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MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 14, 2019

Las Vegas, Nevada

Fresno State - 76, Air Force - 50

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson and student-athletes Deshon Taylor, Nate Grimes and Aguir Agau. Coach, an opening statement.

COACH HUTSON: I thought our defensive intensity was another level tonight. We picked up and we wanted to pressure them a little bit. And hats off to them. They came in to Save Mart Center in Fresno and kicked our butt. And I think we had our guys' attention.

They're a great staff over there. What they run is very hard to guard. But I was very proud of our guys paying attention to detail, what we were doing on the defensive end.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. How much do you think that performance on Saturday, seeing the ball go through the hoop against San Jose State, and just kind of carried over maybe to tonight?
COACH HUTSON: You know, you guys ask me those things, and I don't know if they really carry over or not to tell you the truth. I just know we try to practice hard every day. And we come out and want to be confident every day.

Braxton made 10 3s in that game and he didn't make many tonight. I don't know about the carry-over. I just think we have a good team that likes to share the ball. Deshon had 10 assists tonight and one turnover. When you do that and the ball's moving I think we have a chance to make some shots.

Q. You said you saw that the team ready to avenge that Air Force loss, you had their attention with regards to that. When did you notice that, and were you seeing different things in practice in the lead-up?
COACH HUTSON: We've been practicing very well actually. But I do know there was a little extra edge with it being the postseason and also with playing Air Force who beat us at home.

Q. Deshon, this being your last go-around here in the Mountain West Tournament, just how dialed in or how focused in are you with regard to this tournament?
DESHON TAYLOR: I'm just taking one game at a time, but I feel that everybody is really dialed in right now. And just trying to play as hard as we can every night.

Q. What was different about tonight as opposed to the Save Mart Center when Air Force beat you?
DESHON TAYLOR: Better defensive and I'd say better ball movement. We had 23 assists, nine turnovers. Last time at our place we didn't move our ball well we had a lot of turnovers. That's what helped them get the win.

Q. Aguir, you've been working on your shot?
AGUIR AGAU: I have, yeah.

Q. What happened tonight?
AGUIR AGAU: Me and Coach Shelton, our assistant, we get in the gym every single day and we work on pace and rhythm. That's what I focused on today when I was shooting.

Q. How good does it feel to see the ball go through the hoop like that?
AGUIR AGAU: It feels great. It feels great.

Q. Deshon, one comment on Aguir. What could he mean to your team when he's playing like that?
DESHON TAYLOR: He means everything to us. When Sam got in foul trouble, he come in and just played his game. I tell him to be confident in the game, shoot the shots you shoot and everything will fall into place.

Q. So, Utah State, you've won, both those games decided by two points total this year. Why have those matchups been so competitive?
DESHON TAYLOR: Two great teams. Just two great teams. Two well-coached teams that try to go out there and win and it shows.

Q. Aguir, you're long and you're lean, but when you go out to the arc and you're draining 3s, you are giving space to Deshon, to Braxton. Deshon, how big of a help is it when you have a guy like Aguir with his size being able to draw the defense out to the arc?
DESHON TAYLOR: That's kind of our whole team, everybody can shoot. Me getting my guy involved as much as I can, opening the lanes for me and opening the lanes for our other point guards as well.

Q. Nate, big challenge going up to Queta tomorrow. What is the key for you going up against a player that has that kind of size and mobility?
NATE GRIMES: Go hard, just got to go hard. That's all it is.

Q. Watching this game tonight and seeing Braxton Huggins having a tough night, but it seemed more because of his defensive intensity was so deep, did you guys find a different level going back to those last few minutes of the San Diego State game where it looked like it was a loss and suddenly magic in a bottle?
DESHON TAYLOR: What do you mean?

Q. What I mean is it seems like this team has taken the defensive intensity that you have to a different level. And it seemed to go to that level in those last couple of minutes in that San Diego State game.
DESHON TAYLOR: I'd say scouting report, we've seen teams, when they press Air Force, they kind of turn the ball a little bit. So we try to do the same thing and it help us.

Q. You're one of three coaches in the -- eight head coaches that coached under Fish. What does that say about the impact he's had on this game?
COACH HUTSON: For Coach Fish? He's a great man. He's a better than he is a coach. And he's a really good coach. So I was happy I had a chance to work for him and learn from him.

Q. Could we see more of the press tomorrow? I know you don't want to give away the game plan. But Utah State turned the ball over 24 times tonight against the New Mexico press. Let me ask you this, how effective and how different does your team play when it's pressing, getting out and running and bringing that kind of intensity defensively?
COACH HUTSON: It jump starts us a little bit more. Makes us play a little harder at the start. We've had problems with bad starts before. We wanted to put some pressure on Air Force and not be on our heels. We wanted to try to put them on their heels. If we were a little deeper, we could do it a little bit more. But we'll see tomorrow.

Q. Just talk a little bit about that Utah State matchup. It's Friday night; it's the Mountain West Tournament and you two guys have been nip and tuck this year. What is it about these two teams that you guys seem to match up with each other really well?
COACH HUTSON: A lot of good players out on the floor. So it's a tough matchup for both teams. And hats off to them. They've had a great season. Hats off to our guys. We've had a good season. So it's going to be an exciting game tomorrow.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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