Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech vs. North Texas
November 16, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Recap | Final Stats | Notes
Red Raiders vs. North Texas
November 13, 2011
Head Coach Johnny Jones
Opening statement
"That was a hard fought basketball game, which was to be expected, with a Coach Gillispie coached team that's what you're going to get. It was important for us to get off to a great start, in the game on the defensive side of the floor I thought they did a great job of controlling the tempo early, running the shot clock down and not only running the shot clock down but getting good shots and making plays. I think they shot about 51 percent in the first-half and got six offensive rebounds. We didn't do a good job of limiting them to one shot, but I thought we did a better job of that in the second-half, rebounding the ball and forcing them to shoot a lower percentage at 36 percent but we didn't execute at a higher level but stayed right there in the game, but credit to them they made the plays they needed to down the stretch, they made their free throws and ended up winning."
On Tech's ability to make free throws at the end of the game
"They did a great job of knocking free-throw down a couple of times we had them in a trap situation and thought we were going to come up with some turnovers and it didn't they got back to the free-throw line and made some plays, especially right there at the end, it was a one point game and we get a trap set and wind up getting a foul called and they go to the foul line and end up making two free throws, which was big for them and we don't come back, we didn't recover at that time and it was under a minute."
On what helped them come back from a double-digit deficit
"Our pressure, pressing them, they've turned the ball over a little bit and they'll get better at it but I thought we were able to get them to turn it over and get back and score and execute and get back into the game and even get to the free-throw line and unfortunately we didn't execute at the free-throw line as well as they did, especially late there when we had an opportunity and missed the front end of a one-in-one to put us in a better position."
Texas Tech Player Quotes
On how it feels to be playing again
"It feels great all the practice and hard work is finally paying off and I'm finally getting to show it on the court."
On the difference from last year's team to this year's team
"We were experienced last year and we are inexperienced this, but there isn't that much difference we just went out and played hard because we work hard so that makes up for the inexperience that we have on our team."
On having four different leading scores through the first four games
"We don't really focus too much on scoring we have a team full of scores, everybody can score, we worry about who's going to defend and that's who's going to play."
Toddrick Gotcher
On Tech making their free throws
"In practice we don't even shoot free throws and Coach always says we are supposed to be mental tough but we during the shooting some shots fall and some shots don't but we found a way to win."
Head Coach Billy Gillispie
Opening Statement
"This is going to be a lot of fun, a lot of fun before we are all said and done. It was a lot of fun in there tonight and pulling teethe again but we are taking baby steps and I want to thank everybody for coming and watching us turn it over, but they found a way to win, they scrapped they clawed and when they really start to understand how I want them to play and they take on the personality of their coach, which is mean and nasty, and they're getting there everyday in practice, they are getting a lot better everyday whether you can see it or not, I see it every single day but this is going to be a lot of fun here and we are going to do a lot of special things. I don't know when it's going to happen but it's going to be a lot of fun here. There were great fans here tonight, I think we had 8,600 people out here tonight, a great student turn out and everybody made a big difference at the end of the game and I hope they had as much fun as our players and our coaching staff did, but it's going to be some kind of fun before it's all said and done and I think its going to happen a little sooner rather than later."
On Robert Lewandowski
"He was awesome. He's the kind of guy we need and he hasn't played that well so far, but he's trying to coach and taking on the responsibility of a great leader and trying to figure out no matter how natural it feels to him to figure out what is best for his team, and I have so much admiration for a guy like that, and for him not to have better numbers in the first two exhibition games and the first game, people sometimes read the headlines and think a guy isn't playing that well but he means so much for us to be on the court and tonight we were able to get the ball into him early in the game but we didn't stay consistent with it but he was fantastic and he was by far the most dominate player in the game, and he got us out to a good lead and we never really gave it up. He was great."
On having multiple players able to score
"I don't know what's going to happen with our guys but we are taking baby steps and like I said before the best is yet to come but it's going to be good when it gets here. I don't know if it will be this year or on Sunday, I don't know when it's going to be but everybody had to bring their hard hat every single day, I have know idea what is going to happen during practice, but we have some youth and we have some talented guys, we have very little experience but our little experience was great tonight, Lewandowski was great, Bean made a big free throw at the end to put the game out of reach for them and then Jaye (Crockett) was great, I mean he's out of shape and he's still hobbled a little bit with his knee but he got nine big defensive rebounds and played 33 minutes. I have know idea what's going to happen Deshon (Minnis) can play better, Ty Nurse can play better, Wagner can play better but he was a little gassed after a few minutes, Tolbert can definitely play better, Gotcher was awesome for a freshman he's as solid as they come and Jaron Nash, we need him to play, and Petteway had some good plays for us at the end but didn't play for us during the first-half but he came through, so I don't know what's going to happen with our team, I really don't, I know we are getting better I know they are working hard and they are starting to understand all the little things that really do matter but that's why it's fun to coach a team because they are starting to understand you don't expect 10 new guys to understand much, no disrespect to where they have been, it's just a different level. I don't know what's going to happen with this team but I do know this they are going to come to work everyday with a good attitude and they're going to try and get better."
