TCU men's basketball head coach Jamie Dixon talks about 85-78 win against Texas Tech.
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00:00 A lot of the goals that we wanted to get and follow the game plan well,
00:06 except for guarding the three, but we had 11 of them too, so
00:10 at a higher percentage, so I guess we evened it out.
00:14 But the rebound number, we had that rebound and we did by seven,
00:19 which is a good number with not a lot of misses going on.
00:22 And then obviously the turnovers, being nine,
00:25 so there's just a lot more possessions for us because of those two things.
00:31 And that's where we got it done, but great game, they're really good.
00:35 I think we're getting there and proud of our guys.
00:38 It was all ten guys, all gave us something, all gave us good minutes.
00:42 And it's good to see Jacoby's coming back into the mix.
00:47 A couple of the shots, that mid-range shot that he always made,
00:51 it's like I hadn't really seen it.
00:53 And it was just good to see, so we ran some things for him, he finished.
00:57 And he was good, he was really good.
00:59 And Michael was good, and hitting those shots, took wide open shots.
01:04 I thought our offense was good, really early, and got a little stationary late.
01:10 But we got through without, really our two guards not exactly knocking down shots,
01:14 but they took care of the ball, and that's all we asked them to do.
01:18 So zero assists, and that's the point we try to make.
01:23 It's not, you guys can take care of the ball and guard, we'll be good.
01:26 And then obviously, Mando didn't really get it going, but kept playing.
01:30 I think defended well, so that's what you need to do in those kind of games.
01:34 Trey just keeps getting working, I'm sure he's in the gym right now.
01:38 But just goes to show, he's gotten so
01:44 much better since he got here, defensively, playing without the ball and
01:49 ball screens, he can always shoot, that was clear.
01:53 But proud of those guys.
01:55 >> Jamie, you found yourself down 11 early on, shots just weren't falling.
02:00 Did you like the execution from your offense, even though-
02:02 >> I thought every shot,
02:03 the defense wasn't getting it done, I never really got it done all game.
02:07 There was a stretch where we changed up our defense, and I think that helped.
02:10 And that was key in the second half.
02:16 But yeah, I thought we got whatever we wanted really in the first half.
02:21 We thought motion wise and movement and passing, spacing, missed some open shots.
02:26 So I think it was one stretch where I was like, guys, we fell behind.
02:29 I think we did four or five really good shots that we just didn't make.
02:32 So you gotta stick with it.
02:35 And they can shoot.
02:38 I mean, they're highly skilled.
02:41 They have four, and then they have a fifth guy come off the bench that can shoot.
02:45 And pass, and they're old and experienced.
02:50 And Isaac's is obviously tough to guard.
02:53 I was a little disappointed how we guarded on some of the OBs.
02:55 But we told them he was gonna push off, and they didn't respond.
02:59 They weren't ready, guys weren't ready.
03:01 And get separation, in Kansas you can't allow it.
03:05 So I think we got beat on three OBs, and
03:10 that's our goal, so I've done all year.
03:13 We've been pretty good at it.
03:15 And this was a new place we knew, but the separation,
03:19 we tried to tell him how hard he comes off the thing, and he's gonna push to start.
03:23 It just didn't resonate with our guys.
03:25 So, but shots were good throughout.
03:30 I thought we got a little stationary in the late.
03:32 I guess we used some clocks, and there was some benefits of it.
03:35 But it wasn't supposed to be like that, and it just kind of became that.
03:38 So we made a decision to get stationary when we shouldn't have.
03:42 >> How much have you just enjoyed seeing the continued development of the trick?
03:46 >> Yeah, no, I mean, he's a great example.
03:48 I mean, you can talk to our guys, and we try to explain to people.
03:52 Like we didn't think he'd be this good.
03:55 He wasn't this good early, but you knew he was better than I thought.
03:58 That I saw because he'd shoot so well.
04:00 But defensively, he was a struggle.
04:04 And he was great today defensively, so we were just talking about that.
04:06 But he's gotten to a point where you know where he's gonna be, and
04:11 that's what I kind of just told him.
04:12 I told him we have to play him after about six, seven games.
04:15 We have to have him on the floor, because as our other guards were kind of a little,
04:20 still trying to figure out what they're gonna do.
04:24 I knew what Trey was gonna do.
04:26 I knew where he'd be, and I knew he'd be in the right spot offense.
04:29 I knew he'd be in the right spot defense when you need some guys that do that.
04:33 And it helps that he can make shots too at that rate.
04:36 So it was good.
04:38 I mean, I don't know, like I said before, but everybody talks about the transfers.
04:45 And everybody wants to come away or whatever if they want to.
04:49 But you see a thing like this where a kid that grew up in Arlington, and
04:53 here's your big 12 school down the road.
04:54 And nobody recruited him out of high school, and ends up in junior college.
04:57 And then he just works himself up, and now he's playing in front of his family.
05:00 It's so fun to see his family here and watching the game.
05:02 So there's some good out of this transfer thing too.
