NC State head coach Kevin Keatts answered a few questions from the Wolfpack Sports Network following the Wolfpack's 64-60 loss to Northern Iowa on Thursday in the Bahamas.
Here are his responses:
What was your initial message to the team in the locker room after the first defeat of the season?
“Well, just to stay together. You win together and you lose together. Unfortunately, we came into this game it was going to be a possession game as it was. They made a few more plays in the end than we did.”
Do you feel like they were able to assert their tempo?
“Yeah, it was a back and forth game and I knew it would be. They do a great job and they run a lot of good sets. We felt like our pressure could bother them. I do think we sped them up. It was a little bit of both, where we made them take a few quick shots. I thought in the first half, we didn’t do a good job of defending the three-point line. In the second half we did.
“I knew it would come down to possessions and certainly they made some plays, and give them credit at the end, when we didn’t make.”
Was there a lack of energy or purpose at the beginning of the game?
“I didn’t think it was lack of energy. I thought it was their style that they play. I thought they controlled, and we talk about the first half, I thought they did a good job of the tempo of it. I don’t think it was lack of energy. It was more so to give them credit than us not having energy.”
Is sophomore center Omer Yurtseven starting to break out?
“He was good and he did score in a variety of ways and is getting better. He’ll continue to get better and he’s starting to feel comfortable with his role. We feel good about throwing the ball inside to him. Tonight, he did a great stepping out and making some shots. I thought he changed some shots on the defensive end.”
When you had a chance to build on your 49-42 lead in the second half and the three-pointer didn’t go in, how did you see Northern Iowa battle to get back in the game?
“I thought we had three empty possessions when we were up seven. I thought for the first time, our guys were looking for a knockout punch. All three guys that took shots during that span, all of them wanted a knockout punch. I told them in order to win the game, you have to do the things that got you the lead. Certainly, I didn’t think we did that.”
Was taking 30 three-pointers too many?
“Well, obviously, I give these guys tremendous offensive freedom. I don’t know if I want 30. I thought for the most part the threes were there, but we didn’t make it. They played a sloughing man-to-man and packed the middle and we got some great opportunities. We just didn’t make them.”
What led to the decision of playing defense over the last 40 seconds instead of fouling right away?
“When you are playing in what is a back-to-back game, certainly, because they were sharp on the offensive end, I didn’t want to give those guys a chance to draw something up in the huddle. I wanted our guys to be able to sit down and defend it. That was the process that came. I felt that if they drew something up new, we are so young in our season, I didn’t think we’d pick it up.”
What were your thoughts on the overall shot selection in the game?
“I thought in the first half that some of our guys took some ill-advised shots, that I’d like to see a little bit different. I’d like to see more spread of the basketball. I thought in the first half, we didn’t have great ball movement and player movement. I thought it stuck in our hands a little bit.”
How important is it for your team to come out ready to go and get that second win while down here against Tennessee on Friday?
“It is important. We came in to win three games, and certainly at this point, we are 1-1. We have an opportunity to play a very good Tennessee team tomorrow. Certainly, I know they feel the same way we do. It will be a tough game for both of us.”
——
• Talk about it inside The State of Basketball
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolfpacker
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolfpacker
• Like us on Facebook
