Watch what John Beilein had to say after his team’s 80-58 win over Gardner-Webb, including Syracuse talk and thoughts on win no. 600:
Make sure to check out our other videos including locker room interviews with Darius Morris, Jordan Morgan, Stu Douglass, and Zack Novak as well as video interviews with Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, and Ray Jackson. And for those of you who would rather read than watch, you can find the important news and notes from the post-game press conference after the jump.
- Important for the team to have some of this success early, makes them believe in what they’re doing. Makes them rebound harder and “Run the floor the right way.”
- “Counting all of our practices and games, that’s the best we’ve finished around the hoop with our big guys.” They’ve worked really hard on that, and to get the ball in traffic and finish is big.
- Next game against Syracuse will be a real “benchmark, measuring-stick, whatever you want to call it.”
- Loves the way Darius Morris is playing. “That young man shot a lot of shots in the offseason.” He’s a self-starter and he believes he can make those shots now. Lavall Jordan has done a great job. Also helps the offense so opposing players can’t double off of him because they fear his shot now.
- When Jordan Morgan came in, he was a long way from playing D-I basketball. But he’s worked very hard and he’s gotten a lot better. Doesn’t think finishing is a strength now but it will be.
- Thinks the guys are excited about playing Syracuse, good to have momentum going Michigan’s way getting ready for that game. “We don’t know any different right now, and we’ll be going in to win.”
- Didn’t know about that he was approaching his 600th win until number 598, said some people don’t count junior college wins, which makes the number a little complicated.
- When asked about Syracuse: “You just want to get it out of the way that we haven’t beat Syracuse, don’t you?” Said Jim Boeheim has had some great teams. Considers him “The best, or one of the very, very best coaches in college basketball.”
- Jimmy, Jalen and Ray coming in was a big part of being in the Legends Classic. The tournament wants each school to have a former player honored, and Michigan thought it would be great to get these three back.
