BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 11, 2021

Patrick Ewing

Georgetown Hoyas

Madison Square Garden

Postgame Media Conference

Georgetown - 72, Villanova - 71

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with questions for coach.

Q. Do you think that your guys displayed a little more maturity today? I mean, they previously in the season, I want to say they probably would have folded.

PATRICK EWING: Oh, definitely, especially early in the season. I thought that after we made the switch to bring Chudier into the starting lineup, I think that's when we took off, coming out of the COVID break. And even though we stumbled a few times, I thought that that definitely changed our team. He brings a focus, a physicality that we needed.

Q. With hindsight being 2020, do you wish you had gone maybe to full-court pressure or three quarter-court pressure before you did or are you comfortable with what happened?

PATRICK EWING: We got the win, so I'm comfortable. That's all that counts, we got the win.

Q. How much of a spark did Dante provide for you guys at the offensive end and just how much of a lift was that?

PATRICK EWING: He played 38 minutes, 37 minutes. He had 18 points. He hit two huge free throws, five assists, no turnovers. No turnovers. That's huge. He's growing up. He's been -- he was put in a position where we didn't think he was going to be, have to play, being our starter, and there was some growing pains, but he's stepped up and he's been playing magnificent for us.

But I do want to say one thing, though. I thought this was my building and I feel terrible that I'm getting stopped, accosted, asking for passes, everybody in this building should know who the hell I am. And I'm getting stopped. I can't move around this building like, I was, like, what the hell? Is this Madison Square Garden? I'm going to have to call Mr. Dolan and say geez, is my number in the rafters or what?

Q. On that last play, is that what you wanted? Did you want Harris going to the hoop?

PATRICK EWING: Yeah, we ran a play -- first, we wanted a look for Jahvon going back door. They took that away. We did a dribble handoff with Dante and once they switched and had the big on him, I told him, Go, just go downhill and make a play. And he was able to go down hill, get contact, and get the ball up on the glass.

Q. Did you treat him like a pitcher going for a no-hitter when he had those free throws looming? Did you talk to him before he shot?

PATRICK EWING: This is not baseball. This is not baseball. I told him, look, what I said was that, look, we take enough free throws at the end of practice, even to run suicides, to simulate this position. Just step up there, take your time, and make the free throws. Once you make the free throws, then we have to set our defense and don't -- defend without fouling.

Q. You've talked about, before about this being a resilient group. They have been through a lot. You guys started off, started down early, Nova made another run in the second half. How proud are you of these guys right now?

PATRICK EWING: I'm extremely proud. A lot of people had counted us out. We struggled in the early part of the year. We were the last school, the last Big East school, to get back on campus. So it took us some time to adjust. We had a lot of new faces on our team. But I think that the second half, after we came back out of that COVID pause, I think everything clicked and jelled for us. I think guys have stepped up, guys have embraced the challenge, and they're doing everything that we needed to do. One step at an time. We took one step yesterday. We took another step today. And then hopefully tomorrow will be our third step to be able to play on Saturday.

Q. Recall to 1985, you were on the opposite end as an underdog this time today. What was it like to be on, to get that revenge against Villanova from 36 years ago?

PATRICK EWING: Well, to me that's not a revenge. That was in the championship game. They have one of my banners. I take my hat off to them. They played a great game back then. Rollie had a great team. Some of those guys are my friends still today. But this was, that was me as a player, and this is, they're at a different point in their program than we are right now, but we're coming back. We are a -- like our AD always say, keep on chopping wood. We're chopping wood. We have some good guys coming in next year to help us to get back where we need to get to, to add to these kids that we have right now, and our future's bright.