[jwplayer 3JsSNKQu-er0jUifI]
Opening statement…
“Disappointing loss. We kind of let one get away. We played a great first 16 minutes on the road, played really well on both ends. The last three or four minutes of the first half, we took our foot off the gas and gave Arkansas some confidence, and they just kept that through the halftime. The starters were very poor to start the second half. Effort, energy, 50-50 balls, points in the paint, points at the rim. We showed some heart and some character getting back in the game late. We made some plays. We didn’t quit. From my standpoint, down one late, I probably should’ve let Sharife (Cooper) go quicker than that. If he goes quicker and he doesn’t score, we foul and we get another possession with more time. In a 1-point game, I should’ve gone quicker. A 2-point game, it doesn’t matter. That’s on me. I cost us a possession late.”
On the defense in the first half…
“Guys were down in their stance, made Arkansas make tough 1-on-1 plays, stayed at home, got backside rebounds, 50-50 balls and ran out. In the second half, they drove by us a little more. They back cut us. They killed us on the offensive glass. That was the difference. A tale of two halves, but it really started at the end of the first half.”
On if this game is a teaching moment going forward…
“I think you could learn from winning as easily as you could from losing. But, you can’t learn because we stopped guarding, having that same kind of intensity and physicality, and a sense of urgency. We talk about it all the time. So, we understand that. We’ll learn, but obviously learn the hard way.”
On if he was pleased with the shot selection in the second half…
“No. Arkansas turned up the defensive pressure and made it really difficult on us. They trapped Sharife (Cooper). The other guys, when the ball wasn’t in his hands, struggled to make plays and make some decisions – spacing, ball movement. We hadn’t seen that that much. It shouldn’t have bothered us, but it did.”
Sharife Cooper, G, Fr.
On Arkansas double-teaming him…
“It wasn’t something we were expecting or game planned. Reacting to it and finding a solution a little quicker would’ve helped us.”
On what changed defensively throughout the game…
“We just got too complacent and too comfortable. We definitely can’t allow that to happen. Seeing success and taking plays off, I think that was a big, key factor in giving them back the lead. That’s something that I vocally have got to speak to my teammates to be better about. It’s early in our path together, so I don’t want to harp on it too much. But, it’s something that we definitely have got to get better at. I’ll take that to me, because I’ve got to lead my guys and make sure that doesn’t happen.”
On what he saw with Auburn getting back into the game in the last few minutes…
“Desperation. We wanted to come here and get a win. Our back was against the wall and we fought to the end. I’m proud of that. We were one play away and we could’ve gone to overtime. I can take that and be happy with it that we didn’t give up. We fought until the end.”
On what he saw on the last play…
“It was a high-ball screen. I think Jaylin Williams was setting it and he had Moses Moody on him. It worked the previous play and we went back to it. I just drove it down left and saw the big, (Justin) Smith, challenge the shot. I felt like I could’ve finished through the contact. I definitely wanted that one back. I feel like if I had a second chance, I would’ve finished that one. It’s over. We’re just getting ready for South Carolina and focus on them.”