California Head Coach Cuonzo Martin
Opening Statement:
“Obviously, the goal was to play well. I thought defensively we did a good job on our field-goal percentage, defense and holding them to 24 percent. In the first half, we shot the free throws very well. We didn't shoot as well in the second half. I think we did a solid job, especially coming off of final exams. I want to continue getting better against the zone. I thought our guys did a solid job moving. We have got to continue to keep moving past fake direction and just be aggressive within that zone. Overall a good effort.”
On Jaylen's performance:
“The thing about Jaylen for me is that I want him to stay aggressive. He's a very unselfish player and sometimes I really want him to attack more. I want him to really look to the rim more to score the basketball and just play. But he's one of the best in transition when he gets the ball, especially in the team press. We want to get him at the top of the half court area to go over the top and let him play because he can make decisions, he can finish strong, and he can make the shots and do a lot of things for us. He can find the shooters, but I think he played a lot better. Again, he's a talented basketball player and he continues to get better with his overall floor game, but he's a guy that impacts a game with rebounds, free throws, making shots, big plays, assists and steals. He does a lot of things because you have to identify him because he's a physical presence when he's attacking the rim. Two guys on him, and he makes the right decisions. I thought he played well.
On tonight's game plan:
“To just defend. There's not really a game plan, but to just defend. To guard your guy and put pressure on the ball. They were shooting a lot of three's and they made some tonight. Again, contesting the three-point line and to contain was our goal. Contest, contain and keep your guy in front of you, and I thought we did a solid job.”
California Players
Guard, Nick Kerr
On two late three-pointers:
“It was really cool. You don't get too many chances to get in as a walk-on. So when you make a shot, there's a big cheer, you look at the bench and everyone is celebrating, it's pretty awesome. It's cool.”
On how the team played:
“I thought we played pretty well. I thought for the most part we did a good job handling the zone. We moved the ball. We got penetration and, defensively, we were outstanding. We got deflections, we got steals and we got in transition. I thought that's where we made a big jump.”
Forward, Ivan Rabb
On Kerr's late three-pointers:
“It felt good. Not just for Nick (Kerr), but for Cole (Welle). The thing is, they're walk-ons but they're actually really talented players, so I knew when they got in they were going to make something happen. Nick knocked down two shots. Brenden (Glapion) got a bucket. Cole got a steal and got to the free-throw line. So they all did pretty good.”
On tonight's game plan after taking a week off for finals:
“The goal was to just build on what we did against St. Mary's. We played with tremendous energy and we played together, and we wanted to build on that.”
On how the team played:
“We did everything Coach asked us to do on the defensive side of the ball. In the past, we've let teams stay in games, but today we definitely defended at a high level.”
Coppin State Head Coach Michael Grant
On the road trip:
“Playing three games in four days is going to be tough, but it's great having an opportunity to play USF yesterday, Cal today and Eastern Michigan on Monday. It's been a tough swing. Last night's game we should have won, very disappointing, and Cal is just so big and talented.”
On the game:
“I think what really hurt us the most was their (Cal's) second and third shots on the basket. They are so big, we are so small and we didn't box them out well, so almost everything they made were second attempts at the basket. In addition, we didn't really shoot the ball well, but a lot of praise to Cuonzo Martin. He is really putting together a great team and they are going to go a long way in the Pac-12.”
