ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 9, 2021

DJ Steward

Duke Blue Devils

Postgame Press Conference

Duke 86, Boston College 51

Q. You guys certainly shot the three-pointer well today, more three-pointers than you've made the entire season in one game. Tell us a little bit about the confidence that everybody seemed to have in shooting that shot today because I think six or seven different guys hit threes?

DJ STEWARD: You know, we're all locked in. We know it's win or go home right now, so we're all just going out there and being confident, just laying it all on the line right now.

Q. How much does that particular attitude that you just mentioned with the loser has to go home, how much is that influencing everything you're doing right now?

DJ STEWARD: It influences everything on both ends of the floor, so we've just got to battle it out and know we have to fight for 40 minutes.

Q. You guys have earned the opportunity to play Louisville again, third time you'll see them. Are you someone who subscribes to the fact that it's harder to play someone a third time or it's easier because you may be able to pick up on some tendencies and things you've learned from the previous games?

DJ STEWARD: That, I don't know. I don't have an answer for that. Just we know we have a really heavy task ahead right now. They're a really great team. They're hot right now. Carlik Jones is a really good player, and we've just got to lock in and be ready defensively and just be confident like we were tonight and then just fight.

Q. How did you feel coming out of the Carolina game the other night, the way you guys played? And was it hard or difficult to try to get past that and play so much better tonight?

DJ STEWARD: You know, it was an upsetting game for us. It was disappointing. But you've just got to put your shoes back on and keep working and look at the next day. Because you're going to wake up the next day and you've got to continue to work hard, keep working, and just take it one game at a time. Like I said, it's win or go home right now, so we've just got to keep fighting.

Q. I wanted to ask you about what it's like behind the scenes when you and Jordan and Jeremy are having good nights, whether it's you with scoring, Jeremy with the assists and Jordan from beyond the arc. Can you talk about that?

DJ STEWARD: It's a wonderful feeling. We're all happy, we're confident, and everyone is happy when everyone is playing well. So we've just got to keep doing that, continue to stay confident, and trust each other and just stay together as one.

Q. Just kind of expanding on that last question, you're a guy who plays with so much joy. How much does it help your confidence and just the way this team feels when you guys put together a game like this where at the end, you're all cheering and there's a lot of smiles on your faces?

DJ STEWARD: You know, I feel like this is a good game for us to build our confidence, like trusting each other. I feel like we had a lot of assists out there, and just -- it's a great game for us going into a dogfight tomorrow versus Louisville.

Q. On TV you got a lot of credit for being a good cheerleader at the end of the game for the guys who got into the game late. Can you talk about those guys getting a chance to play because you haven't had blowouts this year?

DJ STEWARD: You know, it's so exciting to see those guys get in the game. They work so hard in practice behind the scenes, getting us ready for all our games and scout team and stuff. So just seeing them out there playing and just competing, it's a great feeling, just seeing them play. It's awesome.

Q. How important was it to get off to a good start and kind of make a statement coming out of the locker room?

DJ STEWARD: You know, I feel like whenever you get good starts, it leads to a great win. We've got to have those great starts all the time, so definitely come tomorrow we've got to have a great start, of course, and then just keep it going for 40 minutes.

Q. I'm going to the end of the game, too, like these other guys. To be able to enjoy that after some of the bumps that you guys have had this season, what was your favorite moment of the last two or three minutes? You guys were bouncing up and down and flapping the towels and cheering. What did you like the most?

DJ STEWARD: Just seeing those guys compete, seeing those guys score. I feel like it's a great moment for them and just a great moment for all of us, so just seeing them do that. They always have our backs and they're always cheering for us on the sidelines, so just returning that energy. That's what we wanted to do.

Q. It seemed like the fans were really into you guys tonight so it kind of was like a home game for you guys. What was the atmosphere like tonight?

DJ STEWARD: It was great. I loved the atmosphere. We had a lot of fans out there. We haven't really had fans like that for us kind of when we were playing away, and the other team has their fans and stuff, so it was a great feeling, so just got to keep it going and just keep hooping.