Question: Why wasn't Yancy Gates in the game for the last seven minutes of regulation and overtime?
Mick: "We were up 58-54 and they went on a 7-0 run to take the lead while we had some guys in the game - he being one of them - that I thought were breaking us down defensively (Note: It was actually 56-52 with a 9-2 run by Marquette). We get a lineup in the game that was able to go from 61-58 down, to 64-61 up by getting numerous defensive stops. So we go from down three to up three with a defensive lineup in the game by getting stops. The hardest thing sometimes is that you want to play a guy offensively but you can't take him out defensively. I thought we had the game under control with the lineup we had in the game. We gave up a "3" that tied the game at 64 and then we went right back and took another three point lead. We missed a free throw and at that point I was going to keep my best defensive lineup in there and Hayward hit a tough shot. You try to put the guys out there that are giving the best effort and playing the best as a group to give your team the best chance to win."
Question: Did you consider putting Yancy back in on offense for the final play of regulation?
Mick: "I thought about it, but in a late-game situation if you put a big guy in for offense - I don't care if it's Yancy Gates or Tim Duncan - the easiest thing if you're going to try to run a play for a big guy is to double-team him. So if you put him in to throw him the ball, they're going to double-team him and now you risk turning the ball over and not even getting a shot off. You're putting him in a bad situation there. At that point, you're trying to get the ball to a guard who can drive into the lane and have our better shooters in the game to spread them out."
Question: Why is Lance Stephenson struggling?
Mick: "It's playing with four other people. It's not that he doesn't want to. It's a lifetime of, 'Here's the ball and we'll all watch you play,' to now trying to play with other people and letting me get him shots through our offense. The tough part about it is that he had some really good practices leading up to the game. His competitiveness gets the best of him at times where . . . say somebody scores on him like (USF's) Dominique Jones. He comes down and immediately shoots the ball to try to score back on Dominique Jones. You can't do that - you've gotta just play the game. In the Connecticut game . . . Gavin Edwards blocked his shot and he immediately fouled Gavin Edwards for his second foul. You got your shot blocked - you've got to get back on defense. We need you to stay in the game. It's a matter of controlling his emotions and maturing to a point where he can morph his talents into a team system. He's done it at times. He's had good games - it's just a work in progress. The one thing I appreciate about Lance is that every day he comes to practice and very rarely is his effort lacking. Very, very rarely is his effort lacking. His mistakes are usually made out of hustle and being aggressive."
For more...
http://www.gobearcats.com/blog/2010/02/you-have-questions-coach-cronin-has-answers.html
Mick: "We were up 58-54 and they went on a 7-0 run to take the lead while we had some guys in the game - he being one of them - that I thought were breaking us down defensively (Note: It was actually 56-52 with a 9-2 run by Marquette). We get a lineup in the game that was able to go from 61-58 down, to 64-61 up by getting numerous defensive stops. So we go from down three to up three with a defensive lineup in the game by getting stops. The hardest thing sometimes is that you want to play a guy offensively but you can't take him out defensively. I thought we had the game under control with the lineup we had in the game. We gave up a "3" that tied the game at 64 and then we went right back and took another three point lead. We missed a free throw and at that point I was going to keep my best defensive lineup in there and Hayward hit a tough shot. You try to put the guys out there that are giving the best effort and playing the best as a group to give your team the best chance to win."
Question: Did you consider putting Yancy back in on offense for the final play of regulation?
Mick: "I thought about it, but in a late-game situation if you put a big guy in for offense - I don't care if it's Yancy Gates or Tim Duncan - the easiest thing if you're going to try to run a play for a big guy is to double-team him. So if you put him in to throw him the ball, they're going to double-team him and now you risk turning the ball over and not even getting a shot off. You're putting him in a bad situation there. At that point, you're trying to get the ball to a guard who can drive into the lane and have our better shooters in the game to spread them out."
Question: Why is Lance Stephenson struggling?
Mick: "It's playing with four other people. It's not that he doesn't want to. It's a lifetime of, 'Here's the ball and we'll all watch you play,' to now trying to play with other people and letting me get him shots through our offense. The tough part about it is that he had some really good practices leading up to the game. His competitiveness gets the best of him at times where . . . say somebody scores on him like (USF's) Dominique Jones. He comes down and immediately shoots the ball to try to score back on Dominique Jones. You can't do that - you've gotta just play the game. In the Connecticut game . . . Gavin Edwards blocked his shot and he immediately fouled Gavin Edwards for his second foul. You got your shot blocked - you've got to get back on defense. We need you to stay in the game. It's a matter of controlling his emotions and maturing to a point where he can morph his talents into a team system. He's done it at times. He's had good games - it's just a work in progress. The one thing I appreciate about Lance is that every day he comes to practice and very rarely is his effort lacking. Very, very rarely is his effort lacking. His mistakes are usually made out of hustle and being aggressive."
For more...
http://www.gobearcats.com/blog/2010/02/you-have-questions-coach-cronin-has-answers.html
