JAN. 20 ZOOM CONFERENCE
COACH BOBBY HURLEY TALKING ABOUT ARIZONA GAMES (JAN. 21 AND 25)
"Obviously this is a unique week for us just with the schedule adjustments and playing Arizona here on Thursday and playing them again on Monday. That's definitely a different scenario, but probably one that was necessary just with the postponements and again, leaving that that final week available to try and get additional games in. Outside of that we're starting to get healthier as a team where we're starting to get in a better routine with our practice, and with our training. We had Jalen Graham back yesterday and individual skill workout with coach Burno and then he'll get an opportunity to practice some today and then we’re hopeful, if he looks good that that he would be available Thursday, which would obviously be a big boost for us."
(General excitement and enthusiasm around playing the rival and how is the team responding and kind of that legacy of playing Wildcats)
"Well yeah, I mean it's a different feel always and you should have a few more knots in your stomach. You should be a little more edgy there should be a little more “chippiness” today at practice that's what I’m hoping and that that would alert me that the guys understand the magnitude of the game and like it always is you know every year. It will be different with no fans, but certainly it doesn't change the importance of it for both schools and so we're just so excited to have an opportunity to play.
(After the Oregon state game Alonzo Verge had said that he felt that the performance was the first step towards the team getting to where you guys really want it to be. I’m curious as you enter this stretch of back-to-back rivalry games, what are the things that you think remain before you guys are really at that level that you're trying to get to as a whole.)
"Well, we have to solidify our front court and we got to get healthier and Jalen Graham is a step in the right direction with regards to that especially what Arizona brings to the table with their front line and how good they've been in the paint and how good they've been as a rebounding team this year. So certainly, we're going to need you know need to get those guys performing at a good level and making sure that we're all committing to protecting the lane and rebounding the basketball those you're going to be major priorities in this game. But I think that ‘Zo is probably right I’m getting instincts they're telling me that we're playing better basketball, I think. I watched Oregon State play USC yesterday, so when you see something like that happen really quickly after we just played them, and USC had won six straight games and Oregon State knock them off yesterday so were we just brutal or is Oregon state getting better? I think it's probably more that they're playing really well right now and we might have run into them at the wrong time this season. Because I thought we did a lot of things that would equate to winning against Oregon state, and so I think we are on the right track, and we got to continue to do it. Continue to do the things we've been doing to give ourselves chances to win and hopefully it'll turn for us but, when you are losing man you sit, and you wonder if you're ever going to win again. That's the feeling in my in my stomach right now it's just not something that sits well with any of us and we hate to lose and we're all competitors and we're in pain right now and we got to figure out a way to get out of it.
(Coach obviously New Year new team, and you got to take it one game, at a time, but is there any indications you're seeing that maybe your team is ready to go on a run maybe similar to last year, when you won seven straight?
"Well, I just think our offense really came around the last game, our efficiency and our numbers were very good outside of the three-point line, and we've been spending more time shooting and practice and focusing on that. I think how we attack the paint was very good against Oregon state we won that by a substantial margin, just got to clean up some little things like we got split on a post trap, in the first half and left Lucas open for three. We allowed their big to spin baseline out of a trap to start the second half, and they scored. When you’re getting trapped and you never let the guy spin baseline out of it so they're just little subtle breakdowns. Fouling three-point shooters can't do that, so we were trying to eliminate those things, and if we can, I think we will be closer to find in the results were looking for.
(I just wanted to see if there's any updates regarding the postponed games for rescheduling?)
"Nothing at the moment and again the Pac-12 and our sports administrators are all working on that, so we'll see where that goes, but I have no new nothing new to tell you about that right now."
(I know this Arizona team looks really different with having three one and dones no longer on the roster, but do you notice it's just the same scheme different players or do you think their roster makeup has caused this version of this Aizona team to look maybe much different than the last year or two?)
"Well, I mean they got great size and you talk about Jordan Brown, (Ažuolas) Tubelis, Ira Lee, they just got, a really good deep front court that that could rebound and score in the paint. (James) Akinjo is a guy that's been a veteran guard that's done a great job for them, and you know you mentioned programs that have high level freshmen, you better put Arizona in that conversation with the way Tubelis and (Benedict) Mathurin have been playing and Dalen Terry. They have some really nice pieces as freshmen, in addition to a veteran front court.
