Kevin Keatts: "It Is A Good, Gutsy Win For Our Team"
NC State head coach Kevin Keatts answered questions from the Wolfpack's radio crew following the 84-78 win over Vanderbilt in the Vegas Showdown.
NOTE: Click the clip above to listen to the interview.
I think it was a really gutsy win for us. You got everything that you wanted in a game. I thought we got out to a really slow start...both halves I thought we got off really slow but our defense was good. It is a good, gutsy win for our team.”
“How about Dennis Parker? What a great game he had as a freshman.”
“I thought we settled. We had a couple of guys that sat down because of foul trouble, I think they came out and were more offensive-minded. The ball stuck. We didn't move the ball around and didn't get a lot of stuff, so I think once we settled in and we had some great ball movement I thought things worked out for us.”
“I am proud of our guys. Seventeen assists on 30 made field goals, and eight-for-19 from three, so we did some good things.”
“Dennis has gotten a lot of reps the last two or three days, and I thought he responded very well. You look at what he did. Big plays, he drove the ball to the basket and got to the free throw line and made key shots. I just think he grew up a little bit tonight and we have got to continue to build on that.”
“His energy level was great and the thing that we don't talk about enough with JT is he typically takes the best offensive guy on the other team. I think he is starting to learn and embrace that role of being a really good defender but also figuring out how to score. I thought he did a tremendous job.”
“We got some really good play with Breon coming in in the first half. That gave us great minutes. I thought Ben was solid defensively.”
“Our guys did a good job adjusting. They are a little different but they become a little more dangerous becuase of their ability to shoot the three with him in the game but I thought we adjusted well.”
“I think their post guys made a difference. They are going to be a really good team because when you add those guys back and get it full strength I think they have really got something good.”
“We did some good stuff. I don't like that we turned it over 12 times, some of that was withoout their defensive traps and all that other stuff.”
“So, very happy -- happy with our guys. Good Thanksgiving win for them. You want to win on Thanksgiving, but I didn't get the chance to feed them any turkey but we will have turkey tonight.”