Postgame Quotes: Purdue 64, Michigan 51
1/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2015
Michigan Head Coach John Beilein
Opening statement ... "It was a great first half. It was a battle. It wasn't pretty, but it was a battle. Even though I did not think we had played well to that point, I thought we were in great position for the second half if we could make some shots, defend and rebound. In the second half, none of that happened. We did not make shots, we did not defend the way we can defend, and we certainly did not rebound, so that's what you get. You get what you deserve, and we deserved, in that second half, to lose the game because we could not make shots, rebound or defend."
On Purdue's size down low ... "We knew they were going to try and throw it inside and jam it in there. We had some foul trouble but not enough (to take us out of the game). We did a pretty good job in the paint. It was guarding the drive (where we had trouble). Our defense, at times, was pretty good. Today was about the 50-50 balls and the good shots -- layups, scoot shots that didn't go in. They forced us into some bad shots; at the same time, we cannot shoot like that and win games."
On the frustrations of missing makeable shots ... "We have to continue to work at that. There was a lid on the rim a little bit, and our guys have to believe they can make those shots. Those shots make a big difference in the game. Based on Purdue's mental and physical toughness in that second half, we are going to lose that (kind of) game until we can get a little bit more edge in us when things are going the other way."
On players trying to do too much ... "What all three players (Zak Irvin, Caris LeVert, Derrick Walton Jr.) have to understand, and they are seeing it now, is that when you have players like we have had in the past, you are not getting the opponent's primary defender. Now, their best defenders are on them, and they have to continue to be confident and work through it."
On the play of Purdue's big men today ... "We got their other big guy (Isaac Haas) in foul trouble and when that happened, I said, 'I don't know if this is a good thing,' because (A.J.) Hammons is a three-year starter for them. He's a great talent, and he's a better shot-blocker than Haas. When they played the ball screen a particular way, we did not have much of a chance of getting to the rim."
U-M Junior Guard Spike Albrecht
On the difference in Purdue's three-point defense from the first to second half ... "They made some adjustments at halftime and got into us a little bit. But we still had some good shots, shots that we make every day in practice, so we have to continue to work hard in practice and shoot confidently in the game."
On whether or not he felt a turning point in the game ... "No, not really. What we have been stressing all week -- and really all year -- is that we have to remain poised, especially when the crowd gets into it. We have to buckle down and execute. When we are not hitting shots, we have to not allow that to trickle over to defense because you can always control your defensive effort."
U-M Junior Guard Caris LeVert
On the frustration of the team's lengthy field goal droughts ... "We got shots that we make every day in practice, we just did not knock them down. We missed some layups as well, and they played hard all game so you have to give them credit."
On the mental approach when a team is missing shots ... "Every possession for us is very important. We think of every possession that way, but we missed some easy shots and some layups. We will have to watch the film and see where we can get better."
U-M Sophomore Guard Derrick Walton Jr.
On the difference of how Purdue played in the second half ... "The entire game, they got to our shooters and like (Caris and Spike) said, we had some second-half shots that we are used to making in practice. Today was just tougher. We have to get back, work on fundamentals and keep shooting the same shots we have been making all year."
On Purdue's big men ... "We felt that our bigs, our younger guys, fought pretty hard today. There are some shots that, in practice, we try to prevent them from making, but (Hammons) had a good game today. He made some tough shots, so just give credit to him."