(It was exactly a year ago that you were 1-3 to start the Pac-12, a few questions on that, are there any parallels that you see, even though this is a totally new group, have you talked about that, with the team, and is there anything that you take from that that can maybe help you guys this year?)
"I mean, I mentioned the irony of it, but there's no guarantees that that this year will be like last year in that regard. We have to continue to do what we've been doing the last three games to give ourselves chances to win and then I am a believer that when a particular group of people learn how to win and break through that, there is a chance that you just figure out how to win these things down the stretch and they could come in bunches. But we got to be able to break through and we haven't been able to do that the last three games, even though we've been in these games, inside the last four minutes, with a chance to win all three of them.
(We talked a lot about Marcus’ shooting leading up to the season and his athletic ability, but is there any part of his game that you've seen so far that maybe you didn't expect this early from him?)
"He's such a fluid smooth offensive player, but I think more of what I’m learning is just what a winner he is, and the guy really stepped up and made big shots late in that game. You know Ethan Thompson got Josh [Christopher] in a little bit of foul trouble because we wanted to go big with Josh on Thompson to avoid the post stop situation and when Josh was in foul trouble we went to Marcus and Marcus did a great job on him now probably hurt some with the rebounding because he's probably away from the basket more than we needed him to be but he'll do whatever we need him to do to try and win basketball games and so that's what I’m noticing just doing the little things that are netting the charges and all the things that you don't usually see a five star player, especially as a freshman so early in his career have the willingness to want to do to take that responsibility."
(Is there any sort of update on Taeshon right now?)
"Taeshon is still in a similar position that he was the last time we spoke about him and he's just going to take some time away and get in a better space and we're supportive of that and we didn't anticipate that was going to be one week. I’ll let you guys know more as I have more information on when he might think about returning if he's going to consider returning this year."
(Obviously, your team getting some players back that you know were key to your team’s success, and in some instrumental victories like Remy and Graham back on the team will obviously help going forward but is there anything that you think needs to change in your teams play going forward for the team to get some wins under their belt in the conference and gain momentum going forward?)
"Yeah, it was terrific to have Remy back. I didn't even realize he hadn't played a game in a month; I mean that's how crazy things have been here. Just dealing with so many things on a day-to-day basis you don't even realize that hey this guy hasn't been out here in a month. So, getting him back was a plus, I think we have to shoot the three-better overall, again you look at our last three games and our opponent has made like three or four more three-point shots than we have, and our percentages have not been great. We got to figure out how to how to make some open shots and close that gap a little bit because we are playing a number of small guys even Marcus. Marcus is a big wing man he's not a four man so we're playing a lot of perimeter players, so we got to shoot it a little better, and because we are scrapping right now. We're showing more resiliency, we're battling harder on defense and in the paint. Now we just got to add a little more efficiency to how we shoot the basketball."
(I’m curious, since you got here, what have you learned about this rivalry and how much do you enjoy coaching in this game against Arizona? And then I don't know if you saw it earlier in the season, but I believe there was a cutout of you at the McKale Center I mean it just goes to speak on how serious some fans kind of take this rivalry.)
"Yeah, it's heated and I’ve said it might lack the overall tradition of two programs like Duke and [North] Carolina just and what they've accomplished over decades and decades of play, but you understand the importance of it. You feel the tension, and it's a different vibe this week I could tell the guys that have been in these matchups and Remy and Kimani are 3-3 in their career versus Arizona which I’m not sure how know many guys that have played here for four years have been. So, I think there's a lot on the line for those guys and their legacy at Arizona state and an opportunity to possibly have a winning record verse Arizona in four years. Maybe Doug can send you that info out to see how many guys at Arizona State have had a winning record in four years verse Arizona. There’s a lot to play for, I've been saying this before Oregon State our season is at a critical juncture and it's no different right now, so much to play for tomorrow."
(You've alluded to some of this and of course everybody's had interruptions in this crazy season, but it seems like with you guys -- do you feel like you've ever been kind of at full strength with things are normal as it been like a constant battle, or where you know you're looking over your shoulder and so or so is missing you know kind of kind of what's the big picture, what it’s been like for you?
