Missouri Quotes following the Indiana Game
12/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2004
Coaches Snyder Quotes: Indiana
Opening Statement:
"I think we talked a lot about not necessarily not taking three's, but making people try to guard us before we shoot a jump shot. Early in the game we attacked the basket and we struggled. I thought we had opportunities and we weren't able to convert. We weren't able to finish, but at the second half I think that style really helped. That's how we have to play and whether it's Linas inside or Jimmy going to the basket or Conley going to the basket. You just got to let ourselves have a chance to have something easy happen before we take a jump shot and as a result you shoot a better percentage. There were two times I thought I think we took a quick bad three, both times I took our kids out of the game. That's why we had a chance to get guys to the foul line in the second half. That's why we shot a good percentage. It really helped set our defense and we were able to do some things defensively to get back in the game. All of that is moot if our kids bury their heads at half time. I was really proud the resolve that they showed to come out. They knew how bad they were playing. To have that happen and come out and do something about, I was really proud of our perseverance.
On Linas' performance in second half:
"Absolutely, I think Linas knows that because some of it's new, the guy's not identifying their success and failures with their jump shots and staying together offensively I think it's going to continue to take work. In the first half we were not working hard enough offensively in order to play that way, cuts weren't hard enough, guys were standing and looking around and going what's not working, well we're not working. In Linas' case I thought he worked in the second half and picked his spots and he didn't try to drive the ball after the first time he got it. He let it move a little bit and when he got it back he had better opportunities, and that's how he needs to play."
On Spencer Laurie:
"We need Spencer and we need him healthy and it didn't have anything to do with Spencer other than I think Spencer is still really fighting that injury. We were going to use him in spots. I thought the second half we went with the line up I felt was the five guy's that were competing the hardest and I don't think we subbed for a ten minute period. At that point we were down and it eventually became kind of a street fight to get back in the game. Spencer's improving, but that injuries a tough one and hopefully over the holidays he will continue to get healthy."
On Bracey Wright's broken nose:
"I regret as does Spencer and anybody, anytime someone gets hit, but I see Spencer play everyday. I'm not saying it wasn't the right call because I think the referees, that's their judgment, but I know Spencer was not trying to hurt anybody. He was trying to protect the ball."
On last thirty seconds of game:
"They ran the same play that they ran the possession before. We didn't help on the screen and we didn't get through the screen and they got a lay up, and they ran that play again and we covered it the second time."
