Tulsa's 80-40 trouncing of Memphis this week was eye-opening. Tulane was overmatched in the second half by a Tulsa team that was not supposed to be very good, but the Golden Hurricane may be a lot better than anyone realized. Entering a must-win game at ECU, here is what Ron Hunter, Nobal Days and Christion Thompson said after practice yesterday as they prepared for ECU, which has star sophomore Jaylen Gardner and not much else and does not have a single player hitting more than a third of his 3-point shots and ranks 337th out of 350 Division I teams in 3-point percentage (.281).
HUNTER
How important a game is it Saturday after what happened at home last week?
"We definitely need to win and have to play that way. We keep saying we've got to play consistent. We had a chance to beat a good Tulsa team and we didn't finish and Tulsa's winning the league. I like the fact that we actually have important games. It's been a while since Tulane had important games. The sense of urgency from our guys has been good. We have to go on the road and get a win."
When you see Tulsa beat Memphis 80-40, does that put a different perspective on what happened Saturday?
"Not necessarily. We're good enough to beat any team in the league, but we also can get beaten by any team. It's consistently how do we play. Do we show up and play the right way for 40 minutes? We have yet to put really 40 minutes together yet, so that's what we're waiting on with this group. If we make shots, with our defense we are going to win games."
The whole team is in a shooting slump. How important is it for these guys to see the ball go in the basket?
"I don't talk much about the offensive part because I know they are already thinking about it, especially with the shooters. We've shot a lot this week. We've put a heavy emphasis on our offense this week with shooting and also with some rest. We really don't want to talk about it. They know. Again, our defense has been outstanding really all year. When we get to that point where we're consistently making shots, then we'll take off."
It is just guys missing shots they can normally make?
"Yeah, the crazy thing is I don't see it in the games because I'm worried about so many different things, but when I got watch the tape, they are wide open shots we are missing, and a lot of times they are ringing in and popping out. Free throws are going in and popping out. There are lay-ups that we normally make. We are a really good 3-point shooting team. We just haven't been last week. It comes in cycles, so by law of averages it's time for us to start making shots."
East Carolina is not a good outside shooting team. I guess they could pull a Saint Louis on you (the normally poor outside shooting Billikens torched the Green Wave from the 3-point line), but what is the goal defending the Pirates?
"I don't even say that anymore. They may be one of the best shooting teams in the country (on Saturday). We still have to defend the 3. No matter who we play, if we defend the 3 and teams do not get double-figure 3s against us, we should win those games, especially with our offense not clicking the way we want. We can't allow them to be able to make 3-point shots."
Jaylen Gardner is a unique player. He's not that tall but he plays big. What is the key to guarding him?
"Well, he's going to get his points. What you have to do is shut the other guys down, make him a volume shooter and make sure we don't allow those other guys to have great nights. We've done that for the most part this year, making sure those other guys don't have great nights, and then make him shoot 2s. Don't let him become a 3-point shooter."
DAYS
How much do you need this game Saturday?
"It's big to get us back on track. Even though we've been playing hard, we've just been missing shots. Our defense has been keeping us in games all season, but we've run into tough spells scoring."
How hard is it to not let bad shooting affect other aspects of the game?
"It's just like, come on, we need to catch a break and we can't catch a break the whole game. It's tough. That's basketball, though. You're going to have ups. You're going to have downs, but for every valley there's a peak. Eventually we're going to come back up. We're going to start this on Saturday and just ride that Wave back up, catch another break and just do what we can do."
Jaylen Gardner is a high-volume scorer and shooter. What is the key to defending him?
"I remember watching them play Tulane last year and I was saying, all right, that's going to be me guarding him this year. He's a beast. He's stocky, he's strong, he finishes through contact. He's going to be a tough dude to handle, but as long as we can just limit him, because you can't shut him out, and make it really tough for him. He's not going to make that many tough shots. If he hits a couple, that's pretty good."
How did the week off from games feel for you guys?
