On what improvements have needed to be made:
“We had two formidable opponents in the first two games, but I thought we should have out-rebounded them and didn’t. We made some improvement there. I don’t think there’s a phase of the game we can’t get better in; there’s nothing we’re so great at I can’t ignore it. We’ve got to work at all phases.”
On if he expected Curtis Stinson and Will Blalock to play so much early:
“When I recruited them last year, I wasn’t the head coach, but I knew they both would play and do very well. I knew they were both excellent players that could go out there and play 30 minutes a game. It doesn’t surprise me, because I know the level of talent and I know the experience and background they both have come from. They’ve played a lot of basketball.
“One of the things that does surprise me is that Will, as the point guard, has played almost 100 minutes and only has two turnovers. That’s pretty special.”
On biggest adjustment so far for them:
“It’s all of the off-court stuff. These guys are most comfortable in the culture of basketball and playing. That’s what they do better than anybody else. They’re better basketball players than scientists, mathematicians, or chess champions. The best thing they do is play basketball.
“I would say being hit with having to all of a sudden be responsible for studying, being tutored 20 hours a week, hitting the classroom, or the level of competition in the classroom is a big adjustment from their home environment. They have both made good adjustments, but the biggest one is the off-court stuff.”
On a needed circumstance for freshmen to play so well:
“Even though our freshmen are good, we’ve got four seniors returning that were basically starters last year. They can show those freshmen the way. Now these freshmen don’t have to carry the load of the program on their back, but are a part of it. That’s a lot of leadership and ‘here’s the way we do it,’ ‘you’ve got to play harder,’ and when they have any doubts, ‘we’re here with you and we can do it together’.”
“There might be some special freshmen, like when Moses Malone would have gone to school or when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would have gone to school, or a freshman like that you can put as a centerpiece. Our guys are really good, but it does help to have some other people there to carry the load.”