Fran McCaffery 2924
Fran McCaffery
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SportsTranscript
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00:37 >> And we've all seen it, you know, sometimes it works
00:40 and sometimes it doesn't work.
00:41 I mean, obviously Ben knows what he's doing as a coach,
00:44 knows how to coach.
00:46 He has a resume, you know, he's worked a lot of different places.
00:52 So, you know, he's going to be able to do a good job there.
00:56 You got to have the players, you know.
00:57 Obviously Garcia's, getting him, that was a big first step.
01:03 They've got some new pieces, but I mean, you know,
01:05 Payne's really good, I mean, but I mean, even guys
01:08 like Parker Fox is playing really well.
01:11 Hawkins, I mean, Christie's one of the best freshmen
01:14 in the league, you know, getting a guy like that.
01:17 But putting those pieces together that fit
01:20 and then also fit your culture.
01:26 Sometimes you get a lot of good players and put them
01:27 in one and it just doesn't work.
01:30 And we've all seen that happen too.
01:33 So, you know, give him credit for, you know,
01:36 he and his staff being able to do that.
01:38 >> Yeah, you went in there and won by nine.
01:39 I mean, what was, what were you, what did you like
01:42 about the first game, what you guys did there?
01:44 >> Well, I think the thing that I liked about, you know,
01:46 we got down 10-1, you know, they were really, they jumped us.
01:51 It was 14-3 and we kind of stayed the course.
01:54 We got really good play off the bench.
01:57 And Patrick was hurt, you know, Josh started in a big game.
02:01 Ben had a big game, so, you know,
02:05 it's just typical of this league right now.
02:08 >> Price had some really good minutes last night.
02:10 >> He's been practicing really well.
02:12 You know, he's been way more aggressive.
02:16 That's why I went to him and he was really, really special.
02:21 That's what I thought, you know, on both ends of the floor.
02:24 You know, he got a tough call on that one when we were up seven.
02:27 I mean, you can't play better, any better defense than that.
02:30 You cannot possibly play any better defense
02:32 than he did on that possession.
02:34 And he went against us, so it's unfortunate.
02:37 >> Brock didn't come back in after the game.
02:39 It's kind of awkward.
02:40 Paul was here, right?
02:43 >> Well, he did.
02:44 I played him a little bit after that, yeah.
02:47 I didn't feel comfortable.
02:50 He was hurt, so I didn't feel comfortable going with him
02:54 for heavy minutes, but I did put him in there at the end.
02:56 And he did some good things.
02:58 >> Coach, how are you describing the play of Tony Perkins as a lady?
03:02 >> Tony's been playing really well.
03:04 And he's been aggressive, which is exactly what we want him to be.
03:10 >> Is Peyton all right as well?
03:12 He's playing a little bit like shorter.
03:14 >> Yeah, you know, I don't know about that right now.
03:18 I haven't seen him today.
03:19 We'll find out about that a little later.
03:22 >> Ben got kind of back on track.
03:24 Did you see that one coming, too?
03:26 >> Yeah, he's also been practicing well.
03:28 He's a really good player.
03:31 He hit a couple games where a couple shots rimmed down on him.
03:36 >> I'm not worried about him.
03:37 >> When you talk about coaches, Ben seems to be another good addition to that.
03:42 >> Yeah, and the trick there, Pat, is your transfers and your freshmen
03:50 with your current players and your walk-ons.
03:54 You know, it's all of that.
03:57 It's a long season.
03:59 And those guys have to blend together and pick each other up.
04:04 Guy gets hurt.
04:05 Guy's in foul trouble.
04:07 You know, stay positive.
04:08 Tough loss.
04:10 You know, and that's really what the definition of culture is.
04:14 >> You had an offensive ball that hurt you guys against Penn State.
04:18 I know that it happened against Indiana.
04:20 The last game against--
04:21 >> We had a few of those.
04:22 You know, at the end of the day, you got to make threes.
04:26 You know, we didn't do that.
04:28 If you look at, you know, teams that are playing well and teams that win games,
04:33 and wow, I didn't know if they'd win.
04:34 You look at the three-point shooting.
04:37 You know, if you make 9 or 10 or 11, you get up in 12 and 13 range,
04:41 you got a pretty good chance to win.
04:43 You know, they made 12, and we were still right there.
04:47 So that says a lot about our team.
04:50 But it's hard to beat a team at their place when they're making 12 threes.
04:55 >> Caitlin Clark's just about to that record.
04:57 Your appreciation of what you see from her, and also this run on both the men's
05:02 and women's side at Iowa of just spectacular players.
05:05 >> I think it's-- you know, I hope everybody realizes how hard it is
05:10 to do what she's doing.
05:12 We've all seen how terrific she's been from the minute she got here.
05:17 She was great when she first got here.
05:21 Now the whole nation has figured that out.
05:24 And they show up everywhere she goes.
05:27 And, you know, the pressure that puts on an athlete is not easy.
05:33 And at the same time, pretty good coaches in that league
05:39 that are doing everything they can to stop her.
05:42 But I've said this many times.
