March 17, 2006

Northern Iowa Head Coach Greg McDermott

"We felt, going in, that baskets in the paint were going to be tough to come by, because of their size and their athletic ability, but we still wanted to try to establish that, and I thought we were able to do that somewhat in the first half. And by doing that, we were able to get some good looks at the three point shot. Really, it was a tale of two halves. The first half we made those shots, and as a result we had a four point lead at halftime. In the second half, we didn't. I really thought we had an opportunity, I think we had four straight possessions up seven to really put some distance between us and the Hoyas before halftime, and we just weren't able to do it. I'm proud of our defensive effort. I was scared to death about how we were going to battle on the backboards with them. We were able to do that. We didn't turn the basketball over. We played our game, but it just wasn't quite good enough today."

As an alum, how does it feel to be a prime time player nationally?
"Doesn't feel real good right now. When we started this five years ago, besides building a basketball program, we were talking about building a new arena. The question was, `Can we get our basketball program to a point where you can justify a new building?' Now we've got a new building and it's too small because our program has really out grown the capacity of that building. I think that will be the legacy that these three leave behind. Our program is in a much different place now then it was when they came here. A lot of sacrifice on their part, a lot of unselfishness on their part. We just seem to be about five points short every year."

On defending Roy Hibbert differently
"He's a tough match up. They have enough shooters that you can commit to the zone for periods of time, but I'm afraid that if you stick with it too long, they are going to beat you three at a time instead of two at a time. I thought we did a decent job at times with our help, and at times they did a good job of spreading the floor so our help was too far away and we couldn't get there. Roy [Hibbert] made a quick move before we could get there to help. He was a load. There is no question. When you are playing someone like Georgetown and you are at a size disadvantage and from an athletic standpoint we are not quite as athletic as they are, you have to take away something and by doing that you're going to give up something. We decided to get to some of their shooters and try to take away their back cuts and try to get our help their as quick as we could on [Roy] Hibbert and sometimes it was just a little too slow."

Did it come down to just not making shots?
"We had some wide open looks when we were up 27-20 with three or four possessions in a row and in the second half, we only turned the ball over three times. So, we're getting looks at the basket. Obviously [Roy] Hibbert and [Jeff] Green are changing the way things are operating in the paint because of their ability to block shots and change shots. We executed some plays we hadn't run much and got some good looks as a result of that. It was really hard to get easy baskets against them because they are big and athletic and the rebound well and they are like us in that they don't foul very much so you don't get those easy points at the free throw line. We really were out battled in the paint today, and that was a big difference in the game."

On containing Jeff Green of Georgetown
"He was the one player that scared me the most because he is a difficult match-up because he can play on the perimeter facing the basket and he's also a good player down on the block. We guarded him with a couple of different people. Eric Coleman did a good job on him when he was on him. Erik Crawford really guarded him well when he played against him. We tried to provide some help in the post and make sure he wasn't going to have any time to back-in and use the spin move that he likes so well. We just tried to get a hand up on his three point shots. I heard Coach Thompson say something that he's a guy that doesn't need to score and he can still help the team win. I wouldn't have guessed that he didn't have a field goal because he it just seemed like he was a big part of the game."

Anything you can pinpoint on why you struggled on the perimeter?
"Hard to say. We broke three point record after three point record during my tenure. We build our team that way and when you build it that way, the guys who can take it to the basket off the dribble and also shoot the three point shot and that have size and athletic ability, they're at Georgetown. They're not at Northern Iowa. You have to kind of make a decision, and we build it on our ability to shoot the basketball and when you're not shooting it, you don't have a lot of other places to turn. To our guys' credit, we've shot it well in practice consistently. We came out of the gate shooting it well today. The way the game started, I felt we needed to make a couple early and we would be fine. I was surprised at what transpired [in] the second half because we had a good bounce in our step at halftime. We had the lead but it could be much larger lead. We needed to stay on task. We did that. We just didn't make the shots in the second half. Defensively, it was good enough to win."

On pride in this senior class
"They've won more games this season or as many games as any other team that has worn this uniform. The three-year record and four-year record is more than any other team in our history. More people watched them play this year. Our home attendance was at an all-time high, and they've done it the right way. They have represented this program in a way that I'm very proud, and as an alum, that means even more to me. They've all gotten better. They've all improved. This was a year for us, with everything that's transpired, with my wife's illness and the expectations that were placed on us for really the first time in our history, and then the injury situation. We had a million excuses, had things not gone well and we had not gotten back here, you could have pointed the fingers at a lot of different reason, but they didn't allow that to happen. That's really the sign of leadership. Anybody can lead when things are rolling along and going well. When times get tough, you really find out someone's character, and these three passed with flying colors in my opinion."

