Bill Self Weekly Press Conference
Jan. 4, 2011
Video Mk. Morris
Press Conference Quotes
Kansas head coach Bill Self
On how the team has improved:
“A lot of it is pure energy. I haven’t thought we have played to our athletic ability all year long. The other night (vs. Miami) we did better job of that. I could care less about the dunks. I’m talking about defense and getting out and getting after people. Hopefully we can continue that. UMKC is a bad team, in some ways, to do that against because they are in between. They are the best backcourt team we’ve played all year.”
On UMKC:
“Their style is different than what we have seen so far. Matt (Brown) comes from the coach (John) Beilein coaching tree and does a lot of similar things they did at West Virginia and John does at Michigan now. If there is a good thing about playing UMKC and Michigan is you might as well play them in the same week. That way, if you are preparing for one, you are preparing for both. (Jay) Couisnard is really a good scorer. They have potential. Their stats are pretty good. This will be a big game for them. It will be a big game for us but obviously this will be a big game for them. They’ll be juiced and energized. Couisnard and Elijah Johnson are cousins, so that will be a little bragging rights for the family.”
On Markieff Morris:
“When he’s turned up, he plays well all the time. He’s very talented and really a good player. He has played very well as of late. I will say this, the Cal game and the Miami game is the best he’s played. Statistically, he’s done well and our team has done well but there is a difference about playing well on paper and actually playing well. I think he’s really playing well right now.”
On Markieff and Marcus Morris:
“I think they are both going to get there. I see such a high ceiling for those kids, that anything less than that is frustrating to me. What I see as being not so good, they see as maybe I’m hard on them because what’s wrong with getting 13 (points) and eight (rebounds)? What’s wrong with getting 15 (points) and nine (rebounds)? Well its only wrong if you should have got 22 (points ) and 13 (rebounds). I love their talent. They are our best passers. They are leaders and they just need to play that way to know their teammates will follow the example they set.”
Redshirt sophomore guard Travis Releford
On playing down in the post:
“It’s going good. I’m in (down in the post) and out (on the perimeter) every game, I never know where I’m going to be. Coming into practice I work out with the bigs a little bit and then I go down and work out with the guards. It’s a lot of fun and it gives me more playing time, too.”
On if he thought the team would be ranked No. 3 and undefeated at the start of the season:
“Third in the country is a little surprising. Coming out we didn’t know what to expect but we’ve been playing hard so far and getting after it.”
On if there is a different mindset guarding inside and out:
“Not really. On the perimeter, I try not to let my man get the ball because if my man doesn’t have the ball I don’t really have to guard him and I can help my teammates. Its the same for playing the post. If my guy doesn’t have the ball, then I’m on help side.”
On if the team is ready for Big 12 Conference play:
“Yes, we’re all ready. We’ve all been talking about it and having two and three games a week.”
On the tough practices as of late:
“Our practices have been real hard, but that’s what we expect. That’s why we come to Kansas.”
Head coach Bill Self
