Everything Jim Larranaga Said After Arkansas Loss and Fifth Straight
Five in a row for the Hurricanes and this one might be the most heartbreaking one.
The Miami Hurricanes failed to finish the Arkansas Razorbacks in the ACC/SEC challenge as they led for 36 minutes before squandering the lead and the game 76-73.
Head coach Jim Larranaga thought the team improved but still no victory as the Canes prepare for Clemson on Saturday.
Opening Statement
I want to begin by saying you know there's there's there's no moral victories in this game you know we all compete very very hard to win um so I want to start that way but understand this there are a lot of things that I'm happy about. I was very happy, number one, with how good Matt Cleveland played. Now it would be so great if, uh, you know he was to play like this every night. CU he was a real factor at both ends of the Court he rebounded extremely well. He scored the ball and defended well so that's a major positive. Secondly we had the lead for 36 minutes in the tournament last week we never had the lead in three consecutive games, not one second so we got ourselves off to a better start. We played more consistently at both ends of the court. The third thing I was happy about is the rebound totals against a team of that size with those kinds of athletes we both got 33 rebounds and they got nine offensive rebounds to our eight so from an improvement standpoint from a statistical Improvement standpoint there are some things I'm really hopeful that that we can play more consistently like this. My major concern uh was about our inability to Really defend the three down the stretch and quite frankly I was very impressed with their ability to make threes John El Davis and uh Iiich both made really important three-point shots but we defended Theovery well uh Boogie Flan's a pro I mean you can see that as a freshman he really plays terrific at both ends plays really hard um we had uh Nigel had another terrific game um he had 22 points Matthad 15 Jaylen had 12 we needed just a couple of more guys to step up and have not great games but good solid performance es and uh like U the last game Brandon had 23 but today he only gets five he has five points and three bounds the other day you had like 23 and eight the challenge for us is to find a pattern that can be consistent like we've changed the St and lineup now let me see one change two three. I think it's either ourthird or fourth change and we probably have to do it again until we find the right combination of guys to not only play well for 36 minutes but to finish the job.
Is this loser hader to take after leading for 36 minutes.....
I think every player and coach hates losing. You don't play the game to lose, so that's why they say there are no moral victories. Well, we played pretty good for 36 minutes, but the bottom line is we want to finish strong and finish the game with a win, and the only way to do that is we have to get consistently good defensively and rebounding.
On Matthew Cleveland Performance...
Probably Arkansas do you know what I mean? Sometimes the players are not listening to the coach or figuring out the strategy they're looking at the opponent and saying man these guys got like NBA caliber players I want to show I'm capable of being that kind of player myself and that's great all you know you want guys like that who rise to the occasion of the competition what you don't want is the roller coaster. I'm up for certain games and I'm not up for certain games you you've got to really try to be as consistent as you can be because consistency is what the coach values if you're if and I use an example I've had players in the past who scored 21 night and two the next game. I like well which guy are you going to be tonight? I play great defense when I'm going against a great player but this other guy who's not that good I don't even guard he has a great game you know consistency in everything you do in life the whole key if you're a baseball player if you hit you know a couple of home runs in one game and then you strike out you know the next three or four game it's it's about you know your batting average in baseball if you can bat 333 it's great in three-point shooting if you can shoot 40% from three that's great if you're shooting over 50% overall that that's terrific if you rebound if you're averaging for a big guy a rebound every three minutes that's great if you're a guard every a rebound every five minutes that's great but if you're not doing that if you're getting playing good one game but not the next that's it's hard to win that way.
On Austin Swartz Starting...
I think Austin is practicing and playing very well now the last game he shot great from three tonight he was one for six. That's what I told you at the in thein the uh last game right if you have guys who are you know shooting 35 40%from three is HE capable of doing that on a consistent basis yes is Jalil yes but when when they uh don't do it then II have to find someone who might alright so today we didn't start Jalen but obviously he was in at the end and he was in during our run and he average or he scored 12 points so we just got to keep getting better.
On Arkansas late game offensive spurt and the challanges defending...
They run a screen and roll and send that 7 foot2 guy to the basket and they throw it to him and he dunks it so we probably need to help on that and then when we help it opens up the three-point shot and some of his you know that one in the corner I mean he didn't pick and pop or pick and roll he just stepped out and nailed a three.
On the down hill style that Matthew Cleveland played with and playing with accountability...
I actually hope it just carries over to him you know the thing about accountability and responsibility you know all the players and all the coaches have to be uh responsible you have to know what your responsibilities are and you are accountable to your teammates and your coaches and the coaches are accountable to the players are we doing a good job are we sending the right messages are we teaching the right things the amount of time that we spent on free throw block out is unbelievable I mean and I've coached well for 54 years never spent this much time on free throw block out we did a better job but they still got one why did we do something wrong no the guy's 7'2 and he's just taller and longer he got a hand on it and tipped it back to himself but what I'm saying is if Matt can belike that game in and game out that helps the next guy because it says that's what coach is looking for. Nijel is doing that actually Jalen is doing it. I'd say Brandon is very close to doing what Lynn is doing we need more guys the freshmen need to pick it up and help us more consistently.
