North Carolina State head coach Herb Sendek Quotes Prior to Syracuse Regional Semifinal against the University of Wisconsin
Opening Statement:
“Obviously we're very excited to be here in Syracuse and are looking forward to a great challenge against an excellent and very experienced Wisconsin team tomorrow. Thank you.”
What is the status of Tony Bethel and Jordan Collins?
“Yes, I think that Jordan has really turned the corner and seems to be doing fine, provided he doesn't have any outside influence on that shoulder. He's really made great progress. Tony, likewise has really made some terrific strides. He's probably not nearly as far along as Jordan. But you saw him out there shooting around today and he clearly is a great deal better than he was even this past weekend. I'm still not at all certain as to the degree of his availability for an actual game. We'll just have to continue to play that by ear over the next few hours.”
What is it like for new players to adjust to your offense?
“I don't know that our offense is any more complicated than many other offenses, to be honest with you. There are some guys who seem to have a natural ability to pick things up, whether it's a scouting report on the opponent or what you do. There are other guys, quite frankly, that it takes some additional time. I don't think that that is unique to our offense or that it's any more complicated than most any other motion offenses. And it's not so much learning plays but learning how to play.”
Compare and contrast the Princeton offense and Wisconsin’s string offense.
“You know, I don't think our offense --I really shouldn't speak for someone else's -- is a function of pace at all. I don't see it that way. I think the Princeton offense is a nice catch phrase, a nice label, but every team that runs an offense has to run it in a way that's unique to their own personnel. We could put broad-based headings on things -- flex, motion, number-numbered break, Princeton offense -- but any offense is going to be a function of the personnel that runs it in that particular year. So even though we run the offense that we do, it changes even over the course of a season or it changes from one year to the next as we define roles and find out who can do what within our team. The offense, although it may have some of the same concepts, really conforms to the strengths of the players.”
How do you keep your focus and shut out outside influences?
“I came to the conclusion and understanding that others' opinions don't define you, they simply express their need to be judgmental. We have been extremely busy at any one moment in time, our sleeves have been rolled up and we've been working hard, and we have been proud of the effort that our guys have consistently given. I think if you trace where we started from, our program has made significant and measurable progress. Would we like to run faster sometimes and do more? Well, sure. And I think the same statement could be said of many. But we've had a great group to coach, teach and lead. That's really where our focus has been and that's where it should be.”
Because Wisconsin’s offense requires defensive adjustments, is it advantageous to have had four days to prepare for it rather than two?
“Well, no, because they have the same amount of time to prepare for us. If we had more time than they did, I would say yes. But we both have had the exact same amount of time, so is it an advantage? No. But they do have an offense that requires tremendous diligence to prepare for. It is not an easy scheme to guard.”
How has Cameron Bennerman improved over the course of the season?
“Well, I think that his defense the last two games in particular has been his best of his career. We need him to continue to play at that level.”
Comment on the play of Julius Hodge throughout the post-season.
“I take tremendous pleasure in seeing Julius continue to succeed. I'm very proud of what he's accomplished at N.C. State.
He's had a spectacular career and showed tremendous courage, returning for his senior year as the defending ACC Player of the Year. Obviously, he has played outstanding basketball here as we've progressed down the home stretch. It's made us all very proud and happy to see him do so well.”
Why do you consider Hodge returning for his senior year courageous?
“Because, as he experienced at some points during the season, despite still boasting some terrific numbers and being an outstanding player for us, anything short of repeating his ACC player of the year leaves the window open for people to say that he wasn't playing as well or having a good year. And in our league, there are so many great players that even if you play brilliantly, you may not get tagged as (ACC) Player of the Year again. He was willing to come back and lay it all on the line once again after an absolutely amazing junior year, where he led our team and was chosen as the Player of the Year.”
How would N.C. State’s program be different if Julius Hodge had come to Syracuse instead?
“We'll never know that because he came with us. Any program that wants to be successful has to have key players. If you pick any team and say if they didn't have that guy or if they wouldn't have got that guy, would they have been different? Probably. Because as complicated as we want to make this thing, it sure is to your advantage to have really good players. He’s just added so much value to our basketball program, as well as to our university. He's been a great player on the court and he's been a terrific ambassador off the court.”
