Buzz Williams on win vs. Iowa, Andre Mills, development of Darius Adams

Ahmed Ghafir
12 hours ago
9 min read

Everything head coach Buzz Williams said following Wednesday’s 77-70 win vs. Iowa:

On limiting three-point shooting percentage

“I think that there were similarities. A couple of things, they're different offensively. Both are very potent, but in a different sort of way. And I thought that in some ways it was an anomaly that we won statistically with Minnesota shooting 14 threes. I do think a portion of the reason why we were able to have a chance to win is they only scored three baskets in the charge circle. And so how Iowa scores their threes is a little different than Minnesota, and [Bennett Stirtz] commands so much more pressure in the ball screens that they run for him, but we made the decision that we needed to protect the rim and then do as good a job as we could on contesting those threes. I didn't think - this says that they shot 41% of their shots from the rim and scored 61% of them. I thought the game early on, we were giving them too many shots at the rim, but I thought it settled down a little bit towards the end of the first half, and for the most part in the second half.”

On consecutive wins after retooling offense

“Since we talked about that, we've changed a couple of more times. Just really thankful for the consistency of the effort of our guys. They've never turned a blind eye to what our staff is trying to accomplish. I do think that we've had to change because of our roster in ways to give us a better chance to be more efficient. After Purdue, the one thing that we wanted to try to accomplish was do a better job on the glass, on the offensive rebounds, a better job on the defensive rebounds because we were so deficient in both. I think that's been present in both of the last two games. And I think our attack and what we're doing off penetration has continued to improve, not necessarily a play. Some of them are, but more what the other four guys do relative to dribble penetration. I think we've been able to, even though we don't have anybody to throw it inside too, we're putting pressure on the rim by our movement off the penetration. We have had a higher free throw rate. We need to make more than we have been, but I think our job in shooting predictable shots has allowed us to do a good - this says that we offensive rebounded 52% of our misses, which is great, and our defensive rebounding percentage was 70% which is the highest it's been in a long time. So from a rebounding standpoint, it at least allows us in a shortened game in February to control more possessions.”

On getting a win they shouldn’t around Valentine’s Day, referencing Buzz’s preseason quote, and postgame emotions

“I have to do a better job. And I'm completely aware of the territory of this job and of this business. I also think that I have a responsibility to who they are as people and I need to be a better person. But I also think that I've been blessed, and within that blessing, I do regardless of whatever is said. I do want to do right, and I don't always do that, but I'm very thankful for their willingness to show up every day. There's 97 years of experience with me at a lot of different places on our staff and I'm very thankful that they show up every day and they're trying to find ways in margins to compete that may show up in a result, and it may not show up in a result. And I think in 2026 the only way that you can have momentum in the process is through a trustful relationship. And that relationship can't just be based on ball. And so is there evidence to say that we lose before Thanksgiving that we shouldn't? Yes, sir, and I think there's evidence that that says that maybe we sneak one out after Valentine's Day. But I don't think that's tactical. I think that's an intangible and I think that that has to do with the hearts of people. Get your teeth kicked in a lot, and you have to take what comes with that, but then you still have to have the endurance to show up. And you have to have the endurance to show up and figure out how to fight through things that are tough. And I think that that happens in life. It happens in ball. It's been happening at Maryland men's basketball the last six and a half months. But I do appreciate their willingness to keep trying. We'll have to do better in our results, but in the work, I think that some of that was shown Sunday, I think some of that was shown tonight, and I feel the same about the students. You can still see people, they're trying to and so we have gratitude for all of it.”

On career-high from Andre Mills

“I think the consistency of the work of Dre and [Darius Adams]...a couple of things, those guys have played 24 games in their life at this level. And some of what they've been through has been out of their control relative to our roster. And they're miscast in some ways because of our roster situation, but I think that their work ethic has continued to become more consistent and I think our staff has done a fabulous job in each day helping them. Both of those guys are playing off two feet better than they ever have. Both of those guys are understanding the movement off penetration. Both of those guys are getting fouled at a much higher rate. Both of those guys are playing with a much lower turnover rate. Both of those guys are doing a much better job helping us get predictable shots. They have to become more physical. They have to do a better job on the glass. But their extra film study and the consistency in their skill development, you can see it incrementally improving. And I think DA played 34 minutes in Minnesota. I thought DA, Dre [were] fabulous to start the game in Minnesota. And because I spend probably extra time with those two, I have a pretty good instinct for when they need to get a drink of water. And it's not completely physical drink of water, they need to get an emotional drink of water, because they're carrying a heavier burden than I think most realize. And I took Dre out, and I said, ‘hey, man, I was watching you, and I think you need to drink.’ And he goes, how'd you know? And I said, Am I wrong? He goes, No. And then when I subbed him in in the second half, he gave up five straight points, and I never played him again. And so DA played 34 minutes. And tonight, DA were subbing [offense] for [defense], and I knew Dre played a lot, and I was babysitting most of the game. I actually - his last foul, I was over there trying to counsel him and he got a foul when Diggy missed a free throw. I didn't think Diggy missed free throws, but I think they're coming around. I think they'll end up being all right.”

