Jerod Haase
The team really came alive in the second half. What do you think did it?
"A variety of things. We had a little bit of success and that turned into some good plays. In the second half I subbed some of the starters out and Marcus Sheffield came in, Kodye Pugh came in, Jaiden Delaire came in. I thought they really brought some energy. That sparked some things. Then we had a little bit of success. The defensive success led to offensive success and then it built from there. It was really fun. I thought they responded to my messages and as a coach that's a good feeling."
They clearly were playing with joy in the second half. What brought that on for them?
"It's an interesting concept and it's the chicken or the egg. I do want the guys to play with joy. But in the first half it doesn't help us to smile when things aren't going well. I really believe that if you play with passion, and just completely lose yourself in the game, and play as hard as you can ... generally good things are going to happen. When good things happen it's a lot easier to play with joy. I think in the second half it was a game we played with more joy than the first half. But you can't sit here as a coach and say play with joy ... when you're getting your butt kicked all the time. I think what we do as coaches is to talk about competing ... and then once things start going well it is a whole lot more fun to high five and chest bump."
Stanford shot 72 percent in the second half. How do you account for that?
"Better looks. I think some in transition. It was probably the best half since I've been here of getting to the middle of the lane and playing under control, as opposed to going in and making a play for yourself with an off balance tough shot. We got into almost the restricted area, made a dump down, made a shot for ourselves. We played on balance. That's been a hard lesson to teach this team because we do have a bunch of really good athletes who are good at driving the ball. So I'm telling them to drive as hard as you possibly can and then come to a stop on a dime, and then make a heady, simple play. It's the best half we've had of doing that."
It was a tough game for Okpala five points and one board. Is he hurting with his back?
"No. He's doing his best and didn't have his best game. I thought Colorado did a nice job clogging up the driving lanes. He just didn't get it rolling in the game. He did some nice things."
Is the flow better when the offense isn't going through KZ as much?
"Not necessarily. We definitely don't want it to be the KZ Show where we give him the basketball and everyone stand and look. I think the more we move the basketball and distribute passes and shots just a little bit that is actually going to help KZ even more. When he catches it after three or four passes ... and he catches it and drives it, the defense isn't sitting and waiting for him. If we talk big picture offensively with what we're looking for, we would love for KZ to continue to average what he's averaging now, but do it in a way that's a little bit simpler and not four, five dribbles and three counter moves to get there. It's just one dribble and go and dunk it because we got the defense moving."
Oscar had a big game today. What's the difference between his big performances and the ones he fades to the background?
"If I had that answer for sure I'd give it to him. I do think his mindset is really important. We're talking a lot of sports psychology today. Getting to the right spot of being aggressive, being confident, but not putting pressure on yourself. Don't be casual. It's kind of finding that sweet spot. Today he was there. I really felt like he was there in practice yesterday and in the walk through this morning. He looked like he was in a good spot, so I wasn't surprised he played well."
Colorado had 26 points in the paint in the first half and didn't get near that in the second half. What was the key there?
"A variety of things. In our zone we were extending too far out to the shooters. Our anchors, our five men, were coming too far up the lane to help at the free throw line, and they were getting some dump downs. And the biggest part was the offensive rebounding. They did a great job of attacking the glass and I didn't think we were physical in our box outs and not very physical trying to pursue the ball."
Bryce Wills seemed under control and what is your take on his game today?
"With Bryce you're seeing somebody grow up before our eyes. Almost game to game, practice to practice, he's learning a new way to attack, a new play, just how to be successful at this level. He's been great. His attitude has been great. I think we're going to see him continue to grow and flourish while he's here."
Daejon Davis and Oscar da Silva
What was the difference between the two halves?
Davis: "I think our offense was faster paced. We were getting transition points. We didn't have that in the first half. Just overall movement -- we had good cuts in the second half and we started to find the openings in their defense. They were clogging the lane, getting charges and forcing travels. We just wanted to play more together and look to get more assists. We realized that seven of our nine field goals in the first half were assisted on and that goes to show their defense was packed in and it was going to be making the play for the extra guy. We got to the paint and did that in the second half."
Oscar, you kept Stanford in the game in the first half. What was going on from your point of view?
Da Silva: "I got good shots and made some shots. I found my flow offensively and we wanted to win the game."
When you look back on games and you get into the flow, do you see keys that allow that to happen?
Da Silva: "I think finding my rhythm early definitely helps for sure. And just mentality, be determined to win the game."
Daejon, you played with a lot of fire in the second half. It looked like there was some jawing going on. What were they saying?
Davis: "I was just trying to get my guys fired up. After I got that technical foul it gave my guys a little energy. Once I got going downhill, I think I caused a foul after, plays like that when guys see me getting it going I know that my energy is contagious so I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure my guys are ready to go."
What did you say to the ref to get the 'T'?
Davis: "It was just over-communication. I asked him about the call. It was over-communication, I guess."
It seems simple to have fun playing basketball, but it was visible that's what you guys were feeling in the second half. How much better does that make everything on the court?
Davis: "You said it best. It looks good to you guys and it feels good to us, obviously. It all starts on the defensive end. We get stops. We get out running, we get a dunk, we get an open layup, we get an and-one -- those are all momentum plays and plays we look to feed on. Coaches make it an emphasis for us to get out and run. You guys have been doing that your whole lives and it's what you enjoy doing. We don't want to play a full game of half-court offense. Once we get going guys see that getting stops leads to baskets for everyone. Once everyone is bought in then no one has a lack of belief."
