Northwestern University Athletics
Coaches Quotes From NU-Minnesota Game
2/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - The following are quotes from the postgame press conference following Minnesota's 73-61 win over Northwestern Wednesday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.
Minnesota Head Coach Dan Monson
On the team's overall performance...
"I think we played some of our best basketball of the year the first 30 minutes. We did the things we wanted to do defensively and got the tempo we wanted offensively, and yet when you're on the road, 30 minutes isn't enough. You've got to finish it off."
On the team withstanding Northwestern's late run...
"I think if anything, I'm proud of our guys for the composure they showed at the end. It got to five and they made plays and got back to simplifying the game. It helps when you can make a couple of free throws and finish it off. This is a big win for us. We haven't played well on the road, and we still weren't consistant enough, but we were consistant enough to get a win. In the Big Ten Conference, that's huge."
On whether he leaves with a sour feeling after letting a large lead slip away...
"We're going out of here feeling pretty good about ourselves. We played pretty well tonight. Who has come in here and won in the fashion that we won today? If someone had told me we were going to win in this fashion before this game, I would have been awfully pleased."
On whether the lead got too big for Minnesota...
"I've never had a league that was too big. I'll tell you what-I'm glad it was 27, because if it was only 22, we're in trouble. As I told them at the half, there's going to be another 10-point run here. If you get it to 30, I like our chances. If it goes to 10, you're going to be in a dogfight here."
On whether he was surprised the team came out so strong...
"I felt real good. We practiced good (Tuesday). We were focused. Our guys, I think, are maturing a little bit. We're playing better right now and at a good time. We've got to keep that and grow on it."
Northwestern Head Coach Bill Carmody
Opening statement...
"I think they pretty much dominated the game in the first half and the first eight minutes of the second half. Why is it that you come out and just throw the ball all over the place? At this time of the year we know what they do and they know what we do, so we came out to work against the press and got a little flustered and dribbled into their traps. We were tentative and they took advantage and dominated us."
On cutting a 27-point second half deficit to five...
"We made more than a little bit of a run. I said it's a great thing to see but why is it that you have two distinct playing styles? I liked the way we played in the last ten minutes, but it was obviously not good enough."
On home-court shooting woes...
"I told them you have to make shots. When the other team can sit in a zone and you shoot 4-for-26 (from 3-point range) on your home court, you have to do better than that."
On being down 27 points...
"We were all embarrassed. I didn't really mention the score, I just said you've got nothing to lose so let's go. With about nine minutes left it seemed like we could make a little bit of a run and you could see a change in the way they were behaving out there."
