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MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPMarch 9, 2018Brian DutcherMatt MitchellDevin WatsonJalen McDanielsLas Vegas, Nevada San Diego State - 90, Nevada - 73 BRIAN DUTCHER: Just real happy to have found a way to beat a really good Nevada team. They're an NCAA tournament team, there's no question about it. We definitely benefited from having the numbers they had versus ours, that they had to play back-to-back. I thought that our guys did a really nice job in the first half and built a lead and then the second half was tough. They were coming at us hard, forcing us into playing a tempo we didn't want to play with a lead. We knew that was going to happen. We wanted to take care of the ball, I think we got cautious against the pressure, but they never gave up. Nevada has a very talented, very tough-minded team. We very fortunate to have beaten them today. We're excited to have a chance to play for the conference championship tomorrow and get a chance to get in the NCAA Tournament Sunday on selection time. With that being said, we will take any questions. Q. What did you learn, if anything, from playing Nevada and beating them last weekend at your place? JALEN McDANIELS: We learned that we've just got to play hard all the time. They're a tough team. We've got to be tougher than them. Stick to it on the defensive end and just get stops. And we get stops converts in the offense. Q. Talk about coming out like you did with the first three 3s you took, kind of set the tone for the team at the very beginning, you guys kind of took off from there. What were you seeing out there on the court? DEVIN WATSON: They kept going under me. So as they kept going under me I just had to be aggressive and take my shots and they went in. Just being aggressive, taking what the defense was giving me. Q. What were you guys seeing out there like on the court, like everything you were throwing up pretty much went in? What was that feeling like, and how did it all come about? DEVIN WATSON: Just momentum. Seeing the ball go through the hoop. Everybody making shots and it was just a great feeling, just momentum. Q. Did you guys feel like there was a little bit of extra stuff going on in this game? It was really physical in the beginning, bodies hitting the floor. Did that motivate you, you really wanted to put it to them? JALEN McDANIELS: We knew they were going to have to come out like that. We had to match them and go beyond them and I felt like we did it. Q. Matt, you hit the deck a couple of times and then came back, and you were going pretty hard. What was going on out there with you? MATT MITCHELL: It was just physicality, just competitiveness. That's really all it is. Nothing more than that. And just two teams wanted to win, and win the Mountain West Championship. Q. How much momentum do you feel you have going into the final game tomorrow the way you're playing? MATT MITCHELL: I feel like we have a lot. Winning the way that we did, and doing what we did, just playing like a team and really defending hard and getting after it. I feel like we have a lot of momentum, a lot of confidence going into tomorrow's championship game. Q. They always say you want to play your best basketball at the end of the season. You guys seem to be firing on all cylinders. What point during the season did it click, eight in a row you guys have won? JALEN McDANIELS: I think after that last Nevada game at their place, you know, we put a stop to it. We just had come closer as a team, play hard every game, every possession. Every possession counts, especially on the defensive end. I feel like on the defensive end we've been getting stops and it's been converting to easy offense. I feel like that's the difference. Q. As freshmen are you surprised that you guys have been able to be so productive, not only throughout the season but obviously late and through this tournament so far? You guys are young, you're freshmen, you've come in and played so well. Is that surprising to you? What was your attitude coming into the season and as the season started progressing? JALEN McDANIELS: It's not surprising. We've been playing basketball for a long time. We just want to go out there and compete, play at a high level. And I feel like us two, we've been doing that. And the freshmen, okay, we're not freshmen anymore, the season is almost over. Q. You go to halftime with just a 30-point lead. First of all, I'm sure you didn't expect to be up by 30 against Reno at the half. But to come into the second half and not left down. MATT MITCHELL: Really, it was just listening to the coaching staff and sticking to our game plan was what kept us going. Knowing they were going to come out harder than they did in the first half, came out harder in the second half. Just going into halftime we were just sticking to the game plan, keep getting stops, keep rebounding, playing hard, and just finish the game out. Q. Before the game I noticed you and a bunch of other players, you finished shooting really early. You were like ready on the bench, ready to play. What was that feeling like? Did you have a calm over you or did you just know you were