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NCAA MEN'S 2ND & 3RD ROUNDS: OMAHA

March 19, 2015

OMAHA, NEBRASKA

THE MODERATOR: We have the Shockers of Wichita State, No. 7 seed in the Midwest, State of Missouri Valley Conference Champions. Regular-season champions. They'll play No. 10 Indiana in Friday's second game. Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet represent the student body. Questions?

Q. Both you guys, three years, three NCAA Tournaments, talk about that experience, maybe what it was like the first time versus what it's like now?
FRED VANVLEET: Three years, it's special, it's a blessing for us. It's a testament to all the hard work we put in. Obviously, the first time for me was being a little bit star-struck and trying to soak up the moment as much as possible. Last year ended shorter than we would like, and this year trying to stay focused and enjoy it, but at the same time try to take the steps necessary to be able to advance.

RON BAKER: For me it's just something to look forward to each and every year. Each year has been pretty successful, obviously making it and then winning at least a game, so like Fred said, we're just focused. We're enjoying it. This is the highlight of television, everyone is watching. It's all over the media. This is a big-time thing, and we're very thankful to be here.

Q. Guys, for both of you, to follow up on that, you are facing a team that doesn't have nearly as much as experience as you guys do, at least at the top of the depth chart. What kind of advantage as you get ready for your third go-round, do you feel like that experience gives you guys that maybe you didn't have a couple of years ago?
RON BAKER: I think we might have an advantage, like you said, but then again, you still got to come out and execute on both ends. Obviously Indiana has a lot of talent, and we've watched them on film. We're going to prepare ourselves. We've got a lot of young guys in our locker room as well, so we will just put it down, X's and O's and play the game and go from there.

FRED VANVLEET: I'm not sure how much it matters right now. Obviously the year we went to the Final Four I wouldn't say we had that much experience either, so at this point in the year it's just about playing your best basketball and going out there when it's time to play and putting your best foot forward, and at this point the team who plays the best is going to win. It's just as simple as that.

Q. Both you guys used the word focus talking about this. There are potential distractions down the bracket for you because you're in the same basket as the big juggernaut, Kentucky, and I'm sure you have heard you're in the same bracket as your in-state rival, Kansas, that you haven't had a crack at yet, so is it difficult to focus on the task at hand, Indiana, when there are those potential distractions out there in your bracket?
FRED VANVLEET: No, it's not hard for us, and we have been a team that has had to focus on the game in front of us for a long time now, and like you said, there are great opportunities ahead, but you start reaching and looking for those, you won't even make it that far. We got a really good Indiana team in front of us, and that's all that's on our mind right now.

RON BAKER: We used term "focus" because it's a one-game, one-possession deal we're facing. I recall being in the Final Four, I remember each game in that tournament, none of us knew who the 3 or the 4 seed was in that bracket we were in. We were just focusing on the target, and that was our opponent at that time.

Q. Fred, you used the word star struck. You've got some guys in the locker room who are going through this for the first time. How do you help them and make this as smooth of an opportunity for them as you can?
FRED VANVLEET: There's only so much we can do. It's kinda on them, you know. You want them to have fun and enjoy it, and we will as well, don't get me wrong, but at the same time I would just take that and be as aggressive as you can with it. That was my mind-set as a freshman, just be as aggressive as possible, and at the end of the day have no regrets. If you play like that, good things will happen perform.

RON BAKER: Obviously a lot of young guys in our locker room, and we're just going to tell them to go out and be aggressive and try and do the little things that they're good at to try and help the team win. We're not pressing on them too much on them. Obviously it's a big moment in their lives to come play in the NCAA Tournament, so we're just asking them to play hard, have fun and enjoy this.

Q. Ron, when the bracket came out and you saw where Kansas was, opposite you. You're not preparing for anybody just yet. What was your initial thought that they were that close to you in the bracket?
RON BAKER: I mean, obviously I was focusing on Indiana. Everyone saw that Kansas was a potential third-round match-up. I think it puts a lot of excitement in the state of Kansas, but obviously both teams have their hands full second round.