On John Little in the first half
"He really hurts right now because nobody hates to lose any worse than John Little, but he's going to look back on this one day as a really special game because we have been struggling offensively. From him as a senior to step up and do what he did on the offensive end while we are asking him to play great on the defensive end is really a credit John and his make-up. And he gets six rebounds along with it battling in there. I'll miss that guy as much as any body I've ever coached. He showed up that first day with enthusiasm and toughness. He's been our best communicator in practice and games form the day he walked on campus. I had a hard time believing he was for real. I just commented the other day when we practiced the other day before we left that his practice at UNI before we left was the same as it was on day one. He's grown as a leader, and it's been fun to be a part of."

Potential job openings
"I'll go home and talk to my wife and see what she says. That's my strategy. I honestly haven't thought about it. I'm the coach at Northern Iowa and proud to be the coach at Northern Iowa. At this point, I haven't talked to anyone else."

Next year's team and compared to others
"We really excited about the four guys that are going to join our program, and we're excited about some of the young people we have in our program. Adam Viet really battled a tough year of injuries, and my guess is he's going to have to have surgery now that the season is over to find out exactly why that knee won't come around. Jared Josten's improved. Travis Brown showed a sign of what he's capable of and Eric and Grant had a great year and Brooks ran the show at the point guard. I'm excited about the future. I think there is some exciting basketball ahead because those four freshmen are really a special group to add with the experience we have coming back."

On the year Grant Stout had
"He's had an unbelievable year. He led our league in double-doubles. He's just been a rock for us. We've asked him to do a lot, because defensively he has to be a presence and we need him to touch the basketball. He had some good looks today that didn't go in, but he still finds a way to get eight rebounds and blocks three shots. I told Grant when he was a freshman that I thought he had an opportunity to be the best front line player that's every played at UNI. I played with Jason Reese for a couple of years, so I know how good Jason was. I think Grant can be better. The steps he took last year with changing his body really made a difference for him this season, and if he can duplicate that this summer and this off-season, the Missouri Valley Conference is in for some trouble because he is one heck of a player."

Northern Iowa Student-Athletes

Senior guard Ben Jacobson

About a couple of misses in the 2nd half
"Yeah I am just frustrated. I had a couple of good looks coming down the stretch there. `E' (Erik Crawford) penetrated and kicked it to me. It was a real good look and I just left it short so I was just frustrated with myself that I was unable to capitalize."

On the end of his career
"I'm down right now. I didn't want to play my last game. Sometimes you have to face reality and that is reality. Coach had some nice things to say. We're just upset. We've been really close three times and today it was different than the past three years. We just came out sluggish the last three years. Today we came out with a lot of fire-jumped out to a big lead. We were just unable to hold on. Our defense was good enough to hold a team that is that big and has that much of a size advantage on us to 54 points. I would have thought that would be good. We only scored 19 points in the second half. We tip our hats to them. We gave it our best, we just didn't make shots."

On the future of UNI basketball
"I think it is going nowhere but up. Coach McDermott does a great job. I know they have got some great recruits coming in. They'll be moving into a brand new basketball facility next year. Nothing but good things for the program. I think we can proud of that. We wanted to help them turn the corner by winning some games in the NCAA tournament because that's one of the few things that we have been unable to accomplish. We're rooting for them."

Senior guard Erik Crawford

On the shots not falling
"It's a little frustrating when the ball is not going in. I wouldn't say we were going to go crazy. We tried to get the ball inside. Grant did a good job of getting the ball up there, drew a couple of fouls. There were some key stretches during the game when we had an advantage, maybe we should have tried to pound it in there a little bit more. Maybe the fouls that came late in the game could have come then and [Roy]Hibbert would have been in foul trouble. Obviously it is frustrating as a player if you're not making shots. Its just something we have to get over and fight through."

On the future of UNI basketball The future is really bright for this program. The recruits that are coming in next year are all very good players. We got a chance to play with them over the summer at team camps. I don't see this program falling off anytime soon. I think they're going to have a bright future. The new arena is going be great for the program and for the community.

Senior guard John Little

On the pace of the game
"For the most part of the game that was the pace we wanted to play. We wanted to get up and down a little bit more. It seemed like in the first half when were running up and down we were able to get open shots, swing the ball quick, and get the ball inside. I think we played at our pace most of the game. Towards the end we kind of gave up a couple of baskets defensively. We kind of got out there and denied and they were able to get some of those easy baskets back door. Besides that we played about the pace we wanted to."

On the future of UNI basketball
"We have great players coming in and we've got experienced guys coming back next year that are going to help bring those guys along. We have a great coaching staff. I think that our program is going to keep rising. Northern Iowa is going to be a name you're going to keep hearing."