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NCAA MEN'S FIRST FOUR: DAYTON

March 19, 2019

Dayton, Ohio

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Arizona State student-athletes Remy Martin and Zylan Cheatham. Questions?

Q. Remy, can you give us an update on how you feel and maybe just from the game last week to now just how that progression has been?
REMY MARTIN: It's been very well. John, our tremendous trainer, has been doing very good, working on me and getting me ready for tomorrow. Today, we took a light practice. I'm on the court. And I'm feeling good. I'm feeling good.

We're at March Madness. I'm healthy. I'll be healthy when I get on the court. I'm just here to help my team win. But I'm feeling good. Took it light today, felt nice. I'll be ready for tomorrow.

Q. Just the way that you came back on Friday and obviously pushed through when you weren't 100 percent, could you just talk about how much it means to you, regardless, to be on the court with your guys?
REMY MARTIN: It means a lot to me. It means the world, just to go out there and compete and play the game that I love, but also for my brothers. I know that they want me on the court. And I just did whatever I could to -- nothing will stop me. We're too late in the season. We're in March Madness now. I'm going to do whatever I can to help this team. But I'll do whatever I can. It's now March. It's win, lose -- or go home. And we're here to stay.

Q. Zylan, this being your first NCAA Tournament, have you leaned on any teammates that might have been here or a coach or maybe a different mentor to give you any advice or guidance on just being on this stage?
ZYLAN CHEATHAM: Considering how much tournament I've watched just over my five years of college and pretty much my whole life, I mean, it almost seems to a certain extent like you've been here. Like I said, I've talked to my guys. I got to experience it with them last year -- not actually here, but I was in constant communication with them.

I reached out to some of my former teammates, Malik Pope, some of those guys, just to get a feel how they went about approaching each day. And everything's been pretty consistent as far as effort, and just maximizing each moment you're on the floor. And I'm extremely grateful to be here.

Q. What is Bobby's best quality as a coach?
ZYLAN CHEATHAM: My personal favorite thing about him is just the way he relates to us from a player's standpoint. Obviously he played at the highest level. He's done things that we want to accomplish as players. So he relates to us. He knows when to turn it up and expect more of you and when to put his arm around you and comfort you to a certain extent.

He's just a very relatable guy. Even practice-wise, he knows when he's going too hard, and when I was playing I know I would be tired in this case. So he knows how to tailor things like that. And he's changed my life, to be honest. So I love him as a coach and player.

REMY MARTIN: Same here. I mean, everything. Everything. Whatever I need, on and off the court, it's not only about basketball with him; it's how you're doing outside your basketball life. And he relates to us.

And I'm a point guard. He was a point guard. He's done everything that I want to do in my life. So what better guy to have than him?

Q. Zylan, you referred to this, but I'll ask both of you, growing up and throughout your life, you watched March Madness. What is it about it that it really appeals to you? And what are your favorite moments from having watched it all your lives?
ZYLAN CHEATHAM: I think what makes this so special is I mean everyone has a season. There's 300-some odd teams in the Division I level that have a season. But not everyone gets to go to this event. There's a select few handpicked teams that get to go to this event. That in itself is special.

But just the competitive atmosphere. Everybody is pretty much fighting for their lives. It's almost like a Fortnite HUNGER GAMES type of thing. It's just an unbelievable experience, a special moment for me.

I recall watching that UConn game and just seeing Kemba Walker, that whole conference tournament leading into the NCAA Tournament, just that whole run, it was unbelievable. And I can recall vividly the shots he made, just some of the moments he had. So I'd probably say that.

REMY MARTIN: One of my moments was just last year, being my freshman year, how we were watching Selection Sunday and just seeing our name come up there and everybody, especially Coach Hurley, jump in the pool and had a good time.

So as a freshman coming into this school and being able to experience that your first year with seniors that overachieved and definitely worked as hard as they could and learning from them, like, it was an amazing experience for me learning, and now we're here again.

