BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 10, 2021

Jason Carter

Xavier Musketeers

Madison Square Garden

Postgame Media Conference

Butler - 70, Xavier - 69 (OT)

Q. What was the difference in the second half? How did that game get away from you guys?

JASON CARTER: Just came down to they killed us on the boards in the second half. Defensively, we started slacking off. And I mean they took advantage of it. All credit to them. But those are the two big areas that we can control. And we didn't do as well in the second half.

Q. Was that foul with three seconds left on Chuck Harris, was that inadvertent or were you trying to challenge him to make those free throws?

JASON CARTER: Definitely wasn't meant to happen. I mean, I just think it just happened. It was one of those fouls that -- it's one of those calls you put the ref in a tough position you'll get it half the time and the other half of the time you're not.

Q. Wanted to ask you just about the offense. Really over the last few games and just about the last month or so, it's been pretty hot and cold. Can you attribute that to anything, the struggles you guys have had and why it's been so difficult really just to kind of get in a good rhythm?

JASON CARTER: I mean, obviously we've had some injuries. Losing Nate, our best shooter, the best shooter in the country, that really hurt. And we had to change and find a way to adjust in that area. And, I mean, at the end of the day just lost a couple of bodies and a couple of other breaks, obviously, it's hard to get into the groove.

At the end of the day, can't make a ton of excuses. You've just got to find a way, especially in this league. In basketball it happens. It's not going to go exactly as you planned every single night. And that's all I've really got to say.

Q. With everything that you guys had on the line this week, and the way that it ended tonight, how tough is this for you being a senior, to sort of walk away from this experience, the way that this went down?

JASON CARTER: It's extremely tough. I mean, I've been in college basketball a long time. I've been on both sides of this type of game. Definitely feels a lot better on the other side. But to end this way and not know what the future holds, it's definitely really tough. And I know, like, our guys are struggling. And we just gotta stay positive but I definitely, definitely hurts.