, especially being banged up in the last game, I thought he had really good real estate in the post. He's learning by watching film, but it all comes down to grabbing rebounds and being aggressive to attack the ball. Down the stretch when the ball came off the rim, Cliff was the guy to get the ball. When he is locked in like that he keeps getting better. He does a really good job at being prepared, especially on one day's rest when your body is tired. Another quick turnaround for us, but we have a couple days to prepare. Cliff's mentality today was mature and he's being a great leader. He was vocal and that's a good sign for us moving forward."
On Aundre Hyatt's performance:
"Aundre [Hyatt] has had terrific practices and he is also becoming very vocal. How about that block that came from the weak side? That was as big of a play as he could make in crunch time. He has become our leading scorer, a guy that we can really count on, and I love his voice and approach. Down the stretch, he also made big free throws. When you put the ball in his hands he makes plays. He's getting better and better and he will help mold this team."
On Derek's defense against Gross-Bullock
"We made a huge emphasis on that, he watched films on them. He's the leading scorer of that league, he scored 39 points in games before, so you got a one-day prep on a really dangerous offensive player. He has some tendencies and I think we did a good job of making sure he didn't get in the lane. We were contesting shots, we were highly focused on that, I think every year we can play a high scorer with one of those nights. [Rafael] Pinzon made some shots, but when you cut them in half like that, and you hold them to that percentage, Derek [Simpson] took care of business, Jamichael Davis guarded them, Noah [Fernandes] guarded them, Austin [Williams] guarded them, there were a lot of different guys that stepped up."
On Antwone Woolfolk's development
"We really like him, we've turned around our rebound in numbers by putting him in the mix today. When Cliff has foul trouble he's going to get more minutes, he's been a really good player for us and he's going to have a really good year. The more he plays, the more swagger he has. He has some really good swagger and I want him to play with swagger, because he can really score in the low post. He'll just keep getting better, he didn't get a lot of time last year, so he's kind of figuring it out in live time. Wolf has a good approach and he's going to have a really good year for us."
On the team's defense against threes:
"I thought our defense the whole time was really good, that team prides themselves on being one of the leading scoring teams in the country, they play at the fastest pace. Holding at 57 was really good but 6 for 23, they make threes, that's what they do. One day prep, locked into the scouting report. The guys did a good job of identifying the guys that can shoot the basketball, we have to do that and then we can rebound and get crazy rebounds that come off of the rim with three-point shooters, that's what I'm most proud of. We track down some long ones and we do what we gotta do."
On the learning process with the points guards learning to feed the post:
"Every team guards the post differently so you have to go through some of these games especially early on because you don't know how they are going to attack the post especially early in the season because they haven't shown it on tape. Cliff has to be ready for everything. Our guys have to do a really good job of using ball fakes and that is a huge part of what we have been emphasizing. Guys on the perimeter haven't shot the ball great from the floor yet but this team can really shoot the ball so if they want to put 1 or 2 guys on Cliff we have to take advantage of the opportunities that we have. The one thing that these guys do is learn a lot from film and how teams play Cliff and it is a good thing so we are ready for anything that comes up. But early in the season, it can be difficult."
On the pace of the team season:
"I would love to. We have gotten 20 or more fast break points so far and that is a big thing. We didn't want to get into a crazy game with a team that wants to get up and down the court so we have to be smart too. You can run when it is time to run but also we have to play around a really good big guy."
On huge stretches down the game:
"I told the guys that when it was "win time" we got four straight stops. We grabbed the rebound and they weren't able to score. I think we learned from Princeton when it was win time we didn't get any stops. Even the games that you don't play great in but when it is win time you figure out how to win. I'm proud that these guys went up and grabbed big rebounds and made big free throws. That's what it takes sometimes to learn how to finish it off. We did that today and it was a good learning experience. This will help us moving forward."
Derek SimpsonOn his big second half:
"In the second half we went into the locker room and told each other that we are fine. To keep getting stops and stay together regardless of the situation. We stuck together. Free throws were a huge issue in the first half but in the second half we locked in, made free throws, got stops and we got it rolling."
Clifford Omoruyi
On his big second half:
"The first half I got into some foul trouble and Coach told me that in the second half to not commit anymore fouls. So my teammates just encouraged me to keep playing and the momentum kicked it and we got it going."
Aundre HyattOn his mental preparation for games
"I get a lot of support and my coaches and my teammates instill a lot of confidence in me. Having that everyday on a daily basis gets me prepared."
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