How much did it mean to your program to land a player like Hodge?
“It meant a great deal. We recruited him very hard. He was highly recruited. Given what he's been able to accomplish, he's certainly has been an integral part of any success that we may have enjoyed over the last four years.”
How have you adjusted to unexpected roster changes throughout the season?
“We unfortunately have grown a little more accustomed to having guys out of the lineup. Some of our other players have continued to improve and grow. We’ve been really fortunate that some guys have stepped up here down the home stretch in different ways to allow us to overcome, to some extent, Tony's absences. But unfortunately for us, we probably had a little bit too much practice at trying to fill different holes throughout the season. The flip side of that may be that it helped us in some immeasurable ways getting different guys ready.”
What is it about Wisconsin’s offense that makes it difficult to defend?
“It is built on great concepts. They have terrific spacing and they have really good players running it. In most cases, an offense is about as good as the guys are who run it and they have terrifically skilled players. I think they set a school record this year for three-point shooting. They have seven guys who shoot the three-point shot with great accuracy. At any one time, they can have five players, including their power forward and center, who shoot the three. With those kind of parts coupled with the great concepts that the offense offers, you can easily see why it's difficult to defend.”
How did working at a mid-major level help prepare you for your current position?
“Every experience that you have is a step in your preparation. I have never been one to get really caught up in labeling levels, whatever that means. There are great coaches at every level. There are some tremendous coaches working with our kids in junior high, there are some great high school coaches and some of the best coaches I personally know are coaching at junior colleges. There are great coaches at every level. The key is that you do the best with your unique circumstances.”
What makes your offense difficult to defend?
“Probably the same thing as I mentioned with Wisconsin, having good players and having those guys play together as a cohesive group. Some of you don't think it's hard to defend. Some of you think it's easy to defend.”
How important was the win against Georgia Tech in Atlanta in building momentum for the post-season?
“We kind of talked about that a little bit last week, trying to identify a turning point for us. That was a really important game, a big win for us on the road, and I'm sure it added to our team's confidence. But with this group, it really has been a continuation, it has been a real process. To their credit, they were able to withstand when we were struggling, without getting unraveled. And likewise, with any success we've had, since some point in February, they've also done a good job of not getting carried away with themselves in that regard. They've had a nice stability to them a quiet confidence where they have great respect for the team that they're playing and understand that we have to be at our best. At the same time, they also feel assured that they've worked hard and are prepared to play.”
Talk about your relationship with Coach Ryan.
“I think he's a great coach. I would love to be able to study what he does further. I find it very interesting and fascinating. I know Coach Ryan casually, to say hello through our criss-crossing, maybe on a recruiting trip during the summer. I don't really know him on a personal level, but I certainly have great admiration for what he's been able to do. Going back to levels, he was coaching that division and maybe nobody outside of Wisconsin knew his name. I bet you he was a pretty darned good coach even at that point. There are a lot of good coaches.”
North Carolina State Player Quotes Prior to Syracuse Regional Semifinal against the University of Wisconsin
JULIUS HODGE
How many times in four years have you heard from students, fans or somewhere around town that your coach should be fired?
“Coach Sendek is a great guy, a great coach. We're here in the sweet sixteen. My four feet are here and right now, we're just going to continue with the ride.”
I wasn't implying myself he should be fired, just wondering how much you have heard that around the community and during your time.
“No, I wasn't saying that you thought so. I know you're a big supporter of us. Thanks a lot. Those are jokes. I guess a lot of different people have their opinions about Coach Sendek, but to me, my teammate to my right and the rest of the guys, he's a great guy. He's been getting the job done year in and year out and he's going to continue to do so.”
When you first got to N.C. State and you were given the playbook or you go through your first practice with this Princeton offense, how baffled are you at the end of that day, and how long does it take before you get it?
“When I first was introduced to the offense, I was like, dang, Coach tricked me. No, just playing. When I first saw it, I saw it as an opportunity. We were going to be spread, we were going to be able to spread our opponents out and it's going to be really easy opportunities for draws to the basket and shooting a lot of threes, so that was cool.”
What was it like to see some Carolina fans wanting your autograph at the end of practice?
