by Bill Seals
On what some of the keys are for Iowa State to have success on Thursday:
“The biggest thing is we’ve got to do what we did against Gonzaga. Miami and Gonzaga are both plus-12 in rebounding margin, and we were even with Gonzaga and minus-one against Miami. We’ve got to try to win the battle of the boards. We need our guards to rebound. I just looked at Monte (Morris) and he’s averaging five, Deonte (Burton) is averaging nine, Naz (Mitrou-Long) seven, Darrell Bowie seven. We have to collective rebound against those guys. They are physical up front with Gary Clark and Kyle Washington is a really good player and this is the first time I’ve gotten a chance to watch him play. Jacob Evans is a true wing that can really play. They can go small and put him at the four with the mismatch like we do with Burton. They’re good. They change defenses – the matchup zone, the 2-2-1. We have to make sure we’re getting a good shot every time down against them. I think we’ll match the intensity, especially being here at Hilton.”
On Burton’s progress within the system and what he showed the past week:
“The 29 points were great. That may not happen every night, because you’re going to miss shots or teams will be playing us different ways to take him away. The thing that I’ve been happy with, the last two games he averaged right at 10 rebounds a game and had 12 in a high-level game against Gonzaga. We need that production from him on the glass. He’s at eight and a half and he needs to get to 10. That’s his challenge. He needs to be in that double-double category every night.”
On if he’s concerned over Merrill Holden’s foul problems:
“Not really. I like Darrell a lot and he’s been very good for us. Playing small, we need more work playing small if we’re going to play it consistently with Babb at the four. Babb has done some really good things for us on both sides of the floor and has size enough to defend that position. It doesn’t really concern me. What just concerns me is the way he’s getting them. He’s getting some bad ones where he has to be starter.
“The assistant coaches have to get him in there and show him tape. When he does it in practice, we have to point it out. We have to continue to talk about it. The over-the-back ones, if he can’t get the rebound just get back. The poor hedges, when you’re late on the hedge jumping out and getting a cheap one there. Illegal screens, ball screens, we set so many I can live with those here and there. It’s just the bad ones we have to get rid of.”
On how team has played well early after losing Georges Niang, Abdel Nader and Jameel McKay:
“Those three guys were huge. Georges is as good of a player as I’ve coached, probably the best IQ guy I’ve coached. Nader had a tremendous year. McKay has size and length. Our senior leadership has been good. Monte is an exceptional special player. Naz’s leadership is great. Matt is a terrific player. Burton has to play at the level he’s playing right now.
“We’re just smaller than last year. We don’t run a lot of the same stuff that we ran for Niang. Some of it. We posted Niang a lot more on the block and haven’t done that a whole lot for Burton. We may later as we go further in the year. These older guys have a lot of pride, character and are tough. They’re used to winning. After we played Indiana State like that, and then we came back and played Miami well. Then against Gonzaga we had a tremendous opportunity to win that game.”
On if he thinks this year’s group is deeper than the one last season:
“It’s deeper from a standpoint of you probably could play seven, eight and nine and feel really good with those guys out there. Last year, whatever we had, there were six guys that played the majority of the minutes. Seven and then eight was a walk-on in Jordan Ashton who is doing well now for Northern Iowa.”
On if the game against Cincinnati will be won by being the more physical team:
“Watching the game on the plane ride home last night, the first half we didn’t have any ball pressure and they killed us when we tried to double the post. We weren’t in the right position and weren’t tough enough. Our ball pressure has to be really good and we have to be active. Gonzaga can score. Cincinnati has guys that are tough to guard. You’re going to win this game on the defensive end. Can we make the tough plays, can we guard them and then offensively can we execute and take good shots? When our offense is bad, the shot selection is poor and the ball doesn’t move. We’re shooting it so fast. That’s what we did early to get down against Gonzaga. We were trading baskets, then we started and they kept making. Now we’re down 15.”
On when Young will be re-evaluated:
“It’s kind of a week-to-week thing right now. I’ll meet Vic before practice tomorrow and see where we’re at.”
