Everything Mike Woodson Said After Indiana's 69-58 Win Over UNC-Greensboro

Indiana coach Mike Woodson spoke to the media after the Hoosiers improved to 4-0 with the victory.

Todd Golden | Nov 21, 2024

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson gestures during the second half against the UNC-Greensboro Spartans at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's men's basketball team moved to 4-0 on Thursday after the Hoosiers defeated UNC-Greensboro 69-58 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

Woodson was the only Indiana representative made available. No Indiana players spoke to the media.

Here's everything Mike Woodson had to say after the Indiana win:

On what Woodson feels good about with his team and what they'll need to do to be successful in the Battle 4 Atlantis next week ...

Woodson: It was competition tonight. That team came to play, we didn't. That's college basketball. If you're not (competing) - it's on me. I thought we came out with great intentions. We were up 19-3 when I started subbing, and that was after guys had played a deep seven, eight, nine minutes straight, and once they got rolling, we gave them hope, and they played a solid game all the way through.

We've got to go and clean this game up before I start thinking about the Bahamas. Louisville is the first game, but we've got to clean this game up and have a tough practice tomorrow, get ready for Louisville that way. But we've got to figure out this game and all the things we did wrong and didn't do.

On the good and the bad of Indiana's offense ...

Woodson: Well, it's hard to say. Like you just mentioned, we've had some good moments, we've had some bad moments. Against really good teams, you're going to have to have a lot of good moments that out-weigh the bad moments if you're going to be a good team. And I think we can, but only time will tell. I've just got to keep working with this team to get them where I want them, but we're not there yet.

On whether the bad has outweighed the good so far ...

Woodson: No, I didn't say that. I'm very pleased. Seeing where we started when we first got together this summer to where we are today, it's been a lot of progress, without a doubt. But again, we have a long way to go, man.

My whole theme has always been we take it a practice at a time and a game at a time and see where it leads us, man. But tonight, I've got to give this Greensboro team a lot of credit. They played - I thought they played harder than we did. We didn't play hard, and that's unacceptable. That's on me.

On whether Myles Rice's highs equate to Woodson being harder on him ...

Woodson: Man, look, I just coach. If he's in the way sometimes not doing what he's supposed to do, then I'm tough on him. That's just coaching. I love all the players on my team. But I've got to coach them, too.

On Bryson Tucker and the lift he gave the Hoosiers ...

Woodson: Well, again, I had to go somewhere. We struggled a little bit off the bench. Gallo (Trey Galloway was a little bit slow tonight, and I've just got to be careful with Gallo. He's going to have some moments where he looks -- because he hasn't played.

Tucker came in, and he shined for a freshman. He looked -- you've seen him play since he's been here. He's a guy that can help us. I leaned on him tonight, and he came through and did some positive things.

But we're going to need not just Tucker coming off the bench, we're going to need other guys coming off making basketball plays, winning plays to help us win.

On Mackenzie Mgbako and getting more shots up ...

Woodson: Well, when I look at the stat sheet, he was second on the team in shots attempted. He shot 11 times. I mean, we've got a lot of guys that can make shots, I think. If we didn't prove it tonight going 5 for 19 from the three. Myles was the next guy who had 14 shots. Make your shots. That's how I look at it. What do you want me to give him 20 more? Really, he was second on the team in shots attempted tonight. Had a slow night. He won't always be that way. We've seen good play out of Mackenzie and we'll continue to see that, I'm sure.

On Myles Rice as a dual passing and scoring threat ...

Woodson: Well, that's what he's supposed to do. That's what we brought him here for. But as a team we had 16 assists. That's awful. I mean, it's awful. With this team, we should average between 20 and 30 assists. So the play tonight, the way we played offensively tonight was selfish as hell, to me, and that's something that just can't be because we have enough guys on this team that can make basketball plays. We've just got to be unselfish and sacrifice the ball for the sake of the team and good things will happen. The ball will end up in the right guys' hands.

On trusting Bryson Tucker in key situations ...

Woodson: Well, again, he's still learning. He has a ways to go. But he just has a nice feel for the game.

I have no problems in playing Tuck in critical times. I think he can make basketball plays to help you win. But like I mentioned earlier, we need more than just Tuck. Galloway coming off, Goode coming off, when LT plays he's got to make plays for us. We've got to have -- I can't play that first unit 40 minutes. I don't want to do that right now.

On why the pace wasn't pushed as much offensively tonight ...

Woodson: No, I wanted to, but you saw how we threw the ball in the half-court setting all over the place. We made some passes tonight that had no chance of being completed. These are things that we can all work to get better. I've got to just push us in that direction to get better.

On getting Luke Goode open shots on the perimeter ...

Woodson: Well, let's see, Goode tonight, he was 1 for 3, and I think all of thighs shots were open. He's going to get some good looks. He's gotten some since he's been here. I've just got to get him comfortable and he'll start making them.

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