The team really came alive in the second half. What do you think did it?
"A variety of things. We had a little bit of success and that turned into some good plays. In the second half I subbed some of the starters out and Marcus Sheffield came in, Kodye Pugh came in, Jaiden Delaire came in. I thought they really brought some energy. That sparked some things. Then we had a little bit of success. The defensive success led to offensive success and then it built from there. It was really fun. I thought they responded to my messages and as a coach that's a good feeling."
They clearly were playing with joy in the second half. What brought that on for them?
"It's an interesting concept and it's the chicken or the egg. I do want the guys to play with joy. But in the first half it doesn't help us to smile when things aren't going well. I really believe that if you play with passion, and just completely lose yourself in the game, and play as hard as you can ... generally good things are going to happen. When good things happen it's a lot easier to play with joy. I think in the second half it was a game we played with more joy than the first half. But you can't sit here as a coach and say play with joy ... when you're getting your butt kicked all the time. I think what we do as coaches is to talk about competing ... and then once things start going well it is a whole lot more fun to high five and chest bump."
Stanford shot 72 percent in the second half. How do you account for that?
"Better looks. I think some in transition. It was probably the best half since I've been here of getting to the middle of the lane and playing under control, as opposed to going in and making a play for yourself with an off balance tough shot. We got into almost the restricted area, made a dump down, made a shot for ourselves. We played on balance. That's been a hard lesson to teach this team because we do have a bunch of really good athletes who are good at driving the ball. So I'm telling them to drive as hard as you possibly can and then come to a stop on a dime, and then make a heady, simple play. It's the best half we've had of doing that."
It was a tough game for Okpala five points and one board. Is he hurting with his back?
"No. He's doing his best and didn't have his best game. I thought Colorado did a nice job clogging up the driving lanes. He just didn't get it rolling in the game. He did some nice things."
Is the flow better when the offense isn't going through KZ as much?
"Not necessarily. We definitely don't want it to be the KZ Show where we give him the basketball and everyone stand and look. I think the more we move the basketball and distribute passes and shots just a little bit that is actually going to help KZ even more. When he catches it after three or four passes ... and he catches it and drives it, the defense isn't sitting and waiting for him. If we talk big picture offensively with what we're looking for, we would love for KZ to continue to average what he's averaging now, but do it in a way that's a little bit simpler and not four, five dribbles and three counter moves to get there. It's just one dribble and go and dunk it because we got the defense moving."
Oscar had a big game today. What's the difference between his big performances and the ones he fades to the background?
"If I had that answer for sure I'd give it to him. I do think his mindset is really important. We're talking a lot of sports psychology today. Getting to the right spot of being aggressive, being confident, but not putting pressure on yourself. Don't be casual. It's kind of finding that sweet spot. Today he was there. I really felt like he was there in practice yesterday and in the walk through this morning. He looked like he was in a good spot, so I wasn't surprised he played well."
Colorado had 26 points in the paint in the first half and didn't get near that in the second half. What was the key there?
"A variety of things. In our zone we were extending too far out to the shooters. Our anchors, our five men, were coming too far up the lane to help at the free throw line, and they were getting some dump downs. And the biggest part was the offensive rebounding. They did a great job of attacking the glass and I didn't think we were physical in our box outs and not very physical trying to pursue the ball."
Bryce Wills seemed under control and what is your take on his game today?
"With Bryce you're seeing somebody grow up before our eyes. Almost game to game, practice to practice, he's learning a new way to attack, a new play, just how to be successful at this level. He's been great. His attitude has been great. I think we're going to see him continue to grow and flourish while he's here."
Daejon Davis and Oscar da Silva
What was the difference between the two halves?
Davis: "I think our offense was faster paced. We were getting transition points. We didn't have that in the first half. Just overall movement -- we had good cuts in the second half and we started to find the openings in their defense. They were clogging the lane, getting charges and forcing travels. We just wanted to play more together and look to get more assists. We realized that seven of our nine field goals in the first half were assisted on and that goes to show their defense was packed in and it was going to be making the play for the extra guy. We got to the paint and did that in the second half."
Oscar, you kept Stanford in the game in the first half. What was going on from your point of view?
Da Silva: "I got good shots and made some shots. I found my flow offensively and we wanted to win the game."
When you look back on games and you get into the flow, do you see keys that allow that to happen?
Da Silva: "I think finding my rhythm early definitely helps for sure. And just mentality, be determined to win the game."
Daejon, you played with a lot of fire in the second half. It looked like there was some jawing going on. What were they saying?
Davis: "I was just trying to get my guys fired up. After I got that technical foul it gave my guys a little energy. Once I got going downhill, I think I caused a foul after, plays like that when guys see me getting it going I know that my energy is contagious so I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure my guys are ready to go."
What did you say to the ref to get the 'T'?
Davis: "It was just over-communication. I asked him about the call. It was over-communication, I guess."
It seems simple to have fun playing basketball, but it was visible that's what you guys were feeling in the second half. How much better does that make everything on the court?
Davis: "You said it best. It looks good to you guys and it feels good to us, obviously. It all starts on the defensive end. We get stops. We get out running, we get a dunk, we get an open layup, we get an and-one -- those are all momentum plays and plays we look to feed on. Coaches make it an emphasis for us to get out and run. You guys have been doing that your whole lives and it's what you enjoy doing. We don't want to play a full game of half-court offense. Once we get going guys see that getting stops leads to baskets for everyone. Once everyone is bought in then no one has a lack of belief."
