On the Hawkeyes’ two games last week and Iowa’s 8-16 start: “We’ve shown some toughness and played some good basketball, but we’re playing the best of the best. We’re playing the best teams in the nation and the consistency required is at a very high level. We’re knocking on the door, but we aren’t playing with the consistency needed. I like this team’s work and its approach. I like our growth, but the work continues until we get it done.’’
On the defensive challenge ahead with Northwestern, compared to Ohio State and the defensive challenge it presented: “It’s interesting. You look at the system and see the uniqueness of it, but you don’t want to get caught up in it because they have very skilled players. Bill (Carmody) has gone out and put together a team and built a program I think he had a blueprint for. He’s steadily done it. I read a quote where he was talking about recruiting, describing a player, where he said he could see the big picture and that is so important. Vision is key to what they do. It is a skill. They’re really a great test for your defense. You can’t caught up in the system and you can’t get anxious. It’s well planned and executed.’’
On Cully Payne and if he can stay positive through his mistakes: “He loves to play basketball. He’s very competitive and understands what a great challenge it is playing against upperclassmen. He’s under duress out there and that’s a good thing. He wants to be good. He’s got his career ahead of him. We’re concentrating on today and competing right how. When you look at Evan Turner, I think he came in as a three and now he’s a legitimate point because he developed those skills. Cully Payne, Eric May, these guys that are playing right now, they will take what they learned into the offseason.’’
On potential NCAA tourney expansion: “You can imagine I’ve got my hands full. The only thing I would say is that from my perspective, I don’t think there is a better sporting event in the world. If you have this high-level sporting event, if you’re going to make adjustments, you better have it well thought out before you make adjustments.’’
On Iowa’s improvement and if there is one specific area that improvement has been most significant: “I hesitate to say it with Northwestern coming in because it is team defense. I just fell like we continue to develop. With everything that has happened to this group, the lack of wins and you can’t avoid some of the negatives, they’ve been able to focus on the task at hand and have been able to compete. They haven’t had any excuses. They’re mature enough and smart enough to see that we’re in a tough situation. We’re building in a league that is at the top of the nation. They’ll keep hanging in there knowing that effort and preparation are the only things we can control.’’
On if Iowa can handle the adversity it is dealing with now how that can make things better on the court: “I don’t want to sell them short now. We’re going to prepare and compete and expect to be successful now. I don’t think you can deny that there is a future out there that should be bright. Patience to most people is three days. It is very difficult in these situations to have patience. Losing is something that I’ll never get used to, I’ll never accept. It’s painful. Winning is exhilarating. It’s the self satisfaction in knowing that we’ve done everything we could do.’’
Theyre getting better wrote on Feb 8, 2010 6:54 PM: