Everything From Head Coach Damon Stoudamire After Road Victory Over NC State

Georgia Tech picked up its first road victory and a Quad 1 win over a really good NC State team. Here is all that Damon Stoudamire had to say after the major victory.

Opening Statement…

“It was a really good game. It's one of those things because I've been on both sides as a player. I played on two teams that are in the top 10 for worst losses in NBA history. lost to the Indiana Pacers by 58 points in 98 after we just beat Chicago two nights before in Chicago. Lost to Cleveland, and we lost by like 53. So it's probably like the worst timing in the world to be coming off a loss like we had and then coming in somewhere where a team been laying dead for a week gets a little hard. Our guys competed. They played hard. They fought. We looked like Pitt when they came in there and beat us, you know, and, you know, NC State is a really good team. You've got to keep playing. You got to keep playing. You've got to keep playing. But we took their best hits, and we were able to come out on top. But, you know, the biggest thing for me, I can talk about a lot of stuff, but for me, like the game came down to I thought Jaden Mustaf did about as good a job as I seen on Darrion Williams. Not only this year, but when I watched him before, he was physical. He was tough. He didn't back down. He didn't go for pump fakes. The biggest thing, you didn't put him at the line. And so, that to me was big for us. You know, we guarded the three. Um, (Paul) McNeil was three of 10. Really happy at the guys responding. Um, proud of my team and like we talked about, we just can't go backwards.”

On if the win turns things around a little bit and close games better than before….

“We'll see Tuesday, you know, but I tell you, you know, one one win can change your season. I do know that. We can build on this. It was good to see. And we didn't make the free throws, but we got the stops. So before we couldn't get the stops and we made the free throws, so what difference did it make? I think that was the biggest thing tonight. We had a collective effort, you know, it was five guys connected and playing as one on both ends of the floor. I think that's what I take away from this win because it's been a tough, you know, 48 72 hours for everybody. We did a lot of I won't call it soul searching because it gets clichéish and all that, man, but we just wasn't happy with what happened. To come back today and beat a really good NC State team at their place, um, I think it shows a lot of character those guys down there in that room.”

On winning the rebounding battle and being +9….

“It takes a lot, you know, and truthfully, I won't sit up here and say that I felt like that every game this year, you know, but I think that again, what happened on Wednesday had a lot to do with this. I normally start two bigs, but with injuries, I've started one, you know, pretty much for well, for most of ACC play. We're getting a lot of mileage out of this group. They have toughness, they have grit. Um, but we talked about finishing plays and that's what we did tonight. We boxed out, we rebounded with two hands, and we had five guys rebounding. Some of those rebounds that we got late in the game, those balls been going out of bounds, and the other team gets it. We fumbled the ball, teams have gotten layups. So, for me, uh, just seeing that payback that these guys got, I was really happy for them.”

On what allowed the defense to not allow NC State to get good looks…

“I just think everybody did a good job of sticking to the scouting report. We didn't overreact to a lot of things. You know, again, uh, Copeland, he's a really good player and I remember him from even when he was at Syracuse. I thought he was a really good player, but we were going to live with anything he did outside the paint and you know, try to guard the, you know, guard the three or let him shoot from the three, excuse me. In the second half, they got a little better with that ball screen. So, we tried to adjust some things. But, you know, the biggest thing is that guys took on the challenge. I mean, they got Williams, they have Quadir Copeland. Um, you know, we already talked about McNeil. They got guys who come off the bench, they can really shoot the ball. And so, we did a good job, I thought, with the phys with the physicality standpoint, and a lot of times, you know how basketball goes. When your best players are uncomfortable, usually your role players don't play the same way either.”

On Kowacie Reeves his big shots and confidence…

“Wacie has become Wacie in terms of you know, you look for him for stability. Um, you look for him for leadership, and talked to the other guys. He's been here as long as I've been here. He stepped in and made some big shots to keep us in the game. And then he made some big shots where we won't say we got over the hump, but it took us one time, I think he made a three, took us to eight maybe, you know. But I was happy for him. He's bought into everything that I've said um to him from day one. It was really good to see him get payback for, you know, what's happened because he's been here again. He's been here through the ups and downs, but this is a really good road win. With guys like Wacie, hopefully, we keep trending, and we can trend in the right direction.”

On Cole Kirouac's development and how he is playing…

“Cole to me, you know, again, you already know, I told you when I picked Cole, when I signed Cole, it was more so he reminds me of Luke Cornet. He has a great feel for the game. He just needs to get stronger. You know, he's a freshman. He's young. Um, you know, he's going to continue to get better each and every practice, each and every game. Sometimes it take it takes bigs a little longer, but he just has a feel for the game, his movements, um, and different things. Now it's just learning his way, you know, defensive positioning, knowing when and when not to on the offensive, being setting screens, being able to hold screen roll, hold people off, get rebounds with two hands. But he did a great job tonight. Trust me, his minutes impacted that game. They definitely did.”

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