Indiana Basketball Coach Mike Woodson Comments on 81-65 Win Over Nebraska

Indiana basketball defeated Nebraska 81-65 on Wednesday at Assembly Hall to move to 8-1 on the season. Here's the full transcript of coach Mike Woodson's postgame press conference with video attached.
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The No. 14 Indiana Hoosiers led from start to finish, defeating Nebraska 81-65 on Wednesday night at Assembly Hall.

Here's the full transcript of coach Mike Woodson's postgame press conference.

On Trayce Jackson-Davis' triple-double...

Woodson: I never once addressed it at all. It's a part of our game. When I took this job a year and a half ago and sat down with Trayce and watched him on film and critiqued his game, there's not a lot he can't do. No, he's not shooting jump shots. I get all of that. But he's shown in practice he can make them. He's just got to shoot them in the game. But he's skilled enough to do the things that he's doing on the floor, and the fact that he's been double- and triple-teamed, he's got to sacrifice the ball. There's nowhere to go with the ball but to get it out and try to find open shooters. Tonight we were really good in that area, and we made shots tonight. Life is pretty damn good when you can make shots when your best player is being double-teamed.

On Indiana's response to Nebraska's defense...

Woodson: Well, we knew about it coming into the game. We watched enough tape on Nebraska, and everybody is going to start playing more zones and double-teaming him. Hey, there's nothing you can do about that. You've just got to make sure that the spacing is correct, guys are cutting properly, and the ball has got to come out. It just can't stick. I thought tonight we got the ball moved around and guys had some good looks, and they knocked them down.

On if there was a greater emphasis on ball movement tonight compared to the Rutgers game...

Woodson: Did you chart that game?

Reporter: I did not. No.

Woodson: You didn't. Well let me help you out here. We had nine wide-open shots that game, two missed layups to go with those nine missed shots. So there were good looks. We just didn't make them.

On Indiana's improved rebounding against Nebraska compared to the Rutgers game...

Woodson: Well, a lot of it had to do with the two days we had to practice. We went back to our basics in terms of block-out rebounding drills and to try to get their attention in that way, and then to let them know that rebounding is a big part of the basketball game. My whole theme has always been, hell, if you play defense tough and you rebound the ball, that's the reward. Now you can go down and play offense and have fun. I mean, that's the whole beauty about defending and rebounding. We lacked in that area at Rutgers. Tonight we were a lot better.

On Miller Kopp scoring off the bounce..

Woodson: He's worked at it. Every day we do ball handling drills and we do drills where you've got to make plays off the bounce. He's starting to get better at it, which is kind of nice to see. Means the work that he's put in is working for him and working for our ballclub.

On Trey Galloway's performance...

Woodson: Well, the good thing is getting him back healthy, because he works. I have no problems with that kid. He works his butt off on the floor. In practice he gives you effort. It spills over in the game. Tonight he was reckless. Defensively he was great, and he made shots, which was kind of nice to see.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

  • GAME STORY: Indiana basketball had four players finish with double-digit scoring in a 81-65 win over Nebraska on Wednesday night at Assembly Hall, highlighted by Trayce Jackson-Davis' triple-double. Mike Woodson and the Hoosiers move to 8-1 on the season and 1-1 in Big Ten play. CLICK HERE
  • WHAT GALLOWAY, JACKSON-DAVIS SAID: Trayce Jackson-Davis recorded the third triple-double in Indiana men's basketball history, and Trey Galloway scored a career-high 20 points as Indiana defeated Nebraska 81-65 on Wednesday at Assembly Hall. Here's the full transcript of Jackson-Davis and Galloway's postgame press conference with video attached. CLICK HERE
  • INDIANA-NEBRASKA LIVE BLOG: Indiana's first Big Ten home game tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Welcome to our live blog straight from press row at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind. We'll keep you updated on all the news, views and opinion in real time. CLICK HERE

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Jack Ankony
JACK ANKONY

Jack Ankony is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation writer for HoosiersNow.com. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism. Follow on Twitter @ankony_jack.