Iowa men's basketball press conference
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00:00 And Peyton Sanford, questions for the players.
00:04 [INAUDIBLE]
00:10 Sorry, Peyton.
00:11 I got to ask Brock about the up and under.
00:14 That was the highlight play of the game.
00:17 Feel like you guys had something to show out there today?
00:21 Yeah, I mean, coming off a tough stretch,
00:23 we knew we wanted to come out with a lot of energy.
00:24 We felt like that was a big problem.
00:26 In the last couple of games, we kind of got hit first.
00:28 And we're playing behind the rest of the game.
00:30 So we made a big emphasis to come out with a lot of energy.
00:33 And I felt like our team did a great job of that.
00:35 Guys were ready to go, attacked.
00:36 And we just got to keep that mentality going.
00:38 [INAUDIBLE]
00:41 Yeah, I just saw the guy at the rim.
00:44 I thought my best option was to go to the other side.
00:46 So took off early and just kind of went from there.
00:50 Peyton, I think the first 14 points,
00:52 you guys, every starter had already scored.
00:54 It just seemed like it was a really balanced effort.
00:57 You talked about bouncing back as a team.
00:58 I mean, how important was it for you guys
00:59 to establish that balance?
01:01 And how much was it just kind of flowing maybe more so early on
01:03 than the past couple of games?
01:05 Yeah, I think you've heard us talk about it a lot,
01:06 how many good players we have on this team.
01:08 And we haven't been playing the connected basketball
01:11 that we've needed to over that really tough stretch.
01:13 But there's been a huge emphasis on it.
01:16 We've been working on it.
01:17 And practices have been very good.
01:18 And I'm proud of the way that we started, which is something
01:22 that we need to do better, especially in those big games.
01:24 And on the road, getting behind, it's really hard to come back.
01:26 So I was proud of the way we came out.
01:28 We really moved it well.
01:30 And then to start the second half,
01:31 we were moving it really well, too.
01:33 So we can keep that urgency and intensity to start the games
01:36 and start the second half.
01:37 It's going to pay off.
01:38 Peyton, you just mentioned the word connected.
01:40 It looked like you guys were more connected
01:41 on the defensive end of the day.
01:42 Just talk about what was different on that end
01:44 of the floor today.
01:46 We've always had the emphasis on it.
01:47 But we kind of needed to redefine what it was this week
01:50 in practice, and we did.
01:51 And we were in the gaps, helping each other out.
01:55 On ball, it makes it a lot easier
01:56 if you know the guys that are there are going to help you.
01:58 And obviously, there's been a huge emphasis on it
02:01 in the locker room and practice.
02:02 And it was really good to see it translate today.
02:07 Brock, another nice shooting performance for you, too.
02:10 I think it was 10 points to three pointers.
02:13 What's it like just to get in that rhythm
02:15 and get productive out there?
02:17 I mean, the coaches always just push confidence
02:19 and all our guys come out ready to go,
02:21 come in with energy off the bench.
02:23 And I think we've done a great job of that.
02:24 The guys kind of--
02:25 the starting group got it going early,
02:27 and that kind of made my job easier
02:28 because stuff kind of broke down.
02:30 I could see kind of where I was going to get open shots.
02:32 Bryce made a good pass to me.
02:33 I made my first one, and that always
02:35 helps get the first shot down and just kind of play off that.
02:37 Peyton, obviously, the homecoming everyone's
02:42 talking about today is you playing,
02:45 going back to the place where you won a state championship.
02:48 Disregarding the women's game for a moment,
02:49 but what was it like being back here for the first time
02:53 since you won?
02:54 That's right, right?
02:55 Since you won state?
02:56 Yeah.
02:57 Walking in the tunnel this morning for shoot-around
02:59 was a really special feeling because I
03:01 remember the last time I was in there,
03:02 I was sprinting back, throwing water everywhere.
03:04 So I mean, it was really cool to be back.
03:06 I know a lot of friends and family were here.
03:08 And it was special the way we played.
03:10 And to do it in front of just so many people
03:13 that I'm so close with and in this arena,
03:15 it's a really special thing.
03:17 Peyton, just to follow up on Chad there,
03:19 you played a lot of games in this building.
03:20 I mean, did it feel familiar and good to you?
03:23 Yeah, it did.
03:24 You might not know that from the way I started shooting it.
03:26 But I played 12 games in here, which I mean,
03:31 so many good memories in here.
03:32 My high school coach was here, which was a really cool thing.
03:35 I got to go talk to him.
03:36 But yeah, it was really familiar, just kind of the sights,
03:39 the smells, everything.
03:40 It was fun to be back for sure.
03:43 Brock, I mean, this is like the first time
03:45 I've at least gotten to sit court side and kind of watch
03:48 the way you guys interact from a floor basis, which it seems
03:50 like to me that you try to almost get
03:52 ahead of your opponent.
03:53 You're talking a lot of smack.
03:54 You are just trying to get that sort of edge.
03:56 Has that always been a part of your game?
03:58 And do you emphasize--
04:00 you emphasize trying to get an opponent's head?
04:02 No, I normally don't talk very much.
04:03 I'm kind of even keel on the court.
04:06 Don't say too much to the other team.
04:07 It's funny.
04:08 Speaking of your fellow freshman, Owen Freeman,
04:16 another big day as he's starting here,
04:18 is this sort of what you expected out of him
04:20 from an opportunity like this?
04:22 I mean, yeah.
04:23 I've seen him play now for five years.
04:25 And every year, he's kind of taking a next step.
04:27 This year, he's been really aggressive, kind of not really
04:29 playing like a freshman.
04:30 And it's been awesome to watch how much he's grown.
04:32 He started-- hit an outside shot today.
04:34 Could have took a step back, made it a three.
04:36 But I mean, just small steps like that.
04:38 He's getting better every single time out there, attacking guys.
04:41 They're big guys.
04:42 They were good.
04:43 The guy was probably averaging like 15 points.
04:45 He came in, shut him down.
04:46 He didn't really do much to hurt us.
04:47 So it was just big strides there on the defensive end for him
04:50 today.
04:51 All right.
04:52 Thank you, guys.
04:53 Thanks, guys.
04:53 Thanks, guys.
04:54 Thank you.
04:56 [INAUDIBLE]
05:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]