Ross Hodge press conference summary post Lehigh
West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge met with the media following his team’s win over Lehigh Sunday and we provide a summary of what was said.
–Hodge appreciated everybody coming out on a Sunday afternoon with everything going on and the students have been incredible. Everybody makes a huge difference but there’s something different when the students are into it. The first 15 minutes was the best period of defensive basketball that they’ve played thus far. That’s what they could be at their best. Everybody was involved early and making shots. They really challenged their guys at halftime because they knew they had outscored Houston in the second half at Houston which is hard to do. He was disappointed with their start but you have to credit them and how they started as well.
—Brenen Lorient shot a very high percentage last year from three on low volume and they’ve been talking a little bit about increasing that but he’s an unselfish player and doesn’t force things. When he’s making those it increases the space for everybody else.
–You always want to play with pace and they were able to turn them over and force them into bad shots and get out and run. The third game you start getting your game legs under you better. If you’re exerting as much effort on the defensive end of the floor sometimes it’s hard to run. The first 15-minutes was how they’d like to play.
–Hodge challenged them to keep executing after the start and play possession by possession. It’s hard because human nature does kick in but that’s the challenge and that’s what great teams do and that’s what they would like to be.
–Hodge has thought about the Pitt game since he’s gotten this job but as far as preparation and messaging and any of that they won’t start getting into any of that stuff.
–Now that you’ve played three games in six games you need some practice and rest. He loves his team they are super coachable but like anything else people learn things different ways. Now you have film against other people to show them what doesn’t work.
–Lorient is an unselfish player. He makes the right play and if he catches the ball and he’s not open he won’t force but when it’s working it’s on them as a coaching staff to get him more catch and shoot opportunities.
–Hodge had the job for about one minute and somebody told him about Pitt. There isn’t anybody associated with the program that doesn’t understand how big the game is. It means a lot to this state, it means a lot to the fan base and it means a lot to them. He has been in games at the time were equally as impactful to him in his career. This one means so much more to so many more people and once the ball goes up it really does turn into can you execute at the highest level you can?
–Hodge wants to see his team improve in everything. He thinks his team today played 20-minutes of good basketball today but can you make that 20-minutes, 25-minutes and continue to stretch it. They have to improve in everything.
–Hodge said that he doesn’t think that they will get Jackson Fields back for Thursday but he did scrimmage and get some simulated games. Now the next progression will be full practices.
–Encourage Treysen Eaglestaff to be aggressive and decisive and be himself.
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