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ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

May 22, 2017

Jim Morris

Louisville, Kentucky

JIM MORRIS: Well, we're excited to be here in Louisville and to be in the tournament just like everybody else. It should be an interesting tournament with 12 teams and how this format plays out. But we're excited to be here. We've finished strong and got some guys back that have been hurting. And looking forward to playing.

Q. First of all, what do you think any, if there is any, effect the 44-year tournament streak might have on your guys entering this week as far as them knowing that they really have to play well in Louisville to get into the tournament next week?
JIM MORRIS: Oh, it's no question our players, everybody's (indiscernible) in Miami for half of the season. It's been talked about a lot. The streak is unmatched to any sport in NCAA history, so it's going to add a little pressure.

But I think our guys are used to dealing with that pressure and people talking about it. Because we hear it every day in Miami. The press is pretty tough on you from that respect.

Q. From your standpoint, what do you feel like your guys need to do? Obviously, winning the tournament will get you in, but short of that, what do you feel like you guys need to do in Louisville?
JIM MORRIS: Well, I think we need two or three wins. To get in there, that would put you -- if you get two wins, that will put you in the semifinals, and finishing in the top four in tournament finishes, and six in the regular season. Last year we got ten teams in. Our RPI is okay. We've had some good wins. So hopefully that type of combination will get us in.

But we can't take a chance. We've got to try to win the tournament. If we don't win the tournament, we need to finish second. So it's a tough year. We haven't had this situation since I was at Miami, because we've always been worried about hosting.

Q. You guys have set such a high standard, you and baseball, that the season you've had seems disappointing. Only because normally, as you say, you're thinking about hosting a regional. What hasn't gone right this year? What's been a disappointment? I know you guys finished strong, but for the totality of the season, what went wrong, do you think?
JIM MORRIS: Well, what's gone right? Next question. I'm just kidding. What's gone right? Let's start with we got hit hard by the draft. Incoming players and returning players. We lose our catcher to surgery. Our first baseman has back surgery. Our shortstop misses over half a season. And our center fielder has two surgeries. Our All-American closer, Cooper Hammond, has arm surgery. So that's the difference. We don't have that much depth. We're a private school. We don't have financial aid. It makes a difference. We lost a lot of players. But the good news is, we got our first baseman back now. He's still not 100%. Ruiz back at short, he's not 100%. So I feel like we're playing better, and I think we've gotten better in the last ten games, 15 games.

Our guys, I can tell you, they busted their butt all year. They play hard, work hard in practice. You know, I've tried to not talk to them about the 44 streak. Just let me handle that. And you just play hard today, and let the chips fall where they fall.

Q. With the doubleheader last week, does that impact your pitching rotation, and who might you throw tomorrow given the shorter rest?
JIM MORRIS: Well, I think probably, I can't say this for all of the teams, but for us, when you play Thursday, Friday, Saturday, you really can't start those guys on Tuesday. With proper rest, and we're running down on Thursday, and we play a doubleheader Friday, so that moves our pitching back even more.

We've got to win every game. We thought we played every game to win, and don't worry about the next game. We're pitching McKendry, he's been throwing really well. We feel like he ought to be in our weekend rotation anyway. So we've decided he's pitching on Tuesday, and we'll go from there.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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