• 10 months ago
Porter Moser Pre-UCF (2-1-24)
Transcript
00:00 You get on the plane, do you think what a great win this was or
00:03 do you think about the 15 missed free throws?
00:05 >> [LAUGH] >> I thought about what a great win that
00:07 was.
00:07 >> [LAUGH] >> I'm trying to stay mentally fresh.
00:12 But no, I really did.
00:14 We knew it was a really good bounce back win for us.
00:19 We know we didn't take care of our home court and
00:24 we had to go to a very hostile home court.
00:26 And I thought our guys responded almost every way you'd want.
00:31 Just everything on top of the little things that we didn't do in the second half
00:36 against Texas Tech.
00:37 But man, they just played outstanding defense, just toughness together.
00:44 I thought it was the best leadership Milos and
00:46 JV on together, collectively had together.
00:49 And it was just a really good, much needed win in this big 12 on the road.
00:55 >> We just talked to Jalen about that focus to stay locked in defensively.
00:58 You talked about how hungry they were.
01:00 How do you keep them that hungry coming off a win as opposed to using that
01:04 two losses?
01:05 >> Well, we had a, I think I told you this, a very truthful film session and
01:10 showed so many, some things down the second half that we had a breakdown here,
01:16 a breakdown there.
01:17 And we're gonna show them the same things, but the opposite.
01:22 This film session, there's a reason why you're successful in life.
01:27 There's a reason why you're not.
01:29 And there's certain things that we showed them.
01:31 There was definite reasons why we were so locked in.
01:33 We were playing off the ball, great defense.
01:36 We were in a stance, vision, talking, you can see us pointing.
01:39 And that's the thing, I've said this quote, a loss doesn't have to define you, but
01:44 it could change you.
01:45 It could change you, learn those lessons, learn those lessons.
01:47 And I thought how they bounce back and how you keep them hungry, man.
01:53 Why would you do it any other way?
01:54 I think they felt different.
01:57 I think they felt different.
01:58 That was the best.
01:59 Lowe's came into the locker room after the game.
02:01 And I'm always saying, there's always a thing about this generation.
02:05 Like, man, I wanna have fun, playing fun.
02:08 People are on them and all this and working hard.
02:10 I'm not having fun playing basketball.
02:13 The fun is in that locker room.
02:14 And Lowe's came in that locker room afterwards, and he was like, that was fun.
02:18 And he looked at everybody, he's like, how we defended together, that was fun.
02:23 And that's what you build on to keep them hungry.
02:27 >> A lot of people just look at the 21 points, but what did you like from JD?
02:31 >> His swag, he had it back.
02:34 Just how he pounded the ball.
02:35 You could just see how confident he pounded the ball.
02:38 There was nothing hesitant.
02:39 His defense was way better.
02:41 Stance, vision, toughness, engaged off the ball.
02:45 It was an all around great game for him based on just in his voice.
02:52 Like his voice, like I said, him and Lowe's together,
02:55 it was the best combined leadership they've had together.
02:58 And when you're struggling in a game,
03:01 one of the worst thing to do is be quiet and curl up.
03:06 You wanna just keep talking to yourself and stay positive.
03:10 And you'll forget, you won't dwell on the mistakes when you're talking and
03:14 in the moment, and that's what I thought he did great.
03:16 >> For someone like Jalen,
03:17 it seems like he's really had some impact games recently after Tuesday 23 points.
03:23 Maybe just how much, as the season has gone on, how much has he grown?
03:25 How much have you seen him get more comfortable?
03:27 >> Just watching him do a couple things.
03:29 He's growing defensively where he needs to be.
03:32 He's not forcing as much.
03:34 And he got himself going, he got two offensive rebounds in the first half.
03:39 Then all of a sudden he got a transition layup in the first and second half.
03:42 Then he just feel good and then he took his spot up three.
03:45 He got some intangible baskets, offensive rebounds, transition.
03:50 So he did that and it just wasn't forced.
03:54 And but I thought he really played great defense.
04:00 The other thing is we kind of challenged him.
04:02 I think he had one rebound the game before and what did he have, nine?
04:05 I think he had nine rebounds.
04:06 So that got us going, that we needed those rebounds against that kind of team.
04:12 >> We joked about the start, but the free throws these last two games.
04:16 How do you try to fix that?
04:18 >> Just for everybody,
04:23 just save yourself three minutes of your life.
04:28 And don't DM me that you walked out in your backyard and made nine out of ten free throws.
04:32 >> [LAUGH] >> Save your three minutes, don't DM me.
04:37 Because in your backyard, I don't think you got 13,000 people.
04:40 There's always other factors in it.
04:43 So it's like missing a three foot putt at the Masters.
