Payton Sandfort Interview
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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:04 >> All right, go ahead and questions for Peyton.
00:06 Career high.
00:08 >> Peyton, you vowed to keep fighting after the loss last Thursday.
00:11 Obviously, you came out, set the tone early.
00:12 Just talk about accepting this fate and making the most of it.
00:16 >> I think it's another chance to play basketball.
00:18 And honestly, that was some of the most fun I've ever had.
00:21 I was just out there, it felt like I was messing around, but
00:24 I was still locked into the game plan.
00:26 And just getting to my spot, shooting it confidently, just doing what I could,
00:30 having fun with the guys.
00:30 And I had a blast, and I think it looked like it too.
00:34 >> And you just said career high in 30, but you also had your tight career highs,
00:39 total rebounds, nine midfield goals, and seven threes.
00:42 All tight career highs, and then on top of the 30.
00:44 So can you just talk about the rhythm that you just came in with?
00:47 Did you feel like you could have won these games previously, before the game?
00:51 >> Yeah, kinda like I said, when you come out and just try to have fun,
00:55 that's kinda what can happen.
00:56 And maybe there's times I wish I would have taken that mindset a little
00:59 differently during the season, but I can't fault it too much.
01:02 I had a pretty good year, so I was really excited for this opportunity.
01:06 It sucks not getting to play in the big tournament, but
01:09 we still get a chance to play.
01:10 And I love this team so much that I just had a great time out there fighting with
01:15 the guys.
01:15 And when you're having fun like that, I think it's easy to get cooking.
01:20 >> Obviously, when you're playing well, it helps, but
01:23 why do you feel like you were having so much fun?
01:26 >> I think a lot of people, you saw a bunch of teams turn down this opportunity,
01:30 and a bunch of other stuff.
01:32 And Tom Crean said it well, it's another chance.
01:36 You spend the whole offseason talking, and
01:39 I don't know why teams would wanna end that early.
01:41 Cuz we gotta go out there, and I gotta play with my brothers again, and
01:44 play in front of what was an amazing crowd.
01:46 It wasn't big, but everybody there seemed like they were having fun,
01:50 they were loud.
01:50 And I had a blast playing basketball.
01:54 You never know what life's gonna bring, so
01:56 getting that opportunity to play again, I'm so thankful for it.
01:59 >> Some slow starts these last couple games.
02:02 I think at one point you were on pace to score 120.
02:04 >> [LAUGH] >> Were you just kinda determined to
02:08 come out hot?
02:09 Was there a mindset behind that?
02:11 >> Honestly, coming off that eight days off, going into Illinois,
02:16 it was a tough thing.
02:17 Because people got sick, people got hurt, and it was a long week of practice.
02:22 And you go out there, it doesn't feel like second nature playing right away.
02:25 And honestly, it was kind of a tough break, and
02:28 there's nothing we can do about it.
02:30 But that start, honestly, it held us down for
02:34 the rest of that game and for the Ohio State game.
02:36 I think people got tight.
02:37 We were talking about if Josh's three that was halfway down goes in against
02:42 Illinois, we're in a completely different spot.
02:45 The crowd's into it, we're confident.
02:46 But in those games, you can get tight, especially knowing what's on the line.
02:50 So out here, it felt like kind of like a reset for us.
02:54 And a lot of guys were excited to get back out there and
02:56 just play basketball again.
02:58 And that's what we did, and I'm so proud of everybody that got in the game.
03:02 And it was a good time.
03:04 >> Can you speak to Ben's playing the second half, and
03:07 how he kinda gave you guys a spark in that four-minute stretch you guys had,
03:10 plus kinda got you guys going again?
03:12 >> Yeah, he was so good earlier in the year, and
03:14 he's been really hard on himself lately.
03:16 He hasn't been playing up to a standard.
03:17 But we kinda said before the game, let's just go have fun, and he did that.
03:22 I'm so proud of him for battling through it.
03:23 And this is his last year, so he's trying to make the most of it.
03:27 And I couldn't be more proud of him.
03:28 He was excited to play and ready to go.
