"Angry" Kevin Willard, Julian Reese and Ja'Kobi Gillespie break down Maryland basketball's big win over UCLA
Kevin Willard, Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Julian Reese discussed their defensive changes and how players responded, from making Willard "angry", Gillespie's big night and the comforts of Xfinity Center
After two close losses on the West Coast, nightmares of last season started to reappear for Maryland basketball. So Kevin Willard's team needed to rebound quickly on Friday against No. 22 UCLA. And they did.
Maryland played one of its most complete games of the season, defeating UCLA 79-61. Ja'Kobi Gillespie responded from a poor stretch, scoring a season-high 30 points. Against a floundering UCLA offense, Maryland held the Bruins to 61 points on 41.5% shooting from the field and 33.3% from three and forced 20 turnovers.
Afterward, Willard, Gillespie and Julian Reese discussed the defensive changes and how players responded, from making Willard "angry", Gillespie's big night and the comforts of Xfinity Center.
On the Terps response
"I felt like it was a big statement, shows our character our bit, coming off the two game losing streak," Julian Reese said.
"I just think it feels good just to get out there and play in front of our fans after two straight road games, come and make a statement at home," Gillespie said.
Gillespie's gem
"I just wanted to defend better, I wasn't really defending on the road trip," Gillespie said.
"I think Ja'Kobi was a little upset at the way he played out west. I don't think he played particularly well out west. And so, I think he had, we had a good conversation about just understanding at this level on what it takes to play at a high level," Willard said. "Not only the level of effort that you got to play with but the attitude you have to have every game. I'm not sure he has it yet, but I think he's starting to realize it."
Defensive improvements
"I definitely felt like it picked up defensively. Just finishing plays, last week we kind of defended the first half of the shot clock and didn't finish it. We picked it up in that aspect," Reese said. "Especially when you're at home, it's kind of like a domino effect, just going on a run like that, I kind of knew we had them right there."
"We've had three-minute stretches of defense that's killed us in all three road games. We just kind of talked about it sometimes, you know, we don't need to drill it, we don't need to do it. Sometimes you just got to re-emphasize it," Willard said.
"We're one of the best teams in the country in how long it takes to get a shot off. We're not one of the best teams in the country at finishing those possessions. So, I thought we did a much better job. I thought we took a step in the right direction."
"But I think the biggest thing was how well Reese was defensively tonight. He made himself mad, he really made me angry, just his defensive awareness in Washington and Oregon. He was one of the best defenders of pick and rolls and post defense last year. And I think, you know, just getting him to refocus on that a little bit was a huge difference, because he's again, I thought he was locked in tonight," Willard said.
Xfinity's atmosphere
"I thought we played well at spurts out there. And you know, it was good to come home and just have a couple days and obviously have a great home crowd," Willard said. "It's our first conference game at home since December 2. So, when you have three in a row on road. You play well on the road, but you don't win, it's good to come home."
Bench choices
"Analytics tells me who to play with, and there's this huge difference when Tafara's playing with certain guys and Jordan's playing with certain guys," Willard said.
"As much as I'm old school and believe in the feel and the flow and energy of the game, I still go back every morning, and I look back and look at every lineup. I look at the guys on the floor, every time guys are off the floor. I mean, we have, we have numbers and data to kind of sit there and say, okay, in the first half, this is who plays well together. This is who you should have on the floor. And I don't go by it religiously, but I do use it as a big tool. And right now, Tafara, from numbers wise and helping out Julian spacing, is the guy that's that that's really helping us."
