Gonzaga players Ben Gregg and Nolan Hickman met with the media after Tuesday's impressive home victory over Loyola Marymount.
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00:00 >> What went into the defensive effort there that turned the mood 13 times in
00:05 the first half?
00:07 That's a high figure.
00:09 What did you guys do to get after it?
00:11 >> I mean, it's been an emphasis all year for us.
00:14 And now we had a great game plan.
00:16 Coach Hitcher gave us a great game plan.
00:18 It was almost every situation you're gonna see tonight.
00:21 And we've been over it these past two days.
00:24 We did a quick turnaround from Saturday, but we did a good job taking advantage of
00:27 the game plan.
00:28 And using it effectively and getting the stops we needed and
00:32 turning them over a lot.
00:34 This is a team effort.
00:36 We're switching things, communicating, and just reconnecting on that end,
00:39 which was nice to see.
00:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:43 >> I'm not sure if you're a guy who has a long memory about things, but
00:46 obviously last year we got you guys here.
00:48 How much, not that you need extra fuel, but how much did that add a little bit to
00:53 the fire tonight, not wanting that to happen again?
00:56 >> It definitely added something to us, especially for the newcomers.
00:59 They don't really know about what happened last year.
01:02 So we try to let them know that they did beat us here and
01:07 we can't let that happen again.
01:08 So yeah, that was definitely the message coming out there tonight.
01:12 [BLANK_AUDIO]
01:14 >> Nolan, career high 24 for you tonight.
01:16 Seemed like you were ultra aggressive when they came over the top ball screen,
01:21 going to the rim.
01:22 Was that something that was a part of the scout or what did you see out there?
01:25 >> Yeah, definitely part of the scout.
01:27 I definitely did have it going.
01:29 I felt good out there tonight.
01:30 But I feel like that's just the scout.
01:34 We drilled it in practice.
01:36 Just like you said, Gentry gave us a real good plan and
01:40 we stick to the plan throughout the game.
01:41 That's where I feel like I just got all my buckets in and just going with the plan.
01:48 >> What did it feel like to have that kind of
01:53 hot start translated into the second half?
01:56 We've seen you had some hot starts this year, but
01:58 then you just picked up right where you left off.
02:01 >> Yeah, man.
02:02 Honestly, man, I just been trying to work, put together a whole 40 minutes of
02:08 gameplay, honestly, with my role being what it is this year.
02:12 I've just been trying to better myself every single practice, every single day.
02:17 And it's starting to show, I'm happy for it, for sure.
02:21 >> You've been nine blocks tonight, I mean, what was going right for you guys?
02:26 >> I mean, just everybody protecting the room.
02:28 I mean, once the game goes back to that game plan piece,
02:30 we knew they were gonna be aggressive to get downhill and get the basket.
02:33 We've been taught to come over and protect the room.
02:38 We have been doing a great job of that this year.
02:40 Doug, you gave up a lot of easy layups that we shouldn't have been doing.
02:43 Tonight, I think, like I said, we just connected the whole time,
02:48 played a whole 40 minutes of team defense, rotation, stuff like that.
02:51 And guys helping out for each other, having each other's back, it was huge.
02:55 >> Yeah, for both of y'all, 12 steals, I mean, that's an incredible deal.
03:01 Is there something specific you're looking for on their offense when you
03:05 disrupt them and make a play like that, like you did tonight?
03:08 >> Honestly, they press up on ball screens.
03:13 We knew that going into it.
03:15 They press up on ball screens, try to go over.
03:18 So we knew that if we just get downhill, we're either gonna have a good shot at
03:21 the rim or we're just gonna have to add a mission that's really big.
03:24 So I'm just trying to work on my skills.
03:29 I'm sorry, can I take a question?
03:30 I'm so sorry.
03:31 >> You're good.
03:32 With that many steals for y'all, is there something you're looking for
03:37 from Loyola to be ready to make those plays?
03:41 >> I'm so sorry.
03:42 I'm sorry.
03:43 Just being silent on defense.
03:45 I think that's a key to being silent this entire week, just being silent.
03:50 The silence, it frustrated them.
03:52 They just turned that ball over.
03:54 So I think it was just a win on our end, definitely.
03:57 >> Not when you're doing anything different shot wise, extra work or
04:01 anything, tinkering with it, cuz they're dropping.
04:05 Pretty good reading.
04:06 >> Definitely, man.
04:06 Just being a gym, every day, practicing reps and
04:11 doing the same thing, but it's like a football, it's like basketball.
04:17 >> Nolan, you and Ryan have been playing a lot of minutes so far this year.
04:20 How nice is it to get Luka back and kind of take a little bit of pressure off you
04:24 guys?
04:24 >> Man, it's real good, man.
04:26 Not only just in the game, but at practice, man.
04:29 Just to have somebody just come in and
04:32 feeling that point guard spot is what I needed, the one and the two spot.
04:36 So I'm glad he's back.
04:39 He showed he played real well in the little span of time that he had, but
04:44 I'm hyped to have him back.
04:46 >> Any conversations with Dom out there?
04:50 >> No, I had a few before the game.
04:53 But when it's game time, we always speak too much.
04:56 It's all about Dom on my end, for sure.
04:59 >> Yeah, I talked to him before the game, just I'm glad he's doing well and
05:03 stuff like that.
05:04 We were really tight last year.
05:06 So just nice to see him succeed, and like Coach said,
05:09 kind of driving this role that he's given at LMU.
05:12 We talked to his parents for a little bit, it's a great scene.
05:16 They're big, I think, Zagat supporters always will be, and
05:19 they'll always be a part of our family, for sure.
05:21 >> Tough one on Saturday, kind of initial thoughts on St.
05:26 Mary's, obviously, I don't need to tell you how much that game means in this
05:29 conference.
05:30 >> Yeah, I mean, it's a battle every time.
05:32 That Saturday's gonna be a finesse game, it's gonna be a war.
05:35 Every aspect of the game, rebound and defense, just everything.
05:39 So we got a little longer of a break here than on a Thursday, Saturday.
05:44 So it's nice to get a Tuesday, Saturday,
05:45 get a couple more days to get the prep in and watch some film on that.
05:49 But yeah, it's gonna be a war, and the most physical team is gonna win.
05:54 And just executing the game plan, and
05:56 taking advantage and just taking good shots and stuff like that.
06:01 >> For both you guys, games like that with a kettle,
06:03 you know what kind of atmosphere it's gonna be.
06:05 I mean, how much do you guys look forward to these kind of games,
06:08 when the season starts, say, hey, that day is gonna be a lot of fun.
06:12 >> Ever since the kettle had the students back, these past two games,
06:16 it's been rocking.
06:17 I just wanna give all thanks to all the students you have been pulling up.
06:21 It's been definitely game changing, that's for sure.
06:25 So I appreciate y'all.
06:26 >> No, and what do you make of those two guards you guys are gonna see Saturday?
06:30 >> They're real solid, they're real good at what they do.
06:36 They're real tough, real tough-minded, real tough base.
06:40 But I just think if we just play solid like we did today,
06:44 solid defense, they end up getting used to being really solid.
06:48 [BLANK_AUDIO]
06:51 >> Any more for the guys?
06:52 >> Yeah.