bleedingTNorange
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as promised :hi:
Opening statement:
"We've played against some really good opponents. I looked back at the RPI and it was 290 when we played Austin Peay at that point; now it's like 109, so we're definitely making progress as a team at the right time. You always want to get better later -- it's nice to be good at the beginning as well -- but our guys certainly are making strides at getting better, playing with a level of confidence, playing with each other.
"Our bench has been playing well. In 16 of the last 17 games, our bench has led the other team's bench in scoring, which is a good sign. But we have guys who are starters coming off the bench, so that really helps you.
"Jordan McRae is playing well for us. Kenny Hall has played well in his role as a starter. Guys are really hitting their stride. Skylar McBee is really shooting the ball well, playing with a level of confidence. In the last two games, Trae Golden has been really good for us. Trae's always been a guy who could score, but he's been good as a leader and as a point guard directing traffic. And Jeronne (Maymon) has been Jeronne - consistent on both ends of the floor, rebounding, tough as nails, defending and playing hard."
On using the SEC standings more than the RPI:
"I do. Yeah, I look at the SEC standings all the time because that's most important for us and where we're going. As a coach, as long as you're making progress then things eventually fall in place."
On talking about the next five games or staying day-to-day:
"I don't really talk to them about it but if you win your next five, I don't think there's any question. In this league when you have the best team in America in your league and you battle those guys, I don't think there's any question at this level in this league if you win your next five.
"But you never know, and once again there's no set criteria to say, `this, this, this.' You just have to do your job and put in work, and when Selection Sunday comes if you're part of it, then you're part of it."
On games like Saturday helping to sell the defensive message to players:
"What I make them understand is we have to defend; that's who we are. That's our brand. Now I want to score a lot of points. If you can score, then we'll score. Whatever your skill set says, then that's what you'll do. Skylar can shoot it, shoot the ball; Trae goes in and out, he can attack the rim, he can shoot the ball; Jeronne inside-out -- play your game because our offense is suited for that.
"But you have to defend because it gives yourself a chance to win the game. And that's who we are. We have to defend at a high level in order to be successful, because we can't hang our hat on whether or not shots are falling some nights. If they're not falling, you've got to be able to defend and keep yourself in the game."
On whether elements of the offense remain to be implemented:
"Oh, we'll definitely grow from an offensive standpoint. But I'd rather be good defensively first, because you can always incorporate offense in a system. If you're sound defensively, you give yourself a chance to win games. We still have some offense we'll put in, but we try to simplify it and not put so many plays in. We have four different actions out of one play but we haven't put a lot of stuff in."
On McRae's improvement and production over the last few games:
"More than anything, it's just making a commitment to do what's asked and being a part of the team and wanting to be successful -- because I wasn't wavering in my approach. It's a credit to Jordan McRae to understand that in order for him to be successful and our team to be successful, these are the things that are required in order for us to push forward. He's done a great job with that. He's taken charges.
"But if you watch, his approach in practice is at another level. He's attacking the rim, he got a couple of dunks the last game, he's been more aggressive. Now that he's not thinking about it his offense comes, because once again we didn't run one play for him and he scored 14 points in the last game. But because of his space and his approach, he's able to score."
On if McBee's play of late seemed possible back at the beginning of the season:
"Yeah, I think so, because if you see him he has good form on his shot. And I don't know if it's necessarily lacking confidence but you grow as your role grows. All of a sudden, here's a guy who has a prominent role and has a chance to be a part of success and he's in it.
"Those are things I demand of him and the level I want him to play at. There are things that are required from a practice standpoint, how he approaches practice, how he's constantly moving, but it's also the condition of the body to be constantly moving. That's not an easy thing to do. You watch a guy like Ray Allen - he moves all the time. Guys who are catch-and-shoot guys, you have to be moving all the time to get looks and make that defense work."
On Tennessee not being affected too much this year by pressing teams:
"We try to move it through the air as opposed to a lot of dribbling. Unless you have to dribble to get it across mid-court, we want to pass the ball up the court, get 3-point shots and attack the rim."