"Uh. I would say it was a good thing for us because coming off that UCF loss, which was like, oh, man (played poorly) and the Tulsa loss when we were playing good and just couldn't see the ball go in, it was good to take a week off and just come back and get a reset. We'll start back again Saturday."
Tulsa beat Memphis 80-40 last night. What did you think when you saw that score?
"It was funny. Literally before practice today we saw the preseason predictions and they had Tulsa like 10th. They are the No. 1 team, so that stuff doesn't mean anything. We can beat anybody when we come to play and do what we have to do."
THOMPSON
How big is this game Saturday?
"It's a must-win game just like every other game. We've been in sort of a slump not making shots, not playing our ball. We've got to get back to playing our ball. I said it last week, getting back to what we do best, playing our ball and staying together."
As much as you want to, how hard is it to do everything well on the floor when shots aren't falling for everybody?
"It's hard, especially with a bunch of guys who just came together. We're in the middle of the season now, so that's not as huge, but we have a bunch of guys whose mindset is to come in and try to produce as much as we can. Especially when shots aren't falling it becomes a mental game. It's a mental block you have to get over, and that comes from maturity and playing in a lot of games."
You only get one shot at this as a graduate transfer. How do you channel the frustration when things aren't going well?
"Talking to my mom, she was just saying elevate my game to where my mistakes are so minimal that when my teammates make mistakes, it doesn't look like they make mistakes. It's getting in the gym more. I'm not shooting the ball well right now. It's being able to help others on and off the court and just being a better leader. This team needs it. It's important that I give it."
What's not working with your shot?
"It's the rhythm of the season. I still have confidence in my shot. I've been doing more and creating for other people. I've just got to be able to make the shots now consistently. I've been in the gym way more. During the season you tend to back off from getting extra work in just because of your legs, but we're running out of time. It's just doing whatever it takes at this point--watch more film, take more shots and get more conditioning in and just be ready in every way."
When you see a team like Tulsa beat ranked Memphis 80-40, what does it say about this league?
"That just says every game you've got to be ready to play. It doesn't matter who you are or what's the name on your jerseys. You have to be ready to play. We are not intimidated by anybody else in this league. It's a Power Six League like everybody says, and we're known for that. We have good competition in this league, good coaches and good players."
HUNTER
How important a game is it Saturday after what happened at home last week?
"We definitely need to win and have to play that way. We keep saying we've got to play consistent. We had a chance to beat a good Tulsa team and we didn't finish and Tulsa's winning the league. I like the fact that we actually have important games. It's been a while since Tulane had important games. The sense of urgency from our guys has been good. We have to go on the road and get a win."
When you see Tulsa beat Memphis 80-40, does that put a different perspective on what happened Saturday?
"Not necessarily. We're good enough to beat any team in the league, but we also can get beaten by any team. It's consistently how do we play. Do we show up and play the right way for 40 minutes? We have yet to put really 40 minutes together yet, so that's what we're waiting on with this group. If we make shots, with our defense we are going to win games."
The whole team is in a shooting slump. How important is it for these guys to see the ball go in the basket?
"I don't talk much about the offensive part because I know they are already thinking about it, especially with the shooters. We've shot a lot this week. We've put a heavy emphasis on our offense this week with shooting and also with some rest. We really don't want to talk about it. They know. Again, our defense has been outstanding really all year. When we get to that point where we're consistently making shots, then we'll take off."
It is just guys missing shots they can normally make?
"Yeah, the crazy thing is I don't see it in the games because I'm worried about so many different things, but when I got watch the tape, they are wide open shots we are missing, and a lot of times they are ringing in and popping out. Free throws are going in and popping out. There are lay-ups that we normally make. We are a really good 3-point shooting team. We just haven't been last week. It comes in cycles, so by law of averages it's time for us to start making shots."
East Carolina is not a good outside shooting team. I guess they could pull a Saint Louis on you (the normally poor outside shooting Billikens torched the Green Wave from the 3-point line), but what is the goal defending the Pirates?
