Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Dec. 28, 2013
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Wisconsin vs. Prairie View A&M
Dec. 28, 2013
Kohl Center – Madison, Wis.
Wisconsin Head Coach Bo Ryan
On how pleased he was that his team only committed two turnovers today:
“They really didn’t put the pressure on that we’ve seen them do against some other teams because they weren’t scoring as much, so they couldn’t get into their traps that they had done against some other people and caused some turnovers. That is one way to prevent that. But I thought we made much better decisions, I thought we got a little loose the ball early and then they just settled in. It has been a while since we’ve had the lights on and the scoreboard running.”
On how pleased he is to finish the non-conference season a perfect 13-0:
“Yeah, I mean if you break seasons down, which a lot of people do, whether we want to or not, you say non-conference and then conference. We had our schedule laid out in front of us, there it is, not knowing how good teams are going to be, how healthy teams are going to be, and you play it. And to finish it without a mark on the right-hand side, I’m very proud of them. But we also know what happens with the workload now—it gets a lot heavier, a lot tougher because of the way everybody knows each other.”
On what explains Nigel Hayes’ increased free throw opportunities the last two games:
“He is being Nigel. He is an aggressive young man, he works angles well and he is strong with the ball. I’m glad somebody noticed. And he is smart.”
On how Sam Dekker was able to catch and finish the alley-oop dunk from Nigel Hayes:
“I just want to know how Sam caught that pass. There is now way in the world Sam was going to catch that pass with one hand. And I absolutely refuse to ever look at a replay. So as our guys were sitting in the huddle, I might be a little older, but I saw a lot of eyes looking up at the replay while we were sitting there at the timeout. So I heard a couple noises coming from the throats of the players and they were trying to muffle it. Then I said, ‘Guys, did they just show up there Sam getting blown by on a back-door cut for two points for Prairie View?’ Well then I had them where I wanted them. I guess it must have been something. So now I get to go home and look at it. I don’t know how he caught the ball and finished it. Good for Nigel Hayes for the assist. Good for Sam.”
Freshman F Nigel Hayes
On his alley-oop pass to Sam Dekker:
“I had to explain this to the guys and Coach Ryan a couple times, but see, the theory behind the pass was if I throw the pass near the rim and Sam (Dekker) dunks the ball, we clap and it may make Wisconsin nightly news. If I throw the ball high, almost out of bounds, behind the backboard and Sam dunks it, we’re talking SportsCenter Top 10. All credit to Sam and thanks for making me look good.”
On having 26 free throw attempts in the last two games and what he attributes that to:
“Teammates. Teammates finding me in the open spots and the last couple teams we’ve played, they have quick hands, and fortunately for me they foul me and I’m able to go to the line and knock ‘em down. I just have to make sure I start making a little more. I missed three or four today. I have to try and limit that to one or none.”
On if he watched his alley-oop pass on the big screen:
“I watched it. I wanted to see what it looked like from a different angle. Sam (Dekker) looks good from all angles, but I just wanted to make sure I saw it on the big screen jumbotron and listened to the fans cheer again. I’ve always told Sam, I’ve just wanted to be like him ever since I saw him freshman year in Sheboygan. I just wanted to like him and I dedicated all my efforts to trying to replicate his game. It’s just an honor to be out there with Sam.”
Sophomore F Sam Dekker
On his alley-oop dunk from Nigel Hayes:
“(Nigel Hayes) threw it a little high, but good thing I have some extendo-arms that can go up and grab it. So yeah, it was a good feed from Nigel and he made me look good, too.”
On where the team is at and how it feels to be 13-0 in the non-conference season:
“We’re very happy with what we’ve been able to accomplish thus far. It’s very, very exciting to look back at what you’ve done and win 13 games here in the non-conference season. You can’t just look passed it and say it’s over with. We’re proud of that, but we’ve got a lot of work to do. On the defensive end we had little lapses, myself included. I think we have to remain constant on the boards. They got a few offensive boards there in the second half for put-back layups and stuff, so there are just some things that we have to weed out and getting in some spurts in the first half where we had a few turnovers here and there. So the more mistakes that we can limit that we’ve been making here and there, the better we’ll be. That’s why we’re here every day working, trying to get better for Big Ten play.”
On if he watched his alley-oop pass on the big screen:
“I tend to look at that screen a lot when there are cool plays, so don’t tell coach that. Against Marquette, when I threw that lob to Frank (Kaminsky), he caught me looking up at the screen, too, so that tends to happen from time to time.”
Junior F Frank Kaminsky
On if his play this season is the impact he hoped to make:
“Yeah, this is kind of how I imagined it, being undefeated. It’s not really what I’m doing that’s what’s important. It’s what our team is doing, so I’m happy that I can step up some games, make some big plays and go out there and affect the game. I’m just really happy where our team is and really excited for Big Ten to get started.”
On if imagining going undefeated in non-conference play was a realistic goal:
“Yes. I definitely think so. Just like I expect us to win the Big Ten championship this year.”
On if being Big Ten champions is a promise or an expectation:
“That’s an expectation. I think if you talk to anyone in our locker room, they’ll say the same thing. We were so close last year and to not come away with it in the Big Ten Tournament left a sour taste in our mouth. So we really want it this year and we’re going to do everything we can to get that.”
Prairie View A&M Head Coach Byron Rimm II
Opening statement:
“It’s a hard-fought game, probably one of the best teams that we’ve played the last couple years, a very disciplined team. We’re already at a disadvantage when we come in here, but I really feel that we did a great job at certain aspects. They did what I asked them to do, so I can’t get mad at my team. We tried to slow it down a little bit, tried to move the ball, and we tried to get it to the right people at the right times. But, you know, we’re playing a great team like the Badgers. There’s a lot more stuff we need to do.”
On Wisconsin having the last two weeks off:
"They’re a great basketball team. Two weeks off, playing in the first game of the year, last game of the year, Coach Ryan does a great job of getting his team prepared. So I wasn’t thinking about them being off a couple of weeks. I mean, we were off for a couple of weeks because of finals, but it’s no excuse. They’re a great basketball team.”
