Kevin Keatts: "We Have to Step Up and Knock Our Free Throws Down"

NC State head coach Kevin Keatts met with the media following the Wolfpack's 67-64 loss to Pittsburgh Wednesday evening.

NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Keatts’ press conference.

Opening Statement

I thought Pitt played extremely well. They did a good job of closing the half. I remember when it was 30-30, and then obviously next thing I know, it was 38-30. I thought defensively we were very active. In the second half, we did a good job on Blake Hinson who had made three three-pointers at the half, and then obviously he finished 3-for-10. I thought Jaland Lowe was really aggressive for them. He was able to get into the paint area and make some things happen. Here’s the deal: I can look at this stat sheet 100 times. Pitt played great in the first half. We played great in the second half. We were 6-for-15 from the free-throw line, and you’re not going to win any games if you go 6-for-15. When they stepped up, I think they were plus-12 against our free throws. They were 18-for-20. You’re looking at someone who’s very disappointed because those are so valuable in possession games, and tonight we didn’t step up and make our free throws. Honestly that cost us the game.

On the other differences in the game besides free throws...

To be honest with you, I’m going to dial back on it. We were 6-for-15, and that’s just not good enough. We have to step up to the line and make them, and that’s the biggest difference in the game. We won pretty much every other category. We made more three-pointers than them. We lost at rebounds. We were at 11 assists to six turnovers; they had nine assists to ten turnovers. It was an equal game, if you throw it out. One team was 18-for-20 [on free throws], and one team was 6-for-15. That’s the ball game. At the end of the day, we have to step up and knock our free throws down.

On first half defense, allowing Pitt to drive to the basket...

When you’re guarding a team that can shoot it so well from three, that is an advantage when they start driving the ball because we’re trying to run them off the three-point line. I thought they did a good job early on keeping us off-balance. We were trying to defend the three point line. This is the third team in a row that can really shoot the ball from behind the arc. They made five three-pointers for the entire game, and this is a three-point shooting team. Blake Hinson was 3-for-10, and we missed nine free throws.