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NCAA MEN'S 1ST AND 2ND ROUNDS: PITTSBURGH

March 17, 2018

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Villanova - 81, Alabama - 58

COACH JOHNSON: First of all; we want to congratulate Villanova. They played an outstanding game. They were really prolific from behind the three-point line. They are tough to go and when they're making threes at that rate. They're an experienced team. They know what they're doing. Obviously, in the second half, when the game got out of hand, it looked like, they were a team that has played deep in the NCAA Tournament and obviously with that championship pedigree.

But Jay's done a nice job. He's had a nice -- just a terrific run at Villanova, really respect what they've done. We just want to, first of all, congratulate them.

I'm really proud of our team. I am so proud of our team, and I told them that in the locker room. A lot of -- all of our players and coaches and staff, Alabama wasn't their only option. They had options to go and play and go to school and workplaces all over the country, but they made a decision to come to Alabama. And because of that decision, Alabama basketball is in a better place than where it was several years ago.

So, the three gentlemen along with the rest of the guys on the team, they played their hearts out. Not many teams in the country can survive a five-game losing streak at the end of the season, going into tournament play, and not only survive, but advance in the SEC tournament like we did, and win a game in the NCAA Tournament.

So, I'm really proud. We're disappointed that we lost, but I'm proud of your guys.

Q. This question is for Collin. It seems like you were forcing your offense once they went on their run. Why weren't you guys able to, I guess, you know, pull up -- pull back into the lead?
COLLIN SEXTON: Huh? Say the question again.

Q. You guys started forcing you offense in the second half. What happened? Why couldn't you pull back up in the lead?
COLLIN SEXTON: Honestly, a situation like that, sometimes we just start rushing and trying to get a shot up, so we can stop the bleeding, and that's about it. That's what I can say.

Q. Follow-up question to that. Are you going to go pro in the NBA draft?
COLLIN SEXTON: Right now, I'm worried about my team and celebrating with my team because we had a great season. Also, I got to finish school, and I'm trying to finish with a 4.0.

Q. Two question for Collin. What do you feel you guys proved in this tournament?
COLLIN SEXTON: I feel like -- honestly, I feel like we proved a lot. Starting with the SEC tournament. We had heart. We showed people that we have heart, and we don't give up. We lost five straight and came back from that and we made it here. Everybody counted us out, and I felt like we just kept fighting and kept pushing.

Q. Secondly, you have a head coach that's been an NBA coach. What things are you looking at in terms of one way or another --
COACH JOHNSON: He already answered that question. Let's get another question for the other two guys.

Q. I'll ask another question for Donta. What do you feel like is the difference in this game overall?
DONTA HALL: Just momentum changes. We had momentum at one point; they had momentum at another point. Just them shooting the ball really well tonight. We couldn't pursue too much on that, so I feel like that was a lot of the part of the game tonight.

Q. Collin, either of you guys, any of you guys, why is Villanova so impressive? Why are they so difficult to defend and how do they stack up against the other really good teams you played so far this year?
DAZON INGRAM: Villanova, they could stretch you out. They got us shooting all around. They play like a four round win, so, I mean, it's very hard to defend once they are knocking down shots. And they can get you off your feet if you go for the pump-fake, and they can get in the lane, find another player, and they are going to knock down the shot. So, we didn't do a very good job of defending the three-point tonight, so, and they hit 17 of them.

Q. Avery, is this -- Villanova is that the blueprint where you want to get this Alabama team?
COACH JOHNSON: Well, definitely shooting the basketball. The plays work a lot better when you can make threes. To piggyback on something Dazon said, even in the first half when we were in position, they made contested three-point shots. The one they made right before the end of the first half, we're in their face. And the guy steps back and makes a three.

But, you know, a lot of their guy or most of their guys all can pass, dribble and shoot. You can see a blueprint on even have fives and centers that can stretch the floor. When you got centers that can make three, that's kind of that Euro-style type offense, and that's not only where the NBA game has gone but that's where the collegiate game is. And that's a pretty good blueprint on that style of play.

