Coach Q&A: Mike Woodson reacts to Indiana basketball’s win over Marian

Indiana basketball head coach Mike Woodson spoke to reporters following Indiana basketball’s 106-64 win against Marian Friday at Assembly Hall.

Woodson discussed Pat Knight’s return to Indiana, IU’s front court, injury concerns, Indiana’s depth and much more.

Below is the full video Q&A and transcript.

Q. I know it’s exhibition game is what it is but on a night when you at least shoot 67.5 percent and just getting in guys’ heads about making shots, is there something to be gained from that?

MIKE WOODSON: Again, we didn’t shoot it well from the three-point line. We shot it well from twos. You know, we had all about looks and we’re going to keep shooting them. You know, eventually they will go in. But you know, what I like most about the game tonight, we defended. We had 33 assists and ten turnovers. So that’s a positive.

Q. Bryson had, I want to say, 19 or so. Obviously you have not been shy in how high you are on him. I’m just — like what has he shown you so far to where you can see the confidence in him and what is he kind of proving to you so far?

MIKE WOODSON: I’m high on everybody on this team, not just Bryson Tucker. He’s a young freshman that has got a nice skillset and especially on both ends of the floor. He’s long and athletic and he handles the ball. He can score the ball. He can do a lot of things. But he’s got to learn the college game, and he’s young at it right now and we’ve just got to keep pushing him in the right direction.

Q. Following up on that, as well, Jakai Newton, both those guys getting minutes and decent nights what did you see in them and their youth and what can they add?

MIKE WOODSON: Jakai, this is the first I’m he’s played, which just brought a smile to my face because this young man has been working and working and working to get back, and finally got a chance to get a few minutes and I thought it’s positive. You could tell he’s rusty. He hasn’t played.

But he’s a talented young man. You know, I’ve seen him in practice do things that I knew he could do when we recruited him, and we just got to continue to nurse him and get him back a 100 percent because he’s not there yet.

Ballo’s the same way. We monitored both of those guys’ minutes tonight, and it’s going to be that way until we think they are truly comfortable in playing big minutes.

Q. Ballo was able to get it going a little bit more tonight. What impressed you most since he came in here?

MIKE WOODSON: Ballo has proven what he did at Arizona, he’s a double-double guy. He’s capable of getting you ten points, ten rebounds. I mean, and he plugs the middle up.

So I mean, there’s a reason why we went after him hard when he became — when he went into the portal, and you know, we’ve just got to keep working with him, get him in tiptop shape because he’s not where I want him to be yet and we’re going to keep pushing him until he gets there.

But hey, he’s headed in the right direction and doing some nice things for our ballclub.

Q. You have four assists tonight for Oumar. Is it a concerted effort to unlock his passing?

MIKE WOODSON: No, he can pass the ball. He’s a big man that’s been proven that he can pass the ball. I mean, he hits cutters. He plays good buddy ball, like we call. He and Malik are learning each other more and more that they have been together.

And he’s unselfish. I mean, it’s not just about him thinking he needs to demand the basketball. I mean, he’s a good team player that does a lot of good things for your team.

Q. You mentioned the buddy ball and Malik and Oumar. What allows them to coexist on the floor like we saw tonight?

MIKE WOODSON: Again, they both can pass the ball and they both can score down low and they both can handle the basketball. That’s a nice combination. We’re going to need them to continue to grow together, man, if we’re going to be a big-time team.

Q. The depth you showed, ten players scored at least two points. Can you talk about that and how that can help moving forward?

MIKE WOODSON: Again, I mean, this is the deepest team that we’ve had since I’ve been here. Knowing that we’ve got a lot of work in terms of what I’m looking for in a team, and you know, we’re not shooting the ball well right now from the three-point line, and that’s kind of disturbing.

But you know, I’m not going to harp on it because again, we are getting them up, and coming into the Tennessee game and this game, we had been shooting the three ball really well.

We’ve just got to keep working at it and get guys comfortable and see where it leads us.

Q. Kanaan and Anthony didn’t play tonight, we saw Anthony’s knee thing on Sunday. What’s up with Kanaan today?

MIKE WOODSON: He’s got some bruised ribs. He took a shot in the Tennessee game, and so we just kind of are nursing him back and taking it a day at a time. I mean, eventually he’ll be back on the floor.

Q. All the support tonight, what did that mean?

MIKE WOODSON: Not only Steve, we had Nancy Knight back, and I had not seen Ms. Knight in 40 years. It was really nice seeing her.

Steve and I have stayed in contact for many, many years and we talk off and on, so it was great having him back.

And it was nice having Pat back here in Assembly Hall. You know, it’s been a while. You know, Pat is special to this program because of his dad and he’s gone through it, and to get his mom back here, boy, was kind of special tonight, I think.

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