Arkansas Razorbacks coach Mike Neighbors recapping 77-59 win over Alabama Crimson Tide as team starting to play together and him using "selective crazy" during game.
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00:08 Yeah, Mike just already being down to Leah and then Mack not feeling very well. You went really deep in your bench
00:16 It was like a total team effort
00:17 It seemed like just what'd you think of I guess the way that not only that y'all won, but that everybody was involved
00:21 Super proud for those kids that got that were ready. You know, it gives me hope that they
00:28 Listened to our mantra. If you don't have to get ready if you stay ready, you know, Carly Johnson in specific
00:33 it's been a kid that's been right there on the cut of
00:35 Breaking into the lineup, you know, Mac didn't practice for two days leading up to it
00:40 We really literally didn't know until game time
00:43 Whether she'd be ready to go or not Carly had two unbelievable days of practice to gain confidence. That's
00:48 Carly and Carly have done that phenomenally well both being ready to play and then you know Sam
00:55 Really felt a lot of pressure today to go out there and you know the first half I felt like she just tried so hard
01:02 She let the game come to her in the second half
01:04 Matt gave her extra minutes in the second half and the confidence and then
01:07 Again, just the job Miriam data did protecting the basket for us
01:12 Carly Keats did an unbelievable job on a Leah and I
01:15 You know, she only got four three attempts up. I think she makes almost four threes a game
01:22 And our number was to not let her get it. We lost her a couple of times in transition
01:26 I will go back. We've got a bye week this week a much-needed bye week, but
01:29 I'm not sure I've even answered your question yet, but I'm really proud Ethan. I'm really proud of our group
01:35 The way that they they just don't flinch, you know, it's like okay max not okay. Who's not ready?
01:40 Okay, who's ready and you know, I know for a fact be Franklin was ready to play tonight, too
01:44 We needed her so it's very rewarding as a coach. It's very rewarding as a staff that
01:50 You know, we felt that at the beginning of the year when some adversity hit some kids decided they don't play with us and
01:55 That that's drawn us together
01:58 And then y'all really dominated the rebounds today
02:01 Sam had 14 of them, you know as one of your guards just what do you think of I guess that dedicated it effort?
02:09 It's like last today. Well it you know, it's something we're getting better at it came to fruition today
02:15 And we needed every single one of them. I now we can start working
02:20 Now we can start let this guy record
02:23 Yeah
02:25 Now we can start start working on scoring after we get an offensive rebound, you know
02:28 I will tell you I've never seen only seven points off 21 offensive rebounds
02:32 But that's a good thing. I'm proud that because that is an effort thing. That is a focus thing
02:37 You know those lead to stops the offensive ones again are a lot of times it was because we were driving it
02:44 So well, you know Sam wasn't necessarily finished and we're getting a lot of rebounds behind it because we didn't allow too many blocks
02:49 shots the only block three
02:51 so
02:53 Rebounding has been a point for us that has probably kept us from winning games in the past
02:58 But I felt like tonight it helped us win one
03:00 And last thing I'll ask is on that last possession. Did y'all know that Miriam was two points high of the triple-double?
03:06 Yeah, I called a play for and I don't usually do that but Miriam deserved it again
03:11 If it was if it would have been for point, you know for somebody else that hadn't gotten 12 rebounds
03:18 We do have an accident here that were that we're looking at
03:22 But I also felt like she deserved the opportunity for it
03:28 She also got I felt like had a good chance to get to the foul on it
03:31 But she's gonna have one sooner than later. We got a lot of games left with her. She'll have another one
03:45 Lovely oh, yeah, okay. Hey the you talked about one to have both the fast start to fast finish, but you get your fast finish
03:52 Just definitely talk about dominating the second half and just closing it out
03:55 Well, if you noticed I took a timeout and got on him instead of wait until halftime
03:59 That's what I that's exactly what I told him word for word
04:02 I said we haven't got we haven't got the pre part fixed
04:05 But I'm not waiting till halftime and you'll have to ask them but it's as hard as I've been on them in
04:10 Seven years here. I got them pretty good and they all just kind of took it
04:15 I
04:16 Think it was kind of one of those my grandpa always told me to save your crazy for when you really need it
04:20 And like I said something they didn't look at me and I mean I jumped up and I got it and I got him
04:25 I don't do that very often. I saved my crazy and I'm not telling you that's the reason
04:31 But I was not waiting till halftime today
04:34 Got refocused and I felt like from that point on we dominated
04:38 So yes, we will continue to work on what is keeping us from getting off to a fast start
04:43 Because if we can get off if we can eliminate that was it 10 10 to or 10?
04:47 Oh, what was it when I took time out? Maybe we scored once but it was not a good start again
04:53 And you talked a little bit about the halftime and all that. You know, just kind of increase things at halftime
04:59 What did you say to him there at intermission?