03:31 >> Peyton, you kinda talked about some teams turned down the NIT bid.
03:35 You guys were all about it.
03:36 You guys came out with a lot of energy.
03:37 Just seemed like you guys were really enjoying playing with one another.
03:41 And knowing your season continues, can you just elaborate why this team means so
03:45 much to you and why it's so important for you guys not to enter the offseason, but
03:48 just keep playing what you guys have always wanted to?
03:50 >> Yeah, growing up, dreaming about playing college basketball, and
03:55 this isn't exactly what you want.
03:57 You don't really watch the NIT growing up a ton, and you watch the NCAA tournament.
04:01 But once you get here, going through life with these guys the last six months,
04:05 everybody's dealt with loss.
04:06 We've dealt with everybody being really critical of us.
04:09 We've dealt with the loss of loved ones and losing games on the court.
04:14 And we've always stuck together, and I think that's what has made this so
04:18 special.
04:19 And every opportunity we get is an exciting one.
04:22 You could sense before the game, everyone was super excited to get out there and
04:25 play.
04:26 You never know when your last game may be.
04:29 You never know what's gonna happen.
04:30 So every opportunity is a blessing, and I think that's kinda how we took it.
04:33 >> Did you notice,
04:35 case they had anything, showed anything different defensively in the second half
04:40 when you guys came out?
04:42 >> They were all over me, face guarding me, and credit them.
04:46 They kinda took me out for a while, and they're a really good defensive group.
04:50 We didn't get a ton of time to watch them, but a ton of respect.
04:53 I mean, you watched them last year go to the Elite Eight, and
04:57 it's hard going on the road sometimes for a game like this.
05:00 But they battled, and all credit to them.
05:03 >> How did you guys regroup following K-State's 10-0 run to start that second
05:07 half?
05:07 >> Our energy just wasn't there.
05:10 We missed a couple shots we normally make, and
05:12 we've struggled with that this year, is rebounding from runs that teams make.
05:17 But we just got inside.
05:19 Ben made a play, Owen made a play, and sometimes that's all it takes,
05:22 is just a little spark.
05:23 And then we were back into it, back with urgency, and that's what you need.
05:26 >> You've basically been playing only Big Ten teams.
05:29 The last two months, is there anything to playing a team outside the league?
05:33 Or is that you don't have any- >> It was nice,
05:35 cuz at the beginning they didn't really know who I was.
05:37 So I was able to get open.
05:38 That hasn't happened for a long time.
05:39 So, but it was fun to, they were incredibly fast,
05:43 had some really good athletes and players.
05:45 And it was a fun challenge, and it's something new.
05:48 It was fun to go through another scouting report and learn a new team.
05:52 Feels like all I've done for
05:53 the last three months is watch Big Ten basketball.
05:55 So it was a good challenge and good game.
05:58 >> As hot as Josh was for a stretch there, it seems like he's kinda cooled off.
06:01 I know you had ups and downs, especially last year.
06:04 Is there anything that you've said to him over this stretch?
06:07 >> I just tell him, just get to that mid-range hit, get to your three, and
06:11 just let it fly.
06:12 Cuz he's dealing with injury.
06:13 He got hurt early in the Illinois game, but battled through it.
06:17 We weren't sure he was gonna play against Ohio State.
06:18 But he's tough, and he wanted to play.
06:21 He knew he had to play.
06:22 And it's made him a little out of his game, a little out of rhythm.
06:26 But he'll be back whenever we play next.
06:29 He'll be ready to go, no doubt in my mind.
06:31 >> I don't know the exact number of free throws, but
06:33 it was somewhere between 27 to 31, somewhere in that stretch.
06:36 And that's gotta be up there with the most free throws you guys shot all season.
06:39 Was it part of the game plan just to be aggressive and
06:42 try to attack the hole once you guys realized that you guys were getting all
06:45 the calls?
06:46 >> I wouldn't say it was anything different.
06:48 It's just kinda how we've played all year is attacking the rim.
06:51 And we got some calls, and I think we missed quite a few free throws.
06:57 But getting there was such a big thing and
06:59 took some of our best players out of the game, so that was a big deal.