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AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2017

Hartford, Connecticut

SMU - 70, UCF - 59

THE MODERATOR: UCF is here, we're joined by head coach Johnny Dawkins; sophomore, B.J. Taylor, Nick Banyard. Same format as yesterday. We'll ask for an opening statement. Couch, your thoughts on the game, please?

JOHNNY DAWKINS: I thought it was a hard-fought gam. I thought we lost to a good team. They're a champion in that league for a good reason. I thought they made a lot of big plays when they had to. They defended very well also. They're a very good team. They played well tonight.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for B.J. and Nick.

Q. B.J., neither team had led by more than six points before the sequence when there was the steal from Tacko and the three-pointer on the other end and technical foul. Could you describe what happened especially with the technical and did you feel that was a turning point?
B.J. TAYLOR: No. It wasn't the turning point. Like Coach said, give SMU a lot of credit. They're a good team and they played really hard tonight, so give them credit.

THE MODERATOR: Other questions for the student-athletes.

Q. For both of you guys can you just talk about this season? You went under many people's radar and finished the season with 21 wins which is, you know, the second best record programs had in over a decade. Can you just talk about the growth of this team this year and how you feel -- where you feel you guys are right now?
B.J. TAYLOR: I just want to thank the seniors, Matt -- Matt Williams, Nick, and Tank, for everything they've done for the program. I mean, they were the leaders of it. Me and Matt were the captains, but they were the leaders of it. They set a great foundation and established a great culture for what you said it was going to be in the future. I can't thank them enough for what they've done for our team this year.

THE MODERATOR: Nick, take that was well. Your thoughts of the season in general?

NICK BANYARD: I definitely think we improved as a team and as people on and off the court. Looking back at the beginning of the year, this team now, we definitely would be able to beat the team that we started with. That's always a positive. That's how you want to look at it. That's on the court and off the court. We definitely grew as people, matured and definitely will help us later on in life.

THE MODERATOR: Anything more from the student-athletes? Okay, gentlemen, we'll excuse you to the locker room. Thank you for coming.

At this time take questions for Coach Dawkins.

Q. Coach, SMU had been doing such a good job with Ojeleye inside. I think both teams had ten points in the paint and it turned into a three-point shooting contest for a while. Was that kind of the strategy to try to control the inside defensively, and, you know, were you happy at where you were for most of the game?
JOHNNY DAWKINS: Well, I think both teams are really good defensively. You can tell that by our field goal percentage defensively for both of our programs. So it's going to be hard to score. It's going to be a game you have to grind out. You have to find opportunities and open looks when you can get them. Usually it's not going to be in the paint, it's going to be on the perimeter. Give them credit. I think they made a number -- a few more threes than we did tonight. That was the difference in the ball game. That and free throws.

I think both teams did a good job of competing. There's a reason why they were champions this year. They've been the most consistent team throughout the season, them and Cincinnati, and I'm just proud of our kids for the effort that we gave tonight.

Q. Can you talk about B.J. Taylor and what he means to this team? There's a point there, I think with like three minutes to go where he basically tried to shoot you guys back into the game. Made a couple three-pointers in a row and got this thing close again. The mentality that he has on the court?
JOHNNY DAWKINS: Well, he's a winner. You know, B.J.'s a winner, and he's a terrific leader and, of course, he's made a lot of big plays for us in a number of our games down the stretch, and he's someone that we've been able to count on. So I'm looking forward to continuing to coach him and continuing to watch him develop, because he is a great spirit, and he has a chance to be a terrific point guard.

Q. Coach, I know this game just ended and you still might have some games to play in the future, but how would you assess this season from UCF from the beginning to now?
JOHNNY DAWKINS: It's hard for me at the moment because I'm very disappointed our season has come to an end in the regular season and in our conference tournament. Looking from where we started, I'll say -- as Nick mentioned before, I think this team today, in March, to beat the team back in October, for sure. And that's always what you want to see happen. You want to see growth and development in your young men on and off the court. And I can say we've actually seen that with this group, so I'm very excited about what they were able to accomplish, even though it wasn't, you know, our ultimate goal. The things they were able to accomplish this year, you know, I'm proud of, because I know how hard they worked to put us in position to have these opportunities.

THE MODERATOR: Any other questions for Coach?

Q. Coach, I had asked B.J. about this, but did you see what happened on that whole sequence where the technical foul, and it went from a six-point game and ended up --
JOHNNY DAWKINS: I didn't really see the play. I was calling the time-out and he has to make the call. I was getting his attention to make the call. I was looking at the Ref to make sure the call was called. I didn't see what happened. But it's basketball. Guys come competing, and that play is probably one, I think, in our game now because the coaches have to -- the player has to call it. Everyone now is making plays on the basketball, while the player's trying to make the call. So when that happens there's going to be a lot of guys, a lot of congestion in that area.

Like I said, I didn't see what happened. I just know it's an awkward situation that the coach can't make that call because then it alleviates all of that opportunity for guys trying to steal the ball while the player is calling time out. So I think it eliminates a lot of the contact that you see right now.

THE MODERATOR: Coach Dawkins, thank you.

JOHNNY DAWKINS: All right. Guys, take care.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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