Opening Statement

To find a way to win on the road against a quality program like Ohio State, and once again excited for what's next, see how much better we can, we can continue improving, how much better we can, we can be as a group; we still feel like there's, there's a lot of room for growth for this team and, and we're excited to keep trying to find our potential. James, you want to start off with a couple questions. As someone who grew up in a big-time country, what were your impressions of the Michigan-Michigan State Rivalry; and what stood out for you? What was my impressions of the Michigan-Michigan State Rivalry? I mean every game I watched, it was 'you could' it was obvious the the amount of intensity and passion for the game and it was typically two really good basketball teams going toe-to-toe competing and usually both of them were in championship contention so it was a lot of fun.

On his impressions of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry growing up in Big Ten country

It seemed like it's always a big nationally televised game either during the week or a Saturday or Sunday and if it was on, I was usually gonna try to check it out.

On whether he's heard from former players or coaches about the rivalry

I speak frequently to a lot of the former players, and to be honest, I was thinking it was odd because I started getting texts about a week ago about players, and people were coming in for the MSU game. And I was saying, you know we play OSU first like we've got a lot of players that are coming in for the MSU game, and I was saying, you know we play OSU first like we've got we're on the road in Columbus so yeah, people are obviously very excited. We know what it means, but we also we have to play we have to focus on us playing really good basketball against a quality team.

On playing transition defense and preparing for Michigan State

Hopefully, we don't do it as well as them. We tried to emphasize running the floor like like they do and some other elite teams that do it, but so hopefully it's not where we're going from you know at the D to an A, you know. We probably do it at a B, they do it at an A, so we've got to get a little bit better with the way we play, and hopefully we prepare. But getting great shots on offense and not having that lag time of relaxing because something went well or dropping your head because something went poorly because the next thing is gonna happen very quickly against Michigan State.

On whether he enjoys having some time off in between games

I think we coaches, we're gonna, we're gonna find a way to complain it's too long or too short, or whatever the case, it's, it's our schedule. I mean ideally, you'd play what every three days and play every three days, but that's not, you know. I think we sometimes we get an advantage and sometimes we're at a disadvantage based on the schedule and it's something we can't control. So we play game Friday so what's the best way for us to prepare for this game and then also for the amount of games going forward.

On returning players helping to educate on the rivalries

Well, I almost felt guilty that I immediately turned the page last night. I think that I didn't even realize that the staff was laughing because I think I was walking back from doing press and I was talking about one of the actions how we're gonna defend this action that Michigan State runs. And so in the locker room, though you know Ian Burns, Harrison Hochberg, those guys are — Michigan is very important to them. Jace Howard, the guys that grew up, were already talking about this game on Friday and how it felt good to win a rivalry game on the road in Columbus, but they were already turning the page as well with all focus turned in towards the Spartans on Friday.

On whether teams play differently in a close game down the stretch and why Michigan has played well in big moments

A couple reasons. First, we played a challenging schedule early and when we were still trying to figure ourselves out, and they did they didn't go well. You know, things went you know, one game we slipped and fell twice and gave up pick-six layups, you know, just some some bad fortune. But we didn't drop our heads; we didn't point fingers; we didn't play the blame game. We all just came together to try to find the solution to get better and win those games going forward, and so that I think that experience, but more importantly, the character in our locker room is the biggest reason. But we do I mean when we get those situations, we talk about how our trust and belief in each other is gonna allow us to win this four-minute game or whatever the case, and we don't need heroes; we're not playing hero ball; we're not playing anything other than let's continue to function as a group and find the best shot. And if it doesn't work out, then let's get on the glass and then get our defense set and get a stop. And we have a lot of confidence, but it's a little bit overblown. I've seen the numbers, and this is the most ever Indiana hits a half-court shot with 0 seconds left. 5 seconds, whatever it was, and that's a six-point win. Rutgers hits two threes in the last 20 seconds after we missed the front and kind of let our guard down, so it's not as if those were as close as Bruce Thornton's eight-foot shot with two seconds left to tie the game. So yeah, we've been a lot of close games, but Minnesota Ohio State, those are close games. Even Braden Smith, he bangs in the two really tough shots just to get them back with that last shot meant something and it still took us missing a free throw at the front end or whatever the case so yeah, we've been a lot of close games. We have a lot of confidence and belief that we're going to win that three-or four-minute game down the stretch into the final stretch of the season and have this time off.

