Everything Miami Interim Head Coach Bill Courtney Said After No. 2 Duke Loss

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Miami Hurricane took a beating against No. 2 Duke but many expected it.

Interim head coach Bill Courtney couldn't help but smile post game because with how good the Blue Devils are, games like this happened. He knew the effort was there tonight and with that also brings a lot of great talking points to build on for the last three games of the season.

Opening Statement...

They are very very good.

On if it was awkward with Jai Lucas in the building...

it's not really a big change for us you know we got to stay focused and kind of and you know keep the main thing the main thing and the main thing is the game preparation for the game and you know I'm sure guys especially younger guys may have thought about it um it's almost impossible not to hear the noise but you know all the time when you coaching guys you want them to try to block out as much noise as possible cause there's always going to be some noise it's just different kind of noise each time uh and you try to do your best to to to stay focused through all this stuff.

On if he has addressed the rumors with the team...

no not not one bit again you know again as far as I knew I didn't know anything was official and so um you know you hear all the rumors and stuff like that but yeah so there's no need for us just for our team.

On who will step up in that leadership role now without Matthew Cleveland or Nijel Pack...

I mean we're really in a situation where guys have to step up because again we haven't had Nigel since December uh and Matt's missed the last two games they were the most veteran guys on our if you look at our group um they the only guys besides Paul Djobet was here last year.

On Lynn Kidd's Impact...

Duke's so good defensively um in everything they do um but we did think Lynn could score one-on-one against the big um and he approved to do that you know I think when we go through Lynn even if he doesn't score he helps us create good shots because he gets so much attention.

On Duke's impossible first five minutes in the second half...

They got guys that are going be playing in the NBA for a long time right so they just start playing a little better and then if you can't keep up scoring with them or you can't be like Clemson and really grind them out if you can't get them into the grinding out game it's going to be very difficult to beat them you know the shot that Kon Kuneppel hit when he switched on Lynn on to him like step back three between the legs you know those are shots shot that NBA players take and make uh and they happen to have guys and so we didn't score at the beginning of the second half as frequently as we had and thus they're going to keep scoring so you got to be able to keep pace.

On Duke's size...

Well, it makes it very difficult because you know anything inside the three-point line is challenged. they're so good at beating the screens they're so good at switching they're so good at being in the right position that you have to get in there you have to kick it out it's something that shared on and on and on um you know for us you know we was going in there getting Mal watch just sending the back right you go there you got to make great decisions and again we did a good job of that one of the big things we focused on taking care of the ball we didn't do a great job of that you know even the first half we got 10 turnovers it's 32-47 but guess what uh slim Evans comes in and makes five threes it's a tie game if that's not the case it with us turning the ball over and so um you have to have a really good game to beat Dukewe would have to make a lot of Threes ata high rate we got some open looks we had to cash in.

What makes Cooper Flagg so special on defense...

the kid no matter what kind of game he's having offensively's going to bring tangibles that affect winning Know his defense on the ball his defense off the ball his pass his leadership and his nonverbal communication with his teammates are all at an incredible level and so again if he had six points he had a big footprint on every game he's in because again he does things that affect.

On the Defensive effort....

I think we gave effort again but when you're playing a team that's that good passing the ball they make you pay for any mistake. If you're just this little bit slow getting back this a swing swing three right if you make a mistake on a ball screen when you put two on the ball they move it they find their man almost every guy can hit a three you know and then you got Mal under the basket so you got to take that away kind of if you sink in they skip that pass they're shooting another three so again they're very difficult to guard um you know we've had our challenges defensively um but I thought we gave effort. It's hard to guard that team especially when they're making especially if he comes in off the and makes five threes in the first half you know he cooled down a little bit in the second I wish he would have started the game that way you know and I always say this about them if Kon Kunuppel hits his first shot you're in trouble because again I think he's a big key to their group.

On what could be built on this loss...

I'm not sitting here disappointed in our effort I think our kids gave effort on offensive and defensive glass you're just playing an extremely talented team that makes you pay for every mistake you make um you know I wasn't really displeased with our shot selection or any of that um again just playing a good team and you have to play very well to beat.

On Divine Ugochukwu agressiveness...

that was huge for us I mean we've been trying to get our guards to rebound for the whole season and uh he really stepped up tonight I thought he was terrific I he young kid learning the game of basketball learning how to play point guard learning how to lead. I thought he was terrific in the glass. He he allowed us to by him rebounding it allowed us to kind of have a bust out fast break where the guy against the rebound is leading the break and now you have a numbers Advantage now we didn't-always take advantage of it but it good to see that um because that helps...

On Jalil's Bethea's first half performance...

ell that's what he's capable of he's he's capable of being that player when he keeps it simple, and he can be very effective. I think they picked up their defense some in the second half a little bit didn't let him get some of those looks but um he's a very talented kid he is capable of doing that.

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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at justice.sandle111@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter@Justice_News5.