Q. Fred, when do you first remember hearing about Yogi Ferrell just as a guy in your area, and what were some of those games the summer of 2012? Were they kind of like a measuring stick for you?
FRED VANVLEET: I'm not sure how much of a measuring stick it was, but he definitely had a lot of respect and publicity and press as a high school kid. He deserved it, he earned it. A guy like me who didn't have it, when you're in that position, you're always trying to play the best or whoever they say is the best, and it was just that kind of thing for me in high school, and when I got the opportunity to play, I don't put too much stock in AAU games, as far as outcomes. But just good to play up against a good guard like that, and I think he's gotten a lot better and obviously he's been working his butt off, as I have, so we both came a long ways since then. He was kind of a phenom in high school, I would say, throughout our area.

Q. Fred, Ron, Indiana kind of has a tendency, some games they can get really hot from three. Is there any added emphasis to perimeter defense in this game and what do you do to slow down a team when it looks like they're hitting everything?
RON BAKER: Yeah, obviously they led the Big Ten in 3-point percentage and 3-pointers made, so obviously you got to defend on the perimeter. Their three guards that they start are really aggressive and shoot the ball really well. They have some 4-men that shoot it. That's what they do, so as an opponent we're going to try and limit their 3-pointers attempted. Go from there.

FRED VANVLEET: I think you just try to limit touches, obviously get back in transition. They play pretty fast, and they got a lot of good skill players. You just want to make it hard on them and contest. They're going to make some tough ones and they're going to miss some, and that's just how the game goes. It will be a game of run, and we just want to play as sound as we can and we will live with the results.

Q. Fred, a follow-up on Yogi, would you have preferred to have been a high school phenom or are you more appreciative that you kind of earned that at the end of your high school career?
FRED VANVLEET: I'm not sure what I would prefer. In hindsight it worked out for me. There's not much desire to be anything other than what I am. I mean he earned it. He had the respect. I think he was in a bigger market than me, and those type of things go into effect. But I mean we're both here now and it doesn't really matter the paths that got us here. It's just about us and our teams and who is going to play the best as a team on Friday rather than me versus Yogi.

Q. Indiana was complimentary on Wichita State's rebounding. Seems like this year rebounding has sometimes been more difficult for Wichita State because of the size. Could you just kind of characterize how tough it's been to rebound this year, maybe and how it's been a team effort?
RON BAKER: It's something we try and pride ourselves on. But this year it's been a little difficult because we start small, so I think it's been kind of, as guards, our responsibility to help our big men check out and get those rebounds. In the NCAA Tournament if you can defend and rebound and limit second-chance opportunities for the other team, it's going to give you an advantage, and that's what we're out to do.

FRED VANVLEET: I think we've been a good rebounding team throughout the year. It's just the past years we have been an excellent rebounding team, and this year it's probably not on that same level as years past, but it's going to take that type of effort to get these wins, and it's definitely going to take that type of effort on Friday, because they really go hard to the offensive glass and they've got some athletes, too.

THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the student-athletes of Wichita State? Gentlemen, thank you. Best of luck. We have the head coach of the Shockers, Gregg Marshall with us. Comments and then questions. Gregg?

COACH MARSHALL: Well, we're glad to be back in Omaha. It's some familiar surroundings, even though we're not staying in the same hotel that we used to stay in when we would come to play Creighton. We're not in the same locker room, and I haven't seen the court yet, but I'm assuming it's similar. I don't know if they've changed anything inside the arena. I have a handful of guys that have been here before and played in this arena, so we hope that helps. And we know we have a traditional college basketball power in Indiana. Coach Tom Crean has been doing it a long time at a very, very successful rate and we will have to play well to win the game.

Q. Coach Crean has made a lot of the fact that he has the youngest team in the NCAA Tournament, and you have had a couple of teams that have gone the last couple of years. How big is the experience factor?
COACH MARSHALL: I just witnessed UAB, who probably has zero NCAA Tournament experience, I don't know if they've got any guys that have transferred in from schools that had been previously, beat Iowa State that has tons of NCAA Tournament experience, so once the ball is tossed, I don't think it means that much at all. It's just another basketball game. On our side we've got five guys that have played in the NCAA Tournament, some of them have been to a Final Four, but we've also got guys that have never played, 8 of our 13 have never been to an NCAA Tournament, so we've got two sides of a coin there.