On what some of the keys are for Iowa State to have success on Thursday:
“The biggest thing is we’ve got to do what we did against Gonzaga. Miami and Gonzaga are both plus-12 in rebounding margin, and we were even with Gonzaga and minus-one against Miami. We’ve got to try to win the battle of the boards. We need our guards to rebound. I just looked at Monte (Morris) and he’s averaging five, Deonte (Burton) is averaging nine, Naz (Mitrou-Long) seven, Darrell Bowie seven. We have to collective rebound against those guys. They are physical up front with Gary Clark and Kyle Washington is a really good player and this is the first time I’ve gotten a chance to watch him play. Jacob Evans is a true wing that can really play. They can go small and put him at the four with the mismatch like we do with Burton. They’re good. They change defenses – the matchup zone, the 2-2-1. We have to make sure we’re getting a good shot every time down against them. I think we’ll match the intensity, especially being here at Hilton.”
On Burton’s progress within the system and what he showed the past week:
“The 29 points were great. That may not happen every night, because you’re going to miss shots or teams will be playing us different ways to take him away. The thing that I’ve been happy with, the last two games he averaged right at 10 rebounds a game and had 12 in a high-level game against Gonzaga. We need that production from him on the glass. He’s at eight and a half and he needs to get to 10. That’s his challenge. He needs to be in that double-double category every night.”
On if he’s concerned over Merrill Holden’s foul problems:
“Not really. I like Darrell a lot and he’s been very good for us. Playing small, we need more work playing small if we’re going to play it consistently with Babb at the four. Babb has done some really good things for us on both sides of the floor and has size enough to defend that position. It doesn’t really concern me. What just concerns me is the way he’s getting them. He’s getting some bad ones where he has to be starter.
“The assistant coaches have to get him in there and show him tape. When he does it in practice, we have to point it out. We have to continue to talk about it. The over-the-back ones, if he can’t get the rebound just get back. The poor hedges, when you’re late on the hedge jumping out and getting a cheap one there. Illegal screens, ball screens, we set so many I can live with those here and there. It’s just the bad ones we have to get rid of.”
On how team has played well early after losing Georges Niang, Abdel Nader and Jameel McKay:
“Those three guys were huge. Georges is as good of a player as I’ve coached, probably the best IQ guy I’ve coached. Nader had a tremendous year. McKay has size and length. Our senior leadership has been good. Monte is an exceptional special player. Naz’s leadership is great. Matt is a terrific player. Burton has to play at the level he’s playing right now.
“We’re just smaller than last year. We don’t run a lot of the same stuff that we ran for Niang. Some of it. We posted Niang a lot more on the block and haven’t done that a whole lot for Burton. We may later as we go further in the year. These older guys have a lot of pride, character and are tough. They’re used to winning. After we played Indiana State like that, and then we came back and played Miami well. Then against Gonzaga we had a tremendous opportunity to win that game.”
On if he thinks this year’s group is deeper than the one last season:
“It’s deeper from a standpoint of you probably could play seven, eight and nine and feel really good with those guys out there. Last year, whatever we had, there were six guys that played the majority of the minutes. Seven and then eight was a walk-on in Jordan Ashton who is doing well now for Northern Iowa.”
On if the game against Cincinnati will be won by being the more physical team:
“Watching the game on the plane ride home last night, the first half we didn’t have any ball pressure and they killed us when we tried to double the post. We weren’t in the right position and weren’t tough enough. Our ball pressure has to be really good and we have to be active. Gonzaga can score. Cincinnati has guys that are tough to guard. You’re going to win this game on the defensive end. Can we make the tough plays, can we guard them and then offensively can we execute and take good shots? When our offense is bad, the shot selection is poor and the ball doesn’t move. We’re shooting it so fast. That’s what we did early to get down against Gonzaga. We were trading baskets, then we started and they kept making. Now we’re down 15.”
On when Young will be re-evaluated:
“It’s kind of a week-to-week thing right now. I’ll meet Vic before practice tomorrow and see where we’re at.”
