University of Minnesota Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Maryland
1/28/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Minnesota Head Coach Richard Pitino
Thoughts on today's loss…
"Heck of a game. They just found a way to make the plays and we did not. That's a tough group. A very talented group. We were pretty good for most of it. Obviously, defensively some break downs in the second half. We were terrific defensively in the first, not so good obviously in the second. So feel for our guys. We got to break through. Got to keep positive this week. Give them a little time off. Focus on their academics, as well as just get away a little bit. Give Maryland on the credit, they made big plays when they needed to and they have got terrific young talent."
How Maryland's changes affect Gophers' second half…
"Reggie getting in foul trouble hurt us. They took us off the bounce, kind of got us involved in ball screens. They have got very good offensive talent. They put us in ball screens and they kind of read. [Anthony] Cowan is really good; Melo Trimble is really terrific. We obviously didn't guard the three really well in the second half…We didn't play good defensive in the second half."
On if there is optimism in the locker room after close losses...
"Not right now. We will circle back with the optimism ... I'm sure they are pretty down. Losing stinks. But we are a young team, we had some young moments today. We'll get through it and we will find a way to break through."
Maryland Head Coach Mark Turgeon
Opening Statement...
"Really proud of the team, we beat a really good team today. I think they are an NCAA tournament team. We had to play as well as we had to win the game. I thought the second half was good as we played in a long time, so proud of them. We executed and got just enough stops."
On coming back from the deficit…
"We had a lot of good wins. I think this is the best team we have beaten. We had a lot to overcome. Even when the shot hit the rim and kind of stuck and rolled in on the the three. Akeem (Springs) is a phenomenal player. It is pretty gratifying and it was a happy locker room."
On how the freshman played…
"I told Justin in the first time out that he was going to score 30 today….He hit a couple of threes before the first time out. It opened up the drive game for him. He really got his confidence flowing. It was great to see Kevin (Huerter) made tough shots and I thought he defended really well because that Amir (Coffey) kid is terrific. Kevin did a nice job on trying to contain him and keep him in front, which is hard to do. So, yeah the freshman keep doing it…"
On Melo (Trimble) performance….
"You gameplan for him and with the 7 minute time-out in the second half, I said we gotta go through Melo. He was just making all of the right decisions. I have been saying all year that he trusts this group and trusts his team. I think you have to gameplan for him. I think the shooting opened up for him for our other guys to get layups."
On closing out several close games…
"I don't know how we do it sometimes. Today, we were just very determined. We felt like we were playing really well. We had the lead and then we hit a shot and then they hit a shot. This was a huge game for us.."
Graduate Student Akeem Springs
On close loss...
"To pull out tough games like this, your seniors have to step up. I missed a bunch of plays down the stretch. I'm supposed to be one of the better defenders and I had a few defensive mistakes down the stretch and that really cost us the game. I take this game on my back and that's what it is. We lost because because I didn't make some plays down the stretch. There were some rebounds I didn't get. You have to take your hat off to them, but this game is on me."
On need for possible team meeting...
"No we don't need a meeting. We just need to come in and work. That's all. There's nothing to meet about. We all know what it is; they all see. It's nothing to meet about or nothing to talk about. We've talked. We just have to get in there in work and go get another game."
Redshirt Junior Reggie Lynch
On foul trouble affecting playing time at the end of games...
"It's really frustrating not being able to be in games when it's crunch time. It's really on me to not put myself in the situation towards the end of the game - to have four or five fouls near the end. It's on me to make sure my fouls don't add up towards the end."
On five game losing streak...
"We just have to stay confident and not let the five game losing streak get to us and take away our intensity and execution. We need to come back and get in the gym to work towards beating our next opponent. We can't let the past affect the future.
On biggest thing to improve on as a team...
"There isn't one single thing. It's just all-around; we need to stay connected and stay together. We need to execute the scouting report of the team that is ahead. We need to understand that we can't let this five game losing streak get to us."
