Men's Basketball

Post-game Quotes vs. Temple

Dec. 14, 2014

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Villanova Head Coach Jay Wright



Opening remarks



"Good win for us against a tough team. We have been watching film of Temple since the Saint Joes game because we played Saint Joes right after they did. They have been getting better and better each game. We knew we were going to see a better team tonight.I am very proud of how we played. They are a good defensive team and to score 85 points on them is something to be proud of. They really defend and we got beat up on the glass a little bit but the second half we did a better job. And we can get a lot better."



On having unselfish scorers



"It is true and it is nice when a couple guys get it going. Our team did a good job once Josh (Hart) got it going to "find" him. Darrun (Hilliard) is always the one who you do not have to run plays for him he just creates the opportunities. However today we ran specific plays for him ââ'¬Â¦ That was good for us to experience that as a team. The only other time we have done that was in the Illinois game when Dylan (Ennis) got going. "



On Villanova's play overall



"They were doubling Daniel at times and it is very difficult to get threes when they aren't doubling your bigs and you go inside and they just stay on the perimeter and say 'hey we are gonna give you the two'. Daniel is attracting enough attention now that it has a lot to do with how Josh and Darrun were able to have the day they had. "



On preparation for the Syracuse game



"The Temple game is a big game for us and we started finals at 8 a.m. on a Saturday ââ'¬Â¦ We are going to try to get through Wednesday and then Thursday and Friday really prepare for Syracuse ââ'¬Â¦ A BIG FIVE game to us is as big as a Syracuse game. But I can feel the vibe around the game and the energy coming from the team."

Darrun Hilliard



On shooting well in a Big 5 game



"It felt great, just had the same confidence that I've had in the past games and I felt good going in. I had to make plays, it just so happened that it was in a Big 5 game."



On Big 5 games



"They don't get any easier. Every Big 5 game is competitive. Teams always come in trying to play harder than us. Every year it's been really difficult, but every game we know that teams will try to beat us and we have to rise to the challenge. Coach always tells us that teams will try to beat us not because we're ranked or we're Villanova, it's just the next game. We just try to play harder than them, it's as simple as that."





Josh Hart



On getting more shots when in rhythm



"Like coach said, our guys did a good job finding me. I just took open shots and the ball happened to go in. It was a good day overall, I did get lucky on some shots but that just happens sometimes."



On teammates play



"They're an offensive force; you've seen them do it a couple this season. Darrun Hilliard, Daniel Ochefu, JayVaughn Pinkston; all have done it. When teams have to guard them it allows Dylan, Ryan and I a little bit more freedom. When the ball goes in that's always a good day."



On experience



"Darrun's been here a while, JayVaughn too, Daniel's really matured, Ryan as well. I see them doing a great job picking up the young guys."



On his personal hot streak





"My teammates really support me whether it is in my highest points or my lowest points. They've given me confidence. The coaches have also helped. I've been working out more. I guess the holidays are a nice time for me. I have to give it up to my coaches and teammates."

Temple Head Coach Fran Dunphy

On Villanova being a tough matchup



Their unselfishness is very good. They have a pretty good inside-outside process. [Daniel] Ochefu is getting better down there. [JayVaughn] Pinkston is tough down there. Even when we were isolated with our bigs against them, sometimes you're just taking a chance that even hopefully if they score it down there; they are only getting two points. But today they came out and obviously shot it great from the three-point line. They were very efficient. When we did leave them open, they were knocking them down. It's just a good basketball team. They play hard. They play together and it doesn't look like anybody cares who scores.

On Temple protecting the ball and limiting turnovers



In the first half, yes. There was a stretch in the second half where they got two turnovers that lead to easy baskets for them. You have to be very careful of that next pass, I though they stepped in the lane. We didn't go backdoor enough. We didn't read defenses quite well enough.

On if Temple played hard enough or if talent was lacking



[Villanova] has a very talented team. I thought [Temple] played hard. We can play harder. We can do a better job. Maybe there was a loose ball here or there that we didn't get to, that they did. They're a talented group.

On Villanova's defense



We did a poor job on offense, which lead to easy baskets for them on the other end. Some of their defensive numbers are skewed because our offense is so poor. And their defense is really good; [Villanova] stepped in lanes and we didn't read the opportunities for backdoor cuts. I don't think this team is as misunderstanding of the defense like last year. I think we're better now.

On getting the full lineup back



It will be different. Devin Coleman and Jesse Morgan have never played a game for Temple University, so we'll see how that's going to be on Thursday; get them into the game as quickly as we can and we'll see how we can go. We got into a little foul trouble today. We were a little bigger than I wanted to be a couple times because Josh Brown was in foul trouble. Daniel Dingle was in foul trouble a bit too. It'll be different; it'll be really different.

On making changes moving forward



It's difficult to change your dynamics in the middle of the year and I think that's what we will have to play attention too. Substitution patterns; see who is playing well. And everybody is going to have to buy in. We'll see how we do come Thursday.

On Coleman and Morgan coming back





They both can make shots, first of all. They are pretty good shot-makers. The next step will be getting shots, before you can make them you have to get them. And we have to find them. We have to do a better job of finding people. We have to do a better job of passing the basketball. Better job of cutting and our offensive execution has to improve. But they are offensive players. Jessie is one of those guys at the end of the day, he's got the most deflections on the defensive end and so that'll help us as well



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Players Mentioned

Josh Hart

#3 Josh Hart

Guard
6' 5"
Sophomore
Darrun Hilliard

#4 Darrun Hilliard

Guard
6' 6"
Senior
JayVaughn Pinkston

#22 JayVaughn Pinkston

Forward
6' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Daniel Ochefu

#23 Daniel Ochefu

Forward
6' 11"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Josh Hart

#3 Josh Hart

6' 5"
Sophomore
Guard
Darrun Hilliard

#4 Darrun Hilliard

6' 6"
Senior
Guard
JayVaughn Pinkston

#22 JayVaughn Pinkston

6' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Forward
Daniel Ochefu

#23 Daniel Ochefu

6' 11"
Junior
Forward