THE MODERATOR: Coach, welcome to Louisville.
COACH ALTMAN: Thank you. We've got a big challenge ahead of us. We don't get an opportunity to watch Virginia much during the season because of the time difference, but last couple days, watching them on film, very impressive team, well coached. Know what they want to do on every possession.So it will be a big challenge for our basketball team, but our guys are excited about the opportunity, excited about the challenge, and we're going to have to play awfully well to give ourselves an opportunity.
THE MODERATOR: Let's open it up.Q. It seemed that you had a series there with Virginia about ten years ago. How did that get started?
COACH ALTMAN: I took the job at Oregon and we needed games, so we called Virginia. And we went out there first. It was my first year, so it was nine years ago.And then the second year, they came back to our place. But we were needing a game, and Tony was needing a game, so we just went home and home and started the series out there and then got beat at home,also.
Q. Dana, obviously, there's a lot of words and rumors being passed around about your program right now with the Michael Avenatti stuff this week.Can you say what's been said or rumored?
COACH ALTMAN: No, I don't have information on that.Bol's been with us this year. I don't have any information on that.
Q. Coach, you guys lost Bol Bol, I think, ninth game of this season. Since then, you've been oneof the most efficient defenses in the country. How did you adjust your defense after losing your 7'2"center and what's been the key to your defense being so successful?
COACH ALTMAN: Well we've kind of been up and down all year with the injuries. Lou didn't play the first nine games, nine or ten games, because he was recovering from knee surgery. Then Bol hurt his foot,and then Kenny broke his jaw and was out for a month.When we got him back, Paul White twisted his ankle and he was ineffective for a while.I know it's an excuse. Everybody has injuries. But we've kind of been up and down with injuries. And Bol would have been a real productive member of our defense. His shot blocking ability would have really helped us. He and Kenny together would have really given us a one-two punch there to protect the rim.But the guys have stepped up. Our communication's been a lot better here lately. Guys have taken a lot more pride in doing a good job with the scouting report and with their defense.So hopefully, we can keep that up. This is the most efficient offense, though, we've faced. Their efficiency numbers are off the chart. They don't turn the ball over. They get the shot they want on most possessions. So it will be a big challenge for us defensively, because just how well they handle the ball and how well they know what they want on each possession and look for it.