On this time off being similar to week off earlier in the season

Very, very similar. We had to take two days off because of scheduling and when you play three games in seven days like we are. about to you can't take any days so there's there's certain things you have to you have to do and so we'll take two days off our guys hopefully will take the day off and work on their bodies cold tub and treatment and then tomorrow they'll get some individual work in just refining their game and then just like any break we try to find a couple things that we while we have a couple practices how what can we put in whether it's a zone whether it's a tweak to the zone whether it's a something to get the ball to this player and their sweet spot or something we can counter the way teams have defended this well and we know the last team Defended it well then the next team because we're going to really well, coach league. The next teams are probably going to mimic that, so then how do we counter that and how do we play off that? And we'll see how that goes. And so those are the things we're doing right now, just trying to figure out what what we need to do to beat Michigan State, but also what do we need to add now that we're not going to have time to add next week.

On what he's learned about the team over time

Yeah, when we don't make sure that we're going to score, then we're going to play a lot of bad games. Shots, we could still find a way to win and that's that's been our message all year: making the shots. We haven't shot the ball well; I don't the stats from me, I think we're 7 of 21 from 3 last night, and we're extremely happy with the quality of looks. It wasn't as if they were late-shot-clock, step-back, 27-footers. We felt like we got great looks, and we didn't shoot it that well; there were shots we would take every single day of the week. Our message has been that when the shots go in, that just determines the margin of victory. We can separate, but the nights the shots aren't falling, then we have to find ways to win whether it's through our defense, through rebounding, through whatever the case may be. And last night, it was our bench stepped up, and then obviously down the stretch, you know, Danny made plays, and Roddy made plays, and I came up with a couple of huge offensive rebounds. So in this league, you have to find different ways to win. Hopefully, we get back to where we're banging in shots at a higher clip, but if we don't, then we Still feel very confident we're gonna find a way, we just don't know what that way might be, you yet well with Thornton, we leading up into in preparation and they set so many ball screens and we switch one through for any way that we weren't gonna be able control the matchup per se that for the entire game but we did talk about that if we could find a way to get Danny on him late because of his ability to get to a spots and elevate and bump guards back, that every time Danny ended up on him on the bench I would I would say to the coaches next to me this is the best-case scenario for us right now against Thornton who's such a strong powerful Guard, especially when he gets in the paint, so obviously I think Danny falling down probably confused him and threw off his rhythm a little bit but Danny's ability to keep him in front, stay down on a shot-based, and force the next thing was I thought I mean probably one of the most pivotal reasons we were able to get some stops down the stretch that in the zone defense I think it's it's part of it but our focus has to be on us playing basketball the rivalry is great for everyone else but if we're consumed with all the extra stuff then we're not focused on what we need to do as far as getting back in transition defense, knowing personnel. Tendencies things like that, so obviously we know the importance of the rivalry, but we're not going into it. I guess we're lying on our fans, relying on anyone else to win us the game because it's a rivalry. Like, we have to, we have to put in the work, we have to prepare and we have to perform at a high level in that environment.

On seeing Danny Wolf show more control on offense

Because I felt like Vlad and Trey were open and he kind of threw it in between the two and so I don't know, I didn't ask him if it slipped or whatever the case but for that to be his only turnover with this usage and having guards underneath it was really good so I think he's got a lot of room him, he's using his pivots better, he's using his size and stature more effectively than he was earlier in the year. He's not over-dribbling, and he's making, he's taking what the game gives him. I think the play to end the first half was indicative of his growth. Our guys, Trey Donaldson set a great screen and ended up getting Danny found him on the diagonal skip across the court. He got a great look, it didn't drop, and Flagg gets the tip in because they were off balance. And so that's, he had guards on him last night, Ohio State put their guards on him, and so he was able to play over the top a little bit more, but also some of his turnovers this year have been where he saw something as an elite passer that maybe a cutter didn't see. And also, I'm not complaining about Vitiating, but he's not throwing it when Vlad's open. He sees it before Vlad's open. He's reading the coverage and he's throwing it before Vlad's open, so if Vlad starts to roll to where he's going, and a guy that weighs 240 pounds grabs his arm and holds him, and the ball drops to no man's land, I mean, it's easy to point the finger at Danny, but that's where he's adjusted. We said, you know, we can't control that, and so now you've got to make these adjustments and tweaks, so if they do do that, and it's not called, then it's not a turnover. We still have an option to go on to the next thing, so he's adjusted, he's simplified some things, but I mean, just the reps and experience that he's getting night in, night out, is probably the best thing for his growth.

