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00:00 Unfortunately, ending to a heck of a battle.
00:04 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:07 I continue to tell these guys if we don't rebound, we're not gonna win.
00:11 And we were minus eight in that category and
00:15 gave up 12 offensive rebounds and those are things we can fix.
00:21 We can fix that with effort, with attitude and a little bit of want to.
00:26 So we gotta shore that up if we're gonna be a good team.
00:32 But more than anything, we'll look back to the film and
00:36 every time we really shared the ball, got that extra pass, got the thing moving.
00:39 We got a good look, but we gotta be more of a balanced attack and
00:45 try to figure out how we build the chemistry amongst all the changes.
00:52 We continue to battle changes each and every night.
00:56 A lot of the offense went through Jesse.
00:58 Now we don't have Jesse in the lineup, so
01:00 we're trying to figure out our new identity offensively.
01:04 And that'll come with some time.
01:07 So not that that's an excuse, but that's where we're at right now,
01:11 trying to figure out that identity and
01:13 that chemistry that is gonna make us good in the end.
01:16 >> Questions for Raekwon first, please.
01:18 >> So Raekwon, obviously a bummer to lose, but just to get back on the court,
01:22 just to do it again, how'd you feel?
01:26 Did you feel comfortable and how long did it take?
01:28 >> Yeah, I felt comfortable.
01:30 Just playing for years, basketball is an everyday thing for me.
01:33 Just coming off the sickness, I was a little tired for sure.
01:38 But it was fun to get out there with my team and
01:39 actually do what we've been doing all summer.
01:43 So it's been fun.
01:45 >> Raekwon, late in the first half, was it a cramp or an ankle twist?
01:48 >> Yeah, it was a cramp my life.
01:50 >> Okay.
01:51 So- >> For sure.
01:53 >> Halftime, it took you a few extra minutes to get out there, so
01:56 I'm guessing you're probably eating bananas or drinking water.
01:58 >> It was back there for sure, yeah.
02:01 >> And then you come out and you just kind of ran out and played.
02:06 So I mean, physically everything was good?
02:11 >> Everything's good, yeah.
02:12 It was tight most of the game, but pacing myself and like I said,
02:15 doing it for a while so I'm able to not force anything when it comes to my body.
02:20 >> How different was this experience from what you had experienced previously
02:25 playing, when you were playing every day, every day, every day, playing games?
02:29 It's like going to work, but this was a little different.
02:34 >> Definitely a little different, especially missing ten straight games.
02:36 It's definitely different than just getting thrown out there and
02:39 then going to work, kind of starting behind.
02:41 It's my tenth game, starting a little bit behind with the record wise and stuff.
02:45 There's a lot on my mind, but it's nothing different, it's just basketball.
02:49 >> You said the cramp was somewhat lingering,
02:51 it looked like towards the end of the second half there,
02:53 you were kind of feeling it a little bit.
02:55 >> For sure. >> Did that have any effect on
02:57 the free throw there?
02:58 >> Yeah, I mean, I kind of felt like I rushed it as well.
03:01 My mom's gonna be mad about that one for sure.
03:03 But other than that, yeah, I just felt a little tired, but
03:08 that's no excuse, I gotta knock that down for sure.
03:11 >> I know y'all have been practicing, obviously,
03:13 all the way from the summer through now.
03:15 Coach, I'll let there mention, you've had to change the offense not once, but
03:19 several times, different things that you're trying to do.
03:22 Does it take a while to get comfortable with that?
03:25 When you're switching it so often,
03:27 how long does it take to get comfortable with it?
03:30 >> I mean, normally, it doesn't take a long time.
03:33 You just really gotta buy into what the coach is telling you.
03:36 And if you pay attention to practice and get your reps in like you should,
03:39 it should be second nature.
03:40 But a lot of that's kind of been in the fluke lately.
03:45 >> Rayquan, I'm not sure that you could expect to come back and score 29 points,
03:49 and yet be standing on the free throw line for
03:53 the last seconds of the game, needing to make one to win.
03:58 Or to make it at least a three point game or whatever,
04:01 it would have been a two point game.
04:03 And then to have it miss, I mean, talk about the emotion of what you've
04:08 accomplished and having that one shot not go in.
04:11 >> Yeah, getting that rebound on their free throw and getting fouled,
04:14 I kinda felt a little comfortable, maybe too comfortable.
04:18 It's just you live and you learn.
04:21 I've been in that position multiple times and I've won games at the buzzer.
04:25 We down two and I get fouled on three and I hit all three of them.
04:27 Just today I didn't knock it in.
04:29 >> So defensive end after that,
04:31 they're scrambling hitting the shot, what were you guys trying to do?
