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Isaac Brown vs OSU

Quotables: Brown Previews Texas Southern

12/20/2022 2:45:00 PM

A better-looking offense starts with getting better looks. Isaac Brown and staff have spent the past few days scheming to that end. The Shocker head coach sat down with local media Tuesday for a preview of Thursday night's non-conference finale against Texas Southern (7 p.m. CT, ESPN+).
 
 
HEAD COACH ISAAC BROWN ON...
 
... Opening statement:
"Texas Southern. Good basketball team. 3-8 record, but they've played (almost) all road games. They're the only team in the country to beat Arizona State... They played at Auburn. It was a one-point game going into the half. They played KU. Big, physical team that plays hard. They play 12 guys at least 10 minutes-per-game.... The SWAC has done a tremendous job getting wins this year, and this is the team that runs the SWAC."
 
... Last month's Alcorn State loss as a helpful reminder to not take TSU lightly:
"We know these guys are a good basketball team... with a history of winning championships in the SWAC. They've been to two NCAA tournaments in the last three years. They have a bunch of transfers that have played at a high level. Again, they've got good athletes. They're tough. That's the one thing I noticed about them in watching that Auburn game -- how hard they compete. They really compete."
 
... Film takeaways from TSU's win over Arizona State last month:
"Those guys believed they could win. The athleticism was the same. Watching that game, I didn't think Arizona State was more athletic than Texas Southern. They've got some big kids inside that can rebound and score on the block. They've got a little point guard who can score the basketball. They've just got a lot of toughness and athleticism."
 
... If he's concerned about a potential letdown on the eve of the holiday break:
"I don't think so. These guys are bought in to playing basketball. I'm sure they've thought about going home, but I don't think it's affected our practice at all. i thought we had a good practice yesterday. Guys were bought in. Again, I think they're excited to get back on the floor after playing that game against Oklahoma State. This would be a really good Christmas present."
 
... Assessing the team's progress with conference play on the horizon:
"Defensively we're right there. We're one of the better defensive teams in the country -- top-10 in field percentage defense. Everybody's in the right spots. They're buying in. We didn't give up any second-chance points, I think but one, against Oklahoma State. We've just got to continue to get better on offense."
 
... Getting better looks on offense:
"We've just got to continue to try to move the ball, get the ball to the right people that can score. We've got to play inside-out. Again, you've got to try to create steals to get out in transition and get some easy baskets. You've got to try to get fouls, so you can get to the free throw to see it go through the net. And then you've got to step up and make some wide-open jump shots."
 
... Ways to create more consistency on offense:
"We've got to screen more to make sure we're getting guys clean, wide-open shots. We've got to have better ball movement... Oklahoma State had a lot to do with that (on Saturday). They iced the ball screens and kept it on one side. They're one of the top defensive teams in the country, as well."
 
... Finishing better off ball screens:
"We've got to screen more off the ball. We've got to set more stagger screens. We've got to set more pin-downs to try to get guys open. (Opponents are) guarding the ball screen stuff well... We're always open on the middle ball screens to get wide open threes, but we're not making them. I told guys you've got to start turning them down. Shot fake, try to drive the basketball to get someone else a wide-open shot."
 
... Screening more effectively.
"You've got to have hard cuts. The more you cut, that makes the defense have to help out. You've got to set good screens to get guys open -- whether that's a back-screen, a down-screen or a stagger-screen -- and then the guys have to run their man into the screen and come off ready to shoot and have confidence that they can make shots."
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