Q. Can you just talk about what this last 24 hours has been like since you got on the bus and came out to Dayton? Has it been just a lot of we're focusing on the game, or playing some games with each other to -- some card games or something you brought to ease the mind? Or what's this 24 hours been like?
REMY MARTIN: 24 hours has been fun. I mean, just being able to know that our season's still alive, while, unfortunately, some other schools are not playing. But we're focused. We're definitely focused. But we're enjoying the moment. We're enjoying every moment that we have with them. I'm definitely enjoying every moment I'm having with this guy right here. It's his last year. So everything has been smooth and fun, but we also know what we came here to do.

ZYLAN CHEATHAM: Dating back to Selection Sunday, I'd say it's pretty much been a roller-coaster ride emotionally for me to kind of have some uncertainty, not really knowing if you're getting in, not really knowing how you're going to go out.

And then to get selected, obviously that was a joyful moment. And then to just kind of get back to earth and realize like, okay, it's time to work, it's time to make this moment even more special. So pretty much like, to piggyback off what Remy said, it's a very joyful experience, but we're really focused and ready for the next step.

Q. Can you see an advantage of being here playing in the First Four? You don't have to wait until Thursday or Friday. What's the advantage of that?
ZYLAN CHEATHAM: Yeah, obviously some people would look at it as not the most ideal situation. But we find positive in every situation. And to be here and have that quick turnaround doesn't give us time to rest, doesn't give us time to kind of -- I mean lose our sharpness to a certain extent.

And we're going to try to turn that into an advantage for us as far as coming off of a really good game in Oregon. Obviously we lost, but we played really well. We competed really hard. And we want to try to carry those type of qualities over into this tournament. And with this quick turnaround, I think it's going to be a lot better for us.

REMY MARTIN: Yeah, definitely. Just looking at the positive things, I mean, like I said, other teams are not playing right now. So, like you said, just look at the positive in everything, literally. We're happy. We're having fun.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you. We're joined by Arizona State head coach Bobby Hurley.

COACH HURLEY: Travel was very smooth and everybody was very welcoming. We're thrilled to be in the tournament and had a great practice earlier this morning. Really geared up to play.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. When you guys won and got into the NCAA Tournament last year, in what ways did it change the program? What ways did people see you guys differently?
COACH HURLEY: I think anytime that you haven't consistently gone to the NCAA Tournament, it becomes a little bit unexpected. But now for the players who were in the program last year, they went to the tournament, they experienced it.

Going into this year, that's on our list, our goals, to make the tournament again. And that's what our guys expected to do going into the season. So it kind of sets the tone and the standard for what you're trying to do.

Q. How about the way that people outside see you -- recruits, transfers, alumni?
COACH HURLEY: Our program is pretty energized at the moment. I think people are very enthusiastic about what we're building and where the direction of the program is going. Our attendance numbers were outstanding again this year at home. And there's great enthusiasm in our community about the team.

And I think we have an exciting team. We're a fun team to watch. And our community has really gotten behind what we're doing.

And we're recruiting better. We're bringing in some talented guys. And Arizona State basketball is pretty relevant.

Q. You've mentioned before you left that you broke out the old highlight tapes of your Final Four runs with Duke. What was your message behind that? And when did you do it exactly?
COACH HURLEY: That was a while ago. We didn't play well in one of our games. I forget which game it was. It was -- some games that you play this year feel like they happened last season, as you stay in the moment all the time. But we didn't play well. I wanted to remind them of what you can accomplish and how that changes your life if you could achieve and get yourself to the point where you have an opportunity to play in the tournament. But if you're not playing well enough in your regular season, then you're not going to have that chance that all 68 teams have right now.

And I was able to capitalize and be on some great teams that cut down the nets. And I told the guys, it's opened doors for me in the game of basketball that probably wouldn't have been opened otherwise.

Q. A lot of people were surprised when you took the Arizona State job. How do you like it out there and has it been what you've expected so far?
COACH HURLEY: I was familiar with the West Coast just from my playing days. I was out in Sacramento. I obviously grew up in Jersey. But there was a familiarity with that area.

And I just think the way that I coached, I thought would work in the Pac-12 in terms of the style of the conference. I view myself as a guy that likes to be somewhat creative on offense. And it's a league that is notorious for scoring points and getting up and down the floor and playing a faster style. It's not a league that's a rugged league that gets games get played in the 50s or something.