On limiting turnovers and points off turnovers

“It was priority number two relative to our big rocks. We have four. It was priority number two. You cannot give them the ball. We needed to shoot as many balls as they did and shoot as many free throws, play with a low turnover rate, and then we have to - I told the kids, I thought it would be a 60 possession game. And I gave them, I was giving them updates at ATOs, and at halftime, it ended up being 62 possessions for us, 60 possessions for them. 14 is probably a little too high in that slow of a possession of a game. We've also been - another margin is what is our response on live ball turnovers? And I do think that that's improved. Tonight, we had four live ball turnovers out of the 14, but we did a better job not allowing them to score, whether it was a live ball or a dead ball.”

On playing 40 minutes, how the sentiment has changed since Ohio St game

“They've heard it a lot. Real players and real teams played 200 minutes, and the spirit in which you compete can never change and the execution level many times is invisible. But until this past week, we've either won convincingly or lost convincingly. And so how can, in practice, how can we increase their endurance, physically? But more importantly, how can we increase their endurance of understanding mentally, the importance of every possession? And so we've been playing different games intermingled with some of the breakdown stuff relative to an opponent, just to change the ambiance, but to force them to show up. And then statistically, we try to measure every possible thing. And so the way we've done that is we've tried to trick up the target games that we're playing on the things that we've been struggling with. And I think to some degree, they've begun to understand better the value of each possession.”

On Darius Adams, Andre Mills learning from carrying a heavier burden as freshmen

“I do think the last two games only increase the awareness of how important every detail is. And I think that those guys, I don't know exactly what the numbers would be, but they're playing 55 minutes out of the 80 available minutes at their position, so to say, even though at times they're playing out of position, we start them out of position. And I think from a rebounding standpoint, that has helped us. I understand Collin's impact and we're thankful for that, but I think that that's kind of been a margin that's unspoken, not that we're trying to give away our secrets. It's not a completely move the needle margin, but those guys put pressure on the rim off the bounce, and I thought Dre's job on the offensive glass tonight, that would be his career high on the offensive glass. So for those two guys to get eight rebounds for us combined on both sides of the ball. I think they realize how physical it has to be. I think their diet is improving. I think their screen time is decreasing. I think their sleep time is increasing. And I think that they're realizing that every rep, whether it's individually, in the gym or with the team and everything that they're seeing on film, they realize how important. The magnitude of it has has shifted because now they know that they're in it, and their execution of it. Like Dre went under the ball screen on number six at Minnesota in the first half. Six is going to score a layup. The ball screen coverage on 14 relative to what we were doing on the weak side. Like DA and Dre, they know, and their basketball IQ is probably increasing at the same rate of their production. But I think the work ethic that they've had over the last - it was coming around a little bit towards finals week. But I think since Christmas, they've been more accepting of this is hard. And now they're not quite there, but they're getting close to like appreciating and enjoying that it's difficult instead of trying to resist it.”

On Collin Metcalf’s role ahead

“Like a lot of programs, we're per day around here. We found out. I don't know, I was putting on my suit, so 27 minutes before the game that George [Turkson] was out. So I don't like to predict. I don't mean that condescending. I think that starting Collin was exclusively based on here are list of deficiencies on both sides of the ball. Which ones are intertwined? And it was rebounding. We cannot lose the possession game on both sides of the ball. And so I think he scored two baskets, both at the rim in the 60 minutes that he's played. We appreciate those two baskets. I think he's blocked some shots. He's altered some shots, but I think what he's provided is you at least have to take up space when the ball is in the air. You at least have to hit him. And so I think that as much as he maybe statistically is not providing what we would want, we're grateful for what he does provide, because I think it's allowing Elijah to do better at times. But I also think it's given Solo a one on one run to the rim. I think Solo is probably second in the league in Big Ten play in rebounding. But if he's getting double hit every time, well, Collin, just stand over there, and when the ball's in the air, just run towards the ball. And we want somebody to hit you. And then just do the same thing. Whatever we're doing defensively, if the ball's in the air, just the nearest guy you see hit. Like when he got that foul for over here, opposite in the second half, opposite of where I stand, he just blasted the kid out. Well, we don't want him to foul but you understand, like, just the size commands some level of attention. And so I think he had more rebounds tonight than he's had in his career here and probably more than he's had in the month of February and January tonight. So it came to life for him. But I also think it's coming to life for Dre, because now Dre is running in from the perimeter. Now Solo’s running in from the perimeter. And so from a rebounding standpoint, on both sides, it's helping us.”

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