ready for this type of game? DEVIN WATSON: It was the calm before the storm. We wanted to go out and play and handle business, and get to the next one, get to the championship. Q. How hungry is this team to win tomorrow and go to the NCAA tournament? DEVIN WATSON: Very hungry. I'm itching right now we want it so bad. Q. Eight games ago did you guys think that you'd be in this position? DEVIN WATSON: Yeah, we knew it was going to start clicking, we definitely knew it. Q. What do you think was the main reason for the change? You touched on it, but if you could put one thing, what clicked? DEVIN WATSON: Tired of losing. We knew our potential. We knew how good we could be, we just wanted to prove it to ourselves and to everybody. Q. You've been on the bench for a lot of basketball games in your career. Where does the first half of this game rank as far as a half a basketball that you've been on the bench for? BRIAN DUTCHER: You know, when you start making shots like that, the basket gets the size of the ocean. And when that happens everything seems to be good. Devin started us. They ducked under some ball screens. He made some early 3s. And obviously we did a good job sharing the ball. Nevada is a very good team. And we were very fortunate to get off to the start we did, and then we just continued to play upon that momentum. And we took it into halftime, told them at halftime, Don't give up any 3s, don't turn the ball over, rebound the ball, and share the ball. And we did that for most of the second half. Down the stretch they really bothered us, jumping up into us, trapping all over the place. As a coach I don't want to finish the game like that. I told them in the locker room, I don't want that to diminish how great I thought they played this game and how proud I was of them and that we're one game short of our dream, which is to go to the NCAA tournament. Q. You've been around for a long time. You don't think this loss will jeopardize their chances in terms of getting in? BRIAN DUTCHER: Absolutely not. They've got as good a résumé as anybody out there. And I would hope that they would look at us as a quality loss. That we're a pretty good team ourselves. And it's not a bad loss in March. We've got a good team. And by beating them that's our -- I know they're talking tiers. That would be our third tier 1 win, with Gonzaga and beating Nevada twice. We're quietly putting a pretty good résumé together. Q. Might it cost them a few seeding spots? BRIAN DUTCHER: I don't know, I don't pay too close attention on that, so focused on my own team. Q. You've had good success getting to the finals but recently you've had not very much success in the finals. You've talked about that all season, wanting to reverse that. You've been on the bench the last four finals that you lost. What have you learned from that that you might apply heading into tomorrow's final? BRIAN DUTCHER: Everyone is so different, the game tomorrow will be so different just based on who wins this second game. The tempo of it, the way it's played, the strategy. And so it's matchups. So I remember back when Wyoming beat us, Coach Shy did a great job controlling tempo. We played Fresno and lost in the finals. Marvelle Harris put on a magnificent performance. It's one play, one rebound, I know we will compete at a high level. But so will the other team. It's a one-and-done situation. I know our team will be ready and so will our opponent. It will be a great matchup, whoever it is. Q. Back to the whole freshmen thing. As a coach, is it exciting to have young players be so composed and play so well on the bigger stage here and throughout the year? How exciting is it to have that on the team? BRIAN DUTCHER: It's great. And they're playing pretty free, because a lot of the plays we're running through Trey, we're running through Malik. And we run plays for those kids, but they're playing off the others. And if you're going to be good in March it's great to have great senior play. And so we're finally healthy. Trey is healthy, Malik is healthy. And that goes a long way with how we're playing. Trey coming back started this 8-game winning streak. Trey's contributions have been enormous. Malik is playing his best basketball now. Kameron Rooks, our other senior, has come on since Senior Day against Nevada and given us three really good games. And so the freshmen, all they have to do is follow the senior's lead. And if they do that they'll continue to have that kind of success. Q. Kam gave you a big lift against Nevada like he did six days ago. And he was in that stretch when you really started to pull away. What is it about him and his game that you think causes them problems? BRIAN DUTCHER: Someone once told me you can't coach 7-1. He's a big man. And he uses his height and his physicality to his advantage and our advantage. So I know he didn't want to get all the falls he got today, but he's a presence underneath there and it makes a difference. We're real fortunate having him playing his best basketball in March. And hopefully he will continue to do that tomorrow in the game. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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