Iowa men's basketball coach
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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:10 >> All right, are there any questions for coach?
00:14 >> Hey, Fran, seemed like your freshman really had a really nice day here.
00:19 Was that your hope, your plan to try to get a lot of guys involved today?
00:23 >> I don't think so, it's just I wanna get them involved every game.
00:29 They're gonna play a lot, they played a lot in every other game.
00:32 It's an impressive group, and
00:36 they'll just keep getting better the more experience they get.
00:38 >> Fran, the balance of today's performance really stuck to me.
00:42 Every star scored within the first 14 points of the game.
00:45 Just seemed like the passing is a little bit more crisp, but
00:47 just kind of break that down a little bit.
00:49 >> Yeah, I thought our game plan was to really work on our motion offense,
00:58 which had been a little bit stagnant.
01:00 Get it moving side to side, get people involved.
01:03 But that is always gonna be a function of your defense.
01:06 Our defense was really good at the start of the game.
01:09 They've got a bunch of drivers, they've got a really good big man.
01:12 So we were locked in to not giving him any easy buckets inside.
01:18 We were guarding off the bounce and getting out in transition and
01:22 having some space to do some things.
01:24 So really terrific job by everybody at executing the game plan today.
01:30 >> You forced them to go late in the shot clock several times early in the game.
01:33 I think they started like two of 12 from the floor.
01:35 Just talk about what was different about the defense today.
01:36 >> Yeah, we were really connected.
01:39 I mean, we were in the gaps, stood our feet, challenged two point shots.
01:46 They were shooting contested twos.
01:48 No open threes, no easy post ups, and just making it hard for them.
01:54 And that, like I said, creates opportunities for us to run.
01:56 >> Another big day for Owen Freeman, double-double.
02:01 Just sort of talk about the level of his play.
02:04 Is this something you sort of expected out of him from the start?
02:07 >> We sort of did because he was so good when he first arrived on campus.
02:13 I mean, obviously he was a great player in high school, but he was really good.
02:18 And I think I said before, he had a couple of injuries in that time where he was out
02:23 for a little bit, nothing real, real serious, but
02:26 stuff that would keep him out a week to ten days.
02:28 And so that limited his progress a little bit.
02:32 Once he's been healthy, he's been spectacular.
02:37 Occasionally, he's such a winning player and such a character guy,
02:41 he wants to execute the game plan to perfection.
02:43 And as we all know, sometimes you just have to play basketball and
02:47 just run around, fly around,
02:51 impact a game with your athletic ability, your size and strength.
02:56 And it gets to the next play if something doesn't go right,
02:58 like he missed a dunk.
03:00 He was really down on himself.
03:02 And Owen, next play, you're playing great.
03:05 Leaving you in there, just do what you do, and he settled down and
03:11 boy, he had a spectacular game.
03:14 >> To kind of continue on Owen, just from the defensive side,
03:18 I know you talked about Florida A&M had a lot of drivers.
03:22 Seemed like Owen just played really disciplined defense, wasn't fouling, and
03:25 really just altered a lot of shots.
03:26 I mean, how proud are you of him?
03:27 Cuz he was basically the focal point of the defense with just kind of the way
03:31 Florida A&M attacks you.
03:33 >> Yeah, he was really locked in.
03:36 And it's not always the case with young big guys.
03:40 Essentially, the point you're making is he was always in the right place.
03:43 And we try to talk about what they're gonna run, what they might run,
03:47 where you're supposed to be, where you're supposed to go.
03:50 But that stuff is happening 100 miles an hour, so
03:53 you have to really anticipate what's coming, or
03:57 else you're not gonna be in the right place.
03:59 And that's what he did today.
04:02 He was up toward the ball, he was over toward the ball.
04:05 He was above the guy, he was below the guy.
04:08 And he knew who was driving, and he knew where the big guys were.
04:12 And if they downshifted with a smaller lineup, okay,
04:14 that changes some things that they might do and what we need to do.
04:18 So I think that's a sign of maturity.
04:19 >> Asking this with a caring heart, not trying to pry or anything, but
04:25 is Patrick doing okay?
04:28 I know it was this time last year he went through that stretch and
04:31 I just doesn't quite see himself, but I'm just curious what your thoughts are.
04:34 >> Yeah, he's been pretty good.
04:36 I thought at Iowa State he wasn't quite himself.
04:40 But other than that, I think he's been pretty good.
04:42 He was frustrated he missed those free throws today cuz he was driving the ball
04:46 cuz they were chasing out and he got the free throw line a couple times.
04:49 Got the end one and missed a free throw and then he missed the other free throw.
04:53 So his shots look good, I mean, they're open shots.
05:00 He rebounded the ball fairly well today, I thought.
05:02 And three assists, he's always looking for,
05:07 had a really nice pass to Peyton on the break.
05:09 He's always looking for his teammates.
05:10 He likes to feed Ben in the post.
05:12 And his defense, I think, has really been good.
05:14 >> All right, thanks guys.
05:17 >> Thanks guys.