Kevin Keatts: "We're Getting Everything We Want"
NC State head coach Kevin Keatts met with the media following the Wolfpack's 81-72 win over Presbyterian Friday evening.
NOTE: Click on the video in the player above to watch Keatts’ press conference.
Opening Statement
It was a good win for us. Give Presbyterian a lot of credit. They were really scrappy, and we knew that coming in. [Quinton Ferrell] has done a really good job with his team. He’s been there six years. I even went back last year and watched them go to Vanderbilt and win. They’ve done a good job. When you look at it, [Kory] Mincy was really good. We threw a little bit of everything at him; he scored in every way [with] 28 points. I thought we did some really good things. This team right now, we’re really passing the ball. When you look at our assists, it’s pretty good. We had 18 tonight on 31 made field goals. We had 12 steals. We’re getting everything that we want out of it. We’re going to continue to build. I like where we’re at in game number two, and I just want to keep building on it. I thought we did some good things. When you look at [Jayden Taylor], it was good for him to score the basketball. He had a career high in steals with five, but we’ve got to talk about his five turnovers. We’ll have a conversation about that. I thought Brandon [Huntley-Hatfield] and Ben [Middlebrooks] complemented each other. I didn’t plan this out, but both of them had about 20 minutes in the game. Brandon had 11 points, and Ben had 16, so I thought both of them were really good.
On Middlebrooks’ performance...
He’s an energy guy. When he doesn’t play with energy, I think he’s just okay sometimes. When he plays with energy, he plays really good. Brandon’s probably a little bit more skilled even though Ben’s 100 percent from the three-point line. I thought he did a great job. [...] I love what he did in the second half.
If Middlebrooks getting the green light behind the three-point line...
Right now. It’s hard to deny a guy that’s shooting 1-for-1, so he does have it right now.
On the Pack’s rebounding...
We try to finish possessions with physical rebounds so we can get out and run. The 27 fast break points are pretty good, so we’re scoring the way we want to score. We’re getting out, playing fast, and doing a good job, but we’re concentrating on rebounding the ball then getting the ball to our ballhandlers. What else can I say about Michael [O’Connell]: eight assists and one turnover? It’s pretty good. He knows how to deliver the basketball.
On defending the Blue Hose’s screens...
Give them credit. He does a great job with those stagger screens. We decided, at times, to fight through both of them and then switch the last one. They do a really good job, and they’re good at it. They’re very efficient in what they do. They’ll run the shot clock down, then Mincy gets the ball. Mincy goes one-on-one, and if he’s playing really well, it’s going to be a tough night. I thought we did a good job; I say that, but he still had 28 points.
More on Middlebrooks...
I just think he’s been around college basketball for so long that he sees the ups and downs. He understands the aspects of it, never gets too high, never gets too low, and understands that what’s important is our team winning. He loves to smile. He loves to give great energy. If he’s not looking that way, I think something’s wrong with him.
On Taylor’s improved morale since the exhibition...
Yeah, I pointed to that bench. I’m just kidding. No, in that game, he didn’t have any pop. Now, he’s more aggressive. He and Michael O’Connell, they played on an ACC Championship team, and we need those guys to be good, and he was really good tonight. I let them play. Sometimes as coaches, we can say too much. Just let guys get out of it, and get them back in the gym. They see the ball go back in the hole, and they become really good basketball players.
If attacking the rim has been a point of emphasis for Taylor...
He settles [for threes] sometimes, so we talked about driving the basketball. One of my keys is paint touches. I wanted to play inside-out whether we threw the ball inside to our post guys or we drove the ball. We got 48 points in the paint.
On having seven seniors in the rotation...
It always helps when you’ve got seven seniors. I like our bunch. What I warn everybody about it is that it’s so early. You look around college basketball — I don’t even know anybody’s score today — but there will be some mind-boggling scores because it takes everyone so long to get going. My three freshmen are going to be good, but they weren’t ready for a team that ran all that action today. When you play those older guys, they know. They’ve been around basketball. They know how to play. We’re in a new era. I’ve got eight new guys, and most teams are new. You’re going to see some crazy scores early, some mid-major teams that play well, and some high-majors that don’t. It’s better when you’ve got your older guys out there when you’re going through that stuff.
On the team defense...
I like what we’re forcing. We had nine steals the other day and 12 tonight. I think we’re playing at a high level. My biggest thing is that our guys need to play hard, and we’ll figure it out. We’re going to continue to get better, but I do like some good things that we’re doing.
On handling Presbyterian’s continued pressure while NC State tried to pull away...
I thought both [Kobe] Stewart and Mincy were very good. With Mincy, I love it. He was active. He was talking trash. He played well. This team has some veteran guys. They didn’t play in the NCAA [Tournament], but they played postseason last year. They’ve got five guys who know how to play. I knew they weren’t going to lay down.
On keeping players poised...
Just play. It’s going to happen. Our guys talk trash, too, a little bit. Heck, I was the biggest trash talker when I played, too, but there weren’t a bunch of cameras around. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think there was one camera around. You can get away with it. I just tell our guys to be careful.