04:35 What happened with them?
04:36 >> I mean, we just gotta stay in front.
04:38 You saw he lost the ball and kinda rolled, I don't know what that was.
04:41 And he just hit it, I guess good players make good shots.
04:45 >> There's so much buildup getting to this point.
04:48 When you saw that first bucket go in,
04:50 can you even describe your emotion at that point?
04:53 >> Relieved more than anything.
04:54 I'm happy to be out here and it's been a long summer, one of the longest in my life.
04:59 For sure, summer and fall, but it's just good to kinda get out there and
05:04 be with the team and go to war.
05:06 >> What's it gonna take for the team to improve rebounding?
05:10 >> It's gonna be a lot for sure, especially missing with Jesse.
05:12 Normally if you check my past years, I didn't rebound as much.
05:17 But today I had six, I believe.
05:18 It's just gonna be another thing I'd add to our bag, just everybody in general.
05:22 >> Josh, how many different sets- >> For Ray first.
05:27 >> You wanna just go?
05:28 >> Any more for Ray?
05:29 >> Ray, I know you can't talk about the specifics, but
05:33 can you talk about just the support that you've received during this time?
05:38 And maybe hearing from people that maybe never even knew or
05:43 talked to before, just if anything kind of has stood out.
05:47 And can you just kind of talk about the support you've been getting?
05:51 >> It's been amazing.
05:52 I felt like I had a whole army behind me pretty much,
05:55 especially West Virginia and the fans in general.
05:57 Since I touched down in Morgantown in the summer, it's been all love ever since.
06:03 And especially now, going at the NCAA and all that stuff, it was different.
06:08 But it's cool.
06:09 >> Big one, you've had a seat this year to watch some players do some good things.
06:13 And I'm assuming you wanna keep the good things going.
06:16 And this is you, it's Kerr, it's Noah too.
06:17 I don't know how much you communicate or how much you think about doing what you
06:21 have to do to be a positive addition.
06:23 But also making sure that the guys who were playing and
06:25 are playing well can still contribute to,
06:28 how do you walk yourself through that and then bring you guys to that at once?
06:32 >> I mean, it's gonna click soon.
06:34 It's just all takes a little bit of time and just chemistry and
06:37 trust with each other.
06:38 I mean, we're veteran guys.
06:39 Noah's four year, Kerr's four year, I'm a fifth year.
06:42 So it's gonna gel pretty soon.
06:44 It's my debut, so obviously we have a couple more games to kind of gel.
06:48 >> You mentioned that you got six rebounds, normally you're not a rebounder.
06:53 How much more difficult is it for you to come back, immerse yourself to the team,
06:59 and then you don't have Jesse there, so you don't have the traditional rebounder.
07:04 And it's kind of a different style because of that than you would normally
07:06 probably prefer to play.
07:08 Is that like, once you learn Jesse was gonna be out,
07:10 is it almost like a different, I gotta adjust and do this now more.
07:14 How does that work for you?
07:16 >> I mean, I wouldn't say that Jesse was the reason why I wanted to rebound more.
07:20 I wanted to rebound going into this season,
07:21 cuz I think I only averaged like 2.8 last season.
07:24 Just despite my athleticism, I should definitely average at least 4 or 5.
07:28 >> I'm just kind of curious, as you think about this game, and
07:32 it probably just wasn't today.
07:33 I mean, it's probably been weeks you've been thinking about this moment.
07:37 How did you have it pictured in your mind?
07:39 Does 29 points exceed what you were dreaming of, or
07:43 were you thinking, I'm gonna go get 40?
07:45 Or I mean, what were those thoughts like?
07:48 >> Everybody wants to go get 40.
07:49 I mean, but I just kinda trusted myself and just let the game come to me.
07:54 I think I put up a couple of 40 shots, but that's on me for sure.
07:58 >> Great one, thank you.
08:00 >> Thank you guys.
08:05 >> Thank you.
08:06 >> You all right, sorry.
08:07 >> No, no, no, it's okay.
08:08 [BLANK_AUDIO]
08:12 >> So Josh, obviously you mentioned some of the changes that you've gone through
08:15 with different personnel.
08:17 How many different things have you gone through?
08:19 How much have you had to teach this team different sets,
08:23 different ways of attacking using personnel?
08:25 >> I mean, if you look at it, I mean, we were playing, especially for
08:30 the first nine games, everything through Jesse Edwards,
08:35 to try to get him a touch and play inside out, because that was kind of our advantage.
08:39 To abruptly take that away and then add a couple of dynamic guards and
08:46 figure out how we incorporate them and put them in the best position to succeed.
