Quotes from Kansas head coach Roy Williams during Friday’s press conference
On evaluating Arizona: “They really have no holes. They’re extremely talented, gifted individuals. They play together as a team on the offensive end and the defensive end. They have guys who can score inside, (and) guys who can score outside. They can play a very fast tempo, they can try to wear you down because of their depth. They don’t lose anything when they make substitutions. I think that in the college game today, that’s probably as big a factor as anything, especially if you’re good. They have (such) quality depth, that when they make substitutions, they have changes, because they may lose something in one area but they gain it in another area, similar to what we did last year when we brought Wayne (Simien) in, or brought Keith (Langford) in, or brought Jeff Carey in. I think that our team changed, but we didn’t lose anything. That’s a big factor for them. They’re very well coached. They’re focused on one single purpose, and that’s to be the best team that they can be. There’s no individual agendas out there for each individual player.”
On if the team’s intensity will be up against Arizona: “Well, since we lost Wednesday night, it’s lost some of the luster I’m sure, but hopefully our intensity will go up far higher than it was Wednesday night. I think that we’ve had some great games here in the Fieldhouse in my 15 years, conference wise for sure, but also non-conference (games, like) Kentucky (and) Indiana. I mean we’ve had some good people coming in here (like) UCLA, and there has been great, great battles. So I think the name of Arizona, the respect that people have for Lute Olson, the fact that they’re number one, all that adds to the fact that we’re such a basketball appreciative area. Everybody appreciates the history and tradition that we have but they also appreciate college basketball. It makes for a very recognizable match-up and it’s a vary marquee-like match-up with the names, and the fact that Arizona’s number one definitely makes it even bigger in that way. Because, and you guys have heard me say before, the difference and the attention from number one to number two is a huge difference. So the fact that they’re number one adds something to it.”
On Wayne Simien: “Wayne will not play Saturday or Monday. Period. He’s not ready to play. When he does get to that point, we’ll let everyone know about it. We won’t run him out there in a new number or anything like that and try and make it a surprise. He’s just not ready to play.”
On if longer T.V. timeouts will affect the Arizona game: “When depth is not a factor, is when you have long timeouts and you have no foul trouble. But the fact of the matter is, Wednesday night, Stephane Pelle made the biggest shot when our 6-3 post player was guarding him. And that’s not to say that he wouldn’t have made it if Nick Collison had guarded him, because he made one over Nick earlier in the game. The depth was a huge problem for us in the Colorado game. Jeff Graves only played 16 minutes and we started out fairly thin to begin with, (after) losing Wayne. We were able to survive some games, either because the teams weren’t quite as good or we really didn’t have much foul trouble. But the last two games, we’ve put some makeshift lineups out there together against Kansas State that was very uncomfortable. And then we had to do it again against some quality post players that Colorado had with Pelle and (David) Harrison, and it caught us on Wednesday night. If you tell me we’re not going to get in foul trouble, then I’ll say depth is not as big an issue because of how long the timeouts are. But in the course of the game, particularly in the course of a game against Arizona, where it’s going to be an up and down game, there’s going to be so many more possessions and so many more opportunities or obstacles to overcome in those possessions of fouling.”
“The only problem we had in conditioning the other night, was when Aaron missed the free throw that would have given us that 16-minute (mark) timeout. He missed it, so then the clock didn’t stop for three more minutes and I had three substitutes trying to get in. But that was an unusual
scenario. Most of the time you don’t have that happen. But I’m not worried about depth from a stamina viewpoint at all. I haven’t been at all really in any game. It’s just the quality of the people that you’re going to put in. We put in T. J. Pugh as a substitute in that spot (in the past). He’s still 6-8 and a true post player. Now we don’t have enough true-post players to put in the game.”
On the team’s gameplan against Colorado: “It was a very low possession game Wednesday night. It was not an up and down game Wednesday night. We didn’t trap, we didn’t double (team), we didn’t do as many things as we normally do. I think if you’re playing well and you can stay away from foul trouble, it’s best to stay with what you’re good at, and we’re better with the fast tempo. But try to slow it down a little bit on the defensive end of the floor and try to play a little zone. I can’t make somebody 6-3 (turn into somebody) 6-9, so we’ve got to play with what we’ve got.”
On team’s attitude at practice yesterday: “I didn’t really care, because I was ticked. I was not too concerned about their attitude, whether they had a smile on their face or not. I didn’t have one on mine, regardless of what they had, so it wasn’t going to make any difference.”
