St. John's University Athletics
POSTGAME QUOTES: NO. 22/21 ST. JOHN’S MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. IONA
St. John’s Men’s Basketball Head Coach Rick Pitino, sophomore guard Ian Jackson and senior guard Oziyah Sellers met with the media after the win over Iona at Madison Square Garden, 91-64
Head Coach Rick Pitino
Opening Statement…
“Iona's got a good team. They shoot it great, but we did a really good job of defending the three-point line tonight, keeping them off the foul line. We had some difficulties with turnovers, but outside of that, we played a real good game.”
On the crowd turnout…
“Really excited about the crowd. Iona is, as you all know, for the last 15, 20 years, has the most wins in the greater metropolitan area. So, it's a great game for us. To get 15,000 people, with a local game is tremendous. The program has certainly come a long way in three years, and we're proud of that.”
On defending the three-point shot…
“It's very difficult to hold this team to 19 three-point attempts. This team, you know, against Oregon State, I think they were down 18. They came back. Their three-point shooting can be amazing at times. So they're tough to play against because they spread you out. You have to take away the three, and then get some drives to the basket.”
On going from a good defense to a great defense…
“It starts with better perimeter defense, better paying attention to scouting. Zuby [Ejiofor] is obviously a good rim protector for us defensively. Dylan Mitchell is as well. We're getting better on the perimeter defensively. There won't be a team in the BIG EAST that'll shoot it as many times and as well as Iona, believe it or not, because that's their whole thing. It's get to the rim or shoot a three and stay away from the mid-range. We got to keep our turnovers down, but I like what I see. I like the improvement.”
On Ian Jackson’s haircut…
“I loved it, too. I told Ian, he said to me, ‘Stevie Mass [Masiello] told me that, listen, your assist-to-turnover [ratio] is because you can't see peripheral vision-wise,’ And he asked me, ‘Do you think I should get a haircut?’ I said, ‘Listen, I've played in the hippie generation.”
Sophomore guard Ian Jackson
On cutting his hair and what prompted the change…
“I have been grown my hair since about, probably seventh grade. I would say just a fresh start, you know, just a different look. Just a chance to, I want to say restart or start over, but just, like, to give myself something fresh and something new.”
Senior Guard Oziyah Sellers
On seeing Ian Jackson’s haircut…
“I love his haircut, you know. It was crazy because nobody recognized him when he came in the locker room the first day. I mean, we all joked as well that now you can see the rim and stuff when he's finishing and things like that. But it was fun.”
On looking for his shot and what it does for the team…
“I feel like it definitely makes us better because, you know, Coach [Pitino] he tells me all the time, you guys know by now, just shoot the ball, shoot the ball. Even when we shoot, even my misses, there's a chance for us to get offensive rebounds and things like that. Regardless of making or missing shots, I'm going to continue to shoot and I felt good tonight.”
Iona Head Coach Dan Geriot
On St. John’s beating their game plan…
“Usually it's the rim for them. Tonight was threes, and I'll be honest, that was a big part of the game plan, was to make them do that, and they made us pay, which was good for them.”
Opening Statement…
“Iona's got a good team. They shoot it great, but we did a really good job of defending the three-point line tonight, keeping them off the foul line. We had some difficulties with turnovers, but outside of that, we played a real good game.”
On the crowd turnout…
“Really excited about the crowd. Iona is, as you all know, for the last 15, 20 years, has the most wins in the greater metropolitan area. So, it's a great game for us. To get 15,000 people, with a local game is tremendous. The program has certainly come a long way in three years, and we're proud of that.”
On defending the three-point shot…
“It's very difficult to hold this team to 19 three-point attempts. This team, you know, against Oregon State, I think they were down 18. They came back. Their three-point shooting can be amazing at times. So they're tough to play against because they spread you out. You have to take away the three, and then get some drives to the basket.”
On going from a good defense to a great defense…
“It starts with better perimeter defense, better paying attention to scouting. Zuby [Ejiofor] is obviously a good rim protector for us defensively. Dylan Mitchell is as well. We're getting better on the perimeter defensively. There won't be a team in the BIG EAST that'll shoot it as many times and as well as Iona, believe it or not, because that's their whole thing. It's get to the rim or shoot a three and stay away from the mid-range. We got to keep our turnovers down, but I like what I see. I like the improvement.”
On Ian Jackson’s haircut…
“I loved it, too. I told Ian, he said to me, ‘Stevie Mass [Masiello] told me that, listen, your assist-to-turnover [ratio] is because you can't see peripheral vision-wise,’ And he asked me, ‘Do you think I should get a haircut?’ I said, ‘Listen, I've played in the hippie generation.”
Sophomore guard Ian Jackson
On cutting his hair and what prompted the change…
“I have been grown my hair since about, probably seventh grade. I would say just a fresh start, you know, just a different look. Just a chance to, I want to say restart or start over, but just, like, to give myself something fresh and something new.”
Senior Guard Oziyah Sellers
On seeing Ian Jackson’s haircut…
“I love his haircut, you know. It was crazy because nobody recognized him when he came in the locker room the first day. I mean, we all joked as well that now you can see the rim and stuff when he's finishing and things like that. But it was fun.”
On looking for his shot and what it does for the team…
“I feel like it definitely makes us better because, you know, Coach [Pitino] he tells me all the time, you guys know by now, just shoot the ball, shoot the ball. Even when we shoot, even my misses, there's a chance for us to get offensive rebounds and things like that. Regardless of making or missing shots, I'm going to continue to shoot and I felt good tonight.”
Iona Head Coach Dan Geriot
On St. John’s beating their game plan…
“Usually it's the rim for them. Tonight was threes, and I'll be honest, that was a big part of the game plan, was to make them do that, and they made us pay, which was good for them.”