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NCAA MEN'S REGIONAL SEMIFINALS AND FINALS: BOSTONMarch 22, 2018Keenan EvansTommy Hamilton IVJustin GrayZach SmithBoston, Massachusetts THE MODERATOR: We're joined by the student-athletes from Texas Tech. From left to right, we have Keenan Evans, Tommy Hamilton IV, Justin Gray, and Zach Smith. At this time, we'll take questions for the student-athletes. Q. Keenan, what is your identity on defense? Why are you good on defense? KEENAN EVANS: Just trying to read passes, jump lanes, and force the issue and make players uncomfortable. TOMMY HAMILTON IV: And also because we have Coach Adams. Q. Coach was in here and said that the way you guys have kind of pushed through injuries that maybe other guys might not even be playing. What is it about all of this that makes you put up with the pain? KEENAN EVANS: Just the encouragement of my teammates, the coaching staff, and my trainers helping me and Zach get healthy has just helped us push through the pain. They take some of it away, and once the game gets going, the adrenaline gets flowing, it helps it a lot. ZACH SMITH: Yeah, like he said, just the team, how high this feeling is, the training staff, Chris Williams, just being able to get me ready, get us out here and ready to play. Q. Just why? What's so important about this? That no matter how much the pain, you just want to keep playing? KEENAN EVANS: Being a senior. Being a senior. It's our last go round. I told myself I wanted to get back to the NCAA Tournament. So here we are back in the NCAA Tournament, and this is it. Like you want to go out with a fight. ZACH SMITH: Yeah, being a senior. Last year being -- love for the game, love for being out there on the court. And what else am I going to do? Q. Justin, what about this Purdue matchup is a challenge for you guys? JUSTIN GRAY: Definitely their inside game with the Haas and Haarms. Obviously, they're 7'2", 7'3", so they're very big and very talented. For our defense, we're still working on how we're going to defend that and try to stop them and force tough shots. Also, their three-point ability is very good, probably the best we've seen this season. Especially in transition. They like to run set plays to get open threes. For our defense, we have to lock down in the half-court and just take that away and force them to take tougher shots and force turnovers and convert off those. Q. This is for any of you guys: You guys haven't gone out for practice yet, but when you step out on that Boston Garden floor and look up at those banners, what's the vibe going to be like for you guys knowing the rich history in this building? TOMMY HAMILTON IV: We're very fortunate to be here. It's a great opportunity to have a chance to play in an arena like this where so many great players have came through, and we're just enjoying the moment and experience and having fun as a team. Q. Keenan, Carsen Edwards mentioned maybe you guys had played against each other in high school. Do you recall? KEENAN EVANS: Yeah, he put me out of the playoffs my senior year. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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