08:52 Meanwhile, getting some other guys some minutes that have to step up to help us,
08:57 it's certainly a challenge, and especially with the short time frame.
09:01 So I've said it over and over, I'm a planning guy.
09:05 I try to be organized and plan things, but every time I have a plan,
09:09 something, a wrench gets thrown in it, and I gotta figure a different scenario out.
09:15 >> Noah and Raycon give you a little bit better defensive set,
09:19 and you push the defense out a little bit at some points.
09:23 >> Yeah, I mean, more than anything,
09:24 we changed some things up with ball screen coverage.
09:28 With Jesse not out there, he was in a drop majority of the time with his length and
09:33 athleticism and trying to protect him from foul trouble.
09:36 So Cook and Pat, I think we were doing ourselves a disservice by
09:42 not being aggressive with them in the ball screens.
09:45 So that was kind of the strategy going in.
09:47 Yeah, but on ball defenders, they're putting some pressure on those guards and
09:55 making it tough on them.
09:56 So that's what we want, that's the type of intensity we need on the ball.
10:00 >> What did you think of Raycon's performance tonight?
10:04 >> Tried to get him going early.
10:07 He struggled to make shots, and I worried about that,
10:13 considering he's still trying to gain his strength and his stamina back.
10:20 He doesn't have his game legs under him yet, because it's his first game.
10:24 And he was down 13 pounds just a couple days ago.
10:28 So I saw it in the practice leading up to, he just wasn't 100% Raycon yet.
10:34 So no, but he forced a couple, and I think he would admit that.
10:39 But he's a special dynamic player, and we're gonna need him.
10:45 And we just need to be probably more of a balanced attack moving forward.
10:51 And everybody on the floor's gotta share it and get the really good shot,
10:56 and not the forced shot, which we've continued to do over and over.
10:59 We've forced a lot of things over the course of ten games, so.
11:03 >> It's been two weeks- >> 11 games.
11:04 >> It's been two weeks to the day since a Cook has returned,
11:07 played 23 minutes tonight.
11:08 How far are you willing to let him go now that Jesse's out?
11:12 >> Right now, it's about probably max, what he can do.
11:16 You can see it in his eyes, when he's getting, he's really gassed.
11:22 And guys, when they're that exhausted, just make mistakes.
11:27 They make mental mistakes.
11:29 And we saw that several times, and
11:33 need to get him probably shorter spurts out there.
11:36 And more rotations between him and Pat, and we'll look at that as we move forward.
11:41 >> Coach, you would- >> Go ahead.
11:43 >> Justin, on the rebounding, correct me if I'm wrong on any of this stuff, but
11:46 I would imagine with your numbers,
11:47 it might have been difficult to physically work on rebounding.
11:50 And I don't know, you hear some crazy things that coaches like to do sometimes
11:53 to really reinforce that.
11:55 I don't know if you've tried to do that, like remedy with that.
11:58 But also, can you do that now, because you are a little bit deeper?
12:00 And can you do some, I don't know, more specific things that sounds like-
12:04 >> Yeah, we have more accountability in
12:06 practice with our more numbers.
12:08 So there's punishments for
12:13 not doing the right thing, rather than us just coaching them through it.
12:18 So we're trying to increase the accountability in practice.
12:22 But you gotta understand that every third day we're playing right now, so
12:27 we can't push them too hard.
12:29 >> Coach, you had said Jesse's surgery was earlier today.
12:34 Have you talked to him at all?
12:36 I mean, the surgery was- >> I haven't talked to him yet.
12:38 The surgery can't get pushed back later into the afternoon, but
12:42 I got word that everything went really well, and he's resting.
12:45 So now it's just the clock's ticking to his recovery.
12:51 >> And Kobe didn't play tonight, anything like that?
12:54 >> That's between me and Kobe and where we're at.
12:58 It's the coach's decision.
12:59 >> A lot of seasons are first, but you look down at the other bench and
13:03 there's Daris.
13:03 So your thoughts as you're just going head to head,
13:06 does it even enter your mind when the game's going?
13:09 Or what do you think of facing up with Daris?
13:11 >> I mean, a couple times you look down there and it's kind of surreal because
13:15 we go back a long time and watched him navigate as the point guard into the Sweet
13:23 16 for us that first year here, and it was a special year for me,
13:28 special year for him, and all those guys.
13:30 And so we even built a bigger,
13:34 greater relationship when we brought him back as a GA,
13:39 and I kind of mentor him through all the scouting process.
13:43 And we got really close that year, and we've continued to be really good friends.
13:49 And he's one of those guys that it's genuine.
