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April 6, 2015
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
Duke - 68
Wisconsin - 63
THE MODERATOR: Coach, we'll start with an opening statement from you.
COACH RYAN: What a fantastic job these guys did all year. They just came together to do all the things that they accomplished. Highest offensive efficiency. A team that committed the least number of fouls during the year. A team that got to the free-throw line. So these guys played 30-some games that way. It's just unfortunate that this one had to be played out that way.
THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions for the student-athletes.
Q. Josh, coach was alluding to it. Obviously you didn't get the outcome that you wanted. What does it mean, the whole season, to get to this point?
JOSH GASSER: It's hard to see it right now. But, you know, the relationships we built with each other, you know, that's the stuff that I'm proud about. We had a heck of a season. The stuff we accomplished. Sometimes, you know, life's not fair. This is not the outcome we envisioned. We knew we were going to win; just didn't happen. Duke is a great team, but just didn't do it.
Q. Josh, what did Duke do to prevent you from getting it done?
JOSH GASSER: Got to the free-throw line a lot. Drove into us. You know, you saw it. We just didn't get it done offensively. We fouled too much the second half. They were just driving it hard. You know, that's what happened.
Q. For the first 30 minutes or so, your offense was clicking pretty well, then it got bogged down in the last five minutes. Was there anything Duke was doing specifically or did you just get out of rhythm a little bit?
FRANK KAMINSKY: No.
JOSH GASSER: They're a great defensive team. They've gotten a lot better throughout the year. That's what happened.
Q. Frank, you guys got Okafor in foul trouble. I'm sure that's something you wanted to do. What was the plan with him defensively and what did you feel like you were able to do to get him in that position?
FRANK KAMINSKY: He's a great player. We knew we had to get him off the court. Just tried to do whatever we could to stop him. Was able to take a charge early on and force him to miss some shots. Came alive at the end.
Q. As seniors, hard as it might have been, did you have a chance to say something to your guys? Can you share the essence of what it was.
FRANK KAMINSKY: It's tough to say anything right now. These guys are my family, and I mean that literally. I don't mean that hypothetically. I've never been closer to a group of guys in my entire life, from the coaching staff on down to every single player on this team. It's just going to be hard to say good-bye.
JOSH GASSER: I agree.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, fellows. We'll continue with questions for Coach Ryan.
Q. What went into the reasoning of fouling late when there was still some time on the shot clock, game clock?
COACH RYAN: What was what?
Q. When you committed the foul on Tyus coming out of the timeout to send him to the free-throw line when it was a one-possession game late.
COACH RYAN: I don't think it was one. Find out what the score was. But Nigel went for a steal.
Q. It was 66-63.
COACH RYAN: Went for a steal. Tyus, who is so quick, kind of drew the foul.
Q. You have gone all year without fouling. Were you surprised or particularly upset with the officiating that you got called so much?
COACH RYAN: You can't say anything about the officiating. C'mon. Are you trying to set me up? So you want to reword that or... What are you saying?
Q. Just asking the question.
COACH RYAN: I don't know what the question was.
Q. Did you take issue with the officiating?
COACH RYAN: Have you ever watched me during a game? I don't think this was any different. No, we have these things that we practice, okay? We practice in our practices where if an offensive player jumps into you, we always call it on the offensive player. It's just what we do. So there were some situations where obviously our guys felt they were in position. I'm sure they felt they were in the rights. Both teams are always going to feel that there's a question or two. So it's just the way the game's played. But I've been with these guys a long time, and I've watched a lot of basketball. Sometimes games are played differently, and you have to go with the flow.
Q. What are you going to remember most about these seniors? What about them represents the University of Wisconsin, the way they played?
COACH RYAN: Everything. Yeah, when you go through an experience like this, and you get asked a question, it's really hard to put into words the years, the hours, the travel. So it will be in their memory bank, and it will be in my memory bank. But it's not something that you easily express. If you've ever played on a team, if you ever were in the service, if you were ever with a company for a long period of time, there's things that happen and things that develop. It's hard to describe 'em. It's just an inner feeling that you have. But this group was so together and enjoyed each other's company, could needle with each other. They did a lot of good things. I mean, again, if you go through all the things that this team did as a team, the offensive efficiency I mentioned, fewest number of fouls in the country, fewest number of turnovers. Do you know what it takes to have the fewest number of turnovers? A lot of discipline, a lot of work goes into that. If you've ever tried to play the game, it's not as easy taking care of the ball as you think. But this group just set another standard of taking care of the ball. Playing defense with their feet. Things like that. Not their hands. Sometimes hands are allowed more than others. You know how the game goes. Like I said before, you always got to adjust. I can't really put into words how close and how special this is. Maybe someday I will. To see them go out this way, that's tough.
Q. Just elaborate a little more on how you wanted to deal with Okafor. When Duke made that late run, what did you feel started turning for them that swung the game in their favor?
COACH RYAN: Okafor had a lot of rest because of the foul trouble. Those two plays that he made on the potential and-one and also on the other basket that he had, I mean, he exerted his will, his influence, and got it done.
Q. A loss is a loss. But is it any tougher for you or the players when you think you were up nine with 13 minutes to go?
COACH RYAN: Anybody that's been around basketball knows that 10, 15, 9, 8, 13 minutes to go, that's forever. Teams make runs. Happens all the time.
Q. Frank said it's just going to be hard to say good-bye. Can you talk about, is it going to be hard for you to say good-bye to this class of seniors?
COACH RYAN: Oh, without a doubt. All the seniors that I've had -- hard to say the word. But every player that's played through the program, okay, we don't do a rent-a-player. You know what I mean? Try to take a fifth-year guy. That's okay. If other people do that, that's okay. I like trying to build from within. It's just the way I am. And to see these guys grow over the years and to be here last year and lose a tough game, boom, they came back. They said what they wanted to do, they put themselves into that position, and they won't forget this for a long time. I told them that's life. Wait till you get a job. Wait till you start the next 60 or 70 years of your life. It's not always going to work out the way you would like it to. But you measure a person by what it takes to discourage them.
Q. What did Duke do that didn't allow Dekker to get going tonight?
COACH RYAN: Well, Dekker's been played like that before. Maybe not as physical. But he just was off with his outside shot. We all would have liked to have seen one or two of those go down, but they didn't. And that happens in games. He hasn't had very many of those. But it happens.
Q. On Frank, I'm not going to ask you about his legacy, but his performance tonight, what was your take on it?
COACH RYAN: He was a gamer. He was getting banged around like crazy. I was kind of hoping he'd get to the line a little more. It just wasn't the way it worked out. He was tough. He tried to play hard. Fortunately, there were a lot of timeouts so he got a chance to rest. He's going to get even better. But what he did in his years at Wisconsin will be remembered for a long time.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Bo.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
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