Hunter Dickinson, Kevin McCullar, Dajuan Harris Recap Kansas' 75-71 Win At Indiana
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00:00 >> So in terms of your aggressiveness at halftime,
00:04 what do you want to see out of you guys offensively in the second half?
00:06 I know in the first half they were really sagging, punching, passing shots.
00:10 >> Really, we was missing a lot of easy money, so
00:14 we just wanted to keep grinding out the game like we did the last down.
00:17 And really keep playing through Hunter,
00:19 because throughout the pinch pro, that's what we best at in our offense.
00:24 We keep doing that, it's gonna be a pretty good offensive team we have.
00:28 >> So not the easiest game for any of you guys, but
00:32 you all three found a way to make plays late.
00:35 How important was it to stay close, stay connected, and
00:37 put yourself in a position to be able to close it out like that?
00:41 Any one of you can take it.
00:43 >> I mean, coach always says tight huddle.
00:45 And when you have a lot of experienced guys, especially in your starting lineup,
00:49 we've been through a lot of games.
00:51 But I think that Kentucky game really helped us when we were already down 14
00:54 double digits into the second half.
00:56 And so it's like, when you've already gone through these experiences as a team,
01:00 it can really just help you.
01:02 And you already know what it takes to win.
01:04 So I think it was just a big defensive game for us, just trying to get stops.
01:08 Cuz we knew we were taking good shots in the first half, they just didn't fall.
01:11 So it was more of just trusting in what we do and
01:14 trusting in the system and it worked out for us.
01:16 >> Kevin, how did you approach the challenge of playing on four fouls for
01:21 that last statement after this?
01:23 >> Yeah, coach trust me, I'm gonna go out there and try to play smart.
01:27 I put myself in tough decisions, reaching in down in the paint a couple times.
01:33 I shouldn't have, even when I had three fouls the last time I picked up,
01:35 I probably should have just stayed and let Hunt wall up.
01:38 Cuz he was playing great defense down there.
01:40 But yeah, coach just trust me to go out there and play smart.
01:43 And they had my back and a cover for me when I had four fouls.
01:46 >> Drew, you had a pretty good game, had a victory, a couple of nice assists.
01:52 How do you play overall in just the progression of this game since
01:55 he hasn't played too much in the last couple games?
01:57 >> Yeah, Jamari's been huge, all our freshmen have.
02:00 When they're getting in, they're producing, they're picking up the ball.
02:03 And guarding, that's the main thing coach wants to see out of those younger guys,
02:06 is guarding, taking care of the ball, and playing the right way.
02:09 And that's what they've been doing.
02:09 And Jamari down the stretch hitting the big three, coming in, guarding,
02:13 picking up full court.
02:14 That's what we needed, that's the energy we needed to get back in the game.
02:17 >> Well, the first lead you guys took, I think, you come down,
02:21 it's pretty loud, so it kind of slows you down and calls something there.
02:25 It ends up being a high low from you to Hunter.
02:28 How big was that to, when it's all going crazy, to be able to stay composed,
02:33 run it the way it's supposed to be running?
02:35 And Hunter, maybe what'd you see there on that play?
02:38 >> You think it was Utah?
02:40 >> Yeah.
02:41 >> That's one of our plays for me to catch it around the charge circle and
02:47 stuff like that.
02:47 It's just unselfish basketball right there.
02:53 And waiting for a coach like Bill Self who knows how to get me in my spots.
02:58 And so I think it was just a really good executed play at the time when we needed
03:02 it, but- >> What changed for
03:04 you to second half as far as offensively?
03:07 >> Just staying composed, trusting it.
03:09 We had to start getting some stops.
03:11 We're a big team that can get out and transition and play fast.
03:14 So that was the biggest part of it, is getting stops on the defensive end, and
03:17 the rest is gonna take care of itself.
03:19 We know we have offensive pieces.
03:20 The coach gonna put us in the right position to make plays on offensive end.
03:23 We gotta get stops first though.
03:25 >> Kev, Hunter just mentioned it with that Kentucky game.
03:26 Is this another one of those games where two months from now you'll look back and
03:31 kind of remember that feeling, that lesson, if you get into another one like this?
03:34 >> Yeah, early in the season playing these games like this,
03:36 especially on the road, is great for us.
03:38 Knowing what's coming in the Big 12.
03:40 There's no off-mats in the Big 12.
03:41 So these games like this, you're gonna need them.
03:43 It's great to get one underneath our belt,
03:45 especially for older guys that's been through it and younger guys.
03:48 Build some confidence up.
03:49 >> Hunter, what'd you think when Kevin stepped to the line for
03:52 all those clutch free throws?
03:53 DeJuan too, what'd you think of Kevin?