Q. Coach, talk about your early impressions of Indiana after seeing them on tape.
COACH MARSHALL: I think they play really, really fast and efficient offensively. They push that ball at you with any number of guys that can come in transition and get to the rim or shoot the 3. Yogi obviously is very talented and dynamic. James Blackmon as a freshman is tremendous. Williams sometimes plays the 5 and brings it in transition. So getting back and organizing your defense and guarding their up-tempo style is a challenge and something we're going to have to do very well. On the other end they change defenses. Sometimes they play really small. Sometimes in Perea is able to go; they have a traditional 5-man in there, but we're going to have to execute regardless of what type of defense they employ and try to get high-percentage shots, and if we miss, try to get a second opportunity.

Q. Gregg, Indiana was complimentary of Wichita State's rebounding this season. Has it been a more difficult season rebounding, a little tougher to rebound this year because of the size?
COACH MARSHALL: I think we're about plus 4 on the year, maybe plus 5, Paul. I don't know the numbers, somewhere around there, which is good, not as good as good as we have done in the past. I think you can attribute that to the fact that we're not quite as big inside as we have been in the past. I mean, Evan starts at the 4 at 6'4 and Darius starts at the 5 at 6'7, so they're not playing those positions as much as we would like right now because of the development of our post players. We're still rebounding it well. I think Indiana rebounds it well. When they go to the offensive glass, they sprint to the offensive glass, and that's what you've got to do; you've got to assume that shot's a miss and that's a pass to you.

Q. Gregg, I'm curious if there are times when you see Fred and what he does with the basketball and how much of that is the experience he's gained over time in your program and how much of it might be instinctual.
COACH MARSHALL: I would love to take credit for Fred's abilities, but I can't. That kid was born to be a point guard and be a leader. I truly think point guards are born, and he was born to be a point guard. I'm glad he's my point guard, and he's been a great one for three years. He makes tremendous plays in the half-court in transition. He's an undervalued defender, just does nothing but win. You have to watch him to appreciate him. You've seen him quite a bit over the years as I get to see him every day, and it's such a joy to watch because he's unbelievably competitive. He never wants to lose; even if it's just drills in practice, he doesn't want to lose. That carries over, permeates through our squad, and when the games are being played, he's out there willing everyone else to the win.

Q. Fred, you talked about experience being perhaps a little overrated amongst the rank and file. What about as a coach who has been here for so many different years. Are there things that you pick up and add to your kind of NCAA way of doing things? Do you learn each year about how you would coach in these things?
COACH MARSHALL: You would hope you get better with age and there is that incline where you improve with age and get smarter and more wise, if you will. But then there is that also that top of the mountain where it starts to decline. I hope I'm not at that point, Bruce, but I think we just try to be a little more cagey and wily and experienced from a coaching perspective. I don't really change anything. I like the way we have done it in the past, and our guys seem to enjoy the experience. Being in the third round last year and having a chance to play Kentucky in a classic game, that was a great experience. Unfortunately, that last shot didn't go in, but see how far we could have taken that thing. The year before, the Final Four, so we've had a lot of good experiences and we're going to try to make this another good experience.

Q. Gregg, these players, Cotton, VanVleet and Baker especially have combined now for 11 NCAA Tournaments. Some of the great Shockers, of the past, Stallworth, McDaniel did not approach that. How much credit do you give these players for that and how difficult is it going to be to maintain that kind of success once these guys are gone?
COACH MARSHALL: Wow! Do I have to think that far in advance? Two of them are juniors. It's been a great run, and hopefully we can continue it. Nothing is guaranteed in college basketball. You've got to continue to recruit, you've got to have guys in the pipeline that you can develop. And I think we've done that. But these are special young men. You said 11. I didn't know it was 11. Are you sure? Something like that. I think that's giving us a little bit of the benefit of the doubt, but I like it. I hope we can get to 11 or even more this year.