On reasons for poor play in the Colorado game: “Just stupidity. We can’t play like that. I’m not going to harp on that because that takes away from Colorado’s win and Colorado beat us. But if we play like that, we’re a very mediocre, no, we’re not even a mediocre basketball team. We just can’t play like that. We’ve attempted it a few times this year and we’ve gotten our butts kicked every time we’ve done it.”
On Jeff Graves realizing the importance of him being in the lineup: “I would think that he has a better appreciation. I would think that he understands the importance of being in the game. It would have helped us had he been in the game at the end because Nick Collison could have guarded Pelle. But that’s all (in the) past. The first possession of the second-half he got his third foul. It was a silly play. He didn’t box out and he didn’t go to the boards. And then all of the sudden he has to chase Pelle from behind and goes up and fouls him. Well if you do what you’re supposed to do, you’re not in that position to begin with. So the referee had nothing to do with that. That was Jeff’s lack of attention to detail.”
On if the team plays better at home: “I think every team in the country does. I think you get more enthusiasm from the crowd. If you pick up enthusiasm from the crowd, that gives you a little more energy to go a little faster, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. We’ve been like that forever. Our crowd has been extremely important to us forever. This year’s no different. But I think that what you have to be careful of, cautious of, is to not let the level of energy of the crowd get you to going too fast on the offensive end because you still have to make good decisions down there.”
On if playing at home is an advantage against Arizona: “My guess is that the crowd at Oregon was enthusiastic and had a lot of energy when Arizona came into town. We’re not playing St. Mary’s, we’re not playing Alvamar Tech (a fictional school named after local golf course). Last year our team didn’t fold over and play dead just because were playing at Arizona. Lute Olson’s played a few basketball games, his kids aren’t going to come in here and shrivel up and go in a corner and hide. I think if you’re playing somebody who’s never been in these scenarios, it’s a huge factor. If we’re playing Washburn and they play in front of 1,000 or whatever it is, and then go and play in front of 16,000, that’s a difference. But that difference is a non-factor in this game. You don’t think those people at MacArthur Court at Oregon were fired up getting Arizona to come in. And (then) they (Arizona) kicked’em. They’ve been there, they’ve to Oregon State, they’re 8-0 in their league so they’ve been in some pretty good road venues that are more vicious than what our crowd will be.”
On if he prefers to spread out games against team’s ranked so highly: “I’m probably not that concerned just about the closeness of the games (between #1 Arizona and #4 Texas). I love playing these kind of games. Since one of them is not in conference, I’d probably rather have it earlier. Bobby Knight said long ago that breaking up your conference schedule to play non-conference high-quality opponents is very difficult and I think there’s something to that. If I had my druthers I’d probably play it earlier. But at the same time, you’ve gotta play. If you have enough depth and if you have the focus of your guys, (then) two games in that period is not that big of a deal. We practice every day and we try to practice very hard. But again, if I had my druthers, I’d probably put it earlier in the schedule as opposed to breaking up the conference schedule.”
On Saturday’s game being a break from conference games: “What I am trying to say is that we are playing Arizona and Monday night we are going to try to play Texas. I think you guys have heard me say a couple of times recently that the season is a marathon and you have to run every mile of it. Some miles are more difficult than others. Some are up hill and some are downhill, but you have got to run them all. If it were the Tour de France we have two straight hill sections, mountain sections I
guess, is what you would call it right now, because we have some very difficult challenges in front of us. Our mindset right now better not be whether this is good or this is bad or this is easy or if this is hard. Our mindset better be that our rear ends didn’t play worth a darn Wednesday night and we better play. Because this could get ugly if we don’t play and our mindset better be a workman-like attitude being extremely focused and not being concerned about who we are going to play 52 hours later or anything. Our margin of error is too small. We have had some teams in the past that on most nights could win and didn’t necessarily have to play their best game. With this group right now we’ve got to really play in the conference season and for sure with Arizona.”
