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NCAA MEN'S 1ST AND 2ND ROUNDS: BOISEMarch 15, 2018T.J. OtzelbergerMike DaumReed TellinghuisenDavid Jenkins Jr.Boise, Idaho Ohio State - 81, South Dakota State - 73 THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome South Dakota State. T.J. OTZELBERGER: That was a very high-level basketball game. A lot of credit to Ohio State. They played differently than they play each game. They decided to go small, switch a lot of screens. And credit to Coach Holtmann, he does a phenomenal job. Really proud of the young men in our program. We didn't come here for a moral victory. We certainly didn't come here to lose. At the same time we got ourselves in tough spots, down 13 in the first half, down 10 in the second half, and brought it back, which speaks volumes to the character of the guys I'm fortunate to coach each day. They made more plays down the stretch and they came out with a win and credit to them. Q. You were matched up against Bates-Diop a lot of the game, did anything surprise you? MIKE DAUM: Bates-Diop is a great player. For him to be able to shoot the way he does at the height makes him a tough guard and his ability to take you off the dribble. When I was on him I tried to keep my chest in front of him and contest the 3-pointers he was taking. Q. They go on that 16-0 run, the game looks like out of hand and then you storm back. What did you do to get back in the game? What does it say about the team to not give up? REED TELLINGHUISEN: Yeah, I mean it just shows the togetherness of our group of guys. We've been together, we fought through a lot of adversity throughout the year. And they made their push and then we kind of popped back. But in the end they hit big shots. You've got to give credit to them. DAVID JENKINS JR.: We just made sure we kept a fast pace throughout the whole game. We knew they were bigger, a strong team, we knew we had to go and push it at them up and down the court. We kept doing that throughout the whole game. And I feel like that helped us. MIKE DAUM: It just shows how together our team was, no matter what was going on in the game, we just always huddled together, kept our game plan, stuck for each other. And we were able to get ourselves back into it. Q. I know you had a big first half, 17 points, second half only 10. Were they doing something to limit you in the second half? Were they making adjustments guarding you or what were your thoughts on that? MIKE DAUM: I think they pressed up more when I was out on the perimeter, forced me to take more contested 3s than anything else. Then I tried to go in the paint in the second half. I thought they did a good job of adjusting from the first half. Q. When you look back on your season, on your career, how much will it mean you haven't got a NCAA Tournament win yet? REED TELLINGHUISEN: It's awesome that we've made it to three. It's always going to hurt that we could never get a W in this environment. But I just look back, the guys I've got to play with and the coaches I've been coached by. I would not be in any other place than South Dakota State. Q. Their guard play was really good tonight, the 42 points. How big was their guard play today and what did you see from the guards? DAVID JENKINS JR.: The guard play was really good tonight, and felt like they really kept a good pace, as well. We tried to keep our chest in front of them. But the guards stepped in front of the bigs. Q. A big decision on your future, NBA or otherwise, just take me through the time line. MIKE DAUM: Honestly, I haven't really thought much about it. I've got to kind of let this settle in for me. I've got to finish my school this year. So make sure I get my credits all done, and I'll worry about it when it comes down the line a little bit later. Q. They run that big 16-0 run but you guys fought back. What were you able to do to get yourself back in the game and give yourself a chance to win it there late? T.J. OTZELBERGER: We've played all year faster style of play. And when you do that there's runs both ways. We talk about moving on to the next play. We have a lot of spurtability offensively. Our guys keep their composure, share the basketball, we know it's going to come back around. Had it happen to us twice in this game. Q. Not the time to reflect back on the season as a whole or some of these individual players' careers, but when you say good-bye to players like Reed and Lane and Ian, how much have they meant to the program and you as an individual, and what will be your lasting memory of those three? T.J. OTZELBERGER: I'm thankful for those three. From the first day, they've been unbelievable teammates and workers, great students and citizens. I've got a tremendous amount of respect for those three guys, and they'll be missed. They did something that many of us aren't fortunate enough to do, they came into a place that experienced success and took it to another level. They'll always be remembered as a group that left the Jackrabbit jersey in a better place. We hope that this is just -- even though they're leaving us in terms of eligibility, but they're part of our extended family moving forward and we'll see a whole lot of those three guys. Q. How much is it going to start to get to this program that you still haven't won a game in the tournament? T.J. OTZELBERGER: I think our focus will continue to just remain on improving every day and being at our best. And we're not a program looking at results driven. We certainly have a high expectation for what we can do and what we can accomplish. But it's not going to be something that overshadows all these things these guys have accomplished on the court, in the classroom, in the community. Any time you lose it's not what we're in this for. We play to win. But I don't think that will overshadow what these guys continue to accomplish on a daily basis. Q. Did it feel like a home game in there tonight? How much did the fan support help you guys? T.J. OTZELBERGER: It was a great feel. It's an awesome college venue. We're fortunate that we had tremendous fan support. They came out. We've been lucky with that all year long, loyal fans, and I think a few others maybe jumped in with us as well, for one reason or another. I'd like to think our guys showed fight and they're a fun group to pull for. But it was exciting and our guys certainly fed off that energy. Q. I know you kind of talked briefly about it, switching to small ball. C.J. and Kam combined for 42 points, how big were those two in the second half, how much difficulties did they give your defense there? T.J. OTZELBERGER: Yeah, they did a tremendous job. Those guys are really good players. And then certainly Kam at the end stepping up hitting the big 3 and getting the 4-point play and the foul shots. They're coached, as you can tell, they're very well schooled and disciplined and those guys stepped up and made big plays throughout the second half. But none stand out more in my mind than the ones Kam made that separated them to get the victory. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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