03:58 >> I told him to send us home.
03:59 That's all I said to him.
04:00 I trusted him.
04:01 Everybody on our coaching staff, our bench, trusted him.
04:03 So we know he can make free throws and he stepped up like he's supposed to.
04:07 So.
04:08 >> Yeah, no, I mean, we trust Kevin.
04:11 He's a big time player.
04:12 He's just well endowed.
04:14 >> [LAUGH] >> I don't know how to handle this.
04:18 >> [LAUGH] >> Every game it seems like that
04:23 emotional spark is KJ for you guys.
04:26 And he was the only one that had much going early in this one.
04:30 How big is that?
04:31 How much do you play through that?
04:33 And how much does that bring more out of all of you guys when he's trying to find
04:37 it, trying to get it going and bring you guys along, so to speak?
04:40 Well, it's not going well for everybody else.
04:42 >> Yeah, he's our energy player.
04:44 He does everything out there on the court.
04:45 He's so versatile.
04:46 When he's playing turnt up and has his energy like he always does,
04:50 that gets us all going.
04:52 He can do so many variety of different things on offense, but
04:54 on the defensive end, he can guard one through five and
04:56 rebound on a high rate too.
04:57 So it helps us out a lot.
04:58 >> For both of you who've been with him, roll back his first two years.
05:04 He's figuring out that he's more than that.
05:06 Is it fun to watch him be louder, be more vocal, do those double flex things that he
05:11 does and all that stuff?
05:12 I mean, does it seem normal, natural?
05:14 Or are you still kind of like, what's he doing?
05:17 >> Yeah, I've been talking to KJ all the time.
05:19 I always tell him that he gotta dominate, he gotta rebound because he's the most
05:23 athletic person on the court.
05:24 So I feel like he can do the short roll, he can make the right play all the time.
05:28 So I just, I try to be on him and try to make him stay aggressive because we know
05:31 we're gonna need it out of him.
05:33 Cuz everybody's gonna try to double down on Hunter.
05:35 So we just gotta have him keep being aggressive, keep being that dog that he is.
05:40 >> Hunter, you obviously have experience playing here before.
05:42 Just what does it take to kind of handle an atmosphere like this,
05:44 especially when you get out to an early lead, the crowd's into it, but
05:47 you guys are able to pull it out at the end?
05:49 >> Yeah, I think hopefully it's a lot easier for
05:52 guys when a lot of the booze are on me.
05:55 So I hope they take a little bit of pressure off him.
05:58 But it's a tough place to play, and that's why they're really good at home.
06:02 They're really well coached, and they got a lot of talent on the team.
06:06 But we're a damn good team too, so we're good too.
06:12 But I mean, they gave us a game.
06:15 They gave us a great shot.
06:18 They shot it really well.
06:19 They played really well inside.
06:21 Tough, made it tough for us defensively, especially in the first half.
06:23 But it was a battle of two blue bloods out there.
06:29 >> Hunter, you talked about it back at Big 12 meeting the NKC.
06:32 You like being that guy that people get on and hate and yell and so to speak.
06:38 You heard a little of Michigan State up in Chicago with those fans and
06:41 stuff around, you got to boo tonight.
06:43 Why do you like that so much?
06:45 >> Well, I mean, if you don't like it and it annoys you and
06:50 it can get to you, then you're gonna obviously not play as well.
06:53 So I don't try to fight it at all.
06:55 I just embrace it because it's not gonna go away anytime soon.
06:58 I could probably save a baby out here and
07:00 still boo me the next time, but that's how it is.
07:04 They're not gonna ever like me here.
07:06 And so it's like why try to be a nice guy or
07:10 like on the court, who cares if they're gonna boo you?
07:13 As long as my kids Jayhawks back home and now, that's all I need.
07:16 >> How much value is there for you to show them it doesn't bother you?
07:19 Whoever the fan is.
07:21 >> I mean, that's like, that makes it more fun when it's a loud atmosphere like that
07:25 and playing in the crowd.
07:26 I think that's what we play for.
07:28 That's fun going on the road.
07:30 And that's why it's so fun to win on the road is because it's just you guys in
07:34 the huddle.
07:34 Everybody else doesn't want you to win.
07:37 It's just those guys in the huddle, really in the trenches battling.
07:40 And I think that's why the road wins are so special for guys.
07:42 >> Kevin, what did you think of Galloway?
07:45 We learned all those points for Indiana, Galloway.
07:49 >> Yeah, really good player.
07:50 He's improved a lot from last year.
07:52 He was getting downhill, hitting threes, played a really great game.
07:56 Hats off to him.
07:56 >> All right, thanks guys.
07:59 >> Thank you, good.