On how games against #1 teams is affecting him personally: “This game has not caused me one second of non-sleep. Wednesday’s night game took care of every bit of that. You can’t do anything more than not sleep. You can’t not sleep more than you are already not sleeping. This game has nothing to do with that. I haven’t been sleeping anyway. This is a big game and has a lot of attention. I love Lute’s program. I respect him greatly and dearly. I tried to recruit three guys that don’t even start for him, much less Jason (Gardner). I had Jason here for the Kansas-Kansas State game the year we retired Wilt’s (Chamberlain)’s jersey. He is great with a very friendly family and the whole bit. This is a big game and I understand all of that, but it is not the first big game we have played, not the first big game that Arizona has played, it is not the first big one in my career, and definitely not the first big one in Lute’s career. You love the college atmosphere and big gameday and it will be exciting. I just hope that we play well. That is the whole key. If we play well I can take anything, but we need to play well.”
On the 1997 KU/Arizona game starting a rivalry: “You know probably so even though the year before we might have even done it to start with because we beat them in the sweet-sixteen the year before. Which was a great game that came down to the wire. I think it was a two or three point game. B.J. Williams had the game of his lifetime, Raef (LaFrentz) really struggled. In 1997 it was the best team that we have ever had. I would really liked to have been healthy. Lute came in under the radar screen with a really good team, a very focused team. They had a good run. (Mike) Bibby, Jason Terry, Miles Simon (were on the team and) we couldn’t match up with them on the perimeter. They played great. We made a great run at the end and got it close, but didn’t get it done. We lost Jacque (Vaughn), Jerod (Haase), Scot (Pollard) and B.J. and some guys back the next year. We played in the Great Eight the next year and it was not redemption because it doesn’t erase that loss the year before it just gives you one on your side. I think it is two great programs. When you talk about college basketball programs now a days, I am not saying that Arizona or Kansas, either one are on a level by themselves, because there are several other good programs. There is nobody above whatever level Kansas and Arizona is. I think when you have that matchup that makes it a really good rivalry. The respect I have for Lute makes it mixed signals for me because, again, I really like him and consider him a very good friend. A guy that everybody can emulate and takes some positive things from him. It is a big time rivalry and yet it is not one that you play every year. We are not bordering states, we are not in the same conference, things like that . He has got their program at a level that is hard for us to keep up with. We try to recruit against them all the time and I am not very successful. We don’t have many guys on our team that he recruited, but he has got a heck of lot on his team that I recruited.”
On if he would like to make the KU/Arizona game a perennial thing: “I have mixed emotions about that and at the same time, I would like to talk to Lute (Olson) about this. I think he and I need to talk and see what we really want. Both of us play a very difficult, demanding schedule anyway. Do you need another one? If you are going to do another one, do you want to do one like this? I think it would be best for the two of us to talk. If we do flip the coin again and decide who gets the first home game, I’ll try to have one of my former coaches flip it this time like he did last time.”
On how he and Arizona head coach Lute Olson decided who was going to play where in their head-to-head matchups: “I said, “Alright, where do you want to play first?’ and he said, ‘Well, what
do you think?’ and I said, ‘Let’s have this guy flip a coin and we’ll see right here.’ We were standing on the end of the court in Las Vegas. The guy flipped the coin and I lost and then Lute later told me that guy used to be one of his players. I’m not saying they cheated or anything, but you’re in Las Vegas, and they have two-sided coins probably more so than anywhere. We laughed about it later “
On whether Kirk Hinrich’s back is still bothering him and whether it has been a factor in his shooting woes the last three games: “I don’t think so. I think that he just hasn’t shot it well. If you look over the course of the season, his percentage is very good. But he’s had some really good nights and some really bad nights, so that consistency is something that bothers me a little bit. At the same time, he’s been sensational on the defensive end of the floor. He had a defensive grade in the Kansas State game about as good as I’ve ever had in 15 years. Even when his outside shot is not going in, he’s not one of these guys that’s a liability. If he’s going to continue doing that, I’d appreciate it these next two games. We’re at home, so if he’s going to shoot the heck out of it, I’d like him to do it right now.”
On which part of his team will be facing the most pressure: “I don’t know if I can even single it out. I think that they’re really good. They don’t have that one seven-foot monster with one eye in the middle of his head and smelly armpits – in the middle – that you have to worry about. But even their guys with size can go out on the court, Luke Walton, (Rick) Anderson (Arizona forward) and those guys can really go out and do some things. the big kid, Channing (Frye), he’s just gotten better and better and better. And then you have Jason (Gardner), and (Salim) Stoudamire and Hassan (Adams) coming off the bench and (Dennis) Latimore up front. I think it’s there team. You don’t have to play against Shaq, they don’t have that quality even though their inside play is really good. They’re such a good team that there’s not one thing that you can focus on.”
