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NCAA MEN'S 1ST AND 2ND ROUNDS: DETROITMarch 18, 2018LaVall JordanTyler WidemanKelan MartinKamar BaldwinDetroit, Michigan Purdue - 76, Butler - 73 THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Butler. We'll open with a statement from Coach Jordan and then open the floor to questions for the players. COACH JORDAN: It's like the rest of the games this weekend, heck of a game. Obviously we got a ton of respect for Purdue and Coach Painter and their program. And that's what you would expect when Butler's playing Purdue to go to the Sweet 16. I think March is defined as much by those moments as just -- you can see -- and I know I see it in our locker room -- it's palpable, just the feelings that teams have for one another, the bonds that grow, and nobody wants to stop playing together. Nobody wants those moments to end. Nobody wants their journey to be over. So you fight. And I thought we fought. And they fought. Somebody has to advance and somebody goes home. And they had the last shot to go up. We had a shot that could have kept us playing. And it didn't go in. But I'm extremely proud of this group, extremely thankful for how they embraced the change in staff and how they represented Butler University this entire run. THE MODERATOR: Questions? Q. Kelan, talk about the transition this year and playing for Coach Jordan who played in the program and how this was for you being a senior. KELAN MARTIN: I think it was a fun transition going from Coach Holtmann to him. Obviously had another coaching change. So just had to get to know all the coaches and things like that. And then I think it just turned out well this year. And I want to thank him for having me on this team this year. Q. Kamar, when you had that running shot from almost mid-court at the end, what did you think when you released? Did you think you had a try, or could you tell right away that it was a little bit off? KAMAR BALDWIN: I thought it had a shot of going in. Q. Tyler, can you put in words for us what -- you're a senior, what are you going through right now; what's in your head? TYLER WIDEMAN: That it was a fun season with a great group of guys. Looking forward to see how our team progresses next year, and all the progress they'll be able to make, and I'm looking forward to watching them play next year. Q. Kelan, what was the key to your offensive performance scoring 29 points tonight? KELAN MARTIN: Just really attacking the paint. Getting easy scores. Coach kept telling us to attack, don't look to get fouled, but they'll foul you when you get in the paint. Obviously we did a good job of that, just attacking the paint. We just came up short. But we fought hard tonight, and you can't ask more from us. Q. Kelan, when you reflect back on your four-year Butler career, what will you think about? KELAN MARTIN: Just everything, how I've grown from freshman to senior year, went through three coaching changes. Just a lot. I've grown, matured more, came from a little boy to a man. And the coaches always pushed me and my teammates pushed me to get better each and every day. And, I mean, I just can't put it in words. I'm going to miss this team. And I love every single person on this team, even the coaching staff. It's just -- I'm just going to miss it. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. Questions for Coach. Q. Coming back to coach at your alma mater and having a pretty decently successful season, can you tell us some of your thoughts this first season with Butler. COACH JORDAN: My thought right now is I wish I could still be coaching this team. I think you couldn't ask for this group of guys to put more, to put themselves out there more than they did. Again, for some of them. And so obviously thankful for the opportunity to come back. It was very special. Unique. But as you get into this, what we're in this for, as mentors and teachers, the relationships, you love being around these guys. Every day at practice, this group, they came and they embraced and they were willing to learn. So I just wish we could have done better so we could still coach them for a few more practices and at least one more game. Q. Did you think that Vincent Edward's block on Kamar's layup there with about a minute left almost may have been the play of the game? And also both halves tactically, strategically, did you guys pretty much do what you intended to do offensively and defensively? COACH JORDAN: Yeah, I think there's so many plays. And when you're in this moment, obviously that was a heck of a play to chase it down and block it off the glass. But in that, like I said, neither team wants for the journey to be over. They've got seniors that stepped up in a big way, with Vince and Dakota, and a senior go out. So they're fighting for him. We've got a couple of seniors that are fighting. Plays are being made the entire game. It's intense. So you expect it, guys to step up and do those things. I think, tactically, I thought we dealt with our pressure well. We had eight turnovers. We had 17 the first time when we saw them in December. I thought we got decent shots on the rim. And we kept them off the foul line in the second half. The first half we didn't do as good of a job. It came down to the 3-point line, which you knew, obviously with Haas out, that the 3-point line would be a huge factor. And at the end of the day Mathias steps up and drills one. And talk about a senior stepping up in a big moment, and we could have done a better job there. But everything else, I thought we attacked the paint well. I thought we finished. You look up, we shoot almost 50 percent. We just couldn't make them miss enough in the second half. Q. What kind of legacy do you think this senior class will leave for Butler University basketball? COACH JORDAN: Yeah, I told them in the locker room, we're going to miss those two guys. I think they leave a legacy of the same as the classes that have been through Butler before them; that they showed toughness, they showed resiliency, grit. They went down fighting to the very last possession. And that is what, I think, defined us all year, if you go back to some games where we were down and fought back and won them to this one here. And those guys were -- we talk about growth from now on, I think they'll be a big part of the conversation, just to know where they were when I walked in the door, what they went through and how they had to make big jumps as leaders to get us to where we were today to have a shot to do this. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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