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BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 13, 2015Isaac CopelandJohn Thompson IIIJabril TrawickNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK Xavier - 65 Q. John, what changed for you that allowed you, when you were down 20, to make that comeback at the final push? COACH THOMPSON: I think we finally started getting the ball in the middle of their zone. For too long of a stretch, we were just passing the ball around the perimeter. But we started getting the ball into the middle of it and making correct decisions. I think that, when we finally started to score, our defense got better. So we weren't scoring for stretches, and then they were coming down, and our defense wasn't good. Once we started scoring, our defense got better. Q. Coach Mack said that he didn't go 1‑3‑1 in your first two meetings. Did that catch you off guard? Was that something that you did or didn't factor into your preparation? COACH THOMPSON: No, they played it. They played it in just about every game. We knew that they‑‑ especially the second half of the season, they've been going to that a lot. We just didn't execute. Q. Coach, after the technical fouls, you guys made like a 14‑1 run. Can you talk about that momentum swing that you had that brought you down from 20 to 6. COACH THOMPSON: I think the answer is the same. We started getting the ball in the middle of their zone to Isaac, and it was open in the first half. We just did a poor job of not getting to him. So we switched up a few things and got it to him after some initial movement. Then he made the right decisions most of the time. Also with Jabril off the bounce attacking the ball and making the decision whether to go all the way or kick it out. I think that was the key‑‑ I don't remember, but if it started with the technical, so be it.  Q. John, Stainbrook has been a pest in all the games, was again today. What was the issue today with stopping him? COACH THOMPSON: I would classify him‑‑ I'm not sure if I'd use‑‑ he's good. He's a very, very good player. He's poised. He makes the right decisions, whether it be for himself or for his teammates. So stopping him is difficult just because he's so poised and they do a good job of getting him the ball. And he does a good job of‑‑ they play through him in so many different things. But he's a good player. He poses problems, not just because of his size, not just his skill level, but also his IQ. Q. Jabril, in the second half, you drew Stainbrook's third and fourth foul. You drove it in on him a couple of times. Obviously, you weren't going to match up with him on the low block. Did you take it upon yourself to sort of attack him on offense? Is? JABRIL TRAWICK: Definitely. When they went 1‑3‑1, we were being too stagnant. I just wanted to be aggressive and try to get to the cup, get to the line. Just find some ways to put some points on the board. By getting to the line, that stopped the clock and able to put those free throws in, we were able to climb back. Q. Do you take minor consolation that you fought all the way to the very end and made it a one possession game the last few minutes? Do you take some consolation from this game‑‑ obviously, it's not the result you want. Is there anything positive about making the comeback at the end? ISAAC COPELAND: I think this comeback shows how deep of a team we are. It's not easy to come back from down 20 like we were. It shows we have a lot of heart. Q. Coach, talk to us about the full‑court pressure. You're down 20 with nine minutes to go. Instead of your guys packing it in, you went full‑court pressure. Your guys really put on a tremendous run and cut the lead all the way down to a few points. Tell us about that. COACH THOMPSON: We had to. I know packing it in didn't cross anyone's mind on that pitch. So we had to try to change the pace a little bit. So we went to a couple of different presses. They handled it, I thought. To tell you the truth, I thought they handled it well. Q. Jabril, on that last free throw, were you trying to miss it or make? JABRIL TRAWICK: I was trying to miss it. Q. Coach, how often do you practice those situations, up, down, with the free throw towards the end? COACH THOMPSON: We have enough trouble practicing making, so I can honestly say, we never practiced missing. Q. Coach, this is the third loss to Xavier this season. What is so tough about them for you? COACH THOMPSON: Everything about them. They have interior presence‑‑ several. It's not just Matt. It's Reynolds. It's Farr. Especially the first half, they hurt us. And they have perimeter guys that can shoot. With Dee Davis‑‑ I guess combined, Dee and Miles, the Davis boys, they have perimeter leadership, and they make sure everyone gets what they should when they should. They execute extremely well. I just think they're a balanced team. They're a very, very balanced team. They support and help each other at the defensive end. Whether it's their 1‑3‑1, their man‑to‑man, or their 2‑3, it's difficult. Q. With the Big East season over with and the NCAA Tournament coming up, is it a relief for you to play some different teams outside of the Big East? COACH THOMPSON: I don't know if right now is the time for me to digest that question. Just because I'm thinking about this game right here. Yes. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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