Northwestern University Athletics
Postgame Quotes
11/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2008
Northwestern vs. Texas A&M Corpus-Christi
Men's Basketball
Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody
Opening statement...
"I thought we defended pretty decently for most of the game. We forced a bunch of turnovers, which we did on Sunday. I think the press helped a little bit. I was pleased with the way we came out. We guarded and that's what we didn't do last year. It just seemed like we kept them outside. Certainly the bigger guys help us. It might not be all the time, but having Kyle [Rowley], Davide [Curletti] and [John] Shurna. That really helps your defense because the guys aren't playing ping pong on the backboards. Corpus-Christi, give them credit. They came back and played pretty hard. We didn't handle it as well as we could have, but we got a couple of key plays from our offense. Kevin [Coble] was on the receiving end of a couple things and made a couple of nice reverses on the baseline. Then Shurna made some individual plays when the offense broke down and he sort of took it on his own. We had talked about that because against Central Arkansas on Sunday when he was very hesitant. Things weren't exactly the way he planned and he wasn't sure what to do. We just told him, `Sometimes, things break down and it's not always perfect, but you're a ball player.' I think he did some really nice things in making individual moves."
On switching up the press defense...
"I thought we were getting tired. We weren't covering them as well as we had the first half. I think I kept it on too long. I should have seen it sooner. Then when we did take it off, it took a little, but that helped us. And then when you put it back on, it caused some problems again. I think we'll have a better feel for that, when it's working and when it's not working.
On senior Craig Moore...
"Craig's been a good player from day one. He's a smart player. He's a point guard in an off guard's body. He thinks the game. He makes all the good passes. He runs the team as much as anyone. He's the one that said `go back to the press, coach.' I listen to him because he knows what he's talking about. He's a basketball player, through and through."
On the team's identity and progression...
"We want to be a good defensive team. You have to have some kind of identity. People always say, `You run this offense that's a little different.' You can't just do that. You have to guard. I'm looking for some guys that are going to guard. The freshmen will come along as they come along offensively. Like I said, it won't be as smooth or as fluid as some other years, but eventually, I'm hoping in another six weeks or so, the offense is looking sharp and tight and not just for bits and pieces but for 40 minutes."
