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Chat Reel: Titus Ivory
Ball control is key against renowned matchup zone
Posted: Tuesday March 20, 2001 1:43 PM
Updated: Tuesday March 20, 2001 1:43 PM
CNNSI Host: Welcome to today's college hoops chat with Penn State's Titus Ivory. Welcome Titus and congratulations on making it to the Sweet 16.
Titus Ivory: Thank you!
From whats: Titus, how does it feel being part of a record season at Penn State?
Titus Ivory: It feels excellent. We have a wonderful tradition here involving football, and now we have a basketball program on the rise. As a team, we're taking it one game at a time and trying to make a name for ourselves.
From Judith Miller in Overland Park, Kan.: Titus, congratulations on two great wins! How will you mentally prepare for the Temple game, particularly since you defeated them earlier in the season?
Titus Ivory: The first time we played them they were without one of their best players and leading scorers in Quincy Wadley. They're an excellent basketball team, and we're not going to take them lightly. We're going to play them as seriously as we did the first time. We have tremendous respect for them. That win was a long time ago, they're a different basketball team now.
From Brad Coffield in Lewisville, N.C.: Titus, this is Brad Coffield that went to high school with you at North Mecklenburg. I've been watching you on television the past few years and have to say your doing pretty well. My question is since you're a North Carolina boy how does it feel to beat UNC?
Titus Ivory: It feels great. Being from N.C. and not getting recruited by the Tar Heels and feeling I was good enough. It brings a smile to my face knowing I can go home with my head held high. We beat a team that everyone who plays high school basketball in N.C. wants to attend.
From Scott King in Eden Prairie, Minn.: Titus, congratulations on PSU's advancement to the Sweet 16. A lot of pundits -- who conveniently failed to remember that the Big Ten sent two teams to the last two Final Fours -- jumped all over the conference when it went 1-3 on the first day of the tournament. What does it say about the strength of the Big Ten when last year's sixth-place team (Wisconsin) and this year's No. 7 team (the Nittany Lions) are still playing in March?
Titus Ivory: It definitely speaks highly of our conference. Top to bottom the Big Ten is one of the toughest conferences in the nation. March Madness is a wonderful thing. Any team can be upset any time, and it shows the strength of our conference that there are still three teams remaining. Last year we had three in the Elite Eight and two in the Final Four. The strength of the conference speaks for itself.
From Bryan G in Denver: Titus, besides yourself, who do you think has the best chance at a national championship? And just for your information, I picked you guys to beat UNC, and all my friends laughed me at. Guess who is laughing now?
Titus Ivory: I want to thank you for the vote of confidence. In the Sweet 16 there are a number of teams with a legitimate shot: Illinois, Michigan State and I have to say Kansas are my top three, besides ourselves.
From Bret McNamara in Anamosa, Iowa: Titus, your defensive play has been very tough this season. How hard was it guarding Iowa's Reggie Evans, and how good is he in comparison to other players? What do you and the rest of the lions need to do to get past Temple? Congratulations on a great run and good luck. Make the Big Ten proud.
Titus Ivory: Reggie Evans is definitely one of the toughest big men, in the conference and the nation. He's very physical and athletic and has tons of post moves around the basket. When you have a versatile big man like that, he's a very dangerous weapon. As far as the game against Temple, I believe we need to take care of the ball. A lot of teams who face that match-up zone of theirs take quick shots. If we make our shots and decrease our turnovers, I believe we'll be OK down the line.
From Duck: What are your plans for next year? Can we expect to see you on the Penn State sidelines as a coach?
Titus Ivory: (laughs) I hadn't really thought about coaching. I'd want to do it down the line. Hopefully, I'll play professionally in some way. Down the line, I'd definitely like to coach college basketball.
CNNSI Host: From moneypennyPV: Hey Titus, congratulations on the win over North Carolina. You actually know me, I'm from Camp Boo-Yaa (Seen you a couple of times). How do you prepare for Temple with Quincy Wadley back?
Titus Ivory: We definitely have to make a conscious effort to make him uncomfortable, to take harder shots. He's an excellent shooter, and we have to be aware of where he is on the court at all times. He's a very significant player, both on the offensive and defensive end.
From psubballfan: With Temple being so different from the team you faced in December what worries you the most about how they're playing now?
Titus Ivory: I've said this in the past, they're a great team and they're playing great basketball in the tourney. They beat an outstanding Texas team and ran up the score on a good Florida team. Stopping their momentum is my biggest worry, because they're on a hot streak right now.
From PSUMase: Is it true you were recruited to play football out of high school too? If so, why didn't you help our football team last year?
Titus Ivory: (laughs) I would have loved to go out there, but I don't think my basketball coach would have allowed that.
From MICHNIT: Who is the best player you have guarded this year?
Titus Ivory: That's a tough one. Wow, it's hard to pin down one. If I had to say, it's probably between Kirk Haston of Indiana and Frankie Williams of Illinois.
From Brian: Growing up in State College it is not common to have a basketball team this far in the tournament. Has the community increased their support with this win?
Titus Ivory: Definitely the community came out to see us as we arrived from New Orleans. There were 400 fans outside the airport gates. They had a safe riot after the win on campus, and all day yesterday and today people have been coming up to us and saying they're going to head down to Atlanta.
From Brad: Titus, where did you go after high school and before Penn St.?
Titus Ivory: I attended a private school in Andover, Mass., Phillips Academy Andover, for one year. I played football and basketball there. It was more for academic and maturity reasons, even though I had a 3.8 GPA coming out of high school.
CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Titus Ivory. Titus, thanks for joining us and good luck on Friday.
Titus Ivory: Alright, thank you!
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