South Wichita News

Quotables: Brown Previews UCF

Wichita State is heating up at just the right time and the big men have played a big part. Head coach Isaac Brown talked with local media Tuesday about the team's second-half offensive surge and previewed Wednesday night's home matchup with the UCF Knights. Read on for the transcript:

HEAD COACH ISAAC BROWN ON…

 

… the UCF Knights:

"Coach Dawkins has done a good job. They've got a big kid inside, (Taylor) Henricks, who's one of the best players in our league; one of the best players in the country. A potential first-round pick. He gives us a lot of matchup problems. They play him a lot at the four and the five, and when he's at the five spot, it's difficult to guard him. (When) they go with the small-ball lineup, we've got to do a good job defending the three-point line. They're the best three-point shooting team in our conference. A good basketball team that'll get after you defensively. They'll full court press. They'll switch one through five, all ball screens, and they make it difficult for you to get in the paint."

 

…WSU's offensive improvement since the first UCF game:

"I feel like it's night and day -- but it's still going to come down to us making open shots. A lot of times in basketball when you're making shots, everything looks simple. I do feel like we're playing inside-out more. The ball is going inside to Kenny Pohto and James Rojas, and those two big guys are really making the game easy for the other players on the team -- getting them wide-open, stationary threes. When they're getting doubled, (other) guys cut to the basket for layups. It's allowing us to get in the bonus early, so we've got to continue to do that."

 

… What, if any, scheme adjustments he's made:

"We're running pretty much the same offense, but those guys are getting more comfortable now, trusting their teammates, trying to get someone else a shot, being unselfish, playing inside-out, playing together. When you're playing together, it makes basketball a lot easier, and they're doing a great job of that right now."

 

… James Rojas' second-half surge:

"[James] was always motored up, ready to go in practice, practicing hard. I think the thing that has changed with James, he's not just settling for threes now. He's a vocal leader on the team. He's one of those guys that we throw the ball to early in the game on the low block, and he normally gets us a basket or gets the other team in foul trouble. And he's making the game easier for those younger guys, getting them wide-open shots. He does a great job on the glass at starting the break. (He's) the first guy we've had (like that) since Rashard Kelly."

 

… The sense of urgency on both sides heading into this game:

"(UCF is) coming in hungry. They've got to win a game. They're on a five-game losing streak, but they've got a good basketball team. They've had a lot of injuries. Johnson was out for a while. The big kid, Durr, inside was out with a broken hand. So it's been a tough stretch for them with those injuries. We've got to protect home court. We haven't done a good job this year protecting home, so this is a big basketball game for us (against) somebody that's right with us in the standings. This would be a huge game for us to get a victory."

 

… Strong play from Jaykwon Walton:

"He was playing well to start the season. All of a sudden, he got injured and it took him a while to get going. He wasn't able to get the reps he needed in practice. He struggled from the three-point line during a stretch. I think he was 0 for 15, but now he's back to shooting it great. He's not settling for three pointers anymore. He's shot-faking and driving closeouts and getting to the rim. He's a tough matchup because he's so athletic and versatile, can finish with both hands, and now he's making those stationary threes again. He's rebounding. He's one of the best players in the AAC right now."

 

… Comparing this year's group to the 2019 team:

"Very similar. That was a new basketball team. It took those guys a while to gel. These guys are coming into their own. We're defending a lot better. The rebounding the last two games has really been good. Going back to that Tulsa game, I've never been a part of a coaching staff where a team didn't give up one offensive rebound in the first half, so those guys are really checking out, defending at a high level, and the offense is starting to click."

 

… Rojas setting an example for the younger players on the team:

"Great example. He's playing angry. Love the kid, just the way he brings it every day in practice. He's the first guy to the floor, he's one of the vocal leaders on our team, he steps up and takes charges, he's rebounding, and he wants to win. This is his last year as a college athlete. There were two years where he didn't play because of ACL injuries, and he's leading by example for these young guys. Just a guy that's willing to do everything he can to win a basketball game. A guy that's willing to play through injuries… His toughness really helps these young guys to see that you've got to be able to play through injuries at times. You've got to be able to be mentally tough, and that's what he's shown this year."

 

… Reestablishing home court advantage after a 1-4 AAC start:

"You've got to have pride. You've got to protect home court. We've got to do a better job at finishing games at home. We've got to play for 40 minutes."

 

… Hosting WSU's sixth annual #Fight4Literacy game on Wednesday night:

"It's a very important cause. We want to make sure that all (area) kids have the opportunity to read and learn. Our players have done a great job of going out to schools, speaking to the young kids about education. Just talking to them about when they were young kids and the importance of learning to read and how that can affect your life, get you to college and make you a success."

Original source can be found here.