Q. Coach, just curious, in terms of when you looked at scouting them. You knew they had guys that can shoot from the perimeter. It's one thing to see it, but then in the game what did you see throughout the first half that had you going? They're hanging but getting the shots they can get?
COACH JOHNSON: Yeah. Just start. Especially playing against Virginia Tech yesterday, I thought that was going to be really good practice for us coming into this game because they made seven on us in the first half. And basically, this is a similar team with similar style of play.

But they just had a different energy level than we had also in the second half. We just didn't have that next step. We weren't moving as fast on some of our rotations, and then we just came up empty early in the first half offensively. But, I know a lot of times, when you don't win, you always look at what you don't do. But you just got to give them credit. There are a lot of teams that would have loved to have been in our shoes to play an incredible game like we did in the first round and advance to the second round.

I still think it's a step in the right direction. We talked about it as a team, in the locker room. And I just think we're going somewhere. We just -- you know, and it's taking the amount of time of what I thought. Year three, this is where we wanted to be.

Q. Just to follow up on Collin. I know I was asking him a question, but advice for him, what advice were you giving him or will you give him when it comes to what decision he will make?
COACH JOHNSON: One of the things we like to do at Alabama is the advice we give our student-athletes is what's in the best interest for them and their family. And we've said all along, we would love for every student-athlete on our team to graduate from Alabama, go on to lead productive lives in the community, hopefully have a family, and be, you know, a great role model as a husband and a father.

If they own their own business, be the best CEO of that business. For those who have next-level talent, we want them to have a long professional career. But whatever is in the best interest. But we've also said that we like to recruit kids that maybe have that talent that can get them to the professional ranks earlier than later.

But we're not holding any of our players back. We feel that we want to serve them. We're not here to use them. We're here to serve them and whatever's best for them and their family, that's what we're going to recommend. And that's pretty much our entire, you know, administration feels the same way. We had our president here for our first game. It was a blessing, because Dr. Bell's been there with us, and he's been to a lot of games. And when the schedule permits, and obviously, you know, Greg Byrne, our athletic director, we're all on the same page. We're all unified, and whatever's best for our student-athlete, that's how we want to serve them.

Q. Avery, you've built a solid base in the first three years. What's the next step and how do you get there?
COACH JOHNSON: Well, we could develop our players even better. Those who have different weaknesses in their games, we just got to help them get better. Obviously, we didn't shoot the ball as well as I wanted us to throughout the year. We didn't take care of the ball. Our assist-to-turnover ratio wasn't very good, but I just think we got to continue to develop. And I think if we can keep this team together, at least most of them, if we can just keep them together and keep adding to it, then we'll start to have -- our freshmen will be sophomores and now they have -- not only regular season and SEC tournament experience but also NCAA tournament experience, and it's real.

And now Donta Hall will be a senior next year and will be in the program next four years, and you see how we developed him and we'll have a group of freshmen coming in. I think in terms of having it staggered with freshmen, experienced juniors and seniors back that can provide that continuity, they will be able to help deliver my message because of all of those experiences.

Q. Yesterday, you said that Villanova reminds you of Phoenix Suns, you know, the teams you coached against, and Brunson remind us of Steve Nash that can post up a little bit. Is there a player that Mikal Bridges reminds you of?
COACH JOHNSON: Mikal? Wow. He probably plays like Iguodala a little bit with a better jump shot. That type of long rangy type of a guy. Yeah. I would say somebody like that. But he just shoots it really good. But I know a lot of these kids, they really don't -- I use the Steve Nash example, but I know a lot of kids they don't want to be compared to current players, they want to make a name for themselves.

Thanks. Roll Tide!

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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NCAA MEN'S 1ST AND 2ND ROUNDS: PITTSBURGH

March 17, 2018

Collin Sexton

Avery Johnson

Dazon Ingram

Donta Hall