Postgame Quotes
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Nov. 23, 2013
Virginia Head Coach Tony Bennett
On non-conference schedule:
“We feel like we have a good non-conference schedule. It’ll hopefully prepare us for a league that looks really strong when you’re watching some of these teams play. We wanted a tough non-conference schedule to prepare us, and we have that, without a doubt.”
On London Perrantes:
“He doesn’t get sped up. I think we saw that against the pressure when we went against VCU. He has a calm and a poise to him. He is a better shooter than he’s showing, but he has vision, too. You like that with your guard who has the ball in his hands. He really sees the floor. He’s still has got to learn to be continuous for the whole possession on defense, not just two-thirds.”
On the difference between the first and second half:
“We started off a little impatient and did not communicate well. We came out in the second half and got on the offensive glass, rotated the ball, and made them earn it a little more. We didn’t give them as many shots at the rim.”
On energy level of team:
“I think it’s contagious. When guys start sharing the ball, you get some easy buckets and your defense revs up. We had to be good collectively. We had Joe [Harris] passing up a good shot to get a really good shot. When you have one of your best players doing that, that’s what it’s all about. Obviously, guys made some plays and our defense turned into offense.”
On the play of the big men off the bench:
“I thought Darion [Atkins] was very good off the bench. He had six offensive rebounds and was active. I think we have a lot of strengths and our frontcourt is one of them. Anthony [Gill] can score, and with Darion’s defensive activity, that is a strength of ours. We have to understand that. Doing a couple passes and jacking up a three won’t get it done.”
Liberty Head Coach Dale Layer Quotes
On Virginia and the game as a whole:
“I have great respect for Coach Bennett and his staff and his program and his players. It’s the deepest team they’ve ever had as far as I can remember. I think they know their roles, they make shots, they can score inside out, and their defense is very good. I thought we were able to make a game of it for 25 minutes and then we couldn’t keep them off the glass. Guys that typically don’t shoot well for them were making shots. When they make shots like that and score inside and out, the way they defend and rebound, they make it a difficult time for anyone that comes into John Paul Jones Arena.”
On UVa taking control of the game:
“You can’t give them extra possessions. We gave them extra possessions by turning it over, and they got extra possessions by work on the offensive glass. You can’t give a good team like them more possessions and that is what we did. That was probably the difference between keeping it close and giving us a chance or allowing them to extend the lead.”
On having 19 turnovers:
“They are a very good defensive team. I thought we tried to jam it in there a little bit too much. I thought the first half was okay, but in the second half we tried to do too much and got a bit out of character. Their length and athleticism definitely bothered us.”
Virginia Guard Malcolm Brogdon
On the team being based on inside play:
“It’s definitely a change, but it is something that does have to change. We have such talented bigs now that can really do it all, so we need to play through them. When we get them open and let them make plays, they in turn get us open shots and make the game easier for the guards.”
On getting up for early season games:
“I don’t think it’s hard to get up. I think we’re a pretty competitive team. I think since it’s early in the season it might look like it’s hard to get up but in reality we’re just trying to work out our chemistry and put it all together, and we’re in the process. I think in the second half we started playing better and making shots.”
Virginia Forward Darion Atkins
On Virginia’s energy:
“It definitely becomes very contagious. There’s just something about that energy that builds chemistry slowly. I think it really shows on the court. It seems like once one of us gets that energy flowing everyone else just feeds on it.”
On Virginia’s non-conference schedule:
“It’s not too bad in my opinion. You can never take a team too lightly. I feel like if we come out and play our game and stick to our principles, then we can play with anyone.”