05:02 Walked in I read the numbers. I don't have it right here in front of me
05:06 but I said something like if you would have told me that
05:09 You know Mac was going to play 11 minutes and say there was going to play or you know
05:14 Whatever minutes in the first half and we were going to shoot
05:16 You know 22 4 for 18 in the third second quarter. We were only down to wouldn't you take it and it was a resounding
05:23 Hell, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, let's go. So it was like and then coach Schaefer came in and said
05:28 You know, hey, let's we need a third a Florida State top third quarter
05:33 And I just believe anytime you can draw back on a past success
05:38 It kind of gets a little bit
05:40 Yeah
05:40 we got this and it just felt like a yeah, we got this moment and it did carry over to the third quarter and then
05:45 I felt like it just carried over the entire second half. So
05:47 Our kids listen. I think our coaches are saying the right things at the right times and there is no panic
05:55 That that's the one thing about doing this so many times dud. There wasn't any panic over there, you know
06:00 They were like, okay, we've been here. We know what to do. Let's let's go and fortunately we went in time
06:08 In wins all count the same, you know, it's just one but
06:11 Psychologically going into somebody else's house who's had their best start and you know in almost ten years that's got a feeling better
06:18 It does and no one their net ranking and who they've beaten and you know, you know
06:24 If y'all understood the respect I have for Christy Curry
06:27 she is
06:30 Absolutely, the most underrated coach in the country. You look her resume
06:33 You stack her resume on NCA tournament appearances and wins and overall
06:37 It's just it. I hate I told her in the handshake line
06:41 I hate playing against him because of the respect I have for her, but we do tend to play very well down here Phil
06:47 Elson put the announcers jinx on it and said we've won ten in a row down here. That does not even seem possible. But
06:53 It we go into a bye week to dad think about how that feels
06:57 You know go into a bye week
07:00 I'm gonna be out recruiting three days you if you're one in three you walk in and you might set in the back row and
07:06 You know might not go to the concession stand. I'm gonna raise her back on set front row
07:10 I'm gonna eat popcorn. It just makes you feel better
07:13 But I'm proud for our kids. Yeah, you're right. It does all just equal one, but man in this league ones are big
07:19 Appreciate it. Thank you
07:26 First of all, how fortunate do you feel to be over there where it's not four degrees and freezing and
07:33 miserable
07:35 Well, very fortunate. I did not even pack a jacket and I know when we get back
07:40 I'm gonna really regret that decision because I've been following it
07:43 We're gonna get on this plane and try to get back home as fast as we can and I won't even feel it
07:48 I promise well, maybe I will y'all tell me but it was I love Tuscaloosa. It's a great place to be right now
07:55 There was so much excitement around the town because of the football announcement yesterday
07:59 We had to go to about four different restaurants to find a place to watch the football game last night
08:04 It was jam-packed. I felt like that the new coach was going to walk into all four of those restaurants every place we went
08:11 So so it's a cool place to be there's you know, a lot of excitement down here right now
08:16 And I'm glad we're gonna get in and get out. How is the weather back home? It's cold
08:24 Great
08:26 All I mean we've had four or five inches but oh, where are you Daniel are you available?
08:32 Yeah on campus and we got five inches right now pretty much
08:37 I think unless I make dad rating someone else can cut in and tell me I'm making stuff up
08:42 but uh speaking of which we've had on more serious note, we've had a
08:46 Sailor's been the one that's gotten a ridiculous amount of rebounds. You had both
08:52 two others and double figures including Sam with
08:54 14 which I assume is pretty close to her career. I just we've talked about how we need more people to
09:00 Get rebounds just I mean to dominate a team like that. I think they listen, you know, I think they listen
09:08 They started taking it to heart. It's been serious. We have changed
09:12 one thing in practice
09:14 I have a tendency sometimes when we're working on scouting reports
09:19 To shy away from contact to avoid injury
09:22 And I just will blow the whistle way too early the last two weeks
09:27 I've been going to where we have to get the rebound and at least start our transition break
09:32 Hopefully that's been part of just the focus because they're all they all try but you look at 14 14 12
09:38 I think Alabama had been out rebounding people pretty significantly. I don't remember the exact number but
09:45 I'm gonna keep saying the words. I can't come up with a better one, but just really proud
09:49 I'm really proud that they've taken coaching and taking it to heart. I mean, y'all know Sam's 5'9"
09:55 I don't know whatever we list her at. It's two inches shorter than whatever we list her at probably but
09:58 12 rebounds on the defensive end. That's that's effort and that's trying every single time and not taking a play off
10:05 Ethan we'll wrap up with you. Yeah last question. Just it feels like just super quietly
10:15 Y'all are having a lot of good defensive play
10:19 Really going back all the way to Florida State. Just what do you think of the job that coach Schaefer's done there and his stuff?
10:25 I've tried to sing his praises and their praises and our kids praises for locking in on it all year long. I think it's been
10:31 You know our offensive and our defensive efficiencies are as close as they've ever been. We've been pretty lopsided. This is as close we've ever been
10:39 Again I'm gonna come back to that word proud. I'm proud of everybody because it's
10:46 It takes a lot of work, you know, Evan does so much work in the film room and then
10:50 Amber Shirey's on that defensive side of the ball too, and we've got everybody working it. You know, it's not
10:55 Todd's in charge of it, of course, but every coach, you know, JC and Pauline and Lacey with the guards
11:02 They have to coach that when it goes down to position breakdown
11:06 So the staff has done an unbelievable job making sure we've kept ourselves in it because I I mean we shoot
11:13 We shot 40% today, but I know we're 12th in the league in field goal percentage and you know
11:18 Somehow we're sitting here at 2 and 2 in our league
11:20 because of our combination of the two but
11:24 I'm gonna get a thesaurus and come up with a better word for proud. Sorry
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