Billy Donovan
Billy Donovan
William John Donovan, Jr.is an American professional basketball coach who is currently the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He previously spent 19 seasons at the University of Florida, where his Florida Gators men's basketball teams won two NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championships in 2006 and 2007. Donovan has more wins than any other coach in the history of the Florida basketball program, and he coached the Gators to more NCAA tournament appearances,...
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth30 May 1965
CityRockville Centre, NY
four games last playing schedule six team works worried worry
The way our schedule works out is probably a little more of a disadvantage for our team because we are playing four of the last six games on the road. That is challenging. The only thing I am worried about right now is Vanderbilt. To me, that is the only game we have, and it's the only thing we need to worry about.
either fortunate games gone
During a tournament, all the games are kind of like this. We were very, very fortunate to win. It could have gone either way.
either fortunate games gone seems
During the tournament, it seems like all the games are like this. We're very, very fortunate to win. It could've gone either way.
ball both bounce crazy games sides
Sometimes it's crazy what these games come down to. It's a play here, a bounce of the ball there. I've been on both sides of it.
based deserve four games win
Based on what do we deserve to win those games? Based on what? Three, four sophomores and a freshman? That doesn't give us a right.
beat biggest confidence games good level lose loss people playing stop teams tournament won
One of the biggest things to stop is momentum. There are always teams that can get on a roll. Some people say that if you have won 15 games in a row, it's good to take a loss into the (NCAA) tournament. Other people say that if you lose a game, your confidence level is lower, that you are not going into the tournament playing your best. I always say that just because you lose, you can still play well. You can get beat by a better team.
check games guarded key line lost three tonight
Tonight was about consecutive stops, and we guarded the 3-point line. If you want to look back and go to a key thing of why we lost three games in a row, check the 3-point line ... that's why we lost.
basketball experience felt games starting team win
This team, starting the season, I felt had all the team makeup. Unselfishness. They wanted to learn, they wanted to work, they wanted to get better. I didn't know if we'd have the experience to win basketball games or enough basketball games because we'd never been there before.
defend games rebound win
It was one of those games where we did enough offensively to win the game . . . (but) you've got to defend and rebound better than we did.
biggest david decisions defense game games good shoot situation stretch sure
The biggest thing for David is to make good decisions and play very hard. There are some games, athletically, where what David can do is stretch the defense and really shoot it. So, we have to make sure in this game (Ole Miss) that we have him in the right match-up situation because they have so much quickness.
games
It wasn't just about this game. It was about all the games going back to November.
advantage except games gives instead point talk three win
We still have to play the games. At this point in the year, you talk about those things. I don't know what real advantage it gives you except you've got to win three games instead of four.
agree five forest game games grind guys learn miami minutes people rather score ways win winning won
I think sometimes when you win people think you're not challenged, but I don't necessarily agree with that. (Wake Forest and Syracuse) were won by five points, then we went to Miami and with two minutes to go in the game the score was tied. Sometimes people think if you win, it's been all easy. I think our guys have had to grind out games and find ways to win some games. I'd rather learn through winning than losing.
certainly four games great hard playing row tournament win
I think in the SEC tournament if you can get a bye that's always a great thing. It's certainly very hard playing four consecutive games in a row to win an SEC championship.