Mizzou vs. Alabama A&M Postgame Quotes
Tigers defeat Bulldogs, 99-44 on Sunday, Nov. 13
Mizzou vs. Alabama A&M Postgame Quotes (Sunday, Nov. 13)
Head coach Kim Anderson
Opening statement...
"I thought our guys came out ready to play. I thought our staff did a great job of getting guys ready, and we made it hard for them to score. I give credit to guys paying attention, coming to practice. We weren’t very good eight days ago, and we knew we weren’t very good. I think the guys would tell you that. And so they really, really practiced well this week. We got the opportunity to play a lot of guys and I think everybody made contributions. Now we have to move forward. Obviously the next opponent is Xavier and they’re pretty good, so we’ve got to get ready for that. Certainly, tonight I think we shared the ball well, didn’t turn it over a lot. We shot it well. These two guys made some big plays. Frankie got on a roll in the second half, which he can do. I thought Russ played a good game around the basket, so it’s a good way to start the home season."
On how encouraging it is for Frankie Hughes and Cullen VanLeer to have strong shooting nights...
"Well it is, and really they’ve both shot it well in practice. Cullen, obviously is a guy we know can shoot the basketball. He didn’t shoot it as well last year, but there’s always an adjustment period. And Frankie is a guy who, you guys mentioned, he missed four in a row. He had no idea he missed four in a row. He just keeps playing and that’s a compliment, really. I think he must have made three or four in a row there in the beginning of the second half. You know, a lot of that is guys setting him up well and getting the ball to him in rhythm, getting the ball to him where we’ve been practicing and he knocked them down. But no, it’s great. We need outside shooting, because that was a struggle for us a year ago, obviously."
On any adjustment needed for Frankie Hughes to the collegiate level...
"He’s matured in some sense. I think he has a very good basketball IQ. He and Willie have both been coached extremely well, and Frankie has a great feel for the game. And I think that’s why he’s where he’s at, at this point. He doesn’t let a whole lot bother him. If he misses some shots, he just kind of stays with it. He’s gotten a lot better on defense and a lot better at handling the ball. I’m happy for him, but I think there’s a lot of guys that helped him look good. He jumped up and shot it in, obviously, but I’m looking at Terrence and Cullen who each had five assists, which is really good."
On the strong play on the interior by Russell Woods...
"Here’s the thing about Russ. He has to play within his limits, within Russ. I thought he did that tonight. A couple weeks ago, we started bringing referees into practice. Everyday. Three referees every day. They’re reffing everything - 4-on-4 drills, 3-on-3 drills, 5-on-5. They’re refereeing the half court stuff. Because we were fouling so much, and he was fouling a lot. And I think that really helped him. He has just got to play within himself. Some nights he’ll be able to do what he did tonight, and some nights he won’t. And on those nights we hope someone else will be able to help him. You didn’t really see it a lot tonight, but he’s really become a much better passer than he was a year ago. He’s become much stronger with the ball."
On gains made in the weight room with strength & conditioning coach Nick Michael...
"This team looks a lot different. I think, I don’t know what you guys think from seeing them, some of you have been around all summer. I think these guys have really embraced what he’s tried to do. Nick’s brought a really hard-working, competitive attitude into our weight room. That’s what we thought we needed, so that could carry on to the floor. But these guys, you know, some of them are coming in extra. We’re not lifting weights tomorrow, but some of them will be in lifting weights, with him. I don’t know how he does it, because he must lift like ten times a day. He’s really brought an attitude that we needed to our program. Russ is a guy, K.J.’s gotten stronger. You look at Terrence, you look at Kevin. That, and we’ve started to pay a lot more attention to nutrition."
On the Tire Pros Invitational in Orlando, Fla., and the matchup with Xavier...
"I think it’s a chance to grow. Certainly it’s going to be a great challenge for these guys. We have to put this game away and start working on (Xavier) tomorrow. It’s a great tournament, and I think it will be a great test for our team. Certainly the first game will be a great test, and hopefully we’ll come out and be prepared and play well. We’ll see what happens. We’ve played Xavier the last two years – they came in here two years ago and beat us pretty bad, and we played pretty well against them last year in Cincinnati. But they’re a great team and it will be a tough game for us."
Freshman guard Frankie Hughes
On knocking down three-pointers after missing them early on...
“It’s more of a mindset and mentality that I have to have and confidence I have to have in myself. Just knowing I’m able to knock down shots and knowing that if I have them, that I just have to be confident and take them and not hesitate.
On the preparation methods he has taken in adjusting to the college game...
“You’ve got to go into the game confident. Just confident in the work you put in throughout the week in practice. You’ve got to pay attention to detail in the film room and on the court. It’s all about locking in and just preparing yourself mentally and physically.”
Senior forward Russell Woods
On improving himself in the offseason...
“Last year was my first year playing in the SEC, so I had to get adjusted. I came into this year with a mindset that I have to work harder than everyone. So this offseason, I tried to put in a lot of work, and it’s just paying off.”
