Murray State University Athletics
Weekly Press Conference
12/5/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Quotes from head coach Mick Cronin during the weekly men's basketball press conference on Dec. 5 following the Racers' 5-0 start to the season. MSU next travels to Bowling Green, Ky., to take on rival Western Kentucky on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m.
Opening statement:
"Well, we battled back from adversity at Texas Christian. It was a tough environment for our guys because it was cold in the arena, and I think they announced a crowd of 3,000, but it was more like 300. Then, we came out cold hitting just one of our first 17 shots from the three-point line. Somebody asked me how that felt and I didn't even realize it. We were just trying to battle and coach. We had guys in foul trouble, and we're trying to juggle the lineups and stay close. It was such a relief when the ball went in the basket a few times. Once we made a few shots, we went from down five to up five. I told to Rick Jones to keep firing because you never tell a shooter to stop shooting. So, I didn't want him to get gun-shy at all."
"The thing that I was most pleased with was when we were in foul trouble and had to play small, Chris Shumate got two monstrous offensive rebounds. They were big hustle plays, and for him to do that, because he's been struggling with his offense, just shows his commitment to the team. He's not getting down on himself or looking to get himself some points. He found a way to help his team win the game, which reflects what these guys have been about so far. They've been a lot of fun to coach. The officials had to tell our guys on the bench to sit down like 30 times in the second half because of they're energy. It makes it fun to coach when the guys are really pulling for each other."
"We're happy with our start. Obviously, we've got a big rivalry game on Sunday and we've got two days to prepare. I got a chance to watch them (Western Kentucky) last night. It'll be a tough challenge because anytime you're trying to beat somebody who's back is against the wall, you know you're definitely going to get their best shot, which is okay. It'll just make us better. So, hopefully, it'll be a war and we'll come out of there with a win."
On whether he's surprised by the way his team has taken to the new system and style of play this early in the season:
"Not really. I think we can score points. I thought that if we'd defend and rebound, we'd have a chance to win games. I was concerned with our ability to take care of the basketball. In the preseason, I mentioned that I was concerned with our guard play. Now, Adam (Chiles) has 29 assists and 15 turnovers and Kevin (Paschel) has 18 assists and 11 turnovers. As a team, we've got 105 assists to 82 turnovers. So, we're taking care of the ball, we're rebounding and we're playing defense. If we can continue to do those things, we're going to win a lot of games. It's just harder to do those things against better teams, especially on the road."
On the team's depth when they face foul trouble as they did against TCU:
"It's a huge advantage for us. What you can't do is not play guys and then ask them to go in there and perform without any previous experience. I don't talk to our team in reference to starters or reserves or bench points because I may start a different lineup on Sunday. I don't want Shawn Witherspoon to think of himself as a guy who comes off the bench because he's going to start here eventually, it's just a matter of time. I think it's a mentality that our guys have."
On the early-season struggles of Western Kentucky and facing them after their 0-4 start:
"The tough thing about sports is that you can play well and not win. Watching tape on Western Kentucky last night and this morning, they've played well, especially in certain games. I think they've already played against the best two teams in the SEC West. They've may have already played the Conference USA champs because Louisville was picked to win in the preseason. And then they had to play VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) on the road, and everybody knows how hard it is to play over there. I'll just say that they may be the best 0-4 team in the history of college basketball."
"The one advantage I have with our guys is that they know -- more than I do because most of them have played Western before -- but they know that it's going to be a war. They know it's a big game, and they know Western's not really an 0-4 team. Our guys know what they're up against, and they're sending that message to Kelvin (Brown) and Adam (Chiles), the two guys that really haven't played in this rivalry."
On the keys to the game with Western Kentucky:
"I think it could come down to who stays out of foul trouble between (MSU's) Kelvin Brown and (WKU's) Nigel Dixon. That could come down to a matter of style and how the game is played, and it could certainly be the key."
On the Racers being featured in the latest ESPN.com and CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Polls:
"I never knew there was a Mid-Major poll until I came to Murray State. To be honest with you, I'm only concerned with the national Top 25 polls. I think the Mid-Major poll is a way for some people to get some recognition, but I think our guys shouldn't sell themselves short. If they want recognition, they need to keep winning. Really, the only way to get something is to earn it. So far, our guys have taken care of business, and they've earned a little bit of recognition. But, it's fleeting recognition because if you get beat, like Manhattan did after they were No. 3 in that Mid-Major poll, you're out. So, you have to understand that all of that stuff is a set-up. If you start believing that it matters, it's just a set-up to get you beat. Anytime we can garner some national attention and earn some votes in the national poll, then that's a great thing for our guys. But, at the same time, I'm concerned with the big picture, getting better all year, and hopefully, being ready to win an OVC title and play ball in March."
