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NCAA MEN'S 1ST AND 2ND ROUNDS: BOISEMarch 17, 2018Chris HoltmannKeita Bates-DiopKam WilliamsBoise, Idaho Gonzaga - 90, Ohio State - 84 THE MODERATOR: We'd like to welcome Ohio State. CHRIS HOLTMANN: Give Mark and his kids a lot of credit. I think they're really good. I think they can make another really deep run. He's got a phenomenal program. We begin by just giving Gonzaga a lot of credit for making the plays down the stretch. I was really proud of our guys' spirit, competitive spirit. It's been that way all year. We've got a special bunch, and it's disappointing to see it end because we have such a special group of guys. We'll leave it at that. Q. Obviously not the ideal start to the game. They scored the first 15 points. What was going on that allowed you to get off to a slow start there? KEITA BATES-DIOP: It wasn't how we like to be. But we tried to stay calm. I was proud of how we fought. Q. On the flip side of that, how were you able to fight back after being down by so much early to get back a lead and be able to maintain it, although it obviously didn't end how you wanted it to go? KAM WILLIAMS: It's a long game, 40 minutes, it's a lot of possessions, you've got to keep chipping away and keep staying positive. You have to believe in yourself and your brothers. Anything is possible. Obviously we didn't come off with a win. I couldn't be more proud with our coaches and players the way we fought today. We're just extremely proud. Q. Zach and Rui both had big games. How big were those two? How many issues were they giving you defensively? KEITA BATES-DIOP: They gave us a lot of issues. They got some easy baskets. Give them credit, they made some tough shots especially down the stretch. They both made their free throws down the stretch, too. They're great players, a good team. Q. I was curious, have you made a decision yet on your future in terms of what your plans are? And if not, what will go into that decision in terms of potentially going into the draft? KEITA BATES-DIOP: I haven't thought about it. I want to spend this time with my team. Q. Seemed like the momentum was swinging, but they had a 11-0 run. What did you see during the run? What happened down the stretch there? KAM WILLIAMS: We got beat on the 50/5 balls, on the glass a little bit. Just tough plays we didn't have at the most crucial point in the game and it cost us. Q. If you could talk about Zach and Rui, those two players. It seemed like they were the difference makers. Talk about those two and what kind of issues they were giving you guys. CHRIS HOLTMANN: Their two 3s were really the difference. Zach's 3 in the corner off, it looked like, a step-back corner 3 that was really well defended by Andre Wesson was a crushing blow. And then obviously 21's 3 there -- I think it's the first one he's made since December. So I just was told that. It's nice to hear. But, yeah, those were crushing. Q. Certainly you're talking about how much different this team was than when you played them before. It was pretty evident out there. Seeing that game transpire, is it everything you hoped as far as seeing where this team has come? CHRIS HOLTMANN: Yeah, obviously you'd like for it to end differently, obviously. But we've evolved as you hope a team has evolved. It's hard when you take over a program. And obviously took it over midsummer. You're trying to figure them out. They're trying to figure you out. You're also trying to figure out your guys' strengths and what triggers to pull with guys. And just what guys you can challenge in what areas. And you're learning their strengths, too, strengths and weaknesses, and how to put them in the best position and I think that took some time for us. This group really turned a corner at some point. And I think it was maybe after the PK-80. And after the Clemson game it turned a corner and flipped the switch and we were really never the same. And it was all positive. We just kept growing together. I've been proud of a lot of teams but this one is up there. Q. It certainly didn't start off that way. They scored the first 15 points. Were you having flashbacks to that first game? What did you see that made you guys have a little bit of slow start at the beginning of the game? CHRIS HOLTMANN: Missed layups. And maybe nerves. Maybe nerves. Or I think we missed four point-blank layups that we don't normally -- we're going to miss a few in the game, but not four in a matter of the first four minutes. They were making plays, too. Gonzaga was good, too. I think Gonzaga can get to another Final Four. I thought they were really good. After we played them once we said that, and I just think they're really good. Mark does an incredible job with them. He does an incredible job with them. Q. What is kind of the challenge in defending Gonzaga, because they can throw so many options at you? CHRIS HOLTMANN: It's their balance and the number of weapons that they have. Williams is a load but we handled him okay. Tillie can make obviously open shots and you have to know where he's at. We really struggled with Perkins in game one. Really struggled with him. And we handled him a little bit better in this game. But then you have Norvell that goes off to 26, 28. They're what you want a program to be, and that is year after year after year they have good, young players, or players sitting out or whatever. So there's never going to be a significant dip in the program. It's what you want in an elite program. A good recruiting class and a system in place and culture in place, and Gonzaga has all that. And that's a credit to Mark and his program. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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