Everything Jim Larranaga Said After Snapping Seven Game Losing Streak
One step at a time for the Miami Hurricanes as they snap its seven-game losing streak defeating the Presbyterian Blue Lose 94-75 in a needed win for the season.
Head coach Jim Larranaga had several questions to answer dealing with Injuries, playing with different lineups, and trying to figure out which young player would see the floor vs. who wouldn't.
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Opening Statement...
"I was just informed that's the best field goal percentage in school history so that was pretty good. Also, 35-23 in rebounds, that's very good. We had Lynn Kidd with six assists, 20 points and 11 rebounds, he had a terrific game. Matthew Cleveland had his career-high, 24, he had a terrific game. Brandon Johnson, 9 for 11 from the field, 22 points and five rebounds. He had a terrific game. So from an offensive standpoint, we did a really good job. I was really hoping our defense could hold them under 40 percent from the field and under 30 percent from 3, so that's a part of our game that still is a little inconsistent, that needs to improve."
On Divine Ugochukwu...
"He was 1 for 1 from the field, but he had six rebounds and three assists. Those are probably career-highs. Divine's quick, but Shane Larkin and Angel Rodriguez, those guys were jets. I think Divine's got very good straightaway speed, what I would call giddy-up. Like you jump on the horse and you take off. He's got great acceleration for a step or two. Those other guys were like lightning."
On the offense, particularly in the halfcourt, that stood out to lead to an efficient game...
" I think Lynn Kidd is so efficient. He ended a game 8 for 9 and Brandon Johnson 9 for 11. So when you're 4 and 5 are that productive, it's terrific. And you can keep going to them and they can go to each other. Brandon is very good at getting the ball to Lynn. So just happy with the way they played together."
On combination of Brandon Johnson and Lynn Kidd...
"I think the level of play of the competition when we play against Arkansas, Clemson and Tennessee. Some things are just more difficult and what we're trying to get the guys to do is if our defense is effective and we're making people miss shots and we're getting the rebound, then normally the offense will work. What ends up happening though sometimes is when you're not scoring very consistently then your defense really suffers because you're not getting back after a made field goal. You miss and now you got to really hustle backwards the other team is running. So we were fortunate we made a lot of shots which reduced their fast break opportunities. They got nine points in fast breaks, we only had five according to this stat sheet but our stats will probably show differently.
On motivating the team throughout the losing streak...
"Well it's a long season and you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow and the thing I kept emphasizing and emphasizing to them at our meetings is yesterday is history and nothing we can do about yesterday. Tomorrow a mystery we have no idea what's going to happen and today is a gift and that's why we call it the present and we need to stay in the present and just try to keep working at getting better and when I tell them even after a loss look at we we really did some really good things we can still get better but there are some things we didn't do so well that we got to correct. I'm not one to scream and yell and curse at them. I yell and scream at them in practice for effort. And as every coach will tell you, if you've got a good team, you're never having to coach effort or toughness. Effort and toughness should be a given. That you have to play hard. You have to give great effort. You've got to be tough. I thought one of the real good battles was Jalil Bethea got a defensive rebound and the guy reached his hand and to take it out of his hands and he pulled it hard enough, strong enough to keep that guy from getting it and getting him to the foul line."
On Nijel Pack's injury...
"You'll have to ask him. I don't know. He hasn't practiced since Tennessee. This kind of deja vu if you ask me. Last year Christmastime he didn't play in the last two games against the opponents we faced on December 17th and 22nd or something, so we're right back in that spot. A different set of circumstances. It's not that knee that bothered him last year. "I'm not sure. He's had a couple of different things that bother him. Right now Divine's going to start and keep that starting lineup in tact for these next games and see how we do."
On getting closer to a consistent lineup...
"To give you some background the backcourt started as Nijel, Jalen and AJ, because Matt was coming off an injury. Then it became Nijel, Jalen and Matt. Then it became Nijel, Jalen and Austin. Then it became Nijel, Jalil and A.J. Now it's Divine and AJ and Matt. How many is that? Six different start lineups in 11 games. It's not what you want as a coach.
On Austin Swartz not playing after starting the last three games...
"That was what they call a DNP, a coach's decision. I decided who plays and I decided he ain't playing. I'm trying to be a really good motivator to some of our young guys."
On Kiree Huie update as he suited up and participate in pregame warmups...
"It's still a while away, maybe a month, maybe. I'm not a doctor, I'm not the trainer, I get updates every week. And right now, what I've told him is he needs to participate in every practice in the things that he is physically able to do without impacting the injury. And so he's been doing layups, he's been working with Chris Alvarez as a coach, working on his right hand, working on his defense, not doing anything with his left hand yet."
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