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00:00 >> And it's gonna be for me for me to review, but Kenny's talked about,
00:04 just not taking this game as a committee other game.
00:07 Since this will be your first time playing against Kentucky,
00:10 can you just talk about the ways that you guys have prepared differently this week
00:14 of coming off that big win Sunday?
00:15 >> Yeah, I think we really like KP said, we noticed that just another game.
00:23 It's obviously a big game, not just for us, but for the whole entire state.
00:27 And we've really just been locked in watching film,
00:32 practicing really hard to get prepared for this game.
00:35 >> Yeah, when Coach Payne was in here, he said from the outside looking in,
00:41 most people don't think you have a chance.
00:44 Why do you guys think you have a chance?
00:45 >> We know we can compete with anybody and we like it here,
00:50 we proved that in New York.
00:51 So even though we've had some pretty disappointing losses,
00:54 it doesn't change how we can play and what we can do on the court.
00:58 And we believe that we can win.
00:59 >> Trenton.
01:01 >> Yeah, definitely to pick up off of that, just seeing these guys compete every day.
01:05 I feel like we have an idea, like the inside world, or what we are capable of.
01:09 I feel like it's just all about just displaying that in the lights going on.
01:13 >> To both of you, the way you played the other day against Pepperdine,
01:17 it sort of looked like all of a sudden, okay, we got this.
01:20 I'm sure it's not that simple, but was there something that happened that
01:23 connected, that clicked?
01:24 Because the whole energy, the pace,
01:28 the aggressiveness seemed to be better than what we've been seeing.
01:31 >> Yeah, I think we just came into the game knowing that we can't look at records,
01:37 we can't look at anything else.
01:39 We have to come onto the court and compete.
01:41 We're playing the number one team in the country every single game.
01:44 We know we gotta bring that effort, bring that energy, and
01:48 play together like that every single game from now on.
01:50 >> [COUGH] >> For either of you guys,
01:55 there are some fans that would say you could win a Final Four but
01:58 wouldn't care if you lose to Kentucky.
02:00 For you guys, since you're newcomers, did you all hear that as soon as you got here,
02:03 from fans, how they wanted you to beat Kentucky?
02:06 I know you have any stories or maybe social media or
02:08 anything like that where fans are on it immediately, they care about this game.
02:12 >> Yeah, absolutely.
02:14 I haven't had any stories, but I know how important this game is to the city.
02:18 So- >> [COUGH]
02:21 [BLANK_AUDIO]
02:27 >> Last week was a little rough around here in terms of the criticism of you guys
02:31 and Coach Payne.
02:32 How has that affected you guys?
02:34 Have you guys talked about it?
02:36 How do you deal with it?
02:37 >> Not really.
02:38 I feel like we've tried to just focus on what our main goal is right now,
02:43 and that's just taking it day by day, one game at a time.
02:45 I feel like just all the extra noise and distractions,
02:48 we don't really have time for that right now.
02:50 So we've just really been locked in on this game.
02:51 And I feel like we've all been super focused,
02:54 preparing super hard, and playing together.
02:55 So I'm excited for what's to come.
02:56 >> Yep, and we got to control what we can control.
03:01 So we had, like you said, some disappointing losses in the past,
03:07 but we just gotta learn from it and move on.
03:09 We got a long season, so we could easily, not easily, but with the right motive,
03:13 with the right mindset, we could easily turn things around.
03:16 >> What's the biggest thing that jumps out to you when you scout Kentucky?
03:22 Sky playing point guard and then Trey maybe working on the wing.
03:26 Just what are some things that you're, you talked about locking into the details.
03:31 What are some things you're trying to just make sure that you get right tomorrow night?
03:35 >> Yeah, the biggest thing is we know they like to play fast.
03:38 So our transition defense has to be really on point, our communication.
03:44 We can't let this be an offensive game.
03:46 We gotta play, we gotta get this win playing defense.
03:50 >> Definitely, yeah, just piggybacking off of that, just controlling.
03:52 We can control our effort, our togetherness, how hard we play, and
03:56 rebounding up to where we stand on our principles.
03:59 It's gonna be a good game.
04:00 >> [COUGH] >> Comfortable to you guys.
04:04 UK has a ton of freshmen on their team that don't really seem to be making
04:08 a lot of freshman mistakes at the moment.
04:10 What stands out to you about why such a young team has been able to gel
04:13 the way that they have so far?
04:14 >> Obviously, their coach is about a great coach.
04:18 I've gotten to know Coach Cal.
04:20 He's a really great person, a really great coach.
04:22 And he lets his players, he'll tell you, he lets his players play.
04:27 He lets them play through mistakes.
04:29 And I think just having that early and
04:31 having that throughout the summer for them was really good for them, so yeah.
04:35 >> Anything else for these guys?
04:39 >> Yeah, just Kenny was talking about,
04:45 I missed how important it is to come out and I guess throw the first punch.
04:52 That's kind of been a struggle for this team this year.
04:55 It's probably got the biggest crowd of the season so far.
04:57 Do you think that'll be easy just to come out and
05:01 just have to juice early?
05:06 Or just this team comes out and maybe you get punched first.
05:14 Just how do you kind of, I guess, deal with that mindset going into the game?
05:21 >> Yeah, absolutely.
05:22 We're trying to come in throwing the first punch.
05:23 But like you said, if we come in and they throw the first punch,
05:27 then this team fights.
05:28 So we're gonna throw some back.
05:31 And definitely the energy of the crowd will definitely help with that.
05:34 So I mean, the more fans we have in there,
05:36 the more energy we'll have as a team and feel supported.
05:39 >> Anything else?
05:43 All right, thank you all.
05:45 >> Thank you.