Robert Morris Coach Mike Rice: Tournament Talk Q&A
Collegehoops.net's Jon Teitel is in Philadelphia all week bringing you live coverage and interviews from one of the opening weekend's most intriguing venues.
NCAA Tournament Q&A
Coach Mike Rice, Robert Morris
Q: How do you feel about facing Michigan State?
A: I feel lousy about the match-up, as they are 1 of the most prepared
and balanced teams in the country. They are hard to prepare for due to
their size and strength, and they are tough for anybody.
Q: What did you learn from Jamie Dixon as his assistant during the run
to the 2007 Sweet 16 at Pitt?
A: 3 things: defend, rebound, and take care of the ball. You have to be
consistent with what got you there, so we will just break it down into
4-minute segments.
Q: What did you learn from Phil Martelli as his assistant during the run
to the 2005 NIT Final at St. Joe’s (his son Jimmy is 1 of Rice’s
assistants)?
A: Working with Phil is like getting a coaching clinic every day, as he
taught me how to prepare my players for the game. He is 1 of the best at
looking at film and putting a game plan together.
Q: What is different from last year (1st NIT berth in school history) to
now (1st NCAA tourney in 17 years)?
A: The difference from last year to this year is balance. Last year we
were more of a perimeter scoring team, but we are more defense-oriented
this year, so we could win games in the NEC even on a bad offensive
night.
Q: What did you learn from your non-conference schedule (losing to Pitt
and Xavier by 20+ points each)?
A: You have to learn from your past experiences, and we played well at
certain times during those games, but you can’t make mistakes against
great teams.
Q: Will your team have to lean on Jeremy Chappell (conference POY) to
play like Stephen Curry did in last year’s NCAA tourney, or will it take
a total team effort?
A: Either/or is fine with me. We do have some balance with guys who can put ball in hole, but Chappell is our #1 and #2 option.
Q: How did you win the conference tourney final on your home court?
A: The play was designed for Chappell, who dribbled the ball off his
knee to our super screener (Dallas Green, aka the “Screen Machine”) who
made the game-winning jump shot. When Dallas shoots the ball I usually
yell, “there’s a reason why you’re open,” but now he is a folk-hero on
campus.
Q: What did you learn from your dad Mike Rice, Sr. (former college coach
and current TV color commentator for the Portland Trail Blazers)?
A: My dad taught me about the passion to play/coach/teach the game. I
was raised while following him around from gym to gym, so I have always
been around basketball.
Q: How does assistant coach Andy Toole (Penn alum) help you win?
A: Andy has brought a knowledge and teaching ability well beyond his
years for someone that young. Playing at Penn under Fran Dunphy and
having lots of success helps. He knows how to teach the right way, and
had a great mentor in Fran.
Q: Will you do anything special for Rob Robinson (born on 3/19)?
A: I didn’t even know that until now, so we will just try to do
something to embarrass him like we always do.
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About Jon Teitel
Columnist
Penn/Ivy League Columnist
Contact
teitel@alumni.upenn.edu
Background
Jon attended college at the University of Pennsylvania (class of 1996) and law school at the University of Arizona (class of 2001), so his 2 favorite college teams are the Quakers and the Wildcats. While at Penn, Jon was the sports director of the school TV station, where he covered their 1994 and 1995 NCAA tournament appearances. He has also worked as a production assistant for ESPN, and a broadcast assistant for CBS during 2 different NCAA tournaments. He currently works as an investigator for the federal government in Washington, DC.
Location
Washington, DC