UC Basketball Big 12 Tournament Round One Presser
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00:00 Please state your name and affiliation into the mic and designate who you would like to answer the question
00:05 We have quote described quote transcribers working remotely and that information will be helpful
00:11 Quotes and other media materials can be located in the media drop box and on big 12 sports calm
00:18 Congratulations coach. We've got Wes Miller here with seamus locus and a day Thomas
00:24 Coach, can you get us started with some general comments about the game?
00:28 Well first I just you know, you look down and they they get 85
00:31 and if you'd have told me before the game they get 85 I'd have been really pissed because I said we're gonna have a
00:36 Hard time winning and we're gonna have to defend a lot better than that
00:39 First hats off to Josh. He's been in a tough position all year
00:45 And you know, we played that game a couple days ago and it really went our way
00:49 It didn't go their way and it got away from them and it's hard to get a team to recover that quickly
00:55 And I think it says a lot about him as a coach that they came out and played
00:59 significantly different today
01:02 Than they did against us on Saturday. So give him credit for that. They were they were really good
01:08 They shot the eyes out of it. Certainly. I wasn't pleased with some of our defensive effort
01:13 But give them credit we made a mistake and they got a clean look and it felt like for a while there they didn't miss
01:19 any of them
01:21 You know, I
01:23 Thought our guys we got off to a decent start, but I thought when things didn't go our way
01:27 It wasn't like they they didn't want to do it, right?
01:31 They just looked a little shell-shocked that I hadn't seen that from this team in a long long time
01:35 And then finally, I think we get down 16 and they just said well
01:38 We're just gonna play our tails off and play the way we practice every day
01:42 and they did and they started playing with a lot of pop and pace and started defending and getting to loose balls and
01:48 then we find ourself back in the game and
01:51 You know, I thought there was some really gutsy performances
01:55 We had to play guys some really extended minutes, which you don't want to have to do in a multi-game tournament
01:59 But you don't stick around for the next day if you don't take care of the first one. So
02:03 but see moss
02:05 Man, he hits big big big big shots
02:08 And in made all his big free throws eight for eight you look down
02:12 I thought day to hit big big big big shots. So, you know, we haven't shot it
02:17 well over the course this year at least it's not as good as I think we can and
02:22 They were backing up and really letting us shoot the ball and those guys especially down the stretch made some big ones. I thought
02:30 Dan skillings was really really good tonight. I you know, I thought he wore down there
02:36 We played him too many minutes, but he had great pop the whole game
02:40 He was the one guy that looked like he was moving like himself out there for 40 minutes
02:44 And then I thought he made a really really nice play to find a day in the corner
02:48 And that last out-of-bounds play to put us up five, so I'm really proud of my group
02:52 I did not like how we played for the first
02:55 Gosh 28 minutes and I really really liked the way they responded the last 12 that that's been the character of this group all year
03:02 It's why it's been a joy to coach
03:04 Okay, please remember to raise your hand. We'll get a wireless mic to you
03:07 We're going to start with this one over here on the left
03:10 by three rows back
03:12 coach you
03:14 You brought up the shooting struggle so far this season. These two guys have had their fair share of that
03:19 What is it like to see them keep their confidence throughout the whole season especially down 16 today and be able to pull off the win?
03:27 Yeah, I think
03:30 They've been they've been it's funny. I don't think either one of them have ever lost any confidence. They're confident players
03:37 So how they've they've had big-time games
03:40 I think they've been pissed and frustrated at times that they haven't made some shots that they they make every day. They're both
03:47 Really really talented offensive players and they both can really shoot it. So I think if anything I don't think they've ever lacked any confidence
03:54 I think they've they've just been mad or frustrated at times. You guys agree with that, right?
03:58 But we see it every day. They put the work in every day
04:02 But it was nice when a team backs up on us, you know, we get 14 out of these two guys and
04:09 You know that doesn't surprise me, but we we haven't had that this year and so that gave us a big boost tonight
04:15 Please remember to identify yourself and your affiliation. Let's go over here on the front row
04:20 Seema shrine Roberts with Riverfront Cincy
04:22 Coaches said all year that we're gonna eventually see a game like this out of you
04:26 How much does it mean to you to have this type of game in this environment?
04:30 I mean it means a lot, you know
04:33 It means a lot to have this game and it means a lot that that coach believed that I will have this game at some
04:37 point and
04:39 Yeah, I mean there's no no better time. You know, this is winner go home
04:42 It was the most important game of our season so far. So yeah, I'm glad it happened
04:47 Yeah, let's go over here to the left
04:50 coach David Smale field level media over here
04:53 Thoughts about quick turnaround having to face Kansas tomorrow. You do do face them without Dickinson and McCuller
05:00 But your thoughts about doing it quickly
05:02 Yeah, well before I answer that I
05:06 You know, I look down and it's not like I didn't notice it while I was coaching
05:09 But I should say something about it as he's band a go with 13 rebounds. How about that performance?
