John Beilein addressed the media after Michigan’s 63-50 victory on Tuesday. During the conference, he noted that Tim Hardaway Jr. should be fine after taking a hard fall while Jon Horford’s injury status is still up in the air going forward. Watch Beilein’s comments in the embedded media player below:
Notes and quotes after the jump.
- Have to give credit to Arkansas Pine Bluff for not mailing it in after Michigan got off to a big first-half lead.
- Turnovers. “We had far too many turnovers in the second half to get away from them and really get some time for some of our bench guys.”
- Tim Hardaway Jr. has a “pretty good bruise on his tailbone,” but he should be fine and shouldn’t miss any time for it.
- On Vogrich’s break-out game: “That was really big for him, to come in and just hit a three, and then it was three in a row. It’s good for him to be able to do that.”
- Jon Horford, who has been nursing a foot injury, dressed but only would have played in an “emergency” situation. Horford hasn’t practiced the last couple days and is in a sort of “shut-down” mode. They are trying to let the foot heal 100 %; depending on how well it heals in the next couple days, he may not play until the start of Big Ten season on Dec. 29.
- On letting up in blow-out games: “While we’re trying to get the game over with, they just up the pressure and trap us and get hands on the ball…inside, they swarmed our post. Evan had five turnovers and Jordan had three. That’s really hard…they did a good job of that.” Michigan will need better focus in the feature, “but it’s tough when you’re up by 20. The other team is playing fearless.”
- Vogrich needed a game like this (11 points, 3-for-5 from deep) for his confidence more than Beilein did. Beilein has continually encouraged him throughout this season.
- On Burke: “I thought down the stretch he could have had even more assists. He had some guys wide open like he hit against Oakland. But I think I might have wore him out a little more this game.” Beilein would have liked to have cleared the bench earlier, but that’s the lead was never quite big enough.
- Especially against a team like UAPB, who sends five guys to the glass, rebounding by the guards was really important. “If we have a guard rebound, it’s a really good rebound. We can really go.”
- Tim Hardaway Jr, like everybody else, had some “rough” moments tonight.
- The defense in the first half was “outstanding.” Second half, not so much. Lazabian Jackson, who scored 23 points, really “surprised” the Michigan defense.
- On Novak, who had 6 assists: “He’s just playing so solid, rarely makes a mistake, does everything defensively. He’s just been really good, and without the points. We’re trying to get him shots, he’s so unselfish, so I’m glad he had a chance to at least not one down today.” His turnover-to-assist ratio has been great, and he’s more comfortable as a guard now.
