Here's What Mike Woodson Said About Indiana's Loss to Illinois
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana head coach Mike Woodson answered the media's questions in a post game press conference following the Hoosiers' 74-57 loss to Illinois.
Read the transcript, or just watch the attached video of the full press conference.
Q. On the three-point game...
MIKE WOODSON: Well, when we've lost games, that's been either rebounding and, you know, not defending the three-point line. And I thought we were pretty good on the boards tonight. It wasn't too bad.
But the three-point shot got away from us again tonight. I thought the two big threes that Jacob hit was really the turning point in the down spiral of our ball club after he made two threes because we never really recovered from it.
Q. On Trayce Jackson-Davis guarding Kofi Cockburn...
MIKE WOODSON: Well, he didn't play particularly well. I thought Mike and those guys played well. But, you know, Mike, he was in foul trouble, as well. Ended up fouling out.
But, you know, I thought for the most part, we did a pretty good job on the big guy until late. I thought we played a beautiful first half.
I didn't think we executed too particularly well in the first half, but still came in up two. But, you know, you got to give them credit. You know, they put a solid 40-minute ball game together and we put a 20-minute ball game together.
Q. On Cockburn not guarding much out beyond the free-throw line...
MIKE WOODSON: Well, that's -- I mean, that's how they play their big guy. And, you know, I mean, you can't make him disappear. He's there in the paint for a reason.
And he's not going to come out not just on Trayce, but all the big fives that he goes against. That's their defense. They just sit him back in there, let him clog the middle up and say, beat me on the perimeter, which we just didn't make shots again tonight.
Q. On why Jackson-Davis doesn't shoot threes...
MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, tonight, we needed to have him on the floor. He sat next to me the first half. He's still, you know — he's just not comfortable doing it. I mean, he shoots some in practice, but he's, you know, we're not asking him to shoot threes.
You know, but he can make — I think he can make the 10, to 16, 17-foot shot. But he just won't shoot them. I got to keep working with him. That's on me.
Q. On the team's composure and the starters not playing in the last five minutes...
MIKE WOODSON: I'm not even going to comment on the composure. I took them out because they weren't playing well. That's why I took them out.
Q. Why won't you comment on the composure? I don't understand.
MIKE WOODSON: Because I don't think I have to.
Q. Is it obvious or — I mean, I'm not trying to be mean, but —
MIKE WOODSON: No, I'm just not going to comment on the composure. I gave you your second answer and that's where we are.
Q. On Miller Kopp not shooting...
MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, I — we're not telling him not to shoot. You know, and again, defensively, they know he can shoot and they won't leave him, so it forces someone else to shoot.
I thought Parker had some good looks the first half and didn't make his shots in the second half.
So, I mean, listen, you got to give them credit. They played good defense the second half, and they played great defense the first half. I mean, to come in up two, they were scrappy as well like we were the first half. We just didn't have much going for us the second half.
Q. On not playing Xavier Johnson in the final minutes...
MIKE WOODSON: I didn't think they were playing well. That's why they went to the bench.
Q. On if Woodson liked what the team's doing schematically on offense...
MIKE WOODSON: I don't think we got into anything. And I may have mentioned that to X when I came in the —I don't think — he just never got us in everything.
I can't tell you one play we called tonight, you know, unless I was calling it. I mean, he had kind of turned the corner in that area, but our offense — we struggled tonight because we never got into anything.
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