ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2021

Jordan Usher

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Postgame Press Conference

Georgia Tech 70, Miami 66

Q. Jordan, obviously had a little bit of a slow start in the first half. The second half you kind of took over, especially when Moses got in foul trouble. What got going for you?

JORDAN USHER: Probably just taking better quality lay-ups. I tried to push it to the rim. They were (indiscernible) of me, not just settling with the three. You know I like to get in transition. I got a couple trains in transition. I feel like that's where my game is at its best when I can get out on a run and leak out and do some things like that.

We got a couple transitions, which all came from getting stops. So we picked up our energy, picked up our defense, and got some easier trials at the basket.

Q. Could you run us through that last play where Jose made the save on the sideline? Did you think he was going to make the save, and was that why you were sprinting down the other sideline?

JORDAN USHER: I knew Jose was going to get it because that's my guy. And if any GT fans are listening, I'm sorry about the passing. We need to get that right. Because even with the Duke game and a couple other games, we can just seem to pass the ball and get it past half when they do a little press at the end.

But Jose is my guy. I could probably throw the ball 100 feet from him and he'll get it before it goes out of bounds. He just tries real hard all the time. Props to him on that because that would have been bad news for us.

Q. Does it feel kind of like a relief to get through or how would you describe your feelings right now?

JORDAN USHER: Relief, man. That really felt -- we really felt the relief after getting done with the regular season with Wake Forest. We knew we were going to come out a little stiff because we haven't played in almost a week. But it's more just appreciating the moment and knowing how good GT basketball is. And when we're firing on all cylinders -- I think we played a pretty poor overall game, and we still came out with the win.

You know, Moses had one of his only off nights, and I told him I'd rather it come now than when we're trying to play for the Elite 8 or something somewhere down the line. I just throw that in the trash and get to the next on. So not really relief, but just more excitement just for what's next for us.

Q. Jose went down early with the knee injury. I think he hurt his leg later on in the game, but he played almost 40 minutes tonight. How much energy does it give you to see Jose pop back up after seeing like injury after injury this season and continuing to play at such a high level? What does that do for you as a player?

JORDAN USHER: If you know Jose and really get to be around him, you don't really -- when he falls down, you really don't need -- unless I hear something break, God forbid. But he doesn't need much look at it because I know Jose is going to peel off. Like someone could screw his head off, he'll screw it back on and come play again. So you don't really got to check on him too much. You know he's always going to be ready to battle and fight. That's just how he is.

Q. You've got Virginia again, obviously two tough games. How do you feel about facing them?

JORDAN USHER: Yeah, so I mean, I think the first one that we played at Virginia, we let slip from us with just -- Hauser hit some really big contested threes in the second half, like close. Like I think it was -- he hit one at like the 8-minute mark and one at the 6-minute mark that were truly like contested straight up-and-down fumble threes.

I'm excited. They won the regular season, so ranked No. 1 in the ACC. We owe them one. I guess you could call it that. We definitely owe them one, and getting a chance to get it back, that's the basketball gods saying, here's your chance so go get it. I'm excited about it.

Q. In the second half, you really established an offensive presence down low for the team that was lacking a little bit in the first half. Was that by design? You looked very comfortable and very appropriately aggressive challenging their bigger men inside. Was that a plan or just an energy you were feeling? How did that go?

JORDAN USHER: Yeah, honestly, I just like to win. Some days I might not score that much, some days I might score the most. I just want to win. It really wasn't a plan, but if the opportunity is there, I'm going to take it. That's what Coach wants me to do is play aggressive. He doesn't try to take anything from my energy or passion, so I appreciate that.

I guess this is how the cookie crumbles today. I got the score in transition and we won the game. But even if I didn't and we won the game, I'm still at peace. As long as Tech wins, I'm good.

Q. Just what you can say about the evolution of Georgia Tech basketball, not just this season but overall in your time that you've been there to get where you are right now and be in the Final Four as you advance forward in the ACC Tournament?

JORDAN USHER: Man, it just gives me a lot of pride. I'm not really from Atlanta, I'm kind of from north Georgia, the country a little bit. I don't know if you would call it country. But just gives me pride being able to be from Georgia, play at Tech, get a chance to come home, the coaches to accept me.

And I can't give enough praise to my coaches and my teammates because not only do I feel they've elevated my basketball game but they've made me a better man and a better man. And I truly tell them that as much as I can and let them know that I love them and that the time that they spend with me and the times that we spent together just building the program up and leaving something that Coach Pastner or whatever coach is still here is going to keep pushing it through.

Because I mean, if Coach is still here he, needs to coach my son when I have a kid. I need a scholarship offer and he's going to shoot every shot. That's what I want. I just want to see Tech be killers continuously. I want to be in the semifinals year after year after year.