What Kenny Payne, Jae'Lyn Withers Said After Louisville's 75-65 Loss at Boston College
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Turnovers once again spoiled a golden opportunity for the Louisville men's basketball to grab a win in ACC play, as they blew a double digit first half lead en route to falling 75-65 at Boston College.
Here's what head coach Kenny Payne and forward Jae'Lyn Withers had to say following the loss:
Head Coach Kenny Payne
(Opening Statement)
Boston College has a good team, very solid. They have something that I wish we had a little more of, and that's toughness. Their physicality, the way they play. For the most part, we handled it in the first half. Second half, they were the aggressors and they put us on our heels. I thought this was a winnable game. The elephant in the room is the turnovers. You can't describe some of them. When a guy gets the play wrong, runs to the wrong spot and just panics, and throws the ball. Or just kicks it out of bounds, or travels. Turnovers that are unnecessary, which leads to layups. You look at the stat sheet, you walk away saying we did everything it took to win the game, but we still didn't. We didn't handle the elephant in the room, which is the turnovers.
(On what looked different in his players, that they were responding to various runs)
I just think we had some moments where we were really good. We started the game off really good. I felt like we had a good grasp of the game, and then the 12-point lead should have been 18. But what happens if you don't take advantage of those moments? You got to know that the other team, on their home court, is going to make a run. So we walk in the locker room instead of being up 18, we walk in there up six. A lot of it was off our mistakes. In the second half, they jump on us. We knew they would go to the big guy a little more, (Quinten) Post. I don't know what he ended up scoring in the second half, but he hurt us. They got into a rhythm offensively, we got in foul trouble, and it just made it difficult for us to overcome.
(On if the mental or fatigue factor is the reason why Louisville seems to struggle in the second half)
I don't know. I don't know how to answer that. If it's something psychological there, I think- you really break down this game of basketball, it's probably more mental than it is physical. What separates good from great is mental. What separates bad from good is mental. The mental capacity to fight through adversity, the mental capacity to focus and do your job at hard times, and be locked in. To not forget and be mentally sharp, and play with a determination. Look, the kids tried hard. I know they're not robots, and I want them to be at times. They deserve to win. I like to see them fight all the way through and win games. I think we're capable. But it's going to take a lot. We don't have wiggle room, and I keep telling them that. I'm hoping that they figure it out, and understand what that means. I'm describing it to them: we're never gonna be the most talented team of anybody we play. But that does not mean you can't win.
(On if a change in routine with going on the road might help them)
I wish I was smart enough to understand what that means, a change in routine would help us. To me, it's strictly fight. Strictly just doing whatever it takes to win a game. When the game started, I told the guys: here's my analogy for you. Take out the strategies, doesn't mean anything. We're two dogs, and there's was one bone. Who's going to eat? That's the mentality you got to have. I thought we did that for parts of the game, but I thought other parts of the game we didn't. Whether it's feel for it, IQ for it, energy to fight through and hit people and not let them get confidence by hitting us first. You hit first. Those type of things. So to me, it's not about some routine that changes. It's more about our mental approach during the during the battle, trying to win the game. How do we handle that?
(On seeing guys from the Knicks stop by and visit)
It was good to see them there supporting. Couple of the coaching staff members came, Julius (Randle) and Immanuel Quickley, and R.J. Barrett, and a few other guys came. It's good to see him. I know they're with us. I'm sure I'll be getting a phone call with coaching tips, but they'll probably ask 'Why hadn't I put hands on somebody yet?' because they know me to be a little crazy. But they're supportive, and I was happy they came.
(If there's a common theme with the turnovers)
Yeah. I think that anytime you make a pass, and you jump to make the pass. Anytime you make a pass and you don't step with your feet to make the pass. Anytime you throw the ball to the inside hand, opposed to the outside hand. Anytime you're not in triple threat, and you're on your heels with the ball over your head. Anytime you don't anticipate on the drive that they're gonna collapse and the spacing is not right, so you may have to back dribble to create the space to make the pass to get off the ball. Anytime you don't play with poise. I mean, there's a lot of things that you can name what leads to it. But at the end of the day, we got to try to fix it. It's been the same from the first day to today. We had a stretch in the first half where we didn't turn the ball over a lot. Then all of a sudden, there was a bunch of turnovers and allowed them to get back in it.
Forward Jae'Lyn Withers
(On what kept them from getting over the hump)
I'd say attention to detail and rebounding. We were out rebounding them, I think, 16 to five in the first half. Second half, they cleaned up on the glass a lot better.
(On if it was encouraging to see them build an early lead, and if he saw encouraging things)
I did. I saw a lot more resiliency whenever that adversity did hit. We continued to fight, but those two things that I mentioned a second ago were the things that hindered us
(On if the change in approach with the road trip could help them with the break in routine)
I think that we have the same approach, it's just a change of scenery pretty much. I think it'd be a real good for us, to get a road win, in our conference.
(On if fatigue is a factor for this team late in games)
I personally I don't think that I can answer that. I can't really speak for any of the other players. But I know that I'm pretty good as far as my wind, and in my body holding up
(Photo of Kenny Payne: Greg M. Cooper - Associated Press)
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