Ball State University Athletics
Billy Taylor Press Conference Quotes -- 12/3/07
December 03, 2007 | Men's Basketball
How do you keep morale up?
"I think the most encouraging thing about our guys, is the fact that we are competing against very good programs. We are certainly undersized, whether it's against Valparaiso, Georgetown, St. Joe's or Butler. You talk about some very successful programs that continue to have success throughout the season."
"Our guys are trying to focus on our strengths, play our game and not get caught up in the small picture but focus on the big picture. We have to make improvements and take care of the areas that have been problematic for us and hopefully solve the problems that have gotten us into some of these ruts.
What advice do you give in this situation from being a former athlete?
"We are trying to focus on the process in order to improve and become more successful. Ultimately, we will get some wins and we can be successful in league play. We are not talking about the end result yet."
What do you see in their faces after games and at practices?
"We have a very competitive group. Certainly our coaches and our players are very hungry, and they want to win very badly. There is a lot of hurt and a lot of disappointment that we have not been successful yet in terms of wins and losses. However, I think we are successful in terms of the improvement we are making, and the competitiveness of the program right now."
Has the road trip been tougher than you thought?
"No, the road is always tough. You always enjoy that comfort of playing at home, and we wanted to come out with a home win because we know it is incredibly difficult to win on the road in college basketball. You have a lot stacked against you and you have to be mentally strong. We certainly have our work cut out for us at Purdue, who was undefeated last year at home and went to the NCAA Tournament."
Where do you look to for a consistent scorer?
"Since teams do very detailed scouting, they are obviously going to try to take away Peyton Stovall and limit his touches. But, the great thing about Peyton is that he does not force the issue. He makes the read, whether it's the shot fake, the drive or making the extra pass. He is setting up good looks for his teammates and that is just unselfish team basketball. We have other guys that can make plays."
Thoughts on Purdue?
"Purdue is extremely physical, very aggressive and do a great job at pressuring the basketball. They get up in the passing lane and making it very difficult to run your offense. For us, we need to be patient and not get flustered if we can not get a shot off in the first 10 to 15 seconds of the shot clock."
On Peyton Stovall returning home?
"This is a great opportunity for Peyton. Any time you get the chance to go home and play in front of your family and friends, it is a great opportunity. For him, as a senior and leader of this program who has been very successful, I am excited for him and all of our guys are excited for him. We certainly want to show up and see he and our team compete with them. I know he will be very fired up about it. It can be hard to control your emotions, but with Peyton being a fifth-year senior and having played in big games before, I know he will approach this game the right way."