On who has responsibility for making those passes against the press:
"Whoever is passing it, really. Whoever is making the pass, get it up the court. Jeronne is the key with our press, more than anybody. He does a really good job of facilitating. He's one of our better ball-handlers and decision-makers, so when he gets the ball and can get it up it really helps us."
On Stokes' wrist injury:
"Oh, he's fine. I didn't see him Sunday but he got treatment. We didn't practice Sunday so we'll see him today. But if it's not improved, he'll make it improve. He's ready to go. He's hungry. We text back and forth and he's ready to go."
On watching tape of Arkansas home or road games because of their home success and road struggles:
"Depending on where we're playing is where I watch the team. If we're playing Florida at their place, then I'll watch all of Florida's home games. I don't waste times with the road games unless I have time to spare, which I don't. Like getting ready to play Arkansas, I'll watch all their road games.
"Unless there was a certain team that played them at (Fayetteville) that's similar to our style, then I'll watch that game. But in most cases, I'll watch all of their road games."
On the team being able to handling success after going through so much adversity:
"To be specific, you'd have to ask one of those guys. For me as a coach, our approach is the same. I don't walk into practice with a tuxedo on or anything like that. My approach is still the same -- a hard hat and let's get to work. It's a mindset you come with every day in order to be successful."
On quick starts being key against a team that has struggled on the road:
"I tell our guys all the time that sometimes when you are at home you have a tendency to be relaxed somewhat, to kind of let the offense come to you, see who's going to get the first shot. So for us, I tell our guys to let the defense dictate the tempo, be aggressive defensively, make those guys work, get turnovers, get the crowd into the game where the shot clock is going down. Now let that be your gauge. Don't consume yourself with whether or not this 3-point shot will fall the first time I shoot it. Pound the ball inside, attack the rim off the dribble and then you get 3-point shots. But let our defense set the tone for us early."
On Hall's progress and development:
"Playing well. Playing well. Like Jeronne, Kenny's one of our better defenders. He knows what's going on. Kenny's playing well, he really is. I want him to be more aggressive offensively, especially when he's down on the rim 1-on-1. He's got to make aggressive moves and attack the rim.
"He's a guy who likes to dunk the ball but sometimes you have to settle for that 15-footer, that pull-up jumper or that jump-hook around the rim left- or right-handed. He had a couple of times where he could use his left hand against Florida and he didn't, but he uses it all the time in practice. So just being comfortable in games to be an aggressive scorer."
On Hall's mindset being more like a defensive player:
"I think so. But all summer long, he spent a lot of time with his jump shot - a 15- to 17-foot jump shot. He's not shooting it as much now but we need him to be aggressive offensively. I don't beat it over his head to shoot the ball; he has to feel good about shooting it. But he's a guy who accepts his role and just wants to win."
On it not mattering if Cameron Tatum shoots or does not shoot:
"Not at all, because when I watched the game I didn't see many opportunities where he had a shot without forcing it. That was a great job by our team not forcing shots. And I didn't realize he didn't shoot the ball until I saw the stat sheet at the end of the game. But I don't think in the game, or even watching film, there was a time where I said, `Man, this guy passed up a shot. Why didn't he shoot the ball?' I didn't see that. So it's a credit to him not forcing a shot."
On Maymon's unforced turnovers:
"That's the question I ask myself sometimes. I really do, because he's an intelligent ballplayer and he does handle the ball well. But he gets one or two a game where you wonder, `Man, what happened?'
"But he cares and he wants to be successful. It's not like out there just throwing the ball all over the place. We talk about that all the time, because he knows what's going on and he is a good decision-maker."
On Hall's aggressive defensive play without fouling:
"You know, it's amazing. I was waiting to hear that question for so long without me saying it, for somebody to really say that because he's done a good job of playing really good defense without fouling. And I don't even talk to him about it because I don't want him to start thinking about it.
"He's been aggressive in his ball-screen defense, even in his post defense, and he's gotten to the point where we have him switch on ball screens with guards and he's done a really good job. I won't bring it up to him, but he continues to do a good job. He's made a conscious effort of really working hard in that area."
