2002-03 BKM vs. Central Michigan -- quotes
12/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
U-M Head Coach Tommy Amaker
On trying to control Chris Kaman and Mike Manciel ... "When you look at how the game was played, Kaman had a career game, their other player, Mike Manciel, had a great game too. They both had career games. We need to do better to make a shot from three that could help us pull out a tight game. Kaman was certainly the difference in the game with 30 points, 21 rebounds and then five blocks. We did things that we practiced in terms of shrinking the floor against him when he would get it in the post, but he made some shots when he was outside the paint. He made almost every free throw. He was a force and the difference in the game."
On Michigan's depth ... "We are more limited than we anticipated coming into this year. I think you see that in terms of ballhandling. I think their pressure was a big difference in the first half. I think they did a really good job of pressuring all of our ballhandlers. We're not as deep as we thought we would be and so far that has played a role in our inability to get a win right now."
On opposing players having career games against Michigan ... "I mentioned it to our players and it is what it is. I can't take that away from the other kids who played that well against us, and I wish there was something that we could have done to offset that. Manciel was 50 percent from behind the three-point line and he earned it and unfortunately we didn't."
On what went wrong tonight ... "When you score 78 points I'm not sure it could be your offense. We didn't shoot a great percentage but I think the difference in us is making perimeter shots. We practice those shots in practice but they're not falling in games. You see what we see and it's not like we're throwing up bad shots. Maybe we'll get some guys getting some career nights."
On the play of freshmen Daniel Horton and Lester Abram ... "When I get a chance to see the tape I'm sure we'll see some things that we'll try to build on. We're not into getting moral victories. We need to get a win. There's no other way of saying it and that's the investment we've made and we haven't had that yet."
U-M Freshman Guard Daniel Horton
On the game ... "We gave the effort, but I think we have to do a better job playing with the lead. When we had the lead we took a couple of questionable shots. We fought back hard and took the lead, but we just have to do a better job of keeping it. Things are getting better and with some work on some things, we will get there."
On picking up the intensity in the second half ... "We came out of halftime and knew we had to do something different, which was to pick up the intensity. It worked because we took the lead, but we couldn't sustain it."
U-M Senior Guard Gavin Groninger
On the game ... "It was a tough loss for us. We played hard, we just need to get a group of players to go out there and play hard all game. It stings even more when you lose."
On the team coming together ... "I think people are getting more comfortable and understanding the effort that they need to bring, but we need to keep working. We need to get this monkey off our back."
On what the team needs to do to improve ... "We need to take better care of the ball. We need to take care of the lead when we get the lead. In the important stretches of the game, we need to be our smartest."
Central Michigan Head Coach Jay Smith
On playing Michigan ... "First off, I want to thank Tommy Amaker for letting us play. It's not possible unless he lets some of us (Mid-American Conference teams) come in here in and play. I give him all the credit in the world. There are other big programs that won't and he's got a lot of guts to do it."
On the game ... "It was a great team effort. (Chris) Kaman came out and played like he's capable of playing unlike last week against DePaul. (Mike) Manciel was just terrific. He did a lot of little things like grabbing a missed free throw late in the game and he was always around the ball. He put great pressure on Michigan's Daniel Horton. I'm really proud of the kids' effort."
On Michigan's rebuilding process ... "I just think that right now Tommy is putting his pieces together. It took us four years to turn around a program and do it the right way. It's all about getting good people and you have to do it every day. You have to get your people in there to believe and fight. It's going to happen here. This school is too great for it not to happen. That's not saying they're not going to hit potholes, because we all hit them. You just have to get back up off the canvas and keep fighting. Tommy knows how I feel about Michigan -- it's a great university."
