University of Connecticut Athletics
Quotes Following UConn's 66-53 win over Bryant
11/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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UConn Head Coach Kevin Ollie
Opening Statement:
"We had a great second half. We stayed connected. We stayed together through a bad-shooting first half. Our defense came through. In the second half, we showed our resilience, we showed our toughness. We're grinders. That's all we know. It was a collective effort in the second half. We needed that game. It's going to be a process, and we're going to keep falling in love with it. I want to make sure our team chemistry is strong, and that showed today, because we stayed with each other. We took on a great challenge today and we passed the first one. Bryant is going to be a really good team. They've got some great pieces over there."
On Boatright:
"Boatright was great. He filled the stat sheet up. He didn't have a particularly good first half. He didn't point the finger at anybody. What he's doing as a leader is self-correcting. He went into halftime and said "I've got to get better on defense." Then he started picking it up, got some steals, started making some shots, got some rebounds. He's doing all the things we want him to do."
On Facey:
"Kentan was great will 11 rebounds....His energy was great. He went after every rebound. We want Kentan to be a "ball hunter." Wherever that ball is we want him to be hunting it. That's what he did today."
On Brimah's impact:
"He had some exceptional blocks....and the ones that he didn't block he altered. And it was allowing our guards to come down and rebound and us getting out on the fast break. He established himself on the inside."
Senior Guard Ryan Boatright
On self-correction during a game:
"It just comes with maturity. I think in my first couple of years I would have gotten down on myself missing a few easy shots like that and having some careless turnovers. I was getting beat. I take pride in my defense and I was getting beat way too much off the dribble in the first half. Being a veteran and leader on this team, I know I have to correct those things myself and if the team sees me with my head down and getting mad and stuff like that they going to do that."
Struggles with new players on the team:
"This is a young team and we are going to play some good teams. We just won a national championship so we are going to get everyone's best shot. We have to stay together and grind out those tough wins."
Sophomore Guard Terrence Samuel
"Once we take care of our defense, our offense is going to come. We have a lot of guys that can push the ball in transition so we just have to get stops so we can push the ball."
Sophomore Forward Kentan Facey
On what being a ball hunter means:
"Pretty much getting as many deflections as I can, as many rebounds as I can. On the offense end, get as many rebounds as I can. Find a way to get my hands on the ball. Compared to last game I stepped up a notch, but we know the next couple of games will be a huge challenge and we need to come out with more energy from the get go.
On Ryan Boatright Setting Tone
"Everythigng starts with him. He gives up confidence and we have his back. He is always going to be that one to get us going."
"We have confidence in all our guys. We knew everyone was going to step it up in the second half and we came back out with that confidence and it showed. We all came together collectively and did our part."
Bryant Head Coach Tim O'Shea
"For 32 or 34 minutes, I thought we acquitted ourselves really well. We've got a good team. But we don't ever have a chance to practice against...so when Starks and some others were getting to the rim, all of a sudden Brimah showed up. Guys just aren't accustomed to play against that kind of length. But I like my team a lot. We've got guys that can shoot and we've got guys that are willing to compete. I think the game was much more competitive than a double-digit victory."
