Recap | Box Score | USATSI Photo Gallery

Head Coach Jay Wright Opening Statement:

We didn't start great but we played pretty well after that. They are a talented team and if you do not play well against them they can get you, but I thought that we played pretty well. I thought we played sloppy at times but good effort and we need to keep getting better.

I thought Daniel was just outstanding from the start. Kris in the first half got into a little foul struggle and struggled a little bit but nice he came back great second half, especially on his birthday.

You keep saying you have to get better, but that was three pretty lopsided games you guys just played, do you see room for improvement?

Yes defensively and rebounding we need to get a lot better, the consistency of it. They started that game off with four offensive rebounds, we lost guys, and we did the same thing against Nebraska. We are not coming out focused defensively or rebounding. Then after they hurt us a couple times then we get it going. We need to get to the point where we start games that way.

You played against a team that is averaging 105 points; did that get your attention defensively?

Once we got it going I thought we were pretty good defensively. A lot of it came from Phil Booth, he came in and gave us a spark defensively. Donte came off the bench gave us one as well, because our starters did not start well. Those guys came in and got us a spark and when those guys came back in they were very good defensively.

Is this a situation where you are happy with the defense, the offense, or a mix of both?

We have been playing well offensively, we haven't been turning the ball over, and in this game our turnovers got a little sloppy. We have been taken care of the ball and even though we didn't shoot great in the last two games this game we shot it better, but we got good shots. I am pretty happy offensively but just the defense and rebounding we need to get better.

For the start of the second half you had only played six guys which isn't really typical in a non-conference game. Did you want to see some sustained action there?

Yes we wanted to play them for a while together; they got in foul trouble in the first half. Arch only played seven minutes in the first half and we had the subs at the table for two minutes. There were no stoppages; I had to call a timeout to get them in. So it was longer then I wanted to but we did some sustained time with those guys playing together in a game situation. Because no matter how much you practice, and what the score is it is just always different playing with a crowd and against an opponent.

Jay talk about your three point shooting?

Tonight was one of our better nights and Kris hit a couple big ones. Josh Hart was hot but got into foul trouble. Arch did not have any in the first half, but he hit a couple off ball screens. Daniel had great screens and Phil Booth got a couple off ball screens where Daniel ran out and got him wide open shots. So a lot of them came from him doing a great job of running our and setting the screens.

Kris Jenkins

Kris what does it mean to be starting games now instead of coming in off the bench?

Jenkins: It is just a different role, same mindset to come in and do whatever the team needs. Play hard and focus on defense and rebounding and everything else will follow.

That team was averaging 105 points was that emphasized in your scouting report and to keep them under wraps?

Jenkins: Defense is always our number one priority coming into the game and rebounding so every opponent it is the same thing. First it is going to be defense and then we need to rebound.

Ochefu: We were definitely focusing on it, it was in our scouting report. A couple of their guys were averaging 15 to 20 points and we definitely worked hard in practice preparing for them. Coach did a great job scouting them.

Daniel Ochefu

How would you rate your performance over these last three games overall, are you happy with what you have been able to accomplish, anything new that we have seen?

Ochefu: I am happy with the win of course but like Coach said we have to get better every day with defense and rebounds. It is a challenge that we will have all season and we look forward to taking on that challenge.

Wright: I am happy with him if that matters, he is doing a great job a rebounding and also has played great defense.