I just thought it was a good fit for me. And I looked at it where you have the weather, you have a huge school, the second biggest school in the country. And just an opportunity to tap into a place that has not really consistently been a winner year in and year out. And I thought there was a lot that I could sell to recruits just with the Pac-12 and the way the Pac-12 has turned out NBA talent over the last decade and just all the success that the league has had in the past.

Q. Are you happy with where the program is? Do you feel like you guys should be further along? Are you past where you thought you would be?
COACH HURLEY: I thought we really had a breakthrough last year, just with our non-conference and then getting an opportunity to play in the tournament. And I think this year we went into this year talking about competing better in conference. Like, we have to do a better job in our league. And I think we've taken another step in that direction, just going 12-6 in the conference and finishing second. And so that was a goal of ours.

So we're continuing to try and take steps as a program. And when you're in the NCAA Tournament, we've made it now back to back. I think the guys are enthusiastic to play tomorrow and we're trying to advance and continue to play.

Q. What do you expect to get out of Remy Martin coming off the injury? And how do you balance the fact that you need to win to advance with the fact that he might need to play two or three games to keep winning games?
COACH HURLEY: With Remy, it was disappointing. We were playing so well after the UCLA game in our league. And to have him, in the first two minutes of the game, have a little pull there in the groin where he was fractionally the player that he normally would be in terms of his movement.

He still is a warrior and stayed in there and stuck some shots against Oregon, but we needed him to be himself in order to beat Oregon. Oregon's playing at a high level right now. But he's had a few days and he's got after it in treatment.

And we had our meat-and-potato's practice this morning, and he was moving great and he was in every drill. So we anticipate he'll be ready to go tomorrow.

Q. You got one school from Durham, North Carolina in the building already. Wondering how much contact you still have with the other more prominent school from that area? And what, if any advice Mike Krzyzewski gives you nowadays?
COACH HURLEY: I've talked to Coach at times, especially when I was at Buffalo, there was a good story there with us going into the conference tournament. It was my second year as a head coach. And my first year we lost in the first round. And I wanted to ask Coach, what are you going to do this week as you prepare for the ACC Tournament? And I need to win my tournament to go to the NCAAs.

And Coach said, "Hey, I would do very limited live work with your players. The last thing you need is for someone to get hurt. You've got to keep your team fresh. You've got to stick to the drills that you practice but try and avoid live reps."

So as I'm going and getting ready for our game, I can't resist but to think that we may not be sharp enough. So I've got to give my live reps. So I've got my guys going more live than I probably should, and my player of the year in the conference drives to his right hand and rolls his ankle. Now he's laying on the sideline, and then he's in a boot. And he's probably 30, 40 percent of what he normally would be. The kid, Justin Moss.

But the rest of the guys had his back and picked him up and got us to the MAC championship that year. But I need to listen better to people that know a lot more than I do.

Q. Growing up where you did, what did you and your buddies think of St. John's? And what did St. John's mean to you? And when you think of St. John's, what comes to mind?
COACH HURLEY: When I was growing up, you know, that's when I kind of fell in love with basketball. I was a college basketball fan, a Big East fan. And I remember those matchups with Chris Mullin and Walter Berry and Mark Jackson, and they would be going against Pearl Washington.

And I was a point guard and I would see those guys go at each other, or Georgetown and St. John's and all these great matchups. And I remember all the Final Fours, all those Big East teams going, and Villanova beating Georgetown. And just so many great memories of watching the Big East and watching St. John's and Chris Mullin.

Q. Just going off of that, what is your relationship like with Chris Mullin? I know when you've been in basketball long enough you kind of had connections with everybody, but Chris Mullin, possibly Buffalo, did you enjoy kind of facing teams or coaches that you have connections to?
COACH HURLEY: I just think it's more about the players. For me it's more about like Zylan Cheatham and Lu Dort getting his first NCAA Tournament experience. And Remy Martin is such a winner, and he wants to play in this event.

Like the other stuff is not as meaningful. Like, I have the utmost respect for Chris and the job he's done to get St. John's to the NCAA Tournament, and who he was as a player, a guy I always looked up to when I was growing up in Jersey and he was playing at St. John's.

And then on to the NBA and got a chance to play against him and the Dream Team when I was on the development team. So a lot of good memories with regard to Chris.