"I do feel like we've got to be in one of the tiers that have had gotten the worst of it. Now I don't know what other schools, you can throw into that because of what’s happening nationally that teams are going into the pauses and they're losing players, but we, you know it started at Cal for us that was our first taste of it to be on the road and to not know who's going to be available to coach and which players will be available to play the day of the game and going to play it and I don't have my associate head coach and don’t have Alonzo Verge he was contact traced, so he was out and then it went to Bagley being out for an injury for a few weeks, and then Remy with the unfortunate family situation when his grandfather. Then the pause so we've had a lot, and then Jalen Graham with mono. So, there's been a list of things that have happened to us that really typically haven't happened here in the past. We just try to make the best of it no matter if you have Remy Martin and a few guys that have played together still trying to incorporate new guys and get them to play together is something that you know you need time to build and develop and not sure we always had exactly enough time to do all that."
(I just wonder about Remy too and looking back on that Oregon State game when he came back, do you think he was maybe forcing it a little bit or overanxious to be back when the shooting was off that game, and you know I don't know, do you feel like he's back to normal, maybe a little bit more now?)
"I thought he did a good job defensively he had a couple steals, he made us four big free throws down the stretch. He had eight assists no turnovers, so he did like a lot of things well he just I think was 0-8 from the three. I think some of them were good looks, we're trying to get him to be more aggressive and so I want him taking a lot of those shots, so I don't have a problem where he's made so many big ones here, I’m good with it."
(I know you said business as usual but is there anything special or different that you say going into this game or before the directly before the game. I guess I’m asking if you have a new Knute Rockne speech in your back pocket that you're waiting to pull out?)
"Look, you need to you need to break those out for some of the lower tier opponents that you're going to face if your guys aren't motivated and enthusiastic for this opportunity to play a program like Arizona then you're in the wrong business. I think it's going to be can I get them to just relax and play like they're ready to play they're excited to play. They want to play hard and compete I just don't want them to be tense. I don't want to be trying to do too much. I want them to relax. So, if anything, I’m just trying to chill them out more than amp them up."
(Maybe having those players ready to play in two back-to-back games against Arizona, and then Verge talking about maybe being close to where you guys want to be, do you see these two games it's like a possible turning point for your season, with the team ready to play and possible good results?)
"I think where we are and you know what our record is, what the adversities we've been through, the close losses, we got to figure out a way to win and we are running out of time, so certainly, this is a very, very critical game on Thursday."
COACH BOBBY HURLEY TALKING ABOUT ARIZONA GAMES (JAN. 21 AND 25)
"Obviously this is a unique week for us just with the schedule adjustments and playing Arizona here on Thursday and playing them again on Monday. That's definitely a different scenario, but probably one that was necessary just with the postponements and again, leaving that that final week available to try and get additional games in. Outside of that we're starting to get healthier as a team where we're starting to get in a better routine with our practice, and with our training. We had Jalen Graham back yesterday and individual skill workout with coach Burno and then he'll get an opportunity to practice some today and then we’re hopeful, if he looks good that that he would be available Thursday, which would obviously be a big boost for us."
(General excitement and enthusiasm around playing the rival and how is the team responding and kind of that legacy of playing Wildcats)
"Well yeah, I mean it's a different feel always and you should have a few more knots in your stomach. You should be a little more edgy there should be a little more “chippiness” today at practice that's what I’m hoping and that that would alert me that the guys understand the magnitude of the game and like it always is you know every year. It will be different with no fans, but certainly it doesn't change the importance of it for both schools and so we're just so excited to have an opportunity to play.
(After the Oregon state game Alonzo Verge had said that he felt that the performance was the first step towards the team getting to where you guys really want it to be. I’m curious as you enter this stretch of back-to-back rivalry games, what are the things that you think remain before you guys are really at that level that you're trying to get to as a whole.)
"Well, we have to solidify our front court and we got to get healthier and Jalen Graham is a step in the right direction with regards to that especially what Arizona brings to the table with their front line and how good they've been in the paint and how good they've been as a rebounding team this year. So certainly, we're going to need you know need to get those guys performing at a good level and making sure that we're all committing to protecting the lane and rebounding the basketball those you're going to be major priorities in this game. But I think that ‘Zo is probably right I’m getting instincts they're telling me that we're playing better basketball, I think. I watched Oregon State play USC yesterday, so when you see something like that happen really quickly after we just played them, and USC had won six straight games and Oregon State knock them off yesterday so were we just brutal or is Oregon state getting better? I think it's probably more that they're playing really well right now and we might have run into them at the wrong time this season. Because I thought we did a lot of things that would equate to winning against Oregon state, and so I think we are on the right track, and we got to continue to do it. Continue to do the things we've been doing to give ourselves chances to win and hopefully it'll turn for us but, when you are losing man you sit, and you wonder if you're ever going to win again. That's the feeling in my in my stomach right now it's just not something that sits well with any of us and we hate to lose and we're all competitors and we're in pain right now and we got to figure out a way to get out of it.
