Jan. 24, 2008
Audio: Listen to the entire teleconference at SECsports.com
Vanderbilt basketball head coach Kevin Stallings and Florida head coach Billy Donovan discussed Sunday’s game with the national media during Thursday’s SEC Teleconference. Find out what each coach had to say about the matchup.
Vanderbilt Head Coach Kevin Stallings:
Opening statement:
“We’re one of the many teams in the league that did not have a midweek game this week. Hopefully, we’ve utilized this practice time wisely and given ourselves a chance to be a better team when we go to Gainesville on Sunday. I’m very impressed with Florida’s team. I thought they took an awfully good shot from South Carolina last night and still were able to get a victory. Billy’s got them playing real well which has been a constant for several years in Gainesville. We know that we’re going to have to play extremely well, better than we have in our first two league road games, if we hope to win. We look forward to the opportunity and look forward to playing a very good Florida team.”
Do you think the SEC has reestablished its reputation as a tough conference with the opening of conference play?
“I think that our league is probably a lot more balanced than people thought at the outset. I think we have a number of very good teams in our league. I think there’s a considerable amount of youth in our league as well. I think that probably contributed to some of our (league’s) early season losses, but I think as some of those talented freshmen and sophomores get better, people outside of our conference will find us more difficult to deal with come NCAA tournament time.”
Is an SEC game tough every night?
“I think that’s the way it is in our league every year. I don’t think that’s a message you have to send too loudly because certainly our team understands that not only can you not take anyone lightly, but if you’re not on top of your game, you’re probably not going to win. I think the teams and players in this league are too good for anyone to take lightly. Because of our youth, I think it’s a league that will only get better.”
What have you focused on in practices this week?
“We feel like the two biggest things that have plagued us have been turnovers and rebounding. We’ve had a pretty significant emphasis on taking care of the ball and being more aggressive in our rebounding efforts, offensively and defensively. I don’t know if this team will ever be a great offensive rebounding team, but we obviously need to do a much better job on the defensive boards. We’ve spend considerable time trying to refine those two areas.”
Florida Head Coach Billy Donovan:
Opening statement:
“I’ve got great respect for Vanderbilt and Kevin (Stallings). I think he’s one of the most innovative and creative guys in our league and in the country. Playing the game on Sunday, with our team, may be a good thing in the fact that we get an extra day to get prepared because there’s so much to prepare for when you play a team like Vanderbilt. Not only what they do but who they have. They’ve got a great compliment of players that are older, that have been through it, that understand it, and then they’ve obviously added a guy like (Andrew) Ogilvy who, in my opinion, is as good as any front court player in this league, regardless of age or the year that he’s in (school), just with his hands, vision, the way he can post and seal, so Vanderbilt has been one of the programs in our league that has gotten a lot of exposure and attention and rightfully so because of the way they started. There’s no question in my mind that we’re playing against one of the best teams in the country on Sunday.”
How do you think the officials are handling the bench decorum rule this year?
“I’ve never been a big fan of all of this stuff. I think when you show commercials in the NCAA of buzzer beaters and kids jumping on top of each other and the emotion and excitement of a game but then tell the kids `you’re not allowed to do that, you have to sit down,’ I’m not big on that. However, I have noticed a huge change in our league for the better. I think Gerald Boudreaux (director of basketball officials) has done a terrific job because there needs to be a level of communication. I think that’s the most important thing. There are going to be times when you’re out of the coaches’ box. I understand if you’re out of the (coaches) box screaming at officials, it probably will result in a technical foul. I think we all agree, understand, and accept that, but there at least has to be that if we are out of the box yelling at players, through communication, the refs tell the coaches to help them out and get back. I think our league has been good at handling that aspect of it, but I think if we’re going to give out technical fouls to a guy that’s a step or two outside the box yelling at his team, I think we’re going the wrong way. When the season started, I felt the officials were on edge and concerned because there was a lot going on how they were going to be viewed in terms of their control of the bench. I think every coach and player said the same thing. I’m more concerned with them calling plays right on the court. To give them an added responsibility on watching the bench is not good. So far, they’ve done a great job.”