On how much more the team can improve over the rest of the season:
"I definitely think there's a lot of room for improvement on both ends. On offense, continue to get better with the spacing. We continue to get better with our dribble penetration. Setting hard, solid screens. Running hard in transition, wings sprinting wide and the bigs sprinting down the middle to get easy baskets that way. More than one or two guys dribble penetrating. And defensively, just getting the mindset that you hate for teams to score.
"Right now, we're doing a good job just because, `Coach said do this and it will help us win games.' And not that they're defiant, but now once they really realize we can be special at this, then it's another level."
On the proudest moments from Saturday's win at Florida:
"Just the mental focus to get it after the whole game, which is not easy in that environment. But just to stay focused and continue to execute - Trae did a good job from start to finish of running the team. He and Skylar (both played) 38 minutes, did a really good job. Our bigs did a good job. Jarnell stepping up - he probably wasn't healthy enough to play but he did play. He just wanted to win.
"Across the board, we did a good job of winning that game. To be able to handle that press, when they wanted to make runs, we did a good job of not shooting the ball quickly but executing our offense, working that shot clock, taking the crowd out of the game. That's the thing we talked about for so long -- you have to be able to take the crowd out of the game on the road and we did that."
On being able to survive scoring droughts by playing defense on the other end:
"I say it all the time, `Guys, don't hang your hat on the offensive side of the ball.' We can score 90 points; we can score 80. But we have to defend at a high level because, especially on the road, you'll have days where the shot isn't falling. If we shoot 30 percent on the road, we still have to win that game by getting stops and taking care of the basketball."
On learning from early season losses to mid-major teams:
"The great thing about losing to those mid-major teams is we didn't approach it with a level of humility. We walked into the gym like we expected to win because we're Tennessee. We didn't have the right mindset going into those games.
"That being said, I don't think we were good enough to win them. And when I say good enough, I'm not necessarily talking about talent. But I don't think our mental approach was ready to win on the road, I don't think we were a good enough team to win on the road, I don't think we had the makeup to win on the road.
"We walked into those games thinking, `Man, this is a small gym. Why are we playing here?' That type of mentality as opposed to appreciating the opportunity to play a game in a great atmosphere and respecting your opponent.
"Thank you."
Opening statement:
"We've played against some really good opponents. I looked back at the RPI and it was 290 when we played Austin Peay at that point; now it's like 109, so we're definitely making progress as a team at the right time. You always want to get better later -- it's nice to be good at the beginning as well -- but our guys certainly are making strides at getting better, playing with a level of confidence, playing with each other.
"Our bench has been playing well. In 16 of the last 17 games, our bench has led the other team's bench in scoring, which is a good sign. But we have guys who are starters coming off the bench, so that really helps you.
"Jordan McRae is playing well for us. Kenny Hall has played well in his role as a starter. Guys are really hitting their stride. Skylar McBee is really shooting the ball well, playing with a level of confidence. In the last two games, Trae Golden has been really good for us. Trae's always been a guy who could score, but he's been good as a leader and as a point guard directing traffic. And Jeronne (Maymon) has been Jeronne - consistent on both ends of the floor, rebounding, tough as nails, defending and playing hard."
On using the SEC standings more than the RPI:
"I do. Yeah, I look at the SEC standings all the time because that's most important for us and where we're going. As a coach, as long as you're making progress then things eventually fall in place."
On talking about the next five games or staying day-to-day:
"I don't really talk to them about it but if you win your next five, I don't think there's any question. In this league when you have the best team in America in your league and you battle those guys, I don't think there's any question at this level in this league if you win your next five.
"But you never know, and once again there's no set criteria to say, `this, this, this.' You just have to do your job and put in work, and when Selection Sunday comes if you're part of it, then you're part of it."
On games like Saturday helping to sell the defensive message to players:
"What I make them understand is we have to defend; that's who we are. That's our brand. Now I want to score a lot of points. If you can score, then we'll score. Whatever your skill set says, then that's what you'll do. Skylar can shoot it, shoot the ball; Trae goes in and out, he can attack the rim, he can shoot the ball; Jeronne inside-out -- play your game because our offense is suited for that.
"But you have to defend because it gives yourself a chance to win the game. And that's who we are. We have to defend at a high level in order to be successful, because we can't hang our hat on whether or not shots are falling some nights. If they're not falling, you've got to be able to defend and keep yourself in the game."
