Mike Brey Notebook | Post-Florida State

Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey spoke following the 74-70 loss to Florida State on Wednesday night. 

On the Florida State’s length:
”You can't run any semblance of your ball reversal, ball control offensive against this switching and getting out on you. You have to ball screen and drive and make some plays. 

"I thought we did that a lot, especially in the first half - we got in there, which you're going to have to make a few more. Give them credit. They shot it better than I expected. They got out of the gate great - a couple loose ball rebounds and that's bit us at times when we haven't been able to control the ball. 

"It's a tough place to play and their crowd was great. We've had no luck in this building. It was a great atmosphere and they responded. They play well here." 

On not being able to get loose balls or 50-50 balls:
”It's frustrating and then you look at it at the end and you really don't deserve to win if you can't control it. That was something that bothered us at times in the past. We've been better at that for more nights, but not enough tonight. 

"We had a couple fouls at the end of shot clocks. God, those are tough too. You play 25 seconds of defense. (Anthony) Polite's three across from their bench - that's a big shot, that's a hard shot and that's a little bit like some of the shots Hubb has it to kind of say you're not getting us tonight. 

"They earned it." 

On how quickly he wants the team to move on from the loss with the season finale on Saturday:
”Just flushed it with our guys. We talked about our seniors and what we've done as we've moved on quickly. Talked a little bit about being able to control the defensive boards. We didn't do it enough tonight, but we've done it enough this year to put us in position. 

"I talked a little bit about our seniors and what they've meant not only this year to our program and Saturday is going to be a great day for us. Let's get out of here and move on." 

On pushing for transition points tonight:
”I thought we were going to have to get down the floor and not play against all that length. For the most part, we were able to get the first miss, especially in the first half. We really got out and down the floor. 

"It's actually why we had Nate (Laszewski) taking the ball out of bounds because he's closest to it when it goes in. Just get it in quick. 

"You're playing fast, you're taking the first good shot and it's a pretty good shot. You can't really say let's slow it down because you have to play against their length in the halfcourt. You better take what you can get. I thought we did that a bunch tonight." 

On Florida State’s three-point shooting:
”I've been on both sides of this. Here it is at the end of the year and they were a really good team in January when they had all their bodies. Now, it's a little bit like tonight we have nothing to lose. We're just going to fire. 

"You could feel it coming when they made the first two. I'm thinking here we go and we're going to have to absorb this. They kept making big ones. 

"They made 12 and we made five. That's probably not good math for us. It's usually been the other way around for us." 

On low assist numbers tonight:
”I think they sped us up. We had eight at half and I thought we were moving the ball in transition. I think we could have done a better job when we got to the lane of kicking out and driving again. We went in and out of that. We tried to finish some plays on the first drive and even though you have your guy beat as we saw, their length recovers, blocks stuff and changes stuff. That bothered us. 

"Dane has those two in front of our bench wide open. That's the guy we want taking them and when those don't go in, I'm thinking it could be a long night for us. That's not good karma." 

On how potent the team can be for the rest of the season:
”I've talked to them about it's our time. We can dream big dreams in the postseason because I think they are realistic. We'll see if we can play well for our seniors on Saturday and then set the tone for Brooklyn. 

"Disappointed, but we flushed it quick. I love the position we're in. We gave ourselves a chance and Florida State made some big-time plays." 

On Dane Goodwin and Nate Laszewski staying involved over the course of the game:
”When we're able to move a little bit in our halfcourt motion - tonight was "just play." Nate was on the receiving end of some help in the first half, but he really didn't get that in the second half. Dane had a couple drives. He missed a couple layups when no one was around him. You do that because those guys are looking around. 

"We don't really run stuff for people. We kind of play, read and we want to continue to do that. Sometimes an out of bounds situation to get a guy jumpstarted. To play in March for a while, those guys will have to be key for us."