Kevin Willard quote book: Georgetown

On playing with a double-digit lead:
"I can't remember the last time we had a double-digit lead. I think the biggest thing that we've been -- this is the first time we've had back-to-back league games at home all year, and I think the biggest thing was what I've been hammering down over the last three days, four days of practice -- is we've got to come out and be much more aggressive offensively, everybody. I thought Myles Powell -- even though he missed his first three shots -- I thought he came out aggressive shooting the basketball, being aggressive, and I thought that set the tone. I thought everybody picked up off his body language, because that's what he's been doing in practice. He's back to being that guy in practice, and when he comes out and he's that aggressive, it just gives everyone else that much confidence."

On Michael Nzei and Sandro Mamukelashvili:
"Mikey's been playing phenomenal. We're trying to get him the basketball a little bit more when he has smaller guys on him, because he just has a really good knack at scoring, and Sandro -- he's been frustrating me because he has been playing so well in practice and he hasn't been aggressive in games -- I've been on him, and I thought he came out again, he made his first couple of shots, but I thought he battled Jessie (Govan) really well, I thought he played pick-and-roll defense really well, and I thought he passed the basketball well. I think both of them really -- the way they were playing -- they just weren't going to come out."

On Myles Powell and drawing a charge on Jessie Govan:
"That's a tough one for a big guy. That's just Myles' toughness, just sticking his face in there and just being physical. It's tough for a big guy when you've got a little guy on you and you swing your arms, you kind of crack him."

On Seton Hall when Mamukelashvili gets into a groove:
"When Sandro and Myles Cale play the way they did, now it just gives us three scorers on the perimeter. It gives us guys that can make shots, and the way we played tonight offensively is the way we've been practicing. And I think, again, it's hard being a sophomore in this league. It's hard being a freshman in this league, but these guys are going through the rigors of the Big East and they're getting frustrated at times, but to both their credit, they have both stayed the course and worked really hard -- especially Myles Cale, the way he's been shooting the basketball lately -- it's really good seeing it."

On a return to Seton Hall's non-conference form:
"Yes, because we've been home a little bit, we've been able to practice a little bit, we've been able to have some consistency with that. We haven't been on the road and playing, so the Kentucky, Maryland -- that whole stretch -- we were home. We didn't play a road game -- Madison Square Garden's not a road game for us -- so we didn't travel, and being home this past week was great. We practice hard. I practice those guys -- for February, I usually go about an hour on the court -- we've been going almost two-and-a-half hours, so I just think it helped a young basketball team kind of get back in a good rhythm."

On liking where Seton Hall is as a team:
"I'd like to see us get a little bit better defensively at certain things, and I need to get our bench involved a little bit more, but that's on me. I have confidence in those guys. It's just sometimes when your starters are playing with as much confidence and playing as well as it is, it's hard to get them in."

On Seton Hall's ball movement and efficiency:
"Again, I just think that's good offensive rhythm. I thought guys were looking for each other, I thought Mike Nzei did a really good job of making himself available, and when Mikey's getting in the lane, slipping, working on the baseline, it kind of opens everything up for everybody."

On Quincy McKnight and his defense of James Akinjo:
"I thought Q really started the game off defensively -- in our press, he was great. He really worked him. I thought both Myles and him got him out of rhythm a little bit. For a young guard in this league, he's really good. Both him and (Mac) McClung are going to be really special players. I think the league is not going to enjoy those guys over the next couple of years, I can tell you that much, but I thought the way Q came out defensively -- like Myles came out offensively -- really set the tone for us."

On a short turnaround with Big East opponents:
"It is a little weird, but one of the hardest things is pro arenas. We do have a lot of pro arenas, so I think we're playing Georgetown, we're playing Georgetown again -- you'd like it to be more balanced, because I think it's more fair. I think catching teams sometimes -- like, we played DePaul twice within twelve days without Ro (Romaro Gill) -- not that we would have won, but I think we would've had a better chance to win one of those games if we had Ro, just because of their size and physicality. It is a little weird, and I think it's something that I think, as the league goes forward, I think they'll get better with."

On leading by as many as 20 points:
"Again, we haven't had a double-digit lead since the end of Xavier, but that didn't count because we hit some free throws. We were only up six when Shavar (Reynolds) got the charge, so I think it's one reason why the ball movement stopped a little bit. I think the guys were lax a little bit, I think they got a little comfortable. Again, we haven't been that all year, but we'll go back and watch the film tomorrow and kind of realize how we got there is more important. We won't see that too often again until next year."

On playing small ball:
"That was one of our keys pretty much in the offseason, getting to the free throw line. We had been pretty good at that. I thought, again, Myles Powell coming out and attacking the rim and getting in there, and Mike getting the offensive rebounds kind of gave us a little bit of an advantage there."

On tonight's game and how it can bode well going into March:
"I think it's important to play well right now. I think it's important that you're playing well and you're starting to feel confident about your team, and I think again -- not to beat a dead horse -- but just to be home and being able to practice has been really beneficial for us."

On team defense and how it can improve:
"I think we're pretty good defensively, I really do. I think we're pretty good. We're not great yet, I don't think we'll be great until next year, but I do like the fact that it's much easier to go over a scouting report and say, 'Okay, this is how we're playing pick-and-rolls.' We don't have to spend nearly as much time as we did a month and a half ago. We kind of understand our schemes much better, and I think that's why we've been able to play a little bit better defensively."