Here's What Mike Woodson Said Following Indiana's Third Straight Loss of the Season
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Indiana dropped its third game in a row this season to the Michigan State Spartans on the road. Hoosiers head coach Mike Woodson had plenty to say following the loss in a post game press conference.
Indiana now holds a 2-6 away game record after the 76-61 defeat. Read Woodson's full transcript, or just watch the attached video.
Q: On shooting...
WOODSON: We're not shooting the ball very well right now. You look at the three ball. We shot terribly in that category, and free throws — we didn't make free throws. If you just make your free throws, you're in the ball game. It's a game.
They made their free throws, and we didn't. That was a big part of it. I thought when we started the second half, we came out ready to play, and we ended up going on that 8-0 run to take the lead, and then we couldn't sustain it.
Q: On the officials...
WOODSON: I'm not going to go there with you. Listen, you watched the same game I did. It's what it is.
Q: On the pick and roll...
WOODSON: That was a major breakdown as far as our pick and roll coverage. I mean normally we've been pretty good at guarding the ball and really taking care of our assignments in the pick and roll, and they had their way tonight, so we got to go back, watch this tape, break it down and regroup.
Wisconsin, they run a bunch of ball screens as well, and we've been pretty good in that category, but tonight we were awful. Just awful.
Q: On penalties...
WOODSON: Just couldn't make shots, and I thought we got in the penalty, we just took bad shots. I think when you're in the penalty, you got to milk possessions and get the ball inside.
I thought the shot...took in Parker not even exploring it inside was two huge bad shots that they came in and capitalized on, so we never really got a chance to take advantage of the penalty until late when it was too late really.
Q: More on shooting...
WOODSON: We practice a lot shooting in basketball, and I just got to get them comfortable and feeling good about themselves to make them. Some of those shots were good shots.
Northwestern was the same way. You get wide open looks, and we're just not making them, and there's no excuse for free throws. We just got to be better in that area.
Q: On getting a technical...
WOODSON: Well, I got to be a little more calmer I think. No, really I do. This is the first time I've gotten a technical, and I said I was going to go the season without getting one but sometimes things change.
No, I got to be a little more calmer, and maybe they'll be a little more calmer and a little more competitive.
Q: On getting in foul trouble...
WOODSON: They had us in foul trouble early where I had to go to the bench early, and it kind of takes some of the pressure that we like to apply away because guys are scared to touch guys in fear that they might get their third and fourth foul, and I thought when we started the second half, you know we got to put that to the side, and we're back playing aggressive and then X, he picked up a couple more, and I mean you have to sit him down.
The fouls took our ability to be aggressive, and that's something we've had to witness a whole lot this season so far.
Q: On Parker Stewart and Trey Galloway...
WOODSON: They both struggled. I got to find a balance there somehow as we continue this journey. We can still control our own destiny. I feel good about that, but I got to go back and regroup and get them ready for Wisconsin.
Q: On Trey getting the start...
WOODSON: Well I thought the other night, he pushed me to do this tonight, and I don't know if it worked out or not in our favor cause he didn't have much to give.
He tried, but he just couldn't run it like I wanted him to, and a lot of those with the second unit as well as having Trayce and Race in because they played a lot of minutes, so it wouldn't have been no different than the other night. It just didn't happen tonight.
Q: On cutting...
WOODSON: Well if you are really in tune to post up play in college basketball or even in the NBA — they can just sit their defense in college. You can cut guys and move them around, but I think we're better and stationary and putting guys in spots where they can possibly — Trayce being double teamed and the ball coming out, and they'll be able to make shots.
Even if you cut guys, you notice tonight, we did cut. They just stay but let the cutter go so you can't make them disappear on the floor, you know what I mean? We've seen that all year.
There's been times where we have cut and the defense makes a mistake and we're able to drop passes off things of that nature, but they just basically zone up. Sometimes we've got to make quicker moves and get the ball out, and then we get the ball moved around, so those are some things we got to work on cause teams watch our games just like we watch other games. We got to get better in that area.
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