What Kenny Payne, Louisville Players Said After 80-59 Loss vs. North Carolina

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Louisville males’s basketball program could not benefit from a golden alternative towards an underperforming North Carolina crew, getting clobbered 80-59 to maneuver to 2-16 and 0-7 in ACC play.

Here is what head coach Kenny Payne, guard El Ellis and guard/ahead Mike James needed to say following the loss:

Head Coach Kenny Payne

(Opening assertion)

“It’s actual easy, I had a number of guys on the court docket right now who didn’t compete. You may’t win. They didn’t play with hearth towards an excellent North Carolina crew. You may’t win. Off of our turnovers, they acquired 23 factors — second likelihood factors they acquired 9. We missed 10 free throws – that’s psychological. These are psychological errors. I take nothing away from North Carolina, like I mentioned to start with, they’re an excellent crew. However while you play a sport and also you get two or extra guys which might be beginning or taking part in main minutes which might be damaging 20, it’s unimaginable to make that up anyplace. I preferred the best way we began. I preferred our vitality to begin the sport, I believed we put them on their heels, simply couldn’t maintain it, mentally couldn’t maintain it, couldn’t maintain the main target that we wanted, the battle that we wanted, the power to play with physicality like we wanted. What number of straightforward pictures did we miss within the first half proper on the basket at a time after we have been up 5 – 6? It may have simply been 10 or 12, it comes again to harm you on the finish.”

(Do you suppose that you need to have been capable of make up floor when Armando Bacot went out within the final 5 minutes of the primary half after which once more within the second half?)

“I believed it was a pivotal play when [Sydney Curry] acquired a three-point play to get him his fourth after which Sydney comes proper again and will get two fouls. You may’t clarify it… on performs that they’re most likely not going to make the shot.”

(How do you clarify your guys not competing in an environment like this?)

“My query could be, ‘Do you perceive the place you might be? Do you perceive what it means to have Louisville throughout your jersey? Do you perceive the historical past, the delight that comes with this? Are your private points larger than what this program is?’ Mainly I’m asking, is your hang-ups, your fears, your insecurities larger than this program, what it’s performed and what it means to so many individuals? And the reply isn’t any, it’s not. You determined to put on this jersey, you’ve gotten an obligation to come back out right here and battle. You’re not simply preventing for your self, you’re preventing for the college, you’re preventing for this neighborhood and also you’re preventing on your personal self and also you’re preventing on your teammates. We’ve acquired guys don’t totally perceive that, and I’m not blaming all of them the best way. I really like them, however there’s a accountability that you just’re acquired to need to play a sure means with a sure battle, with a sure togetherness that you just’ve acquired to need to play this sport. And to play it right here, it means one thing. And a few of them could also be simply studying what it means. Possibly it’s by no means been addressed earlier than. Nicely, I’m addressing it. I don’t need them to stroll away not understanding what the historical past of this program has meant to so many individuals. They usually’re good youngsters. I’m under no circumstances discouraged. They’re going to make errors, they’re not robots. However they should know what it means to be in a Louisville jersey.”

(There was a degree within the first half when North Carolina goes on a 14-2 run. They have been 5 factors into that run when El Ellis makes a shot, however will get known as for an offensive foul. It virtually felt such as you by no means recovered from that time on.)

“I can’t actually agree with that as a result of there have been so many different performs. Mike James misses a dunk. What number of did we miss proper on the rim, a number of guys. I view it as even when the ref calls a foul and also you’re the one one on the basket and he calls a foul and also you miss it. These are three factors that we may have had, that you just determine, for no matter motive, to not end, to not believe in ending, to not explode by way of. The ball has to undergo the basket, you’re the one one within the air, and also you get hit some place else, not the higher physique. That was an enormous play, I don’t know, I didn’t take a look at the movie of it but, however there have been so many different performs which might be examples of why we have been in that scenario.”