(Coach obviously New Year new team, and you got to take it one game, at a time, but is there any indications you're seeing that maybe your team is ready to go on a run maybe similar to last year, when you won seven straight?
"Well, I just think our offense really came around the last game, our efficiency and our numbers were very good outside of the three-point line, and we've been spending more time shooting and practice and focusing on that. I think how we attack the paint was very good against Oregon state we won that by a substantial margin, just got to clean up some little things like we got split on a post trap, in the first half and left Lucas open for three. We allowed their big to spin baseline out of a trap to start the second half, and they scored. When you’re getting trapped and you never let the guy spin baseline out of it so they're just little subtle breakdowns. Fouling three-point shooters can't do that, so we were trying to eliminate those things, and if we can, I think we will be closer to find in the results were looking for.
(I just wanted to see if there's any updates regarding the postponed games for rescheduling?)
"Nothing at the moment and again the Pac-12 and our sports administrators are all working on that, so we'll see where that goes, but I have no new nothing new to tell you about that right now."
(I know this Arizona team looks really different with having three one and dones no longer on the roster, but do you notice it's just the same scheme different players or do you think their roster makeup has caused this version of this Aizona team to look maybe much different than the last year or two?)
"Well, I mean they got great size and you talk about Jordan Brown, (Ažuolas) Tubelis, Ira Lee, they just got, a really good deep front court that that could rebound and score in the paint. (James) Akinjo is a guy that's been a veteran guard that's done a great job for them, and you know you mentioned programs that have high level freshmen, you better put Arizona in that conversation with the way Tubelis and (Benedict) Mathurin have been playing and Dalen Terry. They have some really nice pieces as freshmen, in addition to a veteran front court.
(It was exactly a year ago that you were 1-3 to start the Pac-12, a few questions on that, are there any parallels that you see, even though this is a totally new group, have you talked about that, with the team, and is there anything that you take from that that can maybe help you guys this year?)
"I mean, I mentioned the irony of it, but there's no guarantees that that this year will be like last year in that regard. We have to continue to do what we've been doing the last three games to give ourselves chances to win and then I am a believer that when a particular group of people learn how to win and break through that, there is a chance that you just figure out how to win these things down the stretch and they could come in bunches. But we got to be able to break through and we haven't been able to do that the last three games, even though we've been in these games, inside the last four minutes, with a chance to win all three of them.
(We talked a lot about Marcus’ shooting leading up to the season and his athletic ability, but is there any part of his game that you've seen so far that maybe you didn't expect this early from him?)
"He's such a fluid smooth offensive player, but I think more of what I’m learning is just what a winner he is, and the guy really stepped up and made big shots late in that game. You know Ethan Thompson got Josh [Christopher] in a little bit of foul trouble because we wanted to go big with Josh on Thompson to avoid the post stop situation and when Josh was in foul trouble we went to Marcus and Marcus did a great job on him now probably hurt some with the rebounding because he's probably away from the basket more than we needed him to be but he'll do whatever we need him to do to try and win basketball games and so that's what I’m noticing just doing the little things that are netting the charges and all the things that you don't usually see a five star player, especially as a freshman so early in his career have the willingness to want to do to take that responsibility."
(Is there any sort of update on Taeshon right now?)
"Taeshon is still in a similar position that he was the last time we spoke about him and he's just going to take some time away and get in a better space and we're supportive of that and we didn't anticipate that was going to be one week. I’ll let you guys know more as I have more information on when he might think about returning if he's going to consider returning this year."
(Obviously, your team getting some players back that you know were key to your team’s success, and in some instrumental victories like Remy and Graham back on the team will obviously help going forward but is there anything that you think needs to change in your teams play going forward for the team to get some wins under their belt in the conference and gain momentum going forward?)
