BIG 12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2021

Ochai Agbaji

Kansas Jayhawks

Postgame Press Conference

Kansas 69, Oklahoma 62

Q. Can you talk about what happened when you got tangled up and hit the floor? Did you just tangle feet or did you get thrown or elbowed?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I kind of got grabbed. I don't know, it was kind of an awkward landing but I got grabbed out of the air or something like that and landed on my back kind of hard, but I'm good.

Q. It was right after that that you hit the three threes in a row, had a little emotion. Did that lead to that? Did you have a little extra to you after that?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I guess you could say that, but not really, I just was thinking next play and just forget about it and what do I need to do for my team.

Q. At what point in the second half did you guys ever maybe hit the panic button or get a little worried?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I don't think we really did hit the panic button or get worried. It was just like they were making their run, they hadn't been playing -- the first half was a different game than the second half, and how they were playing and how they were comfortable on the court, but I think they were just getting on their run, and we knew we just had to close out the game.

Q. Talk about the play of Marcus tonight.

OCHAI AGBAJI: Oh, he did great. Guarding Reaves and just being active everywhere, rebounding the ball, keeping us in the offense, keeping us organized and making those big plays down the stretch for us.

Q. Can you talk about the spark of energy at the start of the game and what went into that last second spark at the end?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I would just say going back to how we were playing as a team, just getting it moving, getting the right shot that we want. Just being defensively sound, I think, was more of it, was the story in the first half that was working for us.

Q. When is the last time you jumped center to start a game?

OCHAI AGBAJI: High school. My senior year.

Q. What was your plan tonight then?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I hadn't done it in a while, and they told me like right before the game that I was like, kind of forgot how it went, but I didn't know where he was going to throw the ball, but we still got the ball, so I guess I'm one for one on tips.

Q. Did you feel any pressure, you and the other shooters tonight, knowing that you would be looked upon to score without David?

OCHAI AGBAJI: Not really. Coach did a good job just keeping us confident as in just playing with a free mind. Obviously we all know that we don't have our offensive -- and David throwing the ball into the post, but just being aggressive on the outside and keep looking for our shots and just not -- just being confident about it.

Q. Was that the deal with the stretch there, that you hit three in a row?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I guess you could say that, just being confident, just continuing to look for my shot.

Q. Were you looking for it more right then? It looked like it a little bit. You wanted the ball?

OCHAI AGBAJI: Yeah, just a little bit. I was kind of feeling it for a second there. When I had any space, I was just about to jump up and shoot it.

Q. What did Dajuan Harris bring to the table for you guys tonight?

OCHAI AGBAJI: He brought that spark early in the first half and closed out the game in the second half. But just the plays, defensively, deflections, just activity defensively I think was a key to our run in the first half and our success down late in the second.

Q. How does it feel to set your career high in points in your hometown?

OCHAI AGBAJI: It feels great. My family got to watch it, so I couldn't be any happier.

Q. Did you feel pressure to replace David's points personally?

OCHAI AGBAJI: No, I wouldn't say I feel pressured by that, uh-huh.

Q. How was Dajuan at finding you when you're going? One of those threes he got it to you, another one he set the screen I know.

OCHAI AGBAJI: Just the chemistry. Going back to MOKAN, play with him on MOKAN, that's how he's always played, just being that pass-first, get other guys shots and look for other guys around the court. His feel for the game has been like that and I've known that, so just playing to how we've always been playing.

Q. What did you like about the minutes Mitch gave you guys tonight?

OCHAI AGBAJI: Mitch was great tonight and got a three in. He was great on the block. Defensively he was there, being active on Manek when Manek was in the game. We're going to need that moving forward.

Q. Have you seen Mitch shoot a lot of threes this year, like in practice or whatever?

OCHAI AGBAJI: In practice, yes.

Q. It sounds like he has the range. Were you confident when he shot it that it was going to go in?

OCHAI AGBAJI: Yeah, I was confident it was going to go in, for sure.

Q. What about the Heat Check he put up later?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I was confident in that, too, because he makes some stuff like that in practice.