On Phat Phat Brooks' development

He's been really good on scout team. You know, it's tough when you're out of the rotation to just continue putting that next foot forward and putting that hard hat on every day. We've had to challenge him a few days not to wait until next year. We need him this year. There's going to be a game that he's going to have to come in and help us win a possession, win a couple possessions, and that's the importance of being on a team, but also he should be soaking it all in right now, what he's learning from Trey Donaldson. I mean, we've got the old body in Ruben and these older veteran guards that have been through the fires, but we're not big believers in, let's wait until next year. Like, his job now is to compete at a championship level every single day of practice and, you know, challenge those guys and make sure that we're holding them up to a standard where they can't just coast.

On his impressions of Michigan State's guards

I mean, they have a slew of them, those guys. They get to their spots, they elevate, they run good stuff for them. The bigs are great screeners, so they have their spots they get to, and they're automatic from there, but Aikens is a good guard. Fierce is a good guard. They just have a lot of really good guards, and they've had different guys step up every single night. And that's one of the reasons they're in contention for a championship as well, cuz they have a lot of different guys, so they don't have to rely on one or two players. Their bench is extremely effective with Carr coming in, and obviously with whatever guard doesn't start. And then their backup bigs are starting caliber bigs. There's no drop off when they do go to their second unit, so they present a number of challenges.

On whether he had a relationship with Tom Izzo before arriving in Ann Arbor

I wouldn't say relationship. A lot of coaches' relationships are developed through competing or in recruiting circles. And I've been in the deep, deep south for a long time. And didn't spend a lot of time in Michigan. I came up here maybe once a year, once every other year to recruit, so we had relationships with the people around them. But Dane Fife, a very close friend of mine who we went to IU together, and then we were on staff together, worked for him. So if I saw Dane on the road, I'd sit by Dane, and obviously Coach Izzo would be there a lot of times. So couldn't have more respect for him as a coach, for them as a program, for what he's built, what he's sustained. The pride and passion that they have, their former players have for their program is very similar. The pride and passion that the Michigan players have for this program. So it's unique, he's built something special, and that's what continuity does.

On Vlad Goldin's consistency

Yeah, I don't think he, mad Vlad, it was more touch and skill Vlad last night. I mean, he was knocking in the floaters, he was on the glass. I mean, he blocked one shot off the backboard, and he caught it in the air, and dumped it before I think anyone in the gym knew what the heck happened. He's just finding different ways to impact the game. He had a big shot block late whenever they were on their run. I guess maybe he shot it, and those have a residual effect. He's just a good basketball player, we take him for granted. Like I said earlier in the year, Danny gets a lot of credit for the four-five pick and roll, but show me another big, that finds space like he does, catches the ball in front, behind, low, high, wherever. And then his ability, and he left a couple on the floor last night that didn't drop for him, but his ability to catch on the move and finish, turn on a game tonight. It's not something that you're gonna see in college basketball a lot. And obviously, there's a partnership that makes it all work with the shooting around them and the screens that the guards set to help give those guys separation. But man, Vlad's ability to catch and finish on the move is special.

On the four-five pick-and-roll

Yeah, and some teams can defend it better than others just based on personnel. So we defend certain things better because of what we're wired to do and what our personnel dictates. But we've just tried to find ways to hide it, to camouflage it, to use it as a decoy, to use it as an overreaction to get someone else a shot. So just trying to be strategic of not using it too much. But also using it enough because it's extremely effective when it's executed properly.

On when he knew the team had potential to be conference champion contenders

You know, a lot has to go right to be in championship contention. First and foremost, health. We've been relatively healthy all year. Sam Walters has an injury now. But other than that, we're a pretty healthy group. That factors into it. You know, there's just a lot that goes into being in, you know, other than playing really good basketball. Because if you look at some of the teams in our league, there are several that could be right here in position if things just flipped a little bit differently. But all summer, I mean, I remember we'd be in practice and we'd have, you know, high school coaches come to watch or whoever just, and they would comment about how good they thought we were. And you'd have coaches you respect coming in that maybe they're in the NBA or whatever the case. And they're talking about how, you know, they're giving you a job. They're giving you a different view of your team that you're not in that foxhole with every single day. But there were several times this summer when I walked and I'd ask one of the coaches during practice, during a break, I'd say, 'Man, we've got a chance to be pretty darn good.' And they'd say, 'No question.' So that was usually the answer. I mean, we knew we had a long way to go; we had to figure some things out. But we were confident once we saw our team together. And even that didn't happen until August or September because Ruben had some health issues and whatnot. We never really saw our group practice. Pippen wasn't able to practice all summer. We didn't see our group together. It was probably September when we had the bulk of them together. And I think since September, we knew we had a chance.

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