	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NCAA MEN'S 1ST AND 2ND ROUNDS: COLUMBIA

March 21, 2019

Columbia, South Carolina

THE MODERATOR: Student-athletes with us today from Oklahoma, from my side across the dais, Jamal Bieniemy, Kristian Doolittle, Christian James, and Brady Manek.

Q. Jamal and Brady, I asked the Christians this the other day, but you guys played so well in the nonconference and not as well in the conference. What's the excitement level that you're playing somebody, not just the NCAA Tournament, but you get fresh faces, fresh opponent, somebody you don't know so well that's not in the Big 12.
JAMAL BIENIEMY: It's good because it's a new season and just a new beginning for everybody so for everybody to start on a clean slate just to work hard and get out there it's going to be fun.

BRADY MANEK: It's good for us because in the Big 12 you have teams you see all the time. They're scouting you really well. You're scouting them really well. You come here and have a few days to prepare. I feel like that will help us.

Q. Kristian Doolittle, the ups and downs of this season, you talked a couple times about how, if you don't come out with the energy as a team, it usually doesn't work out well for you guys. What do you think can make the difference here in the NCAA Tournament with that?
KRISTIAN DOOLITTLE: Just realizing we have another opportunity to get better, be able to play against somebody new, as Brady just mentioned. We put a lot of work coming into this game, game planned really well for Ole Miss. And just get a new mindset of this could be our last game. So just an added pressure is going to bring out the best of us.

Q. For Christian James, when you look back at your career, you go back a long way. You played in an Elite 8, scored 10 points in an Elite 8 game. It's been a long journey. Reflect back on your career, especially from an NCAA Tournament standpoint, and how long ago that might seem.
CHRISTIAN JAMES: It's very important, looking back, playing throughout four years in the tournament, it's a blessing. It's a very serious thing. We want to go out here, and we want to make a statement. We have to -- we know we have to play together. We have to bring energy and effort. Every possession is key. Every possession can be a game winner. All it takes is one play to turn a game around. We know we have to be clicking on all cylinders. We just have to come out here and prove a point. We don't want to take anything for granted. We're just happy to get another opportunity to play.

Q. Jamal, what are your impressions of Ole Miss, specifically their backcourt?
JAMAL BIENIEMY: They have really good guard play. Those three guards that start for them are very talented, and they can all score. We're going to have to take on the challenge as guards and just play good "D" on them and just do what we do.

Q. Kristian Doolittle, from your perspective down low, what do you see from Ole Miss' bigs, and what can you do to maybe exploit some of their size disadvantages?
KRISTIAN DOOLITTLE: They're very versatile. Two starting bigs are a little bit different than their back-ups as well. Being able to shoot the 15-foot jump shot, even stretching out to the three-point line. So the rotations on defense will have to be precise, knowing our role and knowing the rotations as well as that on our offensive side of the ball. Using our mobility to our advantage across the board, getting them in switches that they probably wouldn't want to get into. So ball movement would be key.

Q. For Kristian Doolittle, millions of people throughout the country today are going to be turning on, watching all these games. You guys have a practice and things like that. Will you find yourselves staying up late, watching games, seeing what's going on, or is the preparation for tomorrow all encompassing for you guys?
KRISTIAN DOOLITTLE: I'm going to go to sleep tonight. We play at 12:30. Can't be up too late. We're going to have an early breakfast tomorrow. As far as a lot of people watching these games, some people go the whole year without watching basketball and then tune in for March Madness. It's an honor to be here, to be able to be under this spotlight that this tournament creates. So we're all going to want to go play our best.

Q. For Christian James, they got a veteran backcourt. You guys have experience in the backcourt. Talk about the challenge of that as a senior, and then as you look back, when you're a freshman in the Final Four, what that was like being inexperienced in big NCAA Tournament games?
CHRISTIAN JAMES: They have a great backcourt. We know they can score the ball well, they move the ball well. Just looking back, experience on how Buddy Hield and all those guys made plays in the backcourt, it's just a thing of moving balls and making shots. Making shots is key to this tournament. So that's the thing. We have to play together on offense, get stops on defense, move the ball, and make shots.

Q. Brady, sort of an off-the-wall question, you got your haircut there midway through the season. Since you've done that, does it just feel better? Is it a superstition? Were you just trying to change up the vibe? How's it going for you, going back to your look from last year?
BRADY MANEK: I really don't know what I was doing. I just decided to grow my hair out last year. I've never done it. Everybody made a big deal out of it, so I kept it. And then it got to the point where I couldn't stand it anymore, so I just buzzed it off. I love it. Buzz cut is where I'm at.

Q. Back to Brady, did you get tired of hearing about all the Larry Bird comparisons? Since you shaved it, have those kind of gone away?
BRADY MANEK: I think they're pretty much done. It was cool. I got a lot of attention from it. A lot of guys got a lot of attention from it. Me and Christian made one of the best commercials ever. It was fun, and I'm glad I got the buzz cut back. I feel more like myself.

Q. Brady, for those of us not aware of that commercial, tell us about it, please.
BRADY MANEK: It was a remake of the Michael Jordan-Larry Bird McDonald's commercial. Me and Christian basically remade it, and it was pretty good. I mean, we're up in the rafters at the football stadium. I mean, just some funny stuff.

THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the student-athletes? Thank you guys.

Now with us is Oklahoma head coach, Lon Kruger.

LON KRUGER: It's a great time of year. Super excited for these guys to be here and have the opportunity to play in the tournament. Every team has a goal when they start the season, and these guys really had a lot of ups and downs during the year, a little bit of a roller coaster ride. Finished probably the last month playing a lot better than we did middle third of the conference season. Very good nonconference slate.

Again, a lot of respect for Ole Miss and how tough that will be tomorrow, but looking forward to seeing the guys play.

Q. Coach, curious if you could go back to Matt Freeman's recruitment. What stood out about him that attracted you? He told me that he got an offer after a tournament in Las Vegas where he didn't think he played particularly well. What do you recall about that?
LON KRUGER: Actually, one of those rare cases where you get video on a lot of players. We got Matt's video, as he sent, I'm sure, to a lot of people. Just liked his actions, liked his mobility, liked his ability to shoot the basketball. Again, that's on video. And then we watched him in Vegas, reaffirmed a lot of things, and he's done a good job. Been a little bit streaky shooting the basketball, but always works extremely hard, great attitude, good teammate -- all those things that you're looking for.

Q. Coach, is it refreshing to face a team that's not in the Big 12? You did so well in nonconference. Do you get the feeling the players are excited about playing somebody that doesn't know as much about them?
LON KRUGER: The players are definitely excited about playing, I don't know for that reason necessarily. Big 12 is tough. It's a grind, like a lot of leagues in the country. The top few in the Big 12 are hard to beat, and we struggled with that at times. Playing against someone we don't know quite as well and they don't know us quite as well, it's part of the NCAA Tournament experience.

Have a lot of respect for Ole Miss and how well they score the ball. Coach Davis' team is very sound defensively, and we know how tough that will be. I know our guys are looking forward to it.

Q. Coach, can you talk specifically just about what you have learned about Ole Miss, backcourt, frontcourt this week?
LON KRUGER: Obviously, their three leading scorers are their perimeter guys. All three can really score the ball in a lot of different ways. All can make plays off the dribble for each other. They all shoot it well, get to the paint. Their big guys can score. Looked like they're a little more comfortable pick-and-pop, can score inside.

Again, they play about eight people. Guys off the bench bring great energy and a little bit more versatility. So they're good. Again, like I say, very sound defensively. Push the ball offensively, create opportunities for each other.

Q. Lon, I'm just curious, how familiar are you with Kermit Davis and the style of basketball he plays? Also, what's the challenge with the way they switch defenses presents?
LON KRUGER: Anytime a team switches, you've got to be a little bit concerned about rhythm, getting into the flow of things. They do a good job of that. I've known Kermit for a long time and followed his teams for a long time, and I have a lot of respect for how they play. They play the game right. They space the floor well. They move the ball well. They're always very sound defensively. He always does a great job.

Q. Haven't talked to you in 46 hours. Can you give us an update on McNeace and just how he's looked since you got here?
LON KRUGER: He's looked good, actually. Didn't practice on Monday, practiced full speed yesterday for the first time. He'll be out there today, so we'll see how he feels coming off of that full speed day yesterday. But it's been a long time. He was playing so well in November, prior to the ankle and foot problem. Every time he's tried to get back, he just hasn't been able to quite get back into the flow before he injured it again.

He's a guy that needs athleticism, running the floor, mobility is a big part of his game, and he just hasn't had that. So he hasn't been able to be as productive. Even though he has played some, he hasn't been as comfortable as he was in November.

Q. We equated your slide, sort of, to the start of conference play. How much was it related just McNeace? Because when he got hurt is sort of when you started playing not as well. How much are those two things related?
LON KRUGER: For sure to some degree. No question, we'd love to have Jamuni at full speed. Coming out of the Bahamas in that early game, after we got back home, he was dominating the boards. He was blocking shots, changing shots, even becoming more of a significant factor offensively. Every team goes through that to some degree. We certainly miss Jamuni. More importantly, I think, at this point, is just for Jamuni, because senior year, fifth year redshirt, great attitude, getting better every year, and now he can't do what he potentially could do because of that injury.

So disappointed for him. But he wants to go, and we'll certainly throw him in there and see how he feels tomorrow.

Q. Coach, you have kind of an interesting blend of guys. You have guys who played in the Final Four. You have grad transfers in their first NCAA Tournament, guys who played last year, lost in the first round. Talk about what their motivation is and that blend of guys who want to do well in this tournament, some in their last chance and some in their one and only chance.
LON KRUGER: That's exactly what we have. It kind of sums it up right there. You've got the full extreme, two extremes with the guys returning, those on the Final Four three years ago to one and out last year. Grad transfers, one of the things they talked about is playing in the tournament when they made the decision to come to Oklahoma, so we're pleased they have that opportunity and know they'll be bouncing off walls tomorrow to get out there and play.

It's great. Everyone -- 68 teams are playing, 290 aren't. It's a great experience for the guys never to be taken for granted. I know these guys aren't taking it for granted, and they're excited to be out there.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297