University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota/Virginia Post-Game Quotes
11/30/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Virginia 87, Minnesota 79
Monday, Nov. 29, 2010
Big Ten/ACC Challenge
Coach Tubby Smith
Opening statement:
"It was a very disappointing performance by us but I was very impressed with Virginia..They shot the ball extremely well.. We were lacking in our defensive intensity tonight..There were a lot of changes that have taken place since the last time we've played and I think that can disrupt the flow of things and I think that happened tonight."
On Virginia's defense picking apart Minnesota:
It was probably as pathetic an effort defensively that we've had in a long time...We had the chances, we just couldn't get the stops.
On free throws:
We work on them a lot, and that's another disappointing area, 12 for 20..They shoot 83 percent, we shoot 60 percent.
On the new ranking sending a message:
We've got to get this group to understand that you have to overachieve and play with the right type of attitude every time out.
Minnesota Player Quotes
Devoe Joseph
On the team’s perimeter defense:
“I feel like we just need to get up on them more and I feel a lot of their shots came on screens, so we need to work on getting through the screens.”
On playing in his first game of the season:
“It felt really good to be back on the floor with my teammates and being out there in front of the crowd with my team.”
Blake Hoffarber
On whether Minnesota’s high ranking in the polls caused the team to get complacent:
“I don’t know about that. We just need to go into every game like we’re the underdog. I think we did that in Puerto Rico and today we just didn’t have it. It’s better to have a wakeup call now than later.”
On playing without Al Nolen:
“It is really tough. He is one of the best defenders in the country. Hopefully he can get back soon, but anytime you’re missing your point guard it’s going to be tough on the team.”
Virginia head coach Tony Bennett
On playing the team without Al Nolen:
"Certainly when you lose a leader and a point guard and a senior, who steadies the ship I know that's a big loss for them. He does some things defensively that I don't know if they have anyone who can quite do it the same. When you have inexperience out there, and trust me I know, sometimes you aren't sure what is going to happen so Al not being there was fortune for us."
On halftime adjustments:
"We talked about the things that will get you beat and one of those is getting beat back and not matching up on defense. We also talked about being stronger with the ball, some of those turnovers were silly in the first half and cutting down on those really helped as well"