"Yeah, it was terrific to have Remy back. I didn't even realize he hadn't played a game in a month; I mean that's how crazy things have been here. Just dealing with so many things on a day-to-day basis you don't even realize that hey this guy hasn't been out here in a month. So, getting him back was a plus, I think we have to shoot the three-better overall, again you look at our last three games and our opponent has made like three or four more three-point shots than we have, and our percentages have not been great. We got to figure out how to how to make some open shots and close that gap a little bit because we are playing a number of small guys even Marcus. Marcus is a big wing man he's not a four man so we're playing a lot of perimeter players, so we got to shoot it a little better, and because we are scrapping right now. We're showing more resiliency, we're battling harder on defense and in the paint. Now we just got to add a little more efficiency to how we shoot the basketball."
(I’m curious, since you got here, what have you learned about this rivalry and how much do you enjoy coaching in this game against Arizona? And then I don't know if you saw it earlier in the season, but I believe there was a cutout of you at the McKale Center I mean it just goes to speak on how serious some fans kind of take this rivalry.)
"Yeah, it's heated and I’ve said it might lack the overall tradition of two programs like Duke and [North] Carolina just and what they've accomplished over decades and decades of play, but you understand the importance of it. You feel the tension, and it's a different vibe this week I could tell the guys that have been in these matchups and Remy and Kimani are 3-3 in their career versus Arizona which I’m not sure how know many guys that have played here for four years have been. So, I think there's a lot on the line for those guys and their legacy at Arizona state and an opportunity to possibly have a winning record verse Arizona in four years. Maybe Doug can send you that info out to see how many guys at Arizona State have had a winning record in four years verse Arizona. There’s a lot to play for, I've been saying this before Oregon State our season is at a critical juncture and it's no different right now, so much to play for tomorrow."
(You've alluded to some of this and of course everybody's had interruptions in this crazy season, but it seems like with you guys -- do you feel like you've ever been kind of at full strength with things are normal as it been like a constant battle, or where you know you're looking over your shoulder and so or so is missing you know kind of kind of what's the big picture, what it’s been like for you?
"I do feel like we've got to be in one of the tiers that have had gotten the worst of it. Now I don't know what other schools, you can throw into that because of what’s happening nationally that teams are going into the pauses and they're losing players, but we, you know it started at Cal for us that was our first taste of it to be on the road and to not know who's going to be available to coach and which players will be available to play the day of the game and going to play it and I don't have my associate head coach and don’t have Alonzo Verge he was contact traced, so he was out and then it went to Bagley being out for an injury for a few weeks, and then Remy with the unfortunate family situation when his grandfather. Then the pause so we've had a lot, and then Jalen Graham with mono. So, there's been a list of things that have happened to us that really typically haven't happened here in the past. We just try to make the best of it no matter if you have Remy Martin and a few guys that have played together still trying to incorporate new guys and get them to play together is something that you know you need time to build and develop and not sure we always had exactly enough time to do all that."
(I just wonder about Remy too and looking back on that Oregon State game when he came back, do you think he was maybe forcing it a little bit or overanxious to be back when the shooting was off that game, and you know I don't know, do you feel like he's back to normal, maybe a little bit more now?)
"I thought he did a good job defensively he had a couple steals, he made us four big free throws down the stretch. He had eight assists no turnovers, so he did like a lot of things well he just I think was 0-8 from the three. I think some of them were good looks, we're trying to get him to be more aggressive and so I want him taking a lot of those shots, so I don't have a problem where he's made so many big ones here, I’m good with it."
(I know you said business as usual but is there anything special or different that you say going into this game or before the directly before the game. I guess I’m asking if you have a new Knute Rockne speech in your back pocket that you're waiting to pull out?)
"Look, you need to you need to break those out for some of the lower tier opponents that you're going to face if your guys aren't motivated and enthusiastic for this opportunity to play a program like Arizona then you're in the wrong business. I think it's going to be can I get them to just relax and play like they're ready to play they're excited to play. They want to play hard and compete I just don't want them to be tense. I don't want to be trying to do too much. I want them to relax. So, if anything, I’m just trying to chill them out more than amp them up."
(Maybe having those players ready to play in two back-to-back games against Arizona, and then Verge talking about maybe being close to where you guys want to be, do you see these two games it's like a possible turning point for your season, with the team ready to play and possible good results?)
"I think where we are and you know what our record is, what the adversities we've been through, the close losses, we got to figure out a way to win and we are running out of time, so certainly, this is a very, very critical game on Thursday."