Postgame Quotes: Wisconsin vs. Purdue
December 29, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Wisconsin vs. Purdue
Dec. 29, 2015 -- Kohl Center
Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter
Opening Statement:
"I thought in the first half we didn't make [Wisconsin] play defense for long periods of time. We shot the ball really quick—too quick. We didn't really probe the defense, we didn't work the ball, we didn't drive the basketball. If we were open on the perimeter after one pass, we took it and we just didn't show much patience. We were very fortunate that we finished the (first) half the way we did. We were down six (points) with under two minutes and we got two three-point plays and were able to stop them a couple times. I thought that really helped us going into the second half. Then in the second half, I thought our guys did a better job of showing patience, getting the ball into A.J. Hammons and then we did a really good job of not fouling them and rebounding the basketball. They never got into the bonus, and that's always been a big part of how they play. We did a good job of not fouling them. We really studied them, studied how they played through the years and we've kind of changed, well not kind of, we've changed how we've played. We used to be aggressive, we used to hawk the basketball. Now we play more position defense because we're bigger and we try not to foul. We try to keep people in front of us more. It's really helped us in morphing into a team that has so many big people."
On whether Dakota Mathias's back-to-back 3-pointers late in the game were planned out:
"No, we just called them, they were just things we run out of a series. But the thing that's great about Dakota, and is great about Ryan Cline and Kendall Stephens also, is that when you run things for them and they don't have them and we're trying to get the ball inside and all three of them are doing a good job of throwing the ball into the post."
Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard Quotes
Opening Statement:
"First of all, I told the team in the locker room my question in my mind going into this and through the past week was how we were going to battle and how we were going to compete and were we going to be in a position to do what the upper echelon teams in the Big Ten do and make it a 12-round rock fight type of game? I thought for the most part, even though things weren't perfect and we missed some assignments and we had some mistakes defensively, we showed some youth at times that was the biggest thing I wanted to see, how this group was going to respond and go toe-to-toe with a really good team. I saw some things tonight as a team and individually that are good signs that they've taken a step in the right direction. We're not anywhere near there yet and we're obviously far from perfect or satisfied. But from that standpoint, I was encouraged. We have a lot to work on and we talked and pointed out several team individual things. As a team, I think they realized a little bit tonight that if we do things together and our way that we can be a pretty effective team."
On Alex Illikainen's breakout game and productive second half:
"Well, what Alex gives us is another post player that can move and stretch the defense and he understands the game. He's maybe not the quickest kid or the highest jumper, but his movement and offensive IQ is pretty good from the standpoint of he understands spacing and he moves without the ball for the most part pretty well."
Player Quotes
Bronson Koenig
On how the team stayed in the game despite poor shooting:
"It was a grind-it-out game, just like we expected against Purdue. (It was a) pretty low scoring game. And when we shoot like that, we try to get to the free throw line, which we didn't do a great job of tonight, especially me. I thought we did a good job on defense, making them work for everything they got. Alex (Illikainen) made (A.J.) Hammons and/or (Isaac) Hass work for everything he got. So I'm pretty proud about how we played defense or how we defended for most of the game, we just can't have those defensive lapse in the last minute or two in the game."
Alex Illikainen
On the difficulty of guarding A.J. Hammons:
"It's tough. You got to stay low and try to fight around, but he's a big body and that's always tough."
On how his performance tonight will affect his confidence:
"It helps going out there and hitting a couple shots and doing pretty good on defense, but I definitely have a lot of stuff to work on. If I keep getting the chance, I'm just going to go out there and keep working hard and know that I can make shots and help the team."
Nigel Hayes
On how the team is progressing:
"There are spurts where we play really good basketball and we have to put those streaks together into longer periods of time. Alex (Illikainen) played extremely well for us. That's good for his confidence, that's good for his playing time, now he'll get out there and get himself more playing time. Once he checks in, he'll be another weapon for us."
On the overall team effort in the game:
"I think we did a good job playing hard. That's something that should always be a given in a game of basketball. What got us in trouble was the lapses we had or not doing a good job defending the big guys, especially A.J. (Hammons) who had 24 points. If we were able to do a little bit better here or there with not letting him touch the ball or not fouling him to send him to the free throw line, and again in the late lapse in the last 1:30 in the game, it may have been a different outcome."