05:13 How about that that that deserves to be recognized too and we had some other really really good moments for everybody else
05:19 But yeah, I think
05:21 Listen Kansas is Kansas and
05:26 There they've been at the top of college basketball for as long as the heck I've been alive quite frankly
05:35 You know what they've done in this league
05:37 As long as I've been alive is incredible and you know, he's coach self has another great team
05:43 That's gonna compete to win a national championship. We understand who we're playing against. We have a ton of respect for that
05:49 We're playing them here in Kansas City
05:51 I think it's just an opportunity for our group and I think the one thing
05:55 We have a lot of respect for Kansas regardless of who can or can't play
05:59 I
06:02 Think we believe we can play with anybody. I think we've kind of proven that to ourselves this year
06:07 But we have a ton of respect for any opponent that we could see in this tournament
06:11 Yeah, let's go rear to the right on the front row
06:13 Neil Meyer with the front office news CMOS walk us through the second half 26 points six and nine from shooting
06:19 What were those second half adjustments that you saw to allow you to get going there in the second half?
06:23 Well, I don't know if I even saw any any adjustments really nothing really changed from the first half
06:30 I just you know made a few shots started being more aggressive, you know
06:34 Got some got some free throws to go in and our offense just started, you know flowing more naturally
06:39 we got back to playing like ourselves and
06:41 Just not only me but everybody else got got easier shots that are part of their game
06:46 And yeah, that's kind of how we got back in it
06:48 Justin Williams from the athletic day day. You were really aggressive in the first half as well. Was that part of the game plan?
06:58 Did you feel like there was something you could exploit and then maybe when's the last time you felt like the the hoop was that?
07:03 big for you shooting from deep I
07:05 Mean, that's my job on the team. You know, I got a made place for my team
07:09 I always got to be aggressive. So just playing my game having confidence in my team
07:13 My team have confidence in me to you know, get down here make place for each other
07:18 Okay, let's go over here to on the right on the front row Alex Frank chatterbox sports coach, West Virginia picks up two technical fouls in
07:26 The second half could you guys sense momentum turning once those happen?
07:31 How much do you talk about to your guys about keeping composure?
07:33 When things don't go your way or at least starts to slip away in a game. I
07:38 Think you know, I think our guys came out of the under 12 timeout
07:43 I believe we're down 16 and they just played with a different approach
07:48 Those next couple possessions and I think we kind of could feel some momentum turning there didn't mean that we knew we were going to
07:54 Come back and win the game, but I think that settled us in coming out of that under 12 timeout
07:59 I believe I'm right that we were down 16 there
08:01 You know
08:05 We we take a lot of pride and we've made our fair share of mistakes
08:09 so I'm not here to judge others but I
08:12 We take a lot of pride and as a team and as a program and and just trying to be about the next play
08:18 We talk about it every day
08:19 We have it on the board before the game today and not responding to things that we can't control
08:23 So I'm not here. Like I said, I'm not here to talk about the other team
08:28 Or judge the other team, but that was fortunate that we got four extra free throws there
08:33 And I was proud that my guys didn't respond because a lot of times when you see those type of things it ends up being
08:40 A double technical so it is something we value and I was proud that we didn't respond
08:44 Coach we got one standing up over here on the left
08:48 Steve Wallace ko and in FM. This is for both day day and see moss
08:51 You guys both had career highs tonight. Just talk about that feeling you guys seem kind of mellow right now
08:57 So I just wanted to find out
08:59 They're they're they're off the court. They're both always like this. Okay, so you like first do
09:04 Which one first I
09:08 Mean just playing with confidence. I mean my coaches and my team just telling me keep shooting the ball
09:12 So I'm always have confidence in myself keep making plays getting our shots. Shut up dance skills
09:18 You know making the last play good play at the end good pass and I had to hit a big time shot today
09:22 Yeah, I mean kind of the same thing playing with confidence
09:27 I think it's funny my the career high that I beat I think was also in the Big East tournament my freshman year
09:32 So I guess maybe I like these types of types of games
09:36 Hopefully I can get I can beat it again tomorrow
09:40 Hey, we got time for two more both on the front row first one. It'll be on the right
09:44 Day day a year ago. You're playing at the junior college level. How much does this experience mean to you?
09:49 Especially in this type of environment. I mean a lot because you know when I was at Juca
09:54 I was watching this tournament, you know, just playing in it seeing how it is everything faster. Everybody athletic. It's a good experience
10:01 Last one is here on the left
10:05 How'd it feel to be on the other end of this coming back like that?
10:09 And were you aware that this was also the the gym that you had your previous?
10:13 Biggest comeback so I was told this is your biggest comeback as a coach or at least at least here
10:20 Yeah, I mean I guys we come back down 16 and win the conference tournament feels good. Shoot. I'm human. I love that
10:27 But it felt good out again. I think for me
10:30 The this group has had a certain level of character
10:36 When you deal with them every day, they've had a certain level of character that's made them unique and different
10:40 It hasn't always meant that we've been on the right end of the result
10:44 But the character of this group is that it responds it fights it stays together
10:48 And so to see that again in a game where it really wasn't going our way
10:52 And then for them to come out and be rewarded for that character when they haven't felt like we always have all year that that
11:00 Was the part that meant the most to me?
11:02 Coach, thank you very much. Thank you
11:04 Look
11:06 You
11:08 You
11:10 You all that one
11:12 [BLANK_AUDIO]