Q. Gregg, is it strange being in your old rival's building when they're not here? Secondly, when will Wichita State and Creighton play in the regular season again in?
COACH MARSHALL: Wow, I don't know what Doug is doing, but if he's around and he wants to put on a uniform, we would love to have him wear the home whites tomorrow. This is a great building. I have always enjoyed playing here. They have tremendous fan support; they filled this place when the Shockers were in town, and I enjoyed competing against them. I hope that we can do it soon. I would like to do it as soon as possible, but it takes them needing to play as well and working into their schedule. So maybe Coach McDermott and I, if we can run each other down in the next couple of days, we can talk about that. It's a wonderful facility and it was a great rivalry.

Q. Have you tried to set it up?
COACH MARSHALL: The last press conference I ever had in this building when we lost in the regular season finale in '13 and Doug had a great game, I said then that I would like to continue playing. I hope this is not my last trip to Omaha, so it takes an NCAA Tournament Regional to get me back, that's fine, but maybe we can do it again. They know that we want to play and if it works out and it works into their schedule, it takes two to tango with scheduling.

Q. Gregg, Indiana doesn't play a style that really replicates any Missouri Valley teams. How do you get used to their up-tempo style and how do you kind of mold that to your own style?
COACH MARSHALL: You just have to get back. You have to be really conscious of transition defense and not take bad shots and not turn it over. We normally are very good with the basketball and get good shots. I don't think that we do anything different other than defensively. When we get the ball on our fence, we will play at our tempo; and we would like to play fast, too. This could be a very entertaining game. We're not opposed to pushing the ball and trying to score in transition ourselves. So this could be one that the players could need some time-outs and some oxygen on the side, so it could be an up-and-down affair.

Q. Coach, I'm wondering with all the time off you've had between your last game and now, how you have used that time and how you've balanced resting and getting practice in.
COACH MARSHALL: Well, this is my 11th NCAA Tournament and 17 years as a head coach, and every time I've had the same amount of time off because 9 years in the Big South and now 8 years in the Missouri Valley Conference, both tournaments were held in the first weekend of championship week. So I don't know anything different. I use it as a positive. You take a couple of days off initially, then you practice intermittently; and then you take another day or two off at some point, tell the guys you're trying to get their legs fresh, heal any nicks and dings and bruises that they may have. I personally was fighting pneumonia that week where we had after losing in the Valley Tournament until Selection Sunday, so it was great for me to sit on the couch, watch basketball, try to learn stuff and have Lynn take care of me and just try to get over the congestion in my chest.

Q. Gregg, have you addressed with your team as far as keeping their eye on Indiana with all the hubbub over Kansas as a potential next opponent?
COACH MARSHALL: I can assure you that we have not had any hubbub in our team meetings about Kansas. We have been very diligent with our approach in terms of trying to beat the Hoosiers. We do have one coach that is privately working on Kansas. I don't think that Kansas' name has come up one time. So the hubbub is out here, and we're pretty insulated and we're doing our thing right now trying to beat the team that wears the red and white, not the blue, red and white.

Q. Gregg, I was talking to another Valley coach yesterday who mentioned he thought you guys had really this year in your perimeter defense, and I was wondering if you'd seen the same thing and what attributes do you look for on defensive stops on their perimeter defense?
COACH MARSHALL: Well, I think the three guys, Fred, Ron and Tekele are a really good trio of defenders. They all have size, speed, quickness, but the biggest attribute that they have is "want to." They really want to defend every single possession. They want to get a stop; they understand the value of that end of the court. All of them have gotten bigger, stronger, more athletic since they've been in our weight program and our conditioning program. Kerry Rosenboom does an awesome job, but at the same time they understand college basketball better because of that experience, what they're allowed to do. They move their feet, they show their hands. They reach when the ball is there, but otherwise they're going to keep their hands to themselves, and they're a pretty good group. We can do some switching on the perimeter if we choose to or we can just tell, Tekele, you take that guy; Ron, Fred, you've got that guy, and let 'em guard 'em straight up.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Gregg. Best of luck.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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