05:07 You had a kid that's playing in front of his folks, and
05:10 he'll have a TCU degree and graduate degree, and it's pretty cool.
05:16 >> Coach, Micah knocked down four threes, and
05:19 he seemed to be the primary defender on Hop Isaacs.
05:21 Can you just talk about the strides he's made since coming to TCU?
05:24 >> Well, he works, and I think shot selection was the biggest part of why it
05:27 was four-four, all of them were wide open.
05:29 We kind of work on trying to, there's the closeout and drive it, and
05:33 then there's the no closeout.
05:35 And you gotta read all four were wide open, catch and shoots.
05:38 And that was great to see.
05:40 Defensively, he's, well, I'll walk through it again.
05:44 I guess I don't know how, if there was one,
05:49 we'll see how he was defensively.
05:52 I mean, he's elite defensively.
05:54 I mean, we charted every game, and he's always at the best.
06:00 Chuck actually was the best last game, which was great to see.
06:03 But we'll see today.
06:04 I mean, Isaacs have had some points, but he's gonna get shots up.
06:09 And that's certainly the challenge.
06:14 And then again, they get some late, and we've got to do a better job of late game
06:18 situations when we're up.
06:19 But they're gonna go, and they're gonna go, and make some free throws.
06:22 That changes a lot of things, too.
06:24 >> You mentioned Chuck.
06:25 He pulled out an offensive rebound late and had two free throws.
06:28 What have you seen from him over these last two games?
06:29 >> Like I said, he was our best defender the other day.
06:32 We showed the guys, brought it up, cuz that's not been the case.
06:35 And just show us, no matter how many years you've been here,
06:39 you can get better.
06:41 And that's what we've asked them to be.
06:43 I mean, we can score.
06:45 We obviously can do that.
06:46 Our offense has gotten better and better as the year's going on.
06:49 But defensively, we haven't got to where I thought we'd be.
06:51 And it's disappointing.
06:53 So we're trying to find the guys.
06:54 I thought X was really good.
06:55 We went with X cuz we had changed up our defense a little bit.
06:57 And he was able to guard the perimeter a little bit more.
06:59 And so that kinda changed it up for us a little bit.
07:01 We were best when he was in there.
07:03 I mean, I showed him the stats wise, but we guarded better with him.
07:06 So that was good.
07:06 So again, Eson was good when he was in there.
07:09 And we just kinda went to more switching of some ball screens.
07:12 And that leads to X or Jacoby being in there.
07:16 We're honest, we haven't seen him enough in those situations.
07:19 And I thought every guy, I mean, Eson got a big offensive rebound kick out.
07:24 I mean, every guy's doing good things for us.
07:28 I tell our guys, ten guys, I know they all wanna play more.
07:31 Every guy wants to play more.
07:32 I mean, I think he may have played 52 less cuz he wanted to play more.
07:36 So, but you gotta have that.
07:39 If they don't wanna play more, then you got problems.
07:41 >> You won the rebounding battle tonight, you mentioned that already.
07:46 You were also in a smaller lineup for
07:49 a good portion of the first half as you worked your way out of that deficit.
07:52 Is it a good sign to know that you've, A, won on the boards, and
07:58 B, had a smaller line up that could still be produced like that?
08:00 >> Well, I mean, if you guard better, then there's gonna be more rebounds.
08:02 We weren't guarding well enough.
08:03 If they're making shots, you can't get defensive rebounds.
08:06 So that was the lineup that was making them miss some shots,
08:11 which you better get those rebounds or then it's counterproductive.
08:15 But yeah, I mean, we should.
08:18 We were big at, E-Man and Mike are unique because they're so
08:23 athletic and big with size that they can guard on the perimeter.
08:27 So they make up for a lot of things.
08:29 And E-Man's become a good defender on the perimeter, which he wasn't.
08:34 And now he is, and that's why I think he can play to the next level now.
08:39 But yeah, I mean, we're gonna be pretty big.
08:44 Him, Chuck, those three guys there, Jacoby, we're gonna be pretty big.
08:48 Their guards are pretty good size, Avery's a little smaller.
08:50 And we're trying to be more physical without fouling the guards.
08:56 And then, Ernest is as big as anybody.
08:58 Xavier's a little smaller, but he gave us what we needed.
09:01 The three was our concern, our goal was five.
09:04 We got against Baylor last game in 55 minutes this game.
09:08 It just got away from us early and then late.
09:12 Obviously, with the big deficit, they were able to hit some threes,
09:16 the back to back threes.
09:18 Killed us, the one at the end killed us.
09:20 I mean, they got three in less than the last minute, I think, in there too.
09:22 So we gotta do a better job than that.
09:25 But that's what they do, so you gotta get 40 minutes of it.
09:30 And limited second shots, which is what we did.
09:34 And we had four offensive rebounds, so that was a big part of that too.
09:37 >> Any other questions for Coach?
09:40 >> All right, well, we'll see you on Saturday.
09:43 It's a big day, I'm excited about Kenrich and honoring him.
09:47 And he'll be in town, so it's a big day for TC basketball.
09:51 >> Thank you.
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