BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 11, 2021

Kevin Willard

Seton Hall Pirates

Madison Square Garden

Postgame Media Conference

Seton Hall 77, St. John's 69

Q. What did you notice about this team today that was maybe different from the last two weeks? And did you know they had it in them after the way the regular season ended?

COACH WILLARD: Yeah, I mean, the four losses, if you look at who we lost to, we lost to Butler and Georgetown, at Butler, and Georgetown is in the semifinals. Lost at home to UConn, who is now in playing as good as anybody but we lost at St. John's, who I think was playing really good basketball, at St. John's.

My main goal coming into this tournament was to let our guys understand that although it didn't end the way we wanted it to, we've been pretty good all year and we just gotta come out better in the second half. That was my only message.

I thought Ike, the way Ike played in the second half, how active he was, the blocks he had, just so -- he gave so much energy in the second half, which he hadn't been doing and I thought it energized our team.

Q. You always ask a lot of Sandro. He handled the ball a lot in this game against that ferocious pressure. What do you have to say about the all-around game and especially the way he handled?

COACH WILLARD: I didn't know he played 44 minutes and 16 seconds. I thought he played extraordinary. Handling it. We worked through him through the post and I thought what was really probably his best, what he did better than anything tonight, he just kicked it out of the post, made simple plays. Really we were able to get some drives on the weak side. And I just think he's a phenomenal player. He backed up Player of the Year tonight, that's for sure.

Q. Jared said he's a New York City guy. He gets fired up to play at the Garden. He was motivated. Did you say anything to him before the game, or how do you explain the performance he had and how can you get that from him tomorrow?

COACH WILLARD: Yeah, I mean, Jared's been playing great all year. I mean, this is -- you're in the Big East Tournament. And obviously getting the opportunity to be back in the Garden, be able to play in arguably -- I don't think it's arguable -- but the best college basketball tournament. I think guys were really excited.

And I think they were excited to play St. John's because we played really well for long stretches of the time Saturday. And I think Jared didn't play well on Saturday. So I think he had a little bit extra motivation to come out play a little better.

Q. We could talk about the stats of Rhoden and Mamu in this game but collectively what about the guttiness of your ball club?

COACH WILLARD: I'll be honest with you, Jahari Long should be up here talking. Jahari played phenomenal. 15 minutes. He hadn't played, finds out this morning that he's going to back up against one of the toughest defensive teams. And he came out and I thought his first half presence was phenomenal. Drove to the basket. Got a layup, got Myles Cale on a kickout. Defensively I thought he was great.

And then I think Tak had one of his better games. Stats don't look at it but Tak did a lot of good things for us.

1 through 8 everyone who played really did a phenomenal job.

Q. For a guy who grew up basically on this tournament, when it's taken away from you last year and then you guys get back this year, to play St. John's in like an old-fashioned rock fight, how much fun was it to be able to enjoy this again?

COACH WILLARD: Probably going to get in trouble for saying this, but I don't care. This year's been hard. It's been a mental grind. It's been a physical grind. The sacrifices that we've all made to be able to play, the sacrifices that schools have made, our universities, our leagues, what these players have done. It's been, really going back since last March, when we got really punched in the stomach with all this as it started. Man, I walked into this building, I got on the elevator, and I haven't felt that good in years.

The energy, seeing the security. Seeing security guards that were here two years ago when we made a run. It's made everything -- it's hard to explain. It's very emotional for the fact that I love this tournament. I love this league. We've had some great games in this building and to be back was just an absolutely energizing feeling.