13:53 It's genuine, you know you got someone in your corner that would go to bat for you.
13:58 And when things are down, you know he's gonna be calling.
14:01 So I'm happy for Daris.
14:07 He's a good coach and they got things rolling.
14:09 And I respect him and what he's doing there.
14:13 And it's hard to lose, but I guess if you're gonna lose to a good friend,
14:18 I guess it makes it a little better.
14:21 >> Coach, this is kind of an analytical question, I guess, or
14:25 a little bit of a question, but UMass game, you guys hit 14 threes.
14:30 And a lot of the offense comes through.
14:33 And then tonight, first half, I think 0 for 10, four threes for the whole game.
14:37 So it's totally night and day.
14:40 And I'm kind of wondering, was that to be expected, or
14:44 is that a shock, or is that just the way the ball bounces?
14:48 >> No, I mean, sometimes you feel as coach, I watched him shoot yesterday and
14:54 I saw a lot of front rims.
14:56 And maybe I was a little too hard on him two days ago,
15:01 trying to shore up some things.
15:03 And there's a lot of accountability in that practice.
15:06 And so the legs didn't seem nearly as fresh as they probably needed to be to
15:11 make all those shots.
15:12 But it's a catch 22 for a coach trying to make sure
15:16 you guys are doing the right thing and being accountable.
15:19 And having fresh legs as well.
15:21 So maybe some of that's on me and how hard I went on Monday,
15:26 trying to send a message.
15:28 But yeah, we didn't shoot it well.
15:32 It was pretty consistent across the board.
15:34 >> Coach, you need more of a want to and an attitude when it comes to rebounding.
15:39 Is that something that can develop through gelling, or
15:42 is that something that these guys have to find within?
15:45 >> I mean, you look down the board, I mean, Quinn's seven,
15:50 Cook's seven, Noah's seven.
15:52 Like I said, Noah's the smallest guy on the floor, and he's got seven rebounds.
15:57 I mean, he seemed to have the want to.
15:59 And I use him as an example at halftime.
16:02 He was tenacious about going and helping us rebound.
16:07 And that's the smallest guy I got.
16:09 And I pointed out Pat, Pat gave me 17 minutes and
16:15 got 17 minutes out, you're the biggest, strongest guy on the floor.
16:18 And he gave me one rebound.
16:19 So there's just gotta be, everybody's gotta get two or three more.
16:26 That's just the way it is.
16:27 It's gonna be a team effort.
16:28 >> Coach, you're talking about how every time you put together a plan,
16:32 there's another monkey that gets thrown in.
16:34 But now that you're a chunk into the season, what's your comfort level,
16:38 I guess, as a head coach?
16:40 Cuz this is your first crack at things, or
16:42 are you not able to really get the head comfort at all?
16:45 Because of everything that's going on.
16:46 How are you able to evaluate yourself, I guess, is a better question.
16:50 So far.
16:50 >> I don't really think about it, to be honest with you.
16:55 It's change after change after change.
17:03 And like I said, there's a lot of wrenches thrown into this whole process.
17:07 And I'm growing as a coach, I'm growing as a person.
17:11 I'm gonna continue to fight like hell every day for our guys.
17:15 And make sure they're competing and playing the right way.
17:19 Hold guys accountable.
17:20 I mean, that's gonna be an everyday thing for me.
17:23 And I promise you, you're gonna get 100% out of me and our staff.
17:28 And I think I'm a positive, optimistic person.
17:34 So I think we can get some of this chemistry built.
17:38 It's just we need some consistency out on the floor.
17:43 We're not there yet.
17:44 >> Coach, how much tonight, during the flow of the game offensively for
17:49 you guys, was kind of like isolations.
17:52 Just get the guy in a spot and let him make a play.
17:55 As opposed to what you could do during a timeout and draw stuff.
18:01 Were there differences there?
18:04 I mean, the situation.
18:06 >> We just gotta understand, we run a set and we try to get somebody shot.
18:10 It's not there, it's not there.
18:11 Let's bounce it back out and run the clock.
18:14 And I told the guys at halftime, I can't remember a shot clock violation,
18:20 because we just ran so much offense and didn't get a shot.
18:23 I don't remember one.
18:24 You guys remember one?
18:25 11 games, I don't think I can remember us running out of clock and
18:29 trying to run offense.
18:30 So we can certainly be a lot more patient and grind the defense more and
18:35 figure out the best possible shot and the most efficient shot.
18:39 So we have some continuity behind some of these sets and
18:42 let's fall back on it.
18:44 If it's not there, let's fall back on it and let's work the defense a little bit.
18:48 >> Appreciate it.
18:50 >> Thank you.