INDIANA UNIVERSITY BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

March 13, 2022

Mike Woodson

Press Conference

Q. Obviously you said a few times this was going to be your first go-around with this. What was it like waiting that long? Obviously you guys were one of the last teams to make it. What was this whole experience like, and are you surprised you ended up in a play-in game?

MIKE WOODSON: I mean, again, at the end of the day we're in. Got to play the play-in game. That's my only concern right now. We've got to go and start studying, getting ready for Wyoming, and get our guys ready to go tomorrow in practice and get on a plane and head to Dayton to play Wyoming.

Q. You stated this is a goal. How gratifying is it to make the field in your first season, and what does it mean for the players?

MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, this is not about me, it's about our program and the work that these players have put in this season to get to this point, and now we're here. We've got our marching orders this evening, so now we've got to start prepping and getting ready to play Wyoming.

Q. You mentioned it being about the players; how gratifying is it for you to look them in the eye and help them be a part of what for all of them was a first-time NCAA Tournament appearance?

MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, that's what it's all about. You come to college -- if you come to college to play basketball, you come to try to make the tournament and get an education.

A lot of these guys have been sitting on the sideline for some years watching NCAA basketball being played in March and never really knowing what it's about. Now they get an opportunity come Tuesday to play in the tournament and win and perhaps move on to Portland, Oregon, to face Saint Mary's.

I think it's a beautiful thing. I'm so thrilled because these guys have worked their butts off to get to this point, and I want to see them move on. I want to see us continue to win. That's what it's all about.

Q. I know you said all your focus now goes to Wyoming, but do you do anything differently just maybe mentally or physically preparing your guys on the possibility basically of having to go to Dayton to try and win that game, knowing if you do, you've got to make a very quick turnaround on a long flight to get to Portland?

MIKE WOODSON: Hey, listen, it's what it is. At the end of the day we're in. We've got an opportunity to win a game and advance on.

This is what you play for. This is what you come to school to be a part of if you're playing basketball.

It's not going to be hard for me to get these guys to understand what's at stake here. We're in the tournament. We want to try to stay in the tournament. That's what it's all about.

Q. As a player, what is it that makes the NCAA Tournament so special beyond just the chance to compete? What is it that makes the atmosphere, the energy so special?

MIKE WOODSON: Well, again, in my case, playing here at Indiana, our fan base is like no other fan base. You're playing for a national title. You're trying to get to the big dance where you get an opportunity to possibly win a title. I mean, that's what it's all about.

With that being said, again, you don't come to school just to come to school and play basketball, you come to try to win a national title, try to win a Big Ten title. We fell short in that area this season, but it was a nice run for our ball club, and now we've got to start getting ready for tournament play.

The stakes are even higher because nobody wants to go home. Once you put that uniform on and go out there on that floor and start competing for a national title, the games become even tougher, I think.

Q. You just played three games in three days. Now you obviously have a very quick turnaround here. How did you guys survive that physically, and if you could update us on Jordan and Trey and what's going on with them.

MIKE WOODSON: Well, I think I don't know about Jordan, I think Trey is going to be fine. We've just got to -- listen, we weren't one of the schools that was thrown in there where we played Friday or Thursday, they give us three or four days to prepare. Hey, they put us where we've got to play our way in, and it's Tuesday.

Mentally I've got to get these guys -- I just met with them, and hey, it's a quick turnaround. We've got to get ready to play Wyoming. It's just that simple.