On getting the team ready to play against Arizona: “We go on the court today, we don’t say anything else about Colorado. That’s over with. I came in the lockerroom the other night. I was mad after the game for probably the second or third time in 15 years. I told them I was mad. I told them I was disappointed. And again, that’s probably the second or third time in 15 years I’ve ever been that way after a game, because usually I think you’re smarter to wait and look at the tape because sometimes you are wrong and then the other thing is, I don’t want the kids to think I’m blaming them. But I was really ticked the other night and they were able to get that message yesterday pretty well in practice. But today when we go out there, we’re going to focus on Arizona. There won’t be anything else said about Colorado. They know it. We’ve got an intelligent group of kids. We pointed out a lot of mistakes yesterday. We watched tape for an hour after practice yesterday. So they all have that in their minds. They know that we have to focus now on Arizona and they know we have to be very diligent in everything we do. And if we do that, then we’ll be fine. And when I say, ‘Be fine,’ we still may not win. But if you don’t do that, you have no chance. I was really ticked after North Carolina also. And I was really encouraged after Oregon. So, I think that even in those scenarios, we start working for the next game and put that all behind us.”
On sophomore guard Aaron Miles: “I think he’s the only player on our squad that they tried to recruit and we tried to recruit Jason (Gardner), Dennis (Latimore), Hassan (Adams), Andre (Iguodala) and even Chris Rodgers to a little extent – so it was five-to-one. Aaron has been very good for us. Especially when he understands just to be Aaron Miles. Now, we need him to make a couple of shots. We don’t need him to go 0-for-7 or 1-for-11, that’s been two bad days for him. But at the same time, he understands what we’re trying to do, he’s really good on the defensive end of the floor, his assist-error ratio was sensational last year and I probably set him up for some bad thoughts because I say that biggest jump is usually during your freshman-sophomore year. But it’s almost impossible to have a better assist-error ratio than he had as a freshman. He’s done some nice things for us and I think that he’ll continue doing that. He was a really, really important recruit for us and he’s halfway through his sophomore year and he’s already in the top ten in Kansas history in assists.”
On KU/Arizona recruiting battles: “I don’t recruit against other people. I try to promote our program and say what we have and try to put that in a positive light. You should never say never, but I can almost say that I never recruit against another program. I just always try to say what we have. And if I were to decide to try and bring out the negatives in somebody else’s program, it would take me a long time to figure out a negative about Lute Olson.”
On the keys to winning against Arizona: “We’ve got to play the total game. Again, we’re not playing Alvamar Tech, folks. You can just say, ‘Well, if we get 17 rebounds we….We’ve got to play our ass off and we’ve got to do it for forty minutes. You can talk about all those cliches, but that’s the frickin’ truth. Whether you guys want some miracle answer or not, we’ve got to play it. And we’ve got to play it the first minute, the seventeenth minute, the thirty-fourth minute and the fortieth minute.”
On if he has a certain way of dealing with off-court problems with his players: “Well first of all, it’s very easy to get on the front page of the paper. Just do something stupid. If I do something stupid with all of you guys, guess who’s name is going to end up on the front page of the paper? First of all, we try to counsel them and say, ‘It’s easy to be on the front page of the paper, just do something stupid.’ Then we try to say, ‘If something looks like it’s stupid, get the heck out of there.’ And then, kids are still going to be kids. Kids are going to make mistakes. Every situation that I’ve ever had, I’ve tried to look into that situation individually. I’ve tried to see how much trouble a person had in the past, or how many mistakes he had made in the past. That tells me whether it’s habits or just something that happened. I don’t have a hard and fast rule. If a youngster had some problems in the past, that really bothers me if it comes up again. I don’t know if you’re talking about J.R. (Giddens)’s situation or not, but J.R.’s a great, great kid. I don’t think J.R. will ever make a mistake like that in his life. That’s the way that I’m approaching it with him.”
On comparisons of Arizona guard Jason Gardner: “His quickness would be (comparable to) T.J. Ford. He’s explosive, getting from point A to point B and going up and shooting that basketball in the hole. T.J.’s a distributor and Jason can distribute. Jason is a scorer and T.J. can score. Jason’s more of a scorer, T.J.’s more of a distributor. But he has that kind of acceleration with the ball that is hard to match. It puts a lot of pressure on you trying to run backwards as fast as he’s pushing it, and then at the same time, he can push it forward so fast, and pull up on a dime and shoot it so well. That’s a huge threat.”
