Quotables
Head Coach Randy Bennett
On what he made of the energy and execution from the outset
“Yeah, it was nice. We did a good job defensively in the first half and half of the second half, maybe 12 minutes of the second half. Our guys at the end played good. But it's good to get separation. We got separation against New Mexico. We let them back in the game. So I think they're little steps we're making. One of them is learning how to do that if you get a lead, be able to stretch the lead and stretch the lead and just never have a run where they cut it and make it close. The other thing is we were able to play all of the 11 guys we had that could play and I thought they all made positive contributions. They have to get better, but for us to get better and our bench to get better, we have to get in situations where they get to play in games. You can only do so much in practice that you need game reps. And so I was happy about that. Guys got pretty good minutes. Most of them, and everybody scored. (F) Ajak (Nyuon) didn't get a shot, but the rest of them scored. So I felt really good about that.”
On what was working for Paulis Murauskus tonight
“Getting to the basket. They're playing him straight up, and he's a tough cover straight up. So, usually they've been bringing help on him. Tonight, they really didn't. They just let him straight up man, and he scored, he scored. But he's good enough that you can't do that with him because he'll score enough. Like 30s, you get a guy getting 30, he's doing damage to your team.”
On how he feels recruiting is going and what his philosophy is on that
“I think we're having success with recruiting, and so I feel good on what I think will happen in the early signing period this week. I think we'll get good players. There's too much to sell here and they want to be good here. We have a good fan base. All that stuff's going to get better as we develop our players and as we continue to add good players, and we continue to have retention of our players. I've said it. I'll say it again. Everything's here that we need. Administration, the whole deal. There's sharp people around here. Even I think this place is great. Like I think it's a cool place to play. I know everybody says, “yeah, but...” I don't say “yeah, but…” It's a good place to play. We just have to keep building. Keep winning the games we're supposed to win, and I think those seats will get more and more full.”
On if there are any difficult decisions with the philosophy of roster construction when being at a Big 12 school for the first time
“Yes, for 362 coaches in the country. The game's changed. It's a new card game. All of a sudden it made jacks wild. So I mean you just have to adjust, right? And that's why I always say that you have to adapt and make good decisions and that's what we have to do. Do you take fresh? Do you take kids out of high school anymore or do you just wait for the portal? So you have to think through that whole thing. I think for us we for sure do. We get the good young ones and they won't be like the good fifth year guys right away, but eventually, probably by the end of the year they will. And that's what I'm thinking, everybody's going to make their own decisions. People are in different positions, leagues, their job security, all of that stuff, but I think for Arizona State, I think it's a destination school. I think it's a program where you can get good ones. I think if it's reasonable, they'll stay. So we'll see maybe in four years I'm wrong, but I'm going with it.”
Senior G Bryce Ford
On feeling and playing 100% again
"It feels great. Just knowing that I'm back and my hip is 100%. No more nagging or none of that. It's great. I can go out there and do what I love to do, and that's play basketball. I got back way earlier than they expected. I was supposed to get back around like a month and a half ago, two months, but I almost practiced the whole summer, so everything just went great.
On the biggest differences on the style of play and coaching
“Definitely the emphasis on defense and rebounding, as boxing out is a big key point of this program. And if you don't box out, you won't play. And then, yeah, just defense, plugging the gaps, and just doing the little things on defense is definitely one big emphasis that I'd say it's different from last year. It feels great just knowing that the coaches have our back and they want us to get better, and they pinpoint the little things in the game in your game, which will make you much better as a player.
Senior F Paulis Murauskus
On the offensive performance improvement from the home opener
“I think we just played generally better, for longer minutes. We didn't start the second half good, but I think we just kept our composure, and we just wanted to all play good for 40 minutes. Rebounding was better today, especially in the beginning. Dillan (Shaw) did a really good job. He finished with 12 rebounds. Then Filip (Malesevic) did a really good job. I will step up with the boards, and they're going to be really good there as well.
On the major difference from home opener and the atmosphere
“The first game is always kind of anxiety and all that. New place, new teammates, everything is new, the new arena as well. We haven't really practiced here much, maybe four practices in DFA (Desert Financial Arena), around that. Just everything is kind of new. I just want more people to come, more fans, and we're gonna flip this thing and make this place great again.”
