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NC State Basketball

Kevin Keatts On Cuse Win: "That Was Our Best Defensive Effort"

February 14, 2019
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NC State head coach Kevin Keatts met with the media after the Wolfpack's 73-58 win over Syracuse.

NOTE: Click on the video above to watch the press conference.


Opening Statement...
“Please bear with me, somehow through that victory I lost my voice. I might sound like Prince and Michael Jackson at some points, but just bear with me.

“I thought that was our best defensive effort, especially when you talk about the ACC. I thought we did a tremendous job. I thought Devon Daniels was great. When you look at the numbers of Tyus Battle, who Devon guarded all night, I thought he did a great job.

“We got out in transition and found some gaps in the zone. The first half I thought we had too many turnovers in the zone. When you look at the guys I had in the middle, which were Torin Dorn and Jericole Hellems, they had nine turnovers at the half. We talked about being able to make the right play, being patient, and getting out in transition.

“For the second game in a row, I talked to my team about winning the free throw battle. We were going to stop putting guys on the free throw line, where we were giving up so many points. We wanted to turn it around to where we were getting points on the free throw line; we were great there. I think we went 13-13 in the second half. It’s a great win and I’m excited about it.”

On Torin Dorn’s performance...
“Torin made the shots that most people can’t make and that’s a lost art in today’s game: the ten-foot jump shots and getting the ball at the free throw line. He struggled in the first half and to come out in the second half and play the way he played, with composure and leadership, was tremendous and says a lot about him.”

On the halftime plan...
“We lost our energy. I remember looking at the score and it was 28-18, and then we lost our energy. At halftime, our adjustment was to be patient when we got the ball in the middle; we were trying to force it to the short corner.

“We needed to be patient and if we don’t have the short corner, we might have the corner for the shot, or we could just bring it back out.

“Another adjustment was to play with energy and passion, and I thought we came out with that in the second half. Before the game, we talked about we have to protect our house when we are at home and play with lots of energy and passion. I wanted them to fight, and I thought we were great defensively.”

On beating the Syracuse zone...
“I don’t know if I would say the word clinic, but we had some success. We moved the ball around. Boeheim has been doing this way longer than I have, and he does a tremendous job with the zone. They are a great basketball team. We were able to find some gaps, but that being said, we did it on the defensive end. Obviously, I know we scored 73 points, but our defense is what won the game for us. They couldn’t get going and we defended the three-point line.

On Beverly since the Virginia Tech game...
“That’s the guy that I believe in. He could come out and go 0-of-20, and I know the next time he comes, he’s going to play. I’ve never questioned his ability to make shots. I love the kid. He works hard. I wish every kid at NC State who I recruit could be Braxton Beverly. He works hard, he’s a great student, and he’s low maintenance. That’s what he is. I knew that he was going to make some shots, and he’s shooting the ball very well right now.”

On Sacha Killeya-Jones...
“Killeya-Jones is currently not a member of our program and that’s all I can say right now.”

On Eric Lockett and Blake Harris...
“I won’t comment on Lockett or Harris further than what we’ve released.”

On the last two games...
“You guys know me. Every game is huge. I literally try to lock in to the next opponent, and after we beat Pittsburgh on the road, my whole focus has been nothing but Syracuse. If you allow yourself to look ahead or you allow your team to look ahead in this league, it’s not going to be good for you. I told you guys about three or four weeks ago that I made a mistake and looked at our schedule, and it scared the heck out of me. We lost those games too, and I think I jinxed them because I looked at the schedule. I’m locked in to the next opponent.”

On if this game could be a tiebreaker...
“I think every game is important. This league is so good that everybody has a stretch that is so tough. You start looking around and it’s crazy. When you look at our losses--and I hate to say this--we’ve got great losses. I don’t know what that means, but we have great losses. At the end of the day, everybody goes through a stretch where they’ve got three or four teams that are really good. That being said, that’s what you’re going to get in a good conference.”

 

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Kevin Keatts On Cuse Win: "That Was Our Best Defensive Effort"

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