05:45 As great as she is, her best skill, in my opinion, is her passing, her feel for the game,
05:50 and her ability to solve any difficult-- anything that anybody's trying to do to her,
05:58 she's got an answer.
05:59 You know, she splits the double team.
06:01 She loads people up.
06:02 She drives to the basket.
06:03 She finishes.
06:05 She makes threes.
06:07 She drives and kicks.
06:08 She immediately sees who's open.
06:11 And her teammates are doing a great job.
06:17 They get it.
06:18 You know, they figure it out.
06:19 The coaching staff's done a great job.
06:21 So, you know, I'm thrilled for her.
06:23 I'm thrilled for our program.
06:26 It's going to be exciting, you know, this weekend.
06:29 And a very good chance it happens.
06:30 If it doesn't, it's certainly going to happen at the game after that.
06:33 So we're all rooting for her.
06:34 >> Do you think about this run, though, that both programs have had with, like, you know,
06:38 Megan Gustafson and Luke Murray?
06:41 >> Yeah, you know, that -- it's obviously what we try to do.
06:44 Doesn't always work out that way.
06:47 But, you know, we feel like we have a lot to offer, you know,
06:52 athletes that are looking to play at the next level.
06:55 Give them opportunity.
06:57 You know, both programs, you know, play a style that I think, you know,
07:01 any young player would want to participate in.
07:04 And, you know, when you watch individuals have success like that, you know,
07:11 it obviously stands to reason that somebody else would want to follow and do the same thing.
07:15 >> Josh didn't play a ton in the second half.
07:17 Was that just rotations or was that injury-related?
07:19 >> Well, he smashed his knee when he drove to the basket that one time.
07:24 And, you know, when I put him back in, he didn't seem right to me.
07:28 And we need him playing the way he's capable.
07:33 So, you know, Patrick played really well.
07:36 You know, when I played Brock there at the end, he played well.
07:39 I want to give DeSante a shot.
07:41 But, you know, we need Josh out there.
07:44 >> Coach, is there anything that Minnesota did from the last game that's going
07:47 to be a point of emphasis this time around?
07:50 >> I think they're playing at a very high level, especially at the defensive end.
07:55 You know, I think, you know, again, the more time they've had together with that team,
08:01 because it's in many ways a new team, you know, I think you're seeing a team
08:06 that's coming together at both ends.
08:10 I think Christy, too, is really, you know, becoming an elite freshman.
08:14 I'm really impressed with him.
08:17 >> Have you seen, like, when Penn State kind of went on those quick little flurry runs,
08:21 anything like defensively that wasn't going right to a lot of it?
08:25 >> Well, our zone was not very -- it was good for a little bit, and then it wasn't.
08:29 You know, and that's unfortunate.
08:30 You know, and they had some threes, so you got to give them credit.
08:33 We didn't handle the ball screen action very well against it.
08:37 >> What do you got winning the Super Bowl?
08:43 >> To be honest with you, once the Eagles are out, I really care that much.
08:47 >> What happened with the Eagles?
08:49 Like, what do you think they'll do?
08:50 >> We got some work to do.
08:51 We'll get it figured out.
08:52 I have confidence.
08:55 >> You're looking at the Phillies right now, right?
08:57 >> Yeah. You know, they -- I really thought they were going to be in the World Series.
09:02 I definitely think World Series this year, without a doubt.
09:06 >> I want to -- back to Kaitlin for a second.
09:08 When she eventually does go to the WNBA, it's going to happen at some point,
09:12 what do you think her brand will do for that league?
09:14 I don't want to get carried away, but you remember when Magic and Larry came to the NBA,
09:18 they were playing games on tape delay and whatever.
09:20 Could you see her having that type of impact?
09:22 >> No. I mean, think about -- even in sport,
09:25 like how many people have moved the needle for attendance like she has?
09:30 I mean, I really can't.
09:34 You know, in any sport, pro or college, you know, like I said, you know,
09:38 she's filling up arenas in Charlotte and North Carolina.
09:41 Everywhere she goes, there's a line around the building.
09:43 You know, people wearing her jersey, and you know, she just seems to handle it
09:51 with class and professionalism, and that's what she's going to have to do when she goes
09:56 to the NBA, because she's now a pro, and she will.
10:01 And I'm excited for her and excited for that team.
10:06 >> Coach, just one more touch on Kaitlin.
10:10 So obviously we've seen her in the past couple years, and she's grown a lot.
10:13 Obviously she's by far the best player in women's basketball.
10:16 Do you think that there are times now we could kind of take her for granted,
10:20 having her at this school at this time?
10:22 >> I don't think anybody takes it for granted.
10:24 I mean, that place is full every night she plays, whether we're home or on the road.
10:29 And when we're on the road, there's a lot of Hawkeye jerseys in that building.
10:33 And so I think what everybody's doing is appreciate her.
10:37 Yeah, I don't think anybody's taking her for granted, because you know when you see it.
10:41 When there's something different and there's something elite, you know when you see it.
10:48 >> All right.
10:48 Thanks for having us.
10:49 >> Yep.
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