Missouri Basketball Press Conference Notes: SEMO Week

Dec 2, 2022 - 8:27 PM

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Dennis Gates | Head Coach

• “I think guys are individually growing into their roles, responsibilities, and identities. And those things are important for the big picture of our program.”
• “I’ve watched that game 10 times, 4 times on the way home and other times when I got home. You look at who else could’ve stood out and been substituted. Ultimately our staff did a great job in preparing our bench and our players.” On how much he has looked at the Wichita State game
• “The eye contact in huddles, those type of things all played a role in us executing coming out of timeouts.”
• “Tre Gomillion, who knows me in that environment, he coaches. He called the diamond press that we were in, he made a point to be at the very top of it.” On Gomillion’s coaching role on the team
• “Nick Honor said, ‘let’s get the ball to Sean East’, and he was able to deliver. Therefore, Nick Honor moved himself into an off-the-ball spot, and I allowed that to happen because he saw something in the game that took place.” On some second-half adjustments against Wichita
• “I expect him (Ronnie DeGray III) to give us more. I’m not satisfied with where Mo Diarra is at; I think he has more to give.” On how he sees this rotation developing as the season goes on
• “SEMO is a very important opponent. When you look at the big picture, you have to stay in the moment.” On the Kansas game being sold out
• “Ultimately, our entire team has shoulders. What I ask all of them to do, is to carry the weight of our program. It’s a load, but my expectation is to go far and beyond what others expect of us.” When Kobe Brown asked who has the biggest shoulders on the team
• “The best hairstyle on the team is the two kids on the team that I call Curly. Noah Carter, Ben Sternberg...but also Sean East II.” When Carter asked who had the best hair on the team, East was thrown in after the guard visually expressed his disappointment
• “The only far ahead that we look at it is April 1st and April 3rd. Everything that we do is predicated in that direction. We talk a lot about that on this team.” On if there is an issue with looking ahead to Kansas
• “I want to consistently play a style that gives you a positive assist-to-turnover ratio, you shoot over 30+% from three, and you defend. I think our guys are doing those three things in their own unique way.”

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Sean East II | Senior | Guard

• “Everything that could’ve happened, happened. We were down, we went to overtime, we were up. It was a great environment and experience.” On the team’s first road game of the year
• “Coach always says don’t blink, and all of our experience showed in the game.” On responding to Wichita State’s runs in the second half

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Ronnie DeGray III | Junior | Forward

• “We stayed connected. Coach always talks about how the most connected team will win no matter what happens through the game. He says to hit singles, we don’t need a home run, and our body language always showed that we weren’t going to fold.” On handling Wichita State’s runs in the second half
• “I don’t really care about starting. It’s been nice getting back into the rotation, I just try to do what I can to help the team. I want to bring energy off the bench.” On how his role has increased and how he thinks he fits into this team
• “It’s almost like a trap game. SEMO is a really good team, one of the top mid-majors. We have to prepare for what they have these next few days. We have to treat them like Kansas.” On what challenges the SEMO game presents