Q. He remembers you playing very well in those workouts with the Dream Team. He thinks that really helped you in terms of the NBA draft. What do you remember about those going up against that team and just kind of what your relationship is with Chris?
COACH HURLEY: It was the best week of my life. As a competitor and as a basketball player, you want to face, like, the best players that you can. And they were all in one gym for a week. And you got to see, like, what -- it kind of elevated me to play the best I've ever played in my life just because of how good they were, and how hard I trained to go there because I was scared to death that I was going to get embarrassed. So you really train and get yourself ready. And then all of a sudden you're right in that game.

And then to have, like, Penny Hardaway and Chris Webber and Grant Hill on your team made it easier for me. And Allan Houston hit a few 3s for us, too. Our development team was strong. We were young but really talented.

Q. Can you imagine kind of being in his shoes, the emotional roller coaster of losing a brother and then getting your alma mater in the tournament like he has for the first time and what it might be for a coach like that?
COACH HURLEY: It's really heartbreaking. But Chris is strong. And he's been through a lot. And I'm sure he's got the leadership to handle it. And I think he knows that as bad as he might feel and what he's going through, that he owes it to the kids that he coaches to get his team ready and get them to enjoy this moment.

He was a part of so many special moments as a player, going to the Final Four and just being one of the all-time greats in the Big East. I'm sure he wants his players to experience that as well.

Q. There's an idea that coaches who played at a high level may struggle because they can't bring out that work ethic in today's kids. In your experience, has that been a challenge at all to get kids to work maybe to the level that you worked as a player?
COACH HURLEY: I feel like when I played I maybe overachieved and I had -- people doubted me most of my career and I had to work at it. I was fortunate to grow up in a household that was a legendary coach that I had access to every day and to direct me and give me the right ways to practice.

But he pushed -- my dad pushed me and developed a work ethic in me to achieve what I achieved on the floor. So I know that that's -- you can't be -- you can't be a success and you can't take the game as far as a lot of the guys that you coach want to take it if you don't have that drive and that work ethic.

So we try and, through evaluation, see guys that want to get better, that want to work and are serious about the game. And we try and identify that when we recruit guys and bring them into the program.

Q. As a person who cared about basketball growing up in the greater New York area, how would you describe what St. John's meant to the New York basketball scene as a whole?
COACH HURLEY: You just remember just how electric The Garden was in those matchups. And it was on par with the Knicks at the time. It was going to Final Fours and Coach Carnesecca had so much charisma with how he coached. And it was a fun team to watch. They were a very exciting brand of basketball.

Q. I know this is a quick turnaround and all, but is there a positive about coming here to play in the First Four instead of waiting until Thursday or Friday to play?
COACH HURLEY: I'm considering -- maybe I should go and meet with a realtor and maybe look to buy a house here because I'm here a couple years now. So I might do that later today if I have time.

But to be here, I told our media yesterday, send me anywhere. Send us anywhere. It's the NCAA Tournament. We want an opportunity to compete and win games. I just -- I love how my team is playing down the stretch. We've won six out of eight. Our only two losses were to Oregon, who has really found something and playing at a high level. So I know these guys are hungry to get on the floor and compete.

Q. What worries you about St. John's? What do they do that could give you guys problems?
COACH HURLEY: They're somewhat similar to my team last year in a lot of ways. They just like really got guys who go off the bounce and attack the paint. And they have shooting and they're very interchangeable, just they switch a lot of stuff on defense. And they're very scrappy.

They really have a New York way about -- just being a little undersized but figuring out how to get the job done and then they have dynamic, a dynamic player in Ponds and toughness. Clark's a tough guy and Heron.

And so we've really got to take care of the basketball. It's something that we've been talking about because of how good St. John's could be in the open court if you turn it over.

Q. The fact that they're like your team last year, it's not like you're facing something you're not familiar with.
COACH HURLEY: Just because they have so many guys on the floor that could hurt you from a distance and away from the basket, that's where the preparation and thinking about how you're going to defend a team like St. John's because they're very unique.

And so that's where the dilemma is for us is with their size and guys who could penetrate and also shoot, how could we consistently and successfully guard them for 40 minutes?

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

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