Head Coach Ben Howlett
Q: Thoughts on tonight's game?
BH: "We needed the win. Guys were hanging around practicing the right way, and it's good for them to get rewarded because we've been close the last couple games and didn't have anything to show for it. It's just a much needed win for our team."
Q: On the last possession, getting the ball to Hagy in the backcourt.
BH: "No. We thought they were gonna put pressure on us, and I should have acknowledged what we were supposed to be doing. We were gonna send someone deep and try to get on the deep pass, but they had guys back, so we threw the ball Reece. It's a freshman stepping up there, at least making one - cool, calm, collective Reece Hagy, baby."
Q: On trusting Kyler D'Augustino on the last trip of regulation.
BH: "He's been there before, and he's a tough cover, you know, especially when he gets the ball inside with his dribble. He's left handed, and he's strong, and, you know, he had the guy on his back, and he was able to score inside, which is exactly the way the play was drawn up."
Q: Where was Kyler on the list of guys that you needed to come with you from West Liberty?
BH: "Number one, first guy. He was the first guy. He's the first guy that called me. I've recruited him really hard since his 11th grade year of high school, and he and I are extremely close, and he's having a heck of a year, and we're gonna continue to lean on him."
Q: On Jaxon Edwards' big game.
BH: "I think something just clicked for him in that Colorado trip. I think since that trip, he's been practicing the right way. He's been getting in here in his free time and you know, I tell you, the stat that doesn't show up in the box score that was pivotal for us was how many basketballs he kept alive off the tip. He didn't get the rebound, but he was able to extend the play, and we were able to get the rebound because he was in there mixing up. So, you know, the rebounds and the free throws. I thought he was clutch in the free throws and hopefully he can continue this. He might need a day off tomorrow because he's one of them old vets that might need a day off tomorrow, but I'm super proud of him."
Q: On RMU's DeSean Goode
BH: "He's a good player, good player, good kid. He was at the top of our scout. He's able to play on the perimeter, he's shooting an extremely high percentage in league from three, you know, I think he's 70 percent, it's something ridiculous. He's calm, cool and collective in the post and he seems like a really good kid. He's a Fairmont, West Virginia, kid that was under recruited out of high school and I think he's out to prove people wrong, and he's doing a really good job of it."
#12 Kyler D'Augustino
Q: You mentioned the curls you guys were running offensively. Is that a regular part of your offense or was there something specific about RMU tonight that made that a good fit for you guys offensively?
KD: "It's definitely in our offense. We try to use curl screens a lot when teams are not switching. And they were not switching off of me, so my guy was staying attached, so I knew if I could set and hit Jaxon's guy, he's going to be wide open on that curl and finish around the rim. Then they started switching, so then I could catch it and attack and close out from there. So just mixing it up like that is kind of what me and Jaxon are doing."
Q: On the last possession, you end up posting up, do you work on post moves?
KD: "Yeah, for sure. I used to rush around in there a little bit, and then I worked with (Woodward) a lot after last season, just slowing down, because his footwork is phenomenal. He's very patient in there. So just all the work in the offseason, all the work this season, just working on that."
Q: Was the plan for you to get the ball there?
KD: "Yeah, that was the exact plan. We executed perfectly. We were hoping maybe he could be open off the flex screen and it wasn't there, so then I just caught it and went to work from there."
Q: On scoring primarily inside the three-point line.
KD: "Yeah, I mean, I'm just not shying away from contact. I'm initiating a lot of contact and then layups are a lot easier than three-point shots, so if I can get to the rim and shoot layups all game, I'll do that. I've been working on that my whole life."
#0 Jaxon Edwards
Q: What were you feeling from the free throw line tonight?
JE: "Really just trying to stay focused. I missed two and kind of lost focus a little bit, lost the feel, but really, I was just trying to bring my mind back to the game and try and stay confident."
Q: On being one of the focal points on offense down the stretch.
JE: "I was really just trying to get curls. Me and Kyler were really just trying to blow up the curls. You had one guy down screening and one guy curling, so one guy would be open."
Q: On the last defensive possession in regulation.
JE: "They were throwing it into Goode - he's a big that was really effective for them. I was really trying to make sure he didn't get it down low when they screened for him."
Quotes compiled by Ed Holdaway for IUIndyJags.com
