Payton Sandfort interview
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:02 Eight season high, 24 points.
00:04 It seemed like for a little while there you couldn't miss.
00:07 What was working for you today?
00:09 >> Yeah, I think the basket felt like the ocean, so that's always a good feeling.
00:12 But we started hot and then we've had some trouble at the beginning of
00:17 halves and the middle of halves.
00:19 So I kind of took it upon myself to try and make some plays and
00:23 propel us to the W.
00:24 I'm really proud of our guys, the way we responded, the way we battled today.
00:28 There were some things we could have done better at the end of both halves.
00:30 But for the most part, we fought for the whole game and I'm really proud of us.
00:35 >> How important was it for you guys to come out in the second half and
00:37 for you to get going and
00:39 kind of match them because they got going at the end of the first half?
00:42 >> They did, I mean, can you say it again, sorry.
00:44 >> Yeah, just how important was it for you guys to get going in that second half?
00:49 >> It was huge cuz at the end of the first half they hit a couple really tough shots.
00:53 And all that work that we did in the first half kind of felt like it went away
00:56 at the end there, but in the locker room we were talking about,
00:59 we have to start fast, we have to throw the first punch, which we did.
01:02 And they were making shots too, but we just kept punching and
01:05 we had everybody out there making plays.
01:07 Tony responded, he had a little bit of a rough stretch, but
01:10 he really played well down the stretch, made some big plays.
01:12 And he's a gamer like that, Owen was terrific, Ben was great.
01:15 And everybody stepped up, Josh and
01:17 DeSante was proud of the way that those guys filled in, proud of Price.
01:19 That was a very good team effort.
01:23 >> I don't agree, were you guys feeling any pressure coming in like this was
01:25 a must win even though it's still somewhat early in conference play?
01:28 >> Yeah, I mean you try not to, but it's kind of the reality of it.
01:31 You don't wanna dig yourself too big of a hole and we did that, we struggled.
01:34 We had a tough start, but we've been in this spot before.
01:37 I think every time that I've been here we've started one and three or
01:40 O and three.
01:40 So it kind of, in a way, it frees us up.
01:45 There's no pressure coming to stay on top of anything.
01:49 Now we're kind of the dogs and we're trying to hunt everybody.
01:51 And today we did a good job, it's a good first step.
01:54 >> You touched on it a little bit, but just when you had that stretch,
01:57 kind of less than three minutes out in the second half where you just hit and
02:00 seem like everything, what does that feel like?
02:03 >> It's good, I'm just trying to, then at that point it's hard to get open.
02:09 But if I can, I'm getting it off.
02:11 I maybe probably took a rushed one.
02:13 And I kinda, once you start feeling it, you just make reads and
02:17 you can make some boneheaded plays, which I did, which is too bad.
02:21 But I was out there, you're not really thinking, you're just kind of playing and
02:24 reading the defense and trying to get your shot off as fast as you can.
02:27 >> What did you guys have to do to compensate for Patrick getting out?
02:31 >> Everybody had to step up.
02:32 I think you saw that with the sophomores, they did a terrific job.
02:35 Josh was awesome, DeSante was awesome.
02:38 We've always had that kind of next man up mentality.
02:41 We've had people hurt in practice.
02:43 We had a bunch of people hurt last year.
02:44 So there was never a doubt in my mind that people were gonna step right in and
02:48 fill the role.
02:49 >> You mentioned the hot start.
02:50 It just kinda seemed like you guys had a lot more energy,
02:53 make an effort plays today.
02:56 Is that a byproduct of maybe feeling a little bit more,
02:59 not necessarily pressure, but being 0-3 and feeling like you need to beat a win?
03:03 >> Yeah, I think we talked about having a chip on your shoulder,
03:06 which I think everybody did.
03:07 Everyone was all over the floor.
03:08 We were on the boards.
03:09 That's a terrific Rutgers team.
03:10 They're tough, they're physical, and got a lot of respect for them.
03:14 So we had to be the aggressors too, cuz that's kinda what their identity is.
03:18 And I thought we did a good job of that.
03:19 Obviously, they're gonna get some offensive rebounds.
03:21 But for the most part, we were battling, our guards were rebounding.
03:23 Aji was in there on the floor, and everybody was fighting.
03:27 It's a good thing.
03:28 >> You had 24 points, 8 of 12 from the field, 5 of 8 from three.
03:33 I understand that's probably hard to replicate moving forward.
03:36 But what do you feel like the keys are to kinda stack those types of performances
03:41 for you personally?
03:42 >> Personally, it's just kinda keeping confidence.
03:44 I mean, it's hard moving into a new role.
03:46 You're on top of the scouting report, so you have to find kinda new ways to score.
03:49 But if I can get myself in a rhythm and just go out there and play my game,
03:52 quit thinking about it, I think that's kinda where I can excel.
03:55 >> How's that been for you to navigate that of maybe being a guy that was
03:59 behind Chris and Phillip, guys that were scouting coming in and
04:02 kinda more prominent?
04:04 >> Yeah, I think for the most part, you kinda see it in that early to mid and
04:09 then late second half.
04:10 I think there was times last year that I'd kind of watch those guys make the plays.
04:14 And sometimes this year so far,
04:15 I've kind of fell into that role of kind of just disappearing in some moments.
04:19 So I have to keep up the energy that I have had in 20 minutes last year for
04:23 the full 35 or 40, whatever it is this year, which can be a hard thing.
04:27 But it's something that I've earned and something that I want.
04:30 And I'm proud of the way I handled it today.
04:32 I think we can make big strides and just keep getting better.
04:35 >> How does Owen always seem to be available to you guys around the room?
04:38 >> I mean, he's really good at kinda finding space.
04:41 We have really good passers that help and kinda draw the big in.
04:44 But we knew that Clifford wanted to block shots, and
04:48 he's one of the best in the country at it.
04:49 So if we could kinda draw him in and throw it down to Owen, and
04:52 then it was just his job to finish, and he does that.
04:55 And I'm proud of the way he played.
04:56 I'm proud of the way that he's continued to improve in his freshman season, and
05:00 he's been terrific for us.
05:01 He was great today.
05:02 >> Defensively, what was the key?
05:03 >> Last question.
05:04 >> Forcing a lot of missed shots.
05:06 They took 71 shots, as well as turnovers, getting in transition,
05:09 forcing those turnovers, getting points off turnovers.
05:11 >> I think the main thing that we can do defensively is really be connected.
05:17 And we've struggled with that at times.
05:19 We really struggled with it down the stretch at Wisconsin,
05:21 which was disappointing.
05:22 But we watched the film, we addressed it, and today was a ton better.
05:27 I think they have good players, they hit some tough shots, but for
05:30 the most part, nothing was easy.
05:31 And we've kind of identified, we've given up a ton of layups and dunks.
05:36 So we're trying to protect the paint better,
05:38 which today we did a great job of.
05:39 We're in the gaps helping each other.
05:40 And if we can just be a team and be connected on that defensive end,
05:44 then we're gonna make strides.
05:46 All right.
05:47 Thanks, guys.
05:47 Thanks, guys.
05:48 That's good.
05:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]