PAC-12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2021

Wayne Tinkle

Oregon State Beavers

Postgame Press Conference

Oregon State - 83, UCLA - 79

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with an opening statement from coach.

WAYNE TINKLE: Just great effort, super proud of our guys. What a gritty, gritty win. It was just kind of our whole season rolled into one game. Very proud of our guys for the resiliency and the buy-in when things weren't going our way early and in the middle of the game and then late, we just kept rolling through it. We never stopped believing. Our young guys were providing great leadership in all the timeouts, just reminding guys we were going to win this game, and staff was great, just a great, great team win for the Beavs.

Q. What was the biggest thing you guys had to do in the second half to turn it around and force overtime?

WAYNE TINKLE: Well, we had to play with a lot more intensity on the defensive end. We told our guys if they did that and then started making unselfish plays, offensively, by executing our offense, the lid was going to come off of it. But I said that will only happen if we start sharing the thing a little bit. So they defended, they started making plays for each other, and then we crept back into that thing pretty quickly.

From there they just kept believing that it was a -- a lot of things went against us, but they never dropped their chins, they kept believing, so unbelievable resiliency. Obviously we made free throws late. Warith was a monster, we had to have a post presence, and he was big for us, and then timely threes and then making free throws down the stretch was big.

Q. This is the fourth time this season you guys have come back from a double-digit deficit to win a game. What is it, what characteristic is it about this team where you can look them in the eye in a timeout or anything and just know that that doesn't bother them at all?

WAYNE TINKLE: Well, they know how passionate we are, they see it from day one. Sometimes it takes a little while for that to transition over to them. But this team has been special that way. They have really fed off of our passion and have bought in. So we feel like although we put ourselves in some tough positions, we have got the kind of makeup, the kind of character, because those are the things we look at in recruiting, first and foremost, that nothing's too high for us, we can come back from it. This year, obviously, from where some people thought we were going to be and what we were going to have, we have had a special fire and it's just neat to see. I couldn't be more proud of how far this group's come and we started this awhile back.

When we got down here, we reminded the guys of last year and all that's happened. That group really got the momentum going for us and these guys are feeding off of it and it's just a special feeling. I know it's a proud moment for the staff when they see that moment happen, and I know I'm rambling here, but before the game we talked about when we turn this season around and it was after we got boat raced at home. The three things we talked about the next day were, if we all buy into executing the plan, playing harder than our opponent, and enjoying each other out on the floor, that it was going to mean the game was a success. We said, we don't know whether that will translate to wins yet right away, but it will eventually. And that's when we flipped our season. Credit to the guys just for the kind of character, resiliency, and toughness that they continue to show.

Q. You mentioned earlier when I talked to you that maybe we should expect an unsung performance tonight. Zach Reichle hasn't been a huge scorer for this season but maybe was he that guy today?

WAYNE TINKLE: He was huge, in the second half especially. You get to this point of the season and you're thoroughbreds got to lead you to the finish line. And we didn't have a great first half, but I thought the way he responded in the second half, Ethan's decision-making in the second half, obviously Ethan making a lot of free throws, Warith, the way he stepped up, Jarod, he kept us afloat there in the first half for awhile and then hit a couple monumental ones in the second half. Rodrigue having 8-10 off the bench. We had a lot of guys contribute, but you're right, I think Zach's performance, we have been looking for him to have success to boost his confidence, we have been begging hum to shoot the dang ball all year long, we were glad to see him let it fly. So proud of him and proud of the rest of the guys' efforts. But talk to the guys that got it done, I appreciate you all, go Beavs.