On whether elements of the offense remain to be implemented:
"Oh, we'll definitely grow from an offensive standpoint. But I'd rather be good defensively first, because you can always incorporate offense in a system. If you're sound defensively, you give yourself a chance to win games. We still have some offense we'll put in, but we try to simplify it and not put so many plays in. We have four different actions out of one play but we haven't put a lot of stuff in."
On McRae's improvement and production over the last few games:
"More than anything, it's just making a commitment to do what's asked and being a part of the team and wanting to be successful -- because I wasn't wavering in my approach. It's a credit to Jordan McRae to understand that in order for him to be successful and our team to be successful, these are the things that are required in order for us to push forward. He's done a great job with that. He's taken charges.
"But if you watch, his approach in practice is at another level. He's attacking the rim, he got a couple of dunks the last game, he's been more aggressive. Now that he's not thinking about it his offense comes, because once again we didn't run one play for him and he scored 14 points in the last game. But because of his space and his approach, he's able to score."
On if McBee's play of late seemed possible back at the beginning of the season:
"Yeah, I think so, because if you see him he has good form on his shot. And I don't know if it's necessarily lacking confidence but you grow as your role grows. All of a sudden, here's a guy who has a prominent role and has a chance to be a part of success and he's in it.
"Those are things I demand of him and the level I want him to play at. There are things that are required from a practice standpoint, how he approaches practice, how he's constantly moving, but it's also the condition of the body to be constantly moving. That's not an easy thing to do. You watch a guy like Ray Allen - he moves all the time. Guys who are catch-and-shoot guys, you have to be moving all the time to get looks and make that defense work."
On Tennessee not being affected too much this year by pressing teams:
"We try to move it through the air as opposed to a lot of dribbling. Unless you have to dribble to get it across mid-court, we want to pass the ball up the court, get 3-point shots and attack the rim."
On who has responsibility for making those passes against the press:
"Whoever is passing it, really. Whoever is making the pass, get it up the court. Jeronne is the key with our press, more than anybody. He does a really good job of facilitating. He's one of our better ball-handlers and decision-makers, so when he gets the ball and can get it up it really helps us."
On Stokes' wrist injury:
"Oh, he's fine. I didn't see him Sunday but he got treatment. We didn't practice Sunday so we'll see him today. But if it's not improved, he'll make it improve. He's ready to go. He's hungry. We text back and forth and he's ready to go."
On watching tape of Arkansas home or road games because of their home success and road struggles:
"Depending on where we're playing is where I watch the team. If we're playing Florida at their place, then I'll watch all of Florida's home games. I don't waste times with the road games unless I have time to spare, which I don't. Like getting ready to play Arkansas, I'll watch all their road games.
"Unless there was a certain team that played them at (Fayetteville) that's similar to our style, then I'll watch that game. But in most cases, I'll watch all of their road games."
On the team being able to handling success after going through so much adversity:
"To be specific, you'd have to ask one of those guys. For me as a coach, our approach is the same. I don't walk into practice with a tuxedo on or anything like that. My approach is still the same -- a hard hat and let's get to work. It's a mindset you come with every day in order to be successful."
On quick starts being key against a team that has struggled on the road:
"I tell our guys all the time that sometimes when you are at home you have a tendency to be relaxed somewhat, to kind of let the offense come to you, see who's going to get the first shot. So for us, I tell our guys to let the defense dictate the tempo, be aggressive defensively, make those guys work, get turnovers, get the crowd into the game where the shot clock is going down. Now let that be your gauge. Don't consume yourself with whether or not this 3-point shot will fall the first time I shoot it. Pound the ball inside, attack the rim off the dribble and then you get 3-point shots. But let our defense set the tone for us early."
On Hall's progress and development:
"Playing well. Playing well. Like Jeronne, Kenny's one of our better defenders. He knows what's going on. Kenny's playing well, he really is. I want him to be more aggressive offensively, especially when he's down on the rim 1-on-1. He's got to make aggressive moves and attack the rim.
