Quotes, video from UConn's most impressive win of the season -- a 70-45 thrashing of Tulsa Thursday night in Hartford. Geared by a four-guard starting lineup, the Huskies got off to a fast start, then kept their foot on Tulsa's throats at the start of the second half.
KEVIN OLLIE:
“Probably our most complete game, from top to bottom -- defensively, offensively.”
“Offensively, I thought the ball moved. Daniel really spread out the court and allowed us to attack. And Boatright is just playing real great basketball.”
(the four-guard starting lineup of Ryan Boatright, Rodney Purvis, Daniel Hamilton and Terrence Samuel)
“It really gives you spacing. Nothing against Kentan (Facey), or anything like that, but with Daniel out there ... he hit two 3’s in a row, on a play that we just designed. It just gives us a lot more spacing, a lot more creativity in a package that we have offensively. I thought we did a marvelous job executing.”
“We were able to get out and press a little bit. We wanted to stop them, because their fast break is so potent. On mades, we wanted to get up and press a little bit, so they can just hesitate. I think we did a good job, just having them pause a little bit, then kind of get deep in the shot clock. They’re starting off at 22, 23 seconds.”
(on Ryan Boatright)
“He’s just getting better every day. He’s learning how to talk to his teammates. With Ryan, he says the right things, but sometimes it doesn’t come out the right way. And now, he’s really just talking to them, explaining what he wants.”
“When it’s time to take over a game, he’s starting to get that switch where, ‘Alright, it’s my time.’”
HAMILTON:
AMIDA BRIMAH:
“It opens up the game for me. The guards were playing great defense, too, it just opens up the game for all of us.”
(on going 3-for-3 on his mid-range jumpers)
“I’ll work on it a lot. I just don’t use it ‘cuz I feel like, to me, jumpers are kinda soft. So I’ll just go in the paint more. If you give me a lot of space, I’m gonna shoot it. But if I’m in the paint, I’m gonna go for a post move, a stronger move.”
(will he ever shoot a 3 in a game?)
“No.”
(why not?)
“I can shoot 3’s, but I’m not doing it.”
BOATRIGHT:
(on the small lineup)
“We get up and down the floor a lot faster. The transition speed is high. And on the defensive end, we irritate. We’re into you 94 feet.”
“The sense of urgency is there. Our destiny is in our own hands.”
(on SMU)
“They play tremendous defense, great team defense. They communicate extremely well, they’re physical, they’re balanced, they’ve got great guards. They’ve got guys in the frontcourt that can produce. They’re a tough team.”
(on Nic Moore)
“He’s just a small, firey, feisty guy. He plays hard all the time, he has a knockdown jump shot, a knockdown trey-ball. He leads his team. He’s a good player.”
(on Moore, Boatright being favorites for AAC player of the year)
“Nah, I’m worried about UConn winning the next seven games. Individual awards, I couldn’t care less. I’ll take the Final Four and the championship any day.”
PURVIS:
(on Hamilton)
“Having him at the four really helps out a lot. With Daniel, you can pick and pop. With me, Boat and T-Sam, we’re attacking guards. Once we attack, we’re drawing two people every time.”
(think Hamilton would be this good a rebounder?)
“No, I didn't. When he first got here, I thought he was skinny. I thought he was gonna get pushed around and beat up. I don’t know how he does that rebounding stuff. He’ll be stealing his teammates’ rebounds. He just likes to rebound.”
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