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NCAA MEN'S FIRST FOUR: DAYTON

March 14, 2016

Joe Dooley

Dayton, Ohio

THE MODERATOR: Now we're joined by the head coach of the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, Joe Dooley. Coach, an opening statement.

JOE DOOLEY: Obviously, we're excited to be here and had a good trip up and we're able to get some practice time in. And obviously the atmosphere, people bragged about the atmosphere here in Dayton. We're excited to see it tomorrow night.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Is this your first NCAA Tournament press conference?
JOE DOOLEY: Yes.

Q. Never at GW?
JOE DOOLEY: No.

Q. How are you feeling?
JOE DOOLEY: Pretty good. Not bad. No, it's an exciting time. It's something we worked for all year. I think the guys are fired up about being here. And it's a great experience for our program.

Q. What worries you about Fairleigh?
JOE DOOLEY: Balance. I think they can really, with five double-figure scorers, essentially, I think they can really -- very good driving downhill. And Greg has done a good job giving those young guys confidence -- Anderson and Jiggers (sic) and Holloway and all those guys are all guys that can hurt you in a bunch of different ways.

Q. They're the third youngest team in D1. You guys are pretty young. Is that a wash, or do you have an edge there somehow?
JOE DOOLEY: I think there will be jitters probably on both sides. It's the first game, NCAA Tournament. Everywhere we've been when you're in the first round of the NCAA Tournament seems like guys are a little sped up or a little jittery. I think it will take a little while to ease into the game, probably, but I think they've done a good job. They had a little rough start against Wagner in the conference championship. Really bounced back after the first half and we had ups and downs starting as well. So I think both teams are in the same situation.

Q. Just because they're coming from a place with low expectations, starting this season, anyway, does that make them more dangerous somehow?
JOE DOOLEY: I think Greg's really done a great job. It's his third year. He's done a really good job -- their class balance is really good. They've got a lot of young guys. They played well at the end of the season, as you saw. They had some pretty decisive wins. They played really well against Wagner, as well as against Mount St. Mary's. I was impressed with a couple games of the games we watched. I think they're playing with a lot of confidence right now, just like our guys are.

Q. You've had a little time to break down FDU a little bit more than what we talked yesterday. What do you see as the keys in this thing, Joe?
JOE DOOLEY: When you look at how aggressive they are, they put up points, especially in transition. Very good in the half court, off ball screen situations. I think those things -- they've got five guys that essentially score most of their points. And they can be balanced. They can hurt you on the inside with Holloway, but they can also spread you out and shoot the ball from the perimeter with guys like Potts, and Anderson can do a bunch of different things.

Q. Are you guys ready?
JOE DOOLEY: I think the guys are excited. It was a quick turnaround, like you say. We got here. We practiced. Now the big thing is to get some prepare, more preparation and get our guys rest and focused.

Q. A lot of people know the name of your school because of 2013. Obviously it's not the same bunch of guys. What do you tell your team about that notoriety?
JOE DOOLEY: To take pride. I think the university is so young and our program is so young. When you look at some fairly established, name programs. We've been to two NCAA Tournaments in four years, we've been to an NIT. We've won 20 or more four straight years. For a program that's Division I eligible, I think -- we talk about create tradition. We don't have tradition because we're too young to have tradition. There are a lot of places that have bad tradition because they haven't been successful for a long time. We try to tell our guys, listen, they started something we need to keep it going, and it's on your shoulders to keep expectations and hopefully to keep this program going in the right direction.

Q. Just take me through the reception today and just the support you think you guys are going to get here in Dayton, and just how everyone's kind of backing you guys and the excitement the community of Southwest Florida has. And hopefully you'll have people travel up to see the game, too?
JOE DOOLEY: First of all, everybody that's played in this game, I've talked to several people that have told me they played at the site, they said it's big time. And obviously Dayton has great fans themselves, but I think it's a great basketball area.

And people have raved about how they've been treated and raved about the crowd. I think it's exciting and obviously our fans have been unbelievable. We never would have expected the type of support we've gotten the last several years. And I think the people of Southwest Florida have backed our program and supported us. And I know they're looking forward to us watching us play tomorrow night. Some of us got here, I know it's a quick turnaround, but a lot of them will be at home watching rooting us on tomorrow night.

Q. The guys did at least admit that they've packed for the weekend. I assume Fairleigh has probably packed for the weekend, too?
JOE DOOLEY: I would expect everybody to be packed for the weekend right now. That's part of what it is. And if I was them I would be confident. We're confident. I think people this time of year it's survive and advance. And just have some fun with it.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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