"I don't even say that anymore. They may be one of the best shooting teams in the country (on Saturday). We still have to defend the 3. No matter who we play, if we defend the 3 and teams do not get double-figure 3s against us, we should win those games, especially with our offense not clicking the way we want. We can't allow them to be able to make 3-point shots."
Jaylen Gardner is a unique player. He's not that tall but he plays big. What is the key to guarding him?
"Well, he's going to get his points. What you have to do is shut the other guys down, make him a volume shooter and make sure we don't allow those other guys to have great nights. We've done that for the most part this year, making sure those other guys don't have great nights, and then make him shoot 2s. Don't let him become a 3-point shooter."
DAYS
How much do you need this game Saturday?
"It's big to get us back on track. Even though we've been playing hard, we've just been missing shots. Our defense has been keeping us in games all season, but we've run into tough spells scoring."
How hard is it to not let bad shooting affect other aspects of the game?
"It's just like, come on, we need to catch a break and we can't catch a break the whole game. It's tough. That's basketball, though. You're going to have ups. You're going to have downs, but for every valley there's a peak. Eventually we're going to come back up. We're going to start this on Saturday and just ride that Wave back up, catch another break and just do what we can do."
Jaylen Gardner is a high-volume scorer and shooter. What is the key to defending him?
"I remember watching them play Tulane last year and I was saying, all right, that's going to be me guarding him this year. He's a beast. He's stocky, he's strong, he finishes through contact. He's going to be a tough dude to handle, but as long as we can just limit him, because you can't shut him out, and make it really tough for him. He's not going to make that many tough shots. If he hits a couple, that's pretty good."
How did the week off from games feel for you guys?
"Uh. I would say it was a good thing for us because coming off that UCF loss, which was like, oh, man (played poorly) and the Tulsa loss when we were playing good and just couldn't see the ball go in, it was good to take a week off and just come back and get a reset. We'll start back again Saturday."
Tulsa beat Memphis 80-40 last night. What did you think when you saw that score?
"It was funny. Literally before practice today we saw the preseason predictions and they had Tulsa like 10th. They are the No. 1 team, so that stuff doesn't mean anything. We can beat anybody when we come to play and do what we have to do."
THOMPSON
How big is this game Saturday?
"It's a must-win game just like every other game. We've been in sort of a slump not making shots, not playing our ball. We've got to get back to playing our ball. I said it last week, getting back to what we do best, playing our ball and staying together."
As much as you want to, how hard is it to do everything well on the floor when shots aren't falling for everybody?
"It's hard, especially with a bunch of guys who just came together. We're in the middle of the season now, so that's not as huge, but we have a bunch of guys whose mindset is to come in and try to produce as much as we can. Especially when shots aren't falling it becomes a mental game. It's a mental block you have to get over, and that comes from maturity and playing in a lot of games."
You only get one shot at this as a graduate transfer. How do you channel the frustration when things aren't going well?
"Talking to my mom, she was just saying elevate my game to where my mistakes are so minimal that when my teammates make mistakes, it doesn't look like they make mistakes. It's getting in the gym more. I'm not shooting the ball well right now. It's being able to help others on and off the court and just being a better leader. This team needs it. It's important that I give it."
What's not working with your shot?
"It's the rhythm of the season. I still have confidence in my shot. I've been doing more and creating for other people. I've just got to be able to make the shots now consistently. I've been in the gym way more. During the season you tend to back off from getting extra work in just because of your legs, but we're running out of time. It's just doing whatever it takes at this point--watch more film, take more shots and get more conditioning in and just be ready in every way."
When you see a team like Tulsa beat ranked Memphis 80-40, what does it say about this league?
"That just says every game you've got to be ready to play. It doesn't matter who you are or what's the name on your jerseys. You have to be ready to play. We are not intimidated by anybody else in this league. It's a Power Six League like everybody says, and we're known for that. We have good competition in this league, good coaches and good players."