Keatts presser after loss to Virginia Tech : BULLETED

Kevin Keatts met with the media after his team’s 85-75 road loss to Virginia Tech. Here is the summary of what he had to say:

• Virginia Tech lived in the paint. Robinson was outstanding. Was not able to stay in front of him. He found guys for open shots, got to the free throw line and made shots. He was the difference in the game.
• Team did not play well at all on defense. Difference in the game was Robinson was getting in the lane at will.
• Offensively, didn’t make everything, but made enough to win the game.
• Robinson just beat guys off the dribble. Team had bad defensive practices the past few days. Scout team simulated VT well and was beating guys off the dribble. Didn’t handle it well and it carried over.
• Bigs did all they could do to guard the rim, but guards did not do a good job guarding the basketball.
• Yurtseven’s foul trouble hurt in the first half. Had to sit him. It changed the team.
• Bigs were put in bad situations all night because they were helping after guards got beat.
• Happy with the offense, but give Virginia Tech credit, they drove us all night.
• Takeaway is, not happy with defense. That is not NC State defense.
• Markell played well in stretches. Wanted him to look for his shot more in the first half. He got caught up in the air a few times when he could have scored it. Can’t take it away the fact that he has 5 straight games with double-digit assists. He’s playing well.
• Got to guard the ball. Did not guard the ball in this one. I take pride in getting stops and we didn’t get stops. Team will get better.
• Thought team could make a run when down 6 or 8 in the second half, but Braxton missed a 3 and Robinson hit one. Played better defensively in the second half, but still way too many blow-bys.