Murray State University Athletics
Cronin addresses press conference
11/14/2005 6:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CRONIN ON SEASON-OPENER AT CINCINNATI: "We're well aware of what we're up against. They've got four seniors back from a nationally ranked team. Eric Hicks may be the most ferocious inside player in college basketball. They have All-Americans, they've got it all. Coach (Andy) Kennedy is a great coach, and he's going to do well there. We look at it as a challenge. We'll come out of this game knowing where we are and what we've got to work on. What will they do offensively? That is the question. They were second in the nation in defensive field-goal percentage last season. They might be even more aggressive with Coach Kennedy. They'll run things maybe that they didn't run before, but I will look for them to bring the same type of intensity."
ON TEAM'S NEEDS HEADING INTO THE SEASON: "We have to get consistency, two or three guys who we can count on every night. Whether it's 20 points on a good and 10 on a bad night, we have to find someone who can be consistent. Trey (Pearson) has to be one of them; he's the Ohio Valley Conference Pre-Season Player of the Year. We need him to be consistent. Pearson Griffith can become one of those guys, I think. He's shown signs of great improvement. Shawn (Witherspoon) will be one of those guys. He's ready to have a great season, we can count on him. The rest of the team is capable of having good nights. We have to have consistency in order to be a championship team."
ON PEARSON GRIFFITH: "We use the Shaq rule with him. That is to be big, be strong, be relentless. Those are the things he does the best. I'm very pleased with what I've seen from him so far. He's the nicest kid I've ever coached."
ON RETURNING TO CINCINNATI: "I'm looking forward to eating at the Montgomery Inn on Friday. We're in Friday and out Saturday, so it will be a quick trip. The emotion of the Cincinnati game is diminished. I've been gone long enough that I didn't recruit any of the guys currently on the roster. (Former Cincinnati) Coach (Bob) Huggins gave me my start in college basketball. I spent five great years there. He won't be on the bench, so that takes away something. It is my alma mater, my hometown. You always want to make a good showing, but we know it's a huge challenge for us. It's the opener for us against a Big East team on the road."
ON DEPTH OF TEAM: "We are going to become deeper. I said Sunday that Marqise Wright looked like our best player. The next day, it's Tyler Holloway. The question for us is: how soon can they contribute? The challenge for me is to get them some valuable playing time, so when we get to the OVC season, they're ready to help us, but at the same time, I can't throw them to the wolves."
ON LEADERSHIP OF THE TEAM: "You don't win games like these with young guys historically. Trey and 'Spoon will decide from a leadership standpoint what kind of season we will have. We're going to play to win, but we know we're up against a great team. Win or lose, we're going to come out of the game a lot better."
