2011-2012 Season

Video, Notes & Quotes: John Beilein after Ohio State win

John Beilein met with the media following Michigan’s Saturday night win over Ohio State. Here’s video of Beilein, followed by notes and quotes after the jump:

  • Opening statement: “I think you saw two very good teams that both prioritize defense, battling for every bit of real estate they can get. That was why we’re in the weight room. We didn’t win some of those battles, but I think we competed in every one of those areas where their girth and their length is so good. We had to make tough shots to win. We made tough shots. I’m really pleased with this win and our locker room is very excited right now about this win, but also I was really impressed how they were saying and now, we’ve got Northwestern. So we’ll enjoy the day and move forward.”
  • On Jordan Morgan: “We wanted to run more. We were getting baskets with him running the floor, and we sort of pulled it back a little bit. Trey got worn down a little bit. It was good. It was a double-double. We did not double all the time on Sullinger. We varied our action with him, and that had a lot to do with confidence in what Jordan could do if he was out of foul trouble.”
  • On the day as a whole: “It was fun. I wake up early a lot anyhow. It was much easier from the standpoint that I got to see a lot of our students this morning with smiling faces. Kathleen and I were there early handing out the donuts. It was great seeing that, and then I kept coming back and the line is still out there. To walk into the arena today was a bit moving, from just seeing how everybody was. I felt it wasn’t just a rivalry game, it was contending for a Big Ten Championship game. That added to it. I thought it was special.”
  • On guarding the perimeter and Jared Sullinger: “When we did double to start the second half, we doubled right away. Thomas hit a three. Thomas hasn’t been a high percentage guy, we were a little bit more concerned with Buford. But their numbers have come down from where they were before, and it’s typical when you get into the Big Ten. I hate giving up the three, and I love scoring the three. I dind’t want to give up those threes. But that’s why we varied our coverages, because Sullinger is such a good passer.”
  • On physicality and rebounding: “We did get some rebounds that we just had to gut out. The ugly ones we call them… Those that are around your knee caps, we did a really good job getting some of those.”
  • On Trey Burke‘s play down the stretch: “We had the two big really shots by Stu and Zack. Timmy had made one, Jordan had made one, but at the end, (Burke) made, I think, two back to back. I was waiting to call a timeout, but I just saw some space there and we just decided to go with it thinking I think we know what to do up three with 10 seconds to go. But he certainly finished the game with that. But I’ve never had that before – he wanted the timeout when he was shooting the foul shots. I didn’t ice him, he just needed to get iced. He came over, and he just needed to catch his wind.”
  • On the importance of the win for the seniors: “I’m sure they like it, but they want to keep moving on. If we’re fortunate to see them in the tournament again, we’ve got to play even better.”
  • On Tim Hardaway Jr.: “He had such an atypical, unusual freshman year, it’s hard to keep going at the spike he was going at. And then when he fell into some adversity, it’s not easy to handle. He’s getting a better grip that those weren’t life and death situations when he misses a shot, that he can grow from it. We’ve seen that. It’s baby steps, but I thought that was a big step today.”
  • On the crowd today: “When I walked out I thought it was really special. I think the whole day started, just by seeing the fans. When I came in this morning at 6 or 6:30, I said, you know, what’s there going to be, 40 or 50 people here? Are we going to have 400 donuts for 40 or 50 people? Sure enough the line went down past the football stadium and was wrapped around and I said we’re getting this thing going in the right direction. When you’re rebuilding programs, there’s a lot of moments, a lot of small victories, and today was one.”
  • More on Morgan: “He’s been in the lineup now, the same way as Tim Hardaway and Evan, they’ve been in the lineup since day 1. And as a result, the ups and downs, you have to be able to deal with them. He’s just really had, this second semester rather than his first semester, he’s had a purpose and a plan in practice that has really helped him grow.”
  • On the importance of Michigan’s five charges: “That was a big difference in the game. This is a team that we have five guys that will take charges. I’ve been coaching a long time, and I love every player I’ve coached, but even some I love don’t take charges like this team. As a result, that’s been a big difference maker… These guys all buy in to a bit of a selfless attitude. The team, the team, the team.”
  • On Michigan’s ability to get to the free throw line: “We don’t want to just be known as a jump-shooting team. We’re trying to get the ball inside, whether it’s by drive, whether it’s by back door, but you’ve got to drive the ball to get to the foul line.”
  • On the Big Ten race: “Everybody’s got a lot of work to do. We have a tough schedule here with four left but three on the road. There’s not one team in this league right now that likes playing Northwestern. This, I think, is their best team that I’ve seen. They’ve beaten us four or five times in my five years. And then it doesn’t stop after that. Purdue is very good. Everybody is going to have challenges. I think Michigan State might be in one of those clusters where they’re playing on two days rest over and over again. It’s going to be a race right to the end I think.”
  • On whether or not Beilein thought Michigan would be in this position at this point of the year: “We talk about it every day, but I knew that the point guard was going to be an important position. And that certainly has come from a point of doubt – well, he’s a freshman, what is he going to do – to really a strength right now.”
  • On Michigan’s maturity and how important it is heading into the final four games of the season: “It won’t be just about maturity playing Northwestern, we’ll have to play well. But our team will not go into that and say well we had a big win over Ohio, we’ll beat Northwestern. No, we won’t do that. We better not, or we won’t have a chance.”
  • On Beilein’s reaction following the game: “I just got off the court and I needed some space by myself. I just really felt good about this win. But I should have, I should have just embraced what was going on. I can’t tell you why, I was just very grateful. It was gratitude. I just wanted to go by myself and do what I do when I’m grateful.”
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