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NIT SEASON TIP-OFFNovember 26, 2014Mark FewKyle WiltjerNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK GEORGIA – 76 Q. Kyle, can you just tell us what it's like to play with Gonzaga and these first couple of games? KYLE WILTJER: It's been a lot of fun so far. We really have an unselfish group of guys, and I think we played really hard. So when we are playing hard, I think we are at our best and that's when it's the funnest, when we are locking down on defense, there's nothing better, the energy from our bench and the guys on our court, it's awesome. Q. Just talk about your offensive game tonight. Looks like you used every option you had to get it in the hole. KYLE WILTJER: They were playing one‑on‑one coverage in the post and Kev did a great job of feeding us down there. Not a lot of my threes went down but Kev found me on the pocket passes and they were having a tough time guarding us. We were just trying to keep going at it and that's where we got easy points. Q. In terms of playing on Friday night, do you know a little bit about St. John's and how do you feel about being in that title game? KYLE WILTJER: I played them twice in college so far, and so I know some of their guys. I played with some of their guys growing up in the circuit. So very familiar with their guys and we're just going to use tomorrow to prepare for them. And coaches always have a good scheme for us, and we'll see what that is tomorrow. Q. Would you say that's the most comfortable you've felt in a Gonzaga uniform? KYLE WILTJER: Yeah, definitely. I was just playing confident out there, and Kev did a great job of getting me the ball. I just kind of got in a rhythm and just tried to go off of that. Q. What is it like playing over here at Madison Square Garden? KYLE WILTJER: Oh, it's a tremendous atmosphere. You hear it from all of the good players who played here. The atmosphere is just awesome, and to play basketball and be able to go to awesome places like this, I'm just really blessed and I thank God every day for it. Q. Do you like the look of Kyle and Angel together and what does that do to opposing front courts? COACH FEW: It gives us a different look than what we've had. It takes us from a power lineup to a quick, attack and we can really open up the floor then with those two and set ball screens with a lot of movement. So then on their catches, either Kyle can space you from three or Angel can catch you on quick momentum and drive it. And I don't think‑‑ it was really tough getting our feet under us and getting stops at the other end with any of our groups tonight other than that first ten minutes, and so I don't think it hurt us defensively. It allows us to switch ball screens, which we like to do defensively because Angel can really move his feet. Q. What does it mean to the program, to play in a tournament like this especially on the East Coast at the Garden? COACH FEW: We play all over the place kind of, any time, anywhere, and we just kind of‑‑ this was the next one up. There's such an energy in this city. You feel it right when you‑‑ heck, we got in at 1:00 A.M. the other night and it was like NewYear'sEve and the millennium in spoke an on the streets. You kind of feed off that energy. It's tough to sleep, especially when you're coming from the West Coast. It's great. Tomorrow we get to go to Ground Zero and take that in, so it's a great culture hit for our guys and our friends, family, fans, all that that haven't been here. But again, that's a great venue to play. It wasn't my idea to slide in here and come out here and play a road game on Friday but that's the way it is. We'll be ready to go and looking forward to it. Q. What is your take on St. John's and what are things your group needs to be wary about? COACH FEW: Crazy talented, really talented. Can really take you probably at any time. Really athletic. Capable of blocking shots around the rim and explosive in transition, and very quick‑handed and opportunistic on the defensive end. Just a good‑looking team. They showed some real toughness and composure I thought to dig that one out, especially in the second half. They played great defense in the second half. I know Minnesota didn't have a whole lot of field goes down the stretch. I think Richard has got a really, really good team this year. It will be very much like we I think faced tonight. I think we'll face a team that's going to try to bounce it at us and try to get after us with their athleticism. Q. Can you talk about some of the things you dealt with tonight with the fouls and what happened with Josh at the end? COACH FEW: Yeah, he's heading to the hospital right now to get not only an X‑ray but a CAT scan because they just want to make sure or see what exactly happened in there. He got popped pretty good. I can't remember, you might remember, but I don't remember being in that much foul trouble ever. We lost Bakamus (ph), we lost (Shemmeck), we lost Gary. I mean, those are three of our top six guys right there. So to be able to sure five is a really good thing for our team, dealing with that kind of adversity. Again, I've been saying how balanced we are and we do have nice balance and I think it showed tonight. Gave guys like Angel a good opportunity to do what he does. I thought Byron Wesley really came in, great second half after not playing well in the first half. I thought that was a big key, too. I can't remember but I think that was Kevin's first turnover of the year, how about that. Five games in and 200 minutes or whatever and he had a turnover finally. I was hoping he would make it all year (laughter). FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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