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NCAA MEN'S REGIONAL SEMIFINALS AND FINALS: KANSAS CITY

March 23, 2017

Kansas City, Missouri

Oregon - 69, Michigan - 68

THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by the Oregon Ducks, head coach Dana Altman, student-athletes tonight Jordan Bell and Tyler Dorsey. Coach, congratulations on your victory and we will turn to you for an opening statement.

DANA ALTMAN: I'm really happy for the guys. It was a great game. We knew Michigan was a very talented team, and, you know, those threes got 'em back in there. I thought we had a cushion there of 5 points, two possessions, the game changed really quick.

But I thought Tyler got us going first half and kept us going and then Jordan. We missed a lot of free throws. Nine for sixteen usually spells disaster at this time of year, fortunately Jordan cleaned that up and put it in and got us close again and Tyler made baskets. Really happy for our team. I've got a lot of respect for Coach John Beilein and Michigan. I thought it was a great game. Both teams played really hard and at times it wasn't really smooth, but they took away some of the things that we wanted to do and I thought there were a few times where we took some of the things that they wanted to do away. So good ball game.

Q. Tyler, did you consider fouling? You had another foul to give on that last play. And if you could all talk about what you were thinking and doing coming down there for that last shot?
DANA ALTMAN: We were supposed to foul. Dylan Ennis had an opportunity there. I was a little upset that he didn't. Fortunately the ball didn't go in. Yes, to answer your question, we still had another two fouls to give. I think we were up 4 and I know we had at least one to give. We had an opportunity, Jordan fouled the first time and on the free throw we told them if we had an opportunity to foul we had a couple to give and we still had those. So, yes, we wanted them to foul.

Q. Can you talk about that last play?
JORDAN BELL: After I fouled him I didn't know the foul count. He said good. If you have a chance to do it again, do it again. So I got my guys together and let them know -- only do it, make sure the guy is not going in for the shot to give him an and-1 or 2 free throws, so...

TYLER DORSEY: Definitely. We were supposed to foul and Dylan did end up fouling and we got fortunate that step back shot came up short.

Q. Jordan, the play that Coach talked about the rebound off the missed free throw and the put-back. Can you take us through how you got in there to get the ball? Is that something you do in practice or just one of those things?
JORDAN BELL: We have a play that we practice on, if one of us misses a free throw. We executed it perfectly, I think it was Tyler? No, Dillon Brooks. He went in and crossed and caused him to look at him. I just you pushed my guy out of the way and got the rebound.

Q. How nerve-wracking is a game like that when neither team led my more than 6?
DANA ALTMAN: Well, it's a competitive ball game while you're in the game. You don't think about it much. It's just one play getting ready for the next play. There's frustration when you give up an easy basket, feel pretty good when you execute something get a good look.

During the game, I don't know, you don't really think of that. Then afterwards, you talk about little plays that could happen and it wears on you pretty good. Like I said, it went back and forth. Tyler got us those big buckets right before the half to get us the lead. We led for about 24 minutes and they led for about 10. It was tied for the rest. So it did go back and forth. We couldn't shake them and like I said we had a 5-point lead and I thought we were pretty good and back-to-back threes really turned the game.

Q. Coach, what went into the decision to alternate the defenses between half-court trap and just the normal half-court man? How did you decide when to switch between the two?
DANA ALTMAN: That's what we do all the time. It's kind of how we play. A little press, back zone, and some man-to-man. We chart it out and see which ones going the best and a lot of times I ask the guys down the stretch what they want to play. What they feel most comfortable with, but we like to start the ball game and chart it out and see what's more effective on any particular night.

Q. So it was more of a preplan rather than adjusting to what they were doing?
DANA ALTMAN: Well, yeah, that's the way we start every ball game and then we make adjustments depending on how the game is going.

Q. Coach, you've coached a lot of games in Kansas City going back to your Big Eight days. You said this was going to be your first game coaching at Sprint Center. Speak to the atmosphere and your time out on the floor?
DANA ALTMAN: I tell you what, we've had three unbelievable venues to play in, the new building in Las Vegas is outstanding. Sacramento last week, the venue is outstanding. I've watched ball game here, but never been behind the scenes. This is a great facility. We've been treated so well here. The police escorts make the guys feel pretty good. People have been great. The facility is great. Kansas City is so experienced in hosting these things. They really set a high standard and they've done a great job.

Q. Dana, Michigan has written the story coming on late and getting to this point. How would you describe you guys right now doing this without Chris?
DANA ALTMAN: I feel really bad for Chris, just because it's tearing him up. He wants to be out there so bad, help his teammates. So I really feel bad for him. Fortunately the guys have made a few adjustments. We've got some good minutes out of Kavell, other guys have stepped up. I'm happy that we've been able to make the adjustment and move forward. But I do feel terrible for Chris. He's a wonderful young man, he's been fun to work with for the last two years and it's tough to see him sitting over there on the bench wanting to be involved and not being able to.

Q. Dana, you've been coaching for a long time and now you're going back to your second consecutive Elite Eight. What's this like for you? How special is it to go back for the second straight year?
DANA ALTMAN: It's just an unbelievable feeling. I owe these guys so much, for putting us in this position. As a coach you always dream of playing in the Final Four and winning a national title. I feel really fortunate to have really good players who have put us in that position, great administration, great school and they have backed us all the way.

So I feel really fortunate. But, yeah, long time. I'm getting old and you don't know how many years you have left and you have to be lucky. That shot could have went in it could have been Coach John Beilein and the Michigan players up here. That's how tight that game was and it could have went either way.

I'm really fortunate to have Jordan for three years and Tyler for two and Dillon Brooks. We've just been really fortunate. We've got good players and guys that are unselfish. They want to win. They're competitive. We got down four there and guys could have gave into it. They didn't. They fought their way back. Shows you what kind of competitive spirit they've got.

Q. Thoughts about your next opponent, whether it's Purdue or Kansas?
DANA ALTMAN: Well, we know Purdue is really big and Kansas is Kansas. Obviously look out there and there is a little green section and a dark blue section and royal blue filled everything else. If it's Kansas, it will be a tough ball game because it's a road game; and if it's Purdue it's going to be awful tough because they're big.

We're missing Chris, and the fellows will have to strap it on and we're going to have to match their size. We look forward to the challenge. It's an opportunity to play. They're both really, really good teams, both well-coached and we'll watch this game and start figuring out who to play.

JORDAN BELL: Yeah, like Coach said, obviously two very good teams that have made it this far this season. Purdue has really good bigs inside and Kansas their guards are scrappy and shoot well. They have a candidate Player of the Year, so either game it's going to be tough.

TYLER DORSEY: Like he said, Purdue we know they're big, they're scrappy and Kansas has great guard play. It's going to be a great match-up and I'm excited to watch it and whoever we get we've got to get back and get prepared and focus on whoever wins.

Q. In such a tight game especially down the stretch what's going through your heads?
JORDAN BELL: Do whatever you can to win. Me, get every rebound, offense or defense, help my team out as much as possible.

TYLER DORSEY: Getting the big stop at the end. That's what we did. We're fortunate the shot didn't go in but just make plays and give it your all. It's the last couple of seconds we have. Just whatever we can do to win, that's the goal.

Q. Tyler, you were fortunate the shot didn't go in. Were you worried when it was in the air?
TYLER DORSEY: I don't know about worried. I was just watching the ball in the air hoping it didn't go in and it didn't. I was happy and I was excited for us to get back to this Elite Eight. Just ball-watching, to be honest.

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on your victory. We will see you tomorrow.

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