John Beilein met with the media in Minneapolis this evening after Michigan’s eight point win at Minnesota. Watch the video in the embedded media player below or find selected notes and quote after the jump.
“I really think that today was a great day for us to understand how good our defense can be. Early we set a tone, a really good defense to get a lead. Because we got transition baskets. We got stops coming out of the game and coming out of the second half. And those are two really give away points to just give us a little space. Tim Hardaway was just sensational in the first half, offensively and defensively. Then the second half – and everyone played pretty well. Everybody had their little spot. And that’s what can make this team good. If we have that type of performance off of the bench, we have that type of defensive intensity. So it’s a great win over a really, really good team on the road. So, really pleased about it.”
- On the importance of the win after losing at Ohio State: “I think both teams coming off their games Saturday and Sunday; when you don’t lose very often they really hit hard. Whoever could win this game, it was going to benefit them somewhat. But, you know I don’t think any game is really that important yet. But is important for your mental health and for the players. I don’t know where they are next, we have a tough Purdue game and we have a week until we go into a really tough schedule. That would be a tough week with a loss here.”
- On the importance of road wins: “Everyone you can that you can measure up is important. You have to get ‘em. Winning road games in this league in the past… there’s been, maybe there was 3 ranked teams, maybe 4. With Wisconsin’s win, you’re going to have 7 ranked teams…so there’s 7 games you got to win against really good teams on the road. That doesn’t happen very often. So as a result, when you get ‘em, it’s really important if you’re going to stay at the top of the standings.”
- On being Michigan’s first road win over a top ten team since 1996: “Doesn’t mean anything. You know what it means – for this season right now, we’re going to have to do something out of the ordinary to be in the Big Ten hunt. Anybody in this league is going to have to do that to be in the Big Ten hunt.”
- On the final six minutes, making free throws: “We had a couple of turnovers in there that we didn’t need that, but you’re going to do that (with Minnesota’s pressure). I really liked the way we finished the game, making most of those foul shots. Because we really hadn’t to do that before, make pressure foul shots.”
- On Hardaway before the game: “I think he felt really good. He shot well today, but this last game he came out and did the same thing – he came out on fire. He’s got a presence on this team, both offensively and defensively that is really making our guys go.”
- On the physicality of the game and the way that Mitch McGary played: “You have to be physical and you have to be able to get in those trenches and get those rebounds. Now he got some fouls out of it and we’ll take those. As long as his motor is running inside.”
- “Glenn Robinson gets to a lose ball in the corner as fast as anyone I’ve ever seen…Glenn Robinson is very unique in how quickly he can sniff that out and so is Tim.”
- On Hardaway’s lack of offense in the second half: “They really just went into a no catch on him and when we ran ball screens for him they doubled up on him and he had to make the right play.”
- On the freshman: “How about Spike’s little runner?! This is what they need. That shows confidence in them. Our film session after that tough loss to Ohio (State) was very positive. This is what we need to know; this is what we’ve been waiting for. Try to find ways to get better, because you don’t necessarily become better when you win by 20 points. You get better when you get it handed to you like we did in Columbus last weekend.”
- On Mitch McGary’s jump shot: “He’s been working on it. He’s gotta continue to work on, but to have a big man who can catch a quick pick n roll and hit it from 15 is very important. We’ll spend every workable hour we can with him in the gym getting him to do that. I think he’s playing bigger around the basket too.
- On Robinson’s 360 dunk: “It was a nice dunk… I’m glad they called a timeout because we needed to settle down. Trey Burke was tremendous in the huddle.”
- On Trey Burke looking more comfortable in the second half: “It takes a while to get used to this level. You’re going to get everybody’s best shot every night. He’s expanding his game, he’s exploring his game, and it’s very important that he continues to do that, but at the same time he knows when it’s important to make the right play.”