“Carolina fans are cool. It's all good, baby. They want some autographs. I wished them luck.”
How much do you think your program is judged based on the success of North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest?
“It is a basketball environment, Tobacco Road. Duke is twenty minutes away and North Carolina is about twenty five. We're right there, then also Wake Forest. It's a lot of competition and some really great players, but it makes us work that much harder to succeed. That's given us a huge amount of motivation and a big lift throughout the season, throughout the good and the bad times because we know we didn't have to look across the country to see the best teams. They were right in our backyard. If we continue to work hard, we can be right there on the stage with them, playing against them, getting big wins against them.”
Talk about the contrast in personalities between you and your coach.
“Coach Sendek, he's a funny guy. He's pretty humorous, he has his little inside jokes that only he laughs at. I'm like that at the same time. I try to go a little overboard with my jokes to where they are not funny anymore. Coach is very demanding guy. He's hard working, definitely persevered and does a lot of tough things. We’ve had some tough times here at N.C. State and just to see him succeed now is a good feeling for all of us.”
Your coach described your decision to come back for your senior season after winning ACC Player of the Year last season as a courageous one. How do you define the decision, and were there any points during the season where it was particularly difficult?
“To define me coming back to school, I'd have to say, just to get my degree. I know that no one can take that away from me. I can't get injured and not be able to read a book anymore or find a good job after basketball. That was something my mom wanted me to do, so I knew I had to come back for that reason. We’ve had some tough times, from being ranked as high as the top-ten team in the country, to losing three out of ten games or whatever it was. Now, finally to be back playing good basketball together, especially on defense, it just makes it that much more rewarding.”
Is your mom definitely not coming because of superstition?
“I'm not that superstitious. That's just a little joke. My mom may come, may not. It depends on her mood at the time. I kind of forward that question to my brother to see if she'll be here.”
Can you share one of your jokes with us?
“Why did the chicken cross the road? Tough crowd, bad joke. See what I’m saying? Don't get no laughs.”
How many times you have been asked about the NBA and coming back all year, and do you get tired of it?
“I have been asked about coming back to school and the NBA draft just so much, and I've been saying the whole time, I came back because of my mom. Then it gets asked in this different way or that way or that way. It's cool, I guess. The attention is cool.”
Few teams have the scoring gap that you guys do between the leading scorer and the rest of the team. What kind of responsibility does that put on you, game in and game out to produce for your team to win?
“I don't think it is that big of a responsibility because we have three guys just under ten points and another guy straddling ten, so we definitely have balanced scoring. I just try to go out there, like coach told me and try to get my teammates involved early in the game. If they are hot, then it's going to open up opportunities for me, so I try to use that equation, game in and game out.”
You talked about how difficult your offense is to learn. Wisconsin has got a similar offense in that it's difficult to learn and difficult to defend. What have you guys have seen on film and how challenging will that defense or offense be for you?
“Wisconsin takes a lot of pride in their defense and so do we. We're going to do a good job of preparing for them. They have tendencies just like we do, just like any other team that's running the motion offense like that does, and we're going to do the best we can to make them more comfortable like they want to make us uncomfortable. It is going to come down to who is executing the offense the best tomorrow.
ILIAN EVTIMOV
What makes Julius such a great teammate?
“His corny jokes. No, he's just a good leader out there, on and off the court. He makes sure that people do the right things and his will to win carries over to the rest of the team. He is just a good leader that way.”
When you first got to N.C. State and you were given the playbook or you go through your first practice with this Princeton offense, how baffled are you at the end of that day, and how long does it take before you get it?
“At first when we started practicing with the offense, we had a lot of segments of, because we had to learn the offense really well, ice cold. It wasn't until about a week or two weeks into the practices that we started playing five on five, and it was a big difference then. People were just messing up and everybody was getting really frustrated because it was something different with the defense. It just took us a little while. Once we started playing, that's when we really got a feel for the offense. It was a little tougher than we thought.”
How much do you think your program is judged based on the success of North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest?
“Living in an area where both schools are right down the street is a great opportunity for us to strive to be a better team than what we are, because constantly we're being compared to those teams. We always try to do our best and knowing that those teams are right next door makes us work even harder.”