04:47 It's just, you know what, we got good free throw shooters.
04:51 It hasn't been a problem.
04:52 Yes, we miss free throws.
04:54 We work on them all the time.
04:56 So save yourself another 30 seconds.
04:59 Don't DM me saying, coach, do you ever work on free throws?
05:01 So the answer is yes.
05:02 But for our guys, they can shoot them.
05:07 Just get up, reps, and get them.
05:10 Sometimes the more you make a big deal of it, the more something becomes an issue.
05:14 So for us, just keep doing, doing, keep getting to that foul line.
05:18 I want them to get to that foul line 30 times.
05:20 I want to keep going back to that thing.
05:21 And it's just the confidence pouring into them.
05:26 >> You got another road game on Saturday.
05:28 What do you see out of UCF that's been a little bit up and
05:31 down in conference play?
05:32 >> They're elite, elite defensively.
05:34 They're long as long can be.
05:37 I mean, they really protect the rim.
05:39 Watching them beat Kansas, beat Texas.
05:43 I thought they gave it Baylor everything yesterday.
05:46 That was a tough loss for them.
05:47 But I really like their guard, Darius Johnson.
05:50 I mean, what a game.
05:51 Avery's playing terrific.
05:54 They have really good length, and they just guard you.
05:59 And the way they shot the ball last night, they made 14 threes against Baylor.
06:02 So they absolutely are one of the best defensive teams I've seen on film because
06:09 of their length, and they play really hard.
06:12 And then they make you get to the basket, and
06:14 then they just one of the top shot blocking teams in the country.
06:17 >> I think they said on the broadcast, biggest road win in nine years for
06:20 you guys in terms of point differential.
06:22 Is there anything you guys are doing on the road that you're seeing from the guys
06:25 that's different than home, just coincidence,
06:26 even though it's a couple of home games on their own?
06:27 >> I think the guys, we've talked about our focus, and it's just us on the road.
06:31 So I feel like, and even Kansas, losing at Kansas,
06:36 I thought we did some really good things, and we just had that run in the second half.
06:41 But we've handled the runs the last two games.
06:43 That's probably been the biggest thing, because I thought Kansas State,
06:48 their crowd, it was seven.
06:50 This is a great clip to show lessons and future teams.
06:54 They battled back, and it was seven, like seven minutes or eight minutes left, and
07:00 the crowd was deafening.
07:02 It's the lowest they got, seven, and
07:04 Sam got an offensive rebound put back to get it by nine, just quieted the crowd.
07:08 That's an effort play, that's an effort play, and those are winning plays.
07:12 And I don't think it got below nine the rest of the game.
07:15 And that's what we've been able to do, is keep answering the bell,
07:18 making plays, and we did the same thing in Cincinnati.
07:21 We bounced back, I mean, every time the crowd tried to get going, we answered it.
07:26 And so that's been a really good thing for us.
07:30 >> Rivaldo might not always be your leading scorer, but he goes out, he gets
07:34 boards, and he hustles, and he does his job.
07:36 How important is it to have kind of like a sixth man, in a sense, that does that?
07:41 >> Rivaldo's playing at a really high level, and it's his mindset.
07:46 I think, and I told him, I'm not mad at you for, you wanted to start.
07:51 I get it, I mean, and he's at peace with it, and
07:54 he knows that I consider him second shift, not a substitution.
08:00 He's the second shift guy, and he's really versatile.
08:05 I trust him passing the ball.
08:07 He made some really nice passes.
08:09 He had two high lows to Sam, or one to Jalen, one to Sam.
08:15 He rebounds, he defends with passion.
08:17 And I think he's been really, really good for us coming in that second shift.
08:24 And it's because I think his versatility.
08:27 He's knocking down shots, he can take it to the rim.
08:30 He did both those in that game.
08:31 Got a basket, take it to the rim, knocked out a shot, assists, rebounds.
08:35 He's just versatile, and he's long and athletic.
08:37 So I think he's a real key, and he's gonna be a real key down the stretch.
08:44 >> Very off topic here, the anthracite uniforms have been used a lot this year.
08:48 Is there any- >> So now you're gonna bring that up.
08:50 >> [LAUGH]
08:54 >> No story, it's a great uniform by the Sooners.
08:59 >> Undefeated, and are we gonna stick with them as we go?
09:01 >> See what you started?
09:02 >> [LAUGH] >> Yeah, the guys like them.
09:05 The guys like them.
09:06 So we'll see, I really don't get that deep into the weeds.
09:09 I'm focusing in on what UCA's doing defensively and offensively.
09:12 I let some of my other assistants take care of the uniforms, but
09:15 I know the guys like the anthracites.