Dec. 29, 2015 -- Kohl Center
Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter
Opening Statement:
"I thought in the first half we didn't make [Wisconsin] play defense for long periods of time. We shot the ball really quick—too quick. We didn't really probe the defense, we didn't work the ball, we didn't drive the basketball. If we were open on the perimeter after one pass, we took it and we just didn't show much patience. We were very fortunate that we finished the (first) half the way we did. We were down six (points) with under two minutes and we got two three-point plays and were able to stop them a couple times. I thought that really helped us going into the second half. Then in the second half, I thought our guys did a better job of showing patience, getting the ball into A.J. Hammons and then we did a really good job of not fouling them and rebounding the basketball. They never got into the bonus, and that's always been a big part of how they play. We did a good job of not fouling them. We really studied them, studied how they played through the years and we've kind of changed, well not kind of, we've changed how we've played. We used to be aggressive, we used to hawk the basketball. Now we play more position defense because we're bigger and we try not to foul. We try to keep people in front of us more. It's really helped us in morphing into a team that has so many big people."
On whether Dakota Mathias's back-to-back 3-pointers late in the game were planned out:
"No, we just called them, they were just things we run out of a series. But the thing that's great about Dakota, and is great about Ryan Cline and Kendall Stephens also, is that when you run things for them and they don't have them and we're trying to get the ball inside and all three of them are doing a good job of throwing the ball into the post."
Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard Quotes
Opening Statement:
"First of all, I told the team in the locker room my question in my mind going into this and through the past week was how we were going to battle and how we were going to compete and were we going to be in a position to do what the upper echelon teams in the Big Ten do and make it a 12-round rock fight type of game? I thought for the most part, even though things weren't perfect and we missed some assignments and we had some mistakes defensively, we showed some youth at times that was the biggest thing I wanted to see, how this group was going to respond and go toe-to-toe with a really good team. I saw some things tonight as a team and individually that are good signs that they've taken a step in the right direction. We're not anywhere near there yet and we're obviously far from perfect or satisfied. But from that standpoint, I was encouraged. We have a lot to work on and we talked and pointed out several team individual things. As a team, I think they realized a little bit tonight that if we do things together and our way that we can be a pretty effective team."
On Alex Illikainen's breakout game and productive second half:
"Well, what Alex gives us is another post player that can move and stretch the defense and he understands the game. He's maybe not the quickest kid or the highest jumper, but his movement and offensive IQ is pretty good from the standpoint of he understands spacing and he moves without the ball for the most part pretty well."
Player Quotes
Bronson Koenig
On how the team stayed in the game despite poor shooting:
"It was a grind-it-out game, just like we expected against Purdue. (It was a) pretty low scoring game. And when we shoot like that, we try to get to the free throw line, which we didn't do a great job of tonight, especially me. I thought we did a good job on defense, making them work for everything they got. Alex (Illikainen) made (A.J.) Hammons and/or (Isaac) Hass work for everything he got. So I'm pretty proud about how we played defense or how we defended for most of the game, we just can't have those defensive lapse in the last minute or two in the game."
Alex Illikainen
On the difficulty of guarding A.J. Hammons:
"It's tough. You got to stay low and try to fight around, but he's a big body and that's always tough."
On how his performance tonight will affect his confidence:
"It helps going out there and hitting a couple shots and doing pretty good on defense, but I definitely have a lot of stuff to work on. If I keep getting the chance, I'm just going to go out there and keep working hard and know that I can make shots and help the team."
Nigel Hayes
On how the team is progressing:
"There are spurts where we play really good basketball and we have to put those streaks together into longer periods of time. Alex (Illikainen) played extremely well for us. That's good for his confidence, that's good for his playing time, now he'll get out there and get himself more playing time. Once he checks in, he'll be another weapon for us."
On the overall team effort in the game:
"I think we did a good job playing hard. That's something that should always be a given in a game of basketball. What got us in trouble was the lapses we had or not doing a good job defending the big guys, especially A.J. (Hammons) who had 24 points. If we were able to do a little bit better here or there with not letting him touch the ball or not fouling him to send him to the free throw line, and again in the late lapse in the last 1:30 in the game, it may have been a different outcome."
Players Mentioned
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