(About getting different guys concerned within the offense):

“I believed there have been spurts the place the ball motion acquired into the lane and put them on their heels. I believe all people touched the ball. I believed we attacked them and it seemed the suitable means. Then it went from that to turnovers and one other turnover after which they put us on our heels. At occasions, the ball appeared prefer it by no means acquired within the gaps, it by no means acquired to the lane. The ball motion wasn’t crisp. The assault wasn’t north/south and on prime of that you just flip the ball over, you aren’t going to get a top quality shot. We have been one for 14 from three. I assure while you take a look at these 14 pictures, what number of have been off ball penetration, kick-out threes. What number of have been simply settling for leap pictures. They’re a protracted, athletic crew, should you accept leap pictures, you might be most likely not going to make them as a result of they will contest them.”

(About discovering a constant lineups)

“I would really like to have the ability to choose it by what I get in observe. I want to and that’s making an enormous assertion after I say that. However occurs is I can’t as a result of I’ve a number of guys that my private opinion is unable to guage on who is able to play by how we put together. If we don’t put together a sure means, how can I choose it. So, then I’m pulling straws and hoping a man can possibly activate a light-weight change realizing that there aren’t any gentle switches to be turned on. So, we simply need to preserve plugging away. It was an excellent query; I want I had a extra definitive reply for you. Besides preparation tells you and prepares you for video games like this.”

(About Brandon Huntley-Hatfield’s damage standing)

“I’m nonetheless ready on extra data. I do know it’s one thing along with his foot. Hopefully within the subsequent day or two we get extra data. We may have used them right now. We acquired out-rebounded 40-31. He’s an enormous child who can rebound the ball. We missed him on the market right now. 

Guard El Ellis and guard/ahead Mike James

(After being up on them 15-7, what occurred from that time ahead, and the way instrumental was that play the place you made the three and so they waved it off? I assume they mentioned you kicked the man, or what did he say to you?)

El Ellis: “Yeah, we began off rather well, after which we simply had numerous psychological lapses. They scored numerous factors off our turnovers. And yeah, that play, he instructed me it’s a brand new rule they only began. In the event you kick your foot out any little bit, they need to name it. I imply, that’s my pure shot going that means, so I don’t know what they need me to do about that.”

(About Coach Payne frustration about gamers on the market on an evening like tonight and never all people is on the market competing. Did he say that to you guys within the locker room or what’s your ideas simply listening to your coach say that?)

Mike James: “Yeah, he mentioned it within the locker room, and it’s irritating, it’s disappointing. That’s actually it, that’s all I can say about it.”

El Ellis: “I imply, he preaches that quite a bit. Guys not coming able to play, having numerous no reveals. As a gaggle, we simply don’t perceive how huge a sport this was, how huge each sport within the ACC is. Like Mike (James) mentioned, there’s not an excessive amount of to say about that.”

(About UNC getting 23 factors off of turnovers and the way essential was it while you flip the ball over)

El Ellis: “Yeah, you’ll be able to’t flip the ball over towards them. They convert virtually each possession. Each time we had a turnover, I had a turnover, I simply seemed again and so they have been on the rim ending, and that’s how they rating numerous buckets, in transition off turnovers. So, while you’re taking part in them, you need to be very strong, as a result of they’re very aggressive defensively. It causes you to show the ball over, however you simply need to be strong. We began off the sport rather well, and like I mentioned, we simply had these psychological lapses. What number of turnovers we have now, 14? That’s not good, we have now to have that quantity a minimum of to love 9 if we wish to beat groups, and it might probably’t be stay ball turnovers. It might probably’t. Freely giving too many factors.”

(About making enchancment in current video games and exhibiting some enchancment as a crew, was this was a step again right now?)

Mike James: “No, I don’t suppose it was a step again. I simply suppose it was a lesson discovered that in a majority of these video games, you simply have to come back out prepared and be targeted, be laser targeted all through the entire sport. I don’t suppose it was a step again.”

(Photograph of El Ellis, Kenny Payne: Jamie Rhodes – USA TODAY Sports activities

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