University of Minnesota Athletics
Postgame Quotes: Nebraska
2/6/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Recap | Notes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2
Head Coach Richard Pitino
"Obviously a tough one, but they're showing great heart, they really are. For Dupree to go down in the first half and cut it to one, they're fighting. They're giving us everything they've got and hopefully we appreciate that. It's a difficult situation with all these injuries, Dupree we don't know, he just told me during the first half and he just looked really really hobbled, and I just said enough Dupree. So at halftime I shut him down and we'll see where we go from there. I don't know what his status is moving forward, so we'll just see. He's got great heart, he really does. And the guys to do what they did four players down is really really hard, so I'm proud of them for that."
On battling back after Nebraska's late momentum swing…
"Again, how many teams can sustain these injuries and battle like we're doing? And it's good, as hard as it is for Isaiah and Jameer, it's good for them. This will be beneficial for them down the road. Michael's taking advantage of the minutes that he's getting. And obviously Jordan and Nate. Nate's playing like a senior that doesn't want it to end."
On Jordan's play with a smaller lineup…
"Thought he really, from a passing standpoint, he made people pay when they trapped him, which he hasn't always been great at, and I thought he showed that. And when they made him go one on one, he made them pay. So again, as hard as it is, it's really really good for him to be in those positions."
On playing with a small lineup and defending the three point line...
"Size can always help guard the three, and we're getting really small. The smaller we go, you know our guards are 6'2", 6'1", but we can still get out there a little bit quicker."
Nebraska Head Coach Tim Miles
Opening statement...
"After the first couple minutes I thought we really came out on fire and shot the ball so well. When Nate got going, and Washington got going, you knew there wasn't a lot we could do to stop them, because they were making just terrific plays. You have to commend Minnesota, they were short-handed, they're at the end of a grind, and they came out tonight and just battled blow-for-blow. There's a certain amount of competitive fire that you lose after being off for a week, We came out and got in a little bit of a rhythm and played better from there."
On Isaiah Roby...
"He had maybe the most difficult matchup in terms of going against a powerful guy like Jordan Murphy and he's a walking double-double. He reminds me of Charles Barkley, what are you going to do? We tried to double for awhile, but they hurt us on our doubles, and he did a good job moving the ball. Roby just hung in there and just started blocking shots. It's so impressive to me when he gets a rebound, busts out on a break, and he just looks like a gazelle out there. Not many guys in this league can do that, and he does it as good as anybody."
On composure...
"Coaches lose their minds this time of years, it seems like. I thought the guys were really good, and the assistants did a great job of keeping them locked in too."
Sophomore Forward Michael Hurt
"I think we've just had a lot of adversity this year, you know, we just have to overcome it with the guys we have, you know. We just can't feel sorry for ourselves, and I don't think we did. We battled to the end. We just have to figure out a way to break through even if we're short-handed"
On Isaiah Washington's play...
"I think, you know, when he's going full speed he's one of the best freshman in the league. A lot of guys can't keep him in front and you know, when he gets past the guy, you know making great decisions in the second half. I don't know how many assists he had in the second half, but he was getting to the paint and finding murph and he other guys."
