Postgame Quotes: Wisconsin vs. Central Arkansas
November 11, 2016 | Men's Basketball
Wisconsin vs. Central Arkansas
Nov. 11, 2016
Kohl Center – Madison, Wis.
Head coach Greg Gard
Opening statement
"I saw some good things out there tonight, but you could tell it was the first game at times. We were not in sync, specifically with different lineups on the floor and trying to use and developing a bench that hopefully will be a strength of ours, and I think it is already. Playing different combinations at times, we were out of sorts, but I thought we got better as the game went on. That's one thing we talked about before the game, but also as we have gone through this preseason. Every opportunity that we have to take a step forward and get better, whether it's from media timeout to media timeout or rotation to rotation, whether you're in or you're out, we need to take a step forward. I thought as the game went on, we started to play smarter, play better and become more efficient. I thought that showed in the second half, that we got better against the zone. I thought we got better at finding gaps, we were better on the glass. It also helps when the ball goes in a little bit more, specifically from 3. All in all, I was pleased with their effort. We will get better and clean up some things execution-wise, but I'm proud of how hard they played and how well they played together. It's a pretty unique and fun group to be around. it's fun to watch them grow."
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On the defensive effort and execution:
"I think we've spent a lot of time at it, I know that. We've done a lot of drills, we pulled drills out from yesteryear to really get focused on that. I knew we are going to have to be a very good defensive team, with the competition we have in our league and how one of the staples of this program has always been how good we can be in the half court defensively. So there were some good things, I thought we were really active in gaps at times although we got burnt a couple times when we got over-aggressive and gambled. A couple times we got caught out of position, but for the most part, other than some things on the glass, where we over-pursued balls and didn't maintain contact or didn't have contact in a defensive block out, in every lineup, just running and jumping, things that we will have to clean up and get better at. But for the most part, specifically ball screens, I thought we were pretty good and that's something that we've spent a lot of time at so it shows that we've worked and they're learning and they are getting better."
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On Trice's performance:
"The ball moves whenever he's been on the floor, whether it's practice or the Platteville game or the Northern Iowa scrimmage, that the ball moves, it doesn't stick. He has a really good feel for getting teammates involved. He's got a great understanding of the game; I think that's the one thing I noticed well before the three's went in for him. And obviously it's good to see that type of positive reward happen for him, for doing good things. His teammates have been recipients of his unselfishness. I thought for a freshman, it's not surprising because he's been very solid at practice and that's why we recruited him. I'm very happy for him, great teammate, great kid.
Wisconsin Senior Nigel Hayes
On players struggling to find their role last year's opener compared to this year:
"Yeah, that's all we needed because last year that was always our problem at the beginning of the year. Guys didn't have the home court experience and hadn't seen it. Watched a lot of film of other players, but its definitely one thing that you can't give someone experience. So last year we got all that, and now you can see we have a much more solid and much more ready group of guys to go play."
On if the matchup zone Central Arkansas was playing allowed for so many 3-pointer attempts:
"Definitely. The zone was, like any zone in general, you try to limit inside touches, layups and mid-range jumpers. The way they were guarding, if you touched the ball on the opposite post and they were sending help, which left the opposite wing open so it turned into the last guy open takes a shot type of deal where you're in scramble mode. So, if they're open 3s we'll take them. We're not necessary going to shoot all 3s, but it works for the Warriors."
Wisconsin Senior Bronson Koenig
On the defensive play tonight and how strong the defense can be:
"I thought we showed a lot of promise and flashes of playing really good defense, and we got that shot clock violation on them, I think in the first half. I think we overall did a pretty good job, but in the first half I think they had eight offensive rebounds, or something like that so it's just a little thing we need to clean up."
On how D'Mitrik Trice played tonight:
"I thought he did really well. Very proud of him. He came out there and he made a couple mistakes, but he's a freshman. There are things he could easily clean up, but I thought he did a great job of just being himself and being solid and knocking down open shots."Â
On how much of a help Ethan Happ's defense is to the team:
"Yeah, he's a huge force, especially what kind of threat he is inside. I'm sure we're going to see a lot of different defenses thrown at him this year. His ability to pass the ball will definitely be very important throughout the course of the season."Â
On his pace and how much he can push the ball going forward:
"Yeah, like you said really deep. So (Coach) does a good job of getting guys in and out, so we definitely weren't tired. So I think with the athletes, we have we're definitely able to push the ball on any team and that's just something I'm going to have to keep emphasizing in practice and huddles and stuff like that."  Â
Wisconsin Freshman D'Mitrik Trice
On his debut:
"Well, that first turnover I was kind of down on myself, giving up that turnover and then they come down and get a foul and hit free throws. I was kind of down on myself at that point, but I knew that I had to keep playing and I knew my teammates had my back, so knocking down those shots really helped my confidence." Â
Central Arkansas Coach Russ Pennell
Opening Statement:
"First of all, quality of opponent that Wisconsin is, and you watch Wisconsin on film, you watch them on television, kind of from afar as a basketball fan, and you know about their defense and how good the reputation is, and then when you see it up close and personal, you see how good it really is. They just don't give you anything easy and I thought early in the basketball game we had some great looks. We're a good shooting team, in fact we led our conference in 3-point shooting last year, believe it or not, you wouldn't think that tonight. We were the second-highest scoring team in our league last year, but we just couldn't find anything tonight, any rhythm and I credit Wisconsin with that. Their size and physicality really took over in the second half and we just weren't able to stand up next to that."
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On Wisconsin's bench being so impactful:
"Well we knew that they were expected to be deeper this year, and there's some guys you hadn't seen a lot of, but I know that the optimism is that you have a deep team and you have some people that can come in and give (Wisconsin) quality minutes, and you saw that tonight. That's really what makes a championship-level team, because just like how our guy Jordan Howard didn't have a particularly great game, it would've been nice if we had somebody come in to pick that slack up, and I think that teams that win championships usually have people that pick up slack when the better players have off games. That wasn't needed tonight, but you saw a really good bench effort by the Badgers."
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On matching up with Nigel Hayes:
"Well he's a pro. I told our guys, you'll probably see him next year playing on Thursday night games on TNT. He's a great player. The thing that I like about Nigel is that he's so versatile. He can hit the three, he can rebound the ball, he's a good passer, he plays at a great pace, he's an experienced guy who has played big-time minutes in big-time games. That's what makes a guy like him special, and it's what gives Wisconsin the No. 9 ranking and a chance to win the Big Ten this year."
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