"He's a guy who likes to dunk the ball but sometimes you have to settle for that 15-footer, that pull-up jumper or that jump-hook around the rim left- or right-handed. He had a couple of times where he could use his left hand against Florida and he didn't, but he uses it all the time in practice. So just being comfortable in games to be an aggressive scorer."
On Hall's mindset being more like a defensive player:
"I think so. But all summer long, he spent a lot of time with his jump shot - a 15- to 17-foot jump shot. He's not shooting it as much now but we need him to be aggressive offensively. I don't beat it over his head to shoot the ball; he has to feel good about shooting it. But he's a guy who accepts his role and just wants to win."
On it not mattering if Cameron Tatum shoots or does not shoot:
"Not at all, because when I watched the game I didn't see many opportunities where he had a shot without forcing it. That was a great job by our team not forcing shots. And I didn't realize he didn't shoot the ball until I saw the stat sheet at the end of the game. But I don't think in the game, or even watching film, there was a time where I said, `Man, this guy passed up a shot. Why didn't he shoot the ball?' I didn't see that. So it's a credit to him not forcing a shot."
On Maymon's unforced turnovers:
"That's the question I ask myself sometimes. I really do, because he's an intelligent ballplayer and he does handle the ball well. But he gets one or two a game where you wonder, `Man, what happened?'
"But he cares and he wants to be successful. It's not like out there just throwing the ball all over the place. We talk about that all the time, because he knows what's going on and he is a good decision-maker."
On Hall's aggressive defensive play without fouling:
"You know, it's amazing. I was waiting to hear that question for so long without me saying it, for somebody to really say that because he's done a good job of playing really good defense without fouling. And I don't even talk to him about it because I don't want him to start thinking about it.
"He's been aggressive in his ball-screen defense, even in his post defense, and he's gotten to the point where we have him switch on ball screens with guards and he's done a really good job. I won't bring it up to him, but he continues to do a good job. He's made a conscious effort of really working hard in that area."
On how much more the team can improve over the rest of the season:
"I definitely think there's a lot of room for improvement on both ends. On offense, continue to get better with the spacing. We continue to get better with our dribble penetration. Setting hard, solid screens. Running hard in transition, wings sprinting wide and the bigs sprinting down the middle to get easy baskets that way. More than one or two guys dribble penetrating. And defensively, just getting the mindset that you hate for teams to score.
"Right now, we're doing a good job just because, `Coach said do this and it will help us win games.' And not that they're defiant, but now once they really realize we can be special at this, then it's another level."
On the proudest moments from Saturday's win at Florida:
"Just the mental focus to get it after the whole game, which is not easy in that environment. But just to stay focused and continue to execute - Trae did a good job from start to finish of running the team. He and Skylar (both played) 38 minutes, did a really good job. Our bigs did a good job. Jarnell stepping up - he probably wasn't healthy enough to play but he did play. He just wanted to win.
"Across the board, we did a good job of winning that game. To be able to handle that press, when they wanted to make runs, we did a good job of not shooting the ball quickly but executing our offense, working that shot clock, taking the crowd out of the game. That's the thing we talked about for so long -- you have to be able to take the crowd out of the game on the road and we did that."
On being able to survive scoring droughts by playing defense on the other end:
"I say it all the time, `Guys, don't hang your hat on the offensive side of the ball.' We can score 90 points; we can score 80. But we have to defend at a high level because, especially on the road, you'll have days where the shot isn't falling. If we shoot 30 percent on the road, we still have to win that game by getting stops and taking care of the basketball."
On learning from early season losses to mid-major teams:
"The great thing about losing to those mid-major teams is we didn't approach it with a level of humility. We walked into the gym like we expected to win because we're Tennessee. We didn't have the right mindset going into those games.
"That being said, I don't think we were good enough to win them. And when I say good enough, I'm not necessarily talking about talent. But I don't think our mental approach was ready to win on the road, I don't think we were a good enough team to win on the road, I don't think we had the makeup to win on the road.
"We walked into those games thinking, `Man, this is a small gym. Why are we playing here?' That type of mentality as opposed to appreciating the opportunity to play a game in a great atmosphere and respecting your opponent.
"Thank you."
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