COACHES QUOTES FLORIDA STATE 55, MIAMI 54 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2015 DONALD L. TUCKER CENTER TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton Opening Statement: “Miami did a very good job of creating some indecision on our part in the first half. I thought our guys were very anxious. We walked four times with the ball. We had 11 turnovers in the first half. They did a very good job of boxing us in on our ball screens and made us make some adjustments. I didn’t think sometimes that we responded very well. We didn’t make very many adjustments in the second half other than the fact that from a defensive standpoint we had certain things that we were not doing in the first half. I thought we defended them for the first 20 seconds on the shot clock and the last 10 seconds on the shot clock in the first half we didn’t seem to have the same sense of urgency from a defensive standpoint. They are an unbelievable accurate three‐point shooting team. Obviously the numbers speak for themselves. In the second half I thought we did a little better job of contesting shots and did a little better job of containing the dribble. On the offensive end I thought we did a lot better job of executing and not trying to shoot so quick as we did in the first half. We moved the ball, made the extra pass and gave ourselves a chance. Cutting down on our turnovers I thought really made a big difference down the stretch.” On Montay Brandon setting the tone in the second half: “I thought our guys understand. They were very determined. They were very focused. We felt like we had to make something happen. They were not going to give us the game. We had to create some offense from our defense. I think that his experience told him that somebody had to make some plays. He made several defensive plays that gave us an emotional lift. He gave us some easy baskets and he gave us some momentum that I thought really sparked us from that standpoint.” On the importance of ending the first half strong: “It was very important because we had dug a hole for ourselves and we just inched back within striking distance.” On the importance of getting points from other people today: “I’ve said all along that we had to win games by committee. We need different guys stepping up from time to time, but that tells you about the strength of preparation of the teams that we are playing against. Miami was determined not to let [Devon] Bookert, [Phil] Cofer, and X [Xavier Rathan‐Mayes] be the offensive factors that they have been. We needed other guys to step up. Fortunately for us tonight, other guys stepped up. That is the way it is going to be. We need everybody contributing in order for us to be successful.” Miami head coach Jim Larranaga On the last play: “First of all, Florida State defended us very, very well in the second half. We only scored 18 points after scoring 36 in the first half and we were trying to do what we have been doing. Which is penetrating and pitching, trying to get them to guard the basket while we get a perimeter shot. I thought we did do that but maybe with some anxiousness at the end when we got in a hurry right as the clock was winding down. But their defense throughout the second half made us miss shots, and their big guys had an outstanding game. I think our guards did a good job guarding their guards, but their big guys are very, very big and their very talented around the basket.” On what changed for them in the 2nd half: “For me, most of the time guys just play harder and more aggressively. We had two turnovers the second half that lead to dunks. Brandon stole the ball twice and dunked it twice; I think that fired them up. They were behind at the half by 11 and the lead evaporated right away. It see‐sawed back and forth but kept the lead for most of the second half, but when Mayes made that driving layup that gave them the lead, that was a momentum switch. Their big guys, Montay Brandon, [Kiel] Turpin and Bojo [Boris Bojanovsky] made those two big plays at the end where he made the bucket and the free throw, he got 6 in like a second.” On dealing with Florida State’s big men: “They are so different. We really only have one guy like that. There is always some big guy lurking. Their big men changed the game.”