BIG 12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2021

Mitch Lightfoot

Kansas Jayhawks

Postgame Press Conference

Kansas - 69, Oklahoma - 62

Q. How did it feel to get the win tonight and playing together how you did without David and Tristan?

MITCH LIGHTFOOT: It felt good. We knew that we needed a win, we needed to get some confidence, I thought we had a great first half and kind of responded to their run and basketball's a game of runs, so responded to their run and we got the W, so I think we're happy.

Q. Without David out there did coach give you the green light to shoot the 3?

MITCH LIGHTFOOT: I wouldn't say he gave me the green light, but like he said, I shoot that in practice and do it in practice, you can do it in the games.

Q. Was that second one a heat check?

MITCH LIGHTFOOT: It was two for one, so there was 42 second left on the clock, so I shot it, Marcus was telling me he wanted me to shoot it -- if it goes in, great, but if it doesn't go in, then we still get another possession to end the game.

Q. What did you feel like you did well defensively out there when you were in?

MITCH LIGHTFOOT: I was trying to be active. Manek's hands are different than other big guys are in because he stretches the floor so well. He caught me on that one where I think Hark was posted up Dajuan and I was trying to get it in help side and he floated to the top of the key and knocked down that three. So there's a couple times he got the better of me, great player and can really shoot the ball and being a big guy most of the time the big guys aren't the best shooters on the team, so there's a couple that mental errors by me.

Q. How important is coming off the bench and being able to give a lot of energy with you and Dajuan?

MITCH LIGHTFOOT: I think that's huge. I think Dajuan does a great job of bringing that energy and I try too. I think that if we can continue to improve on it, Dajuan had five assists tonight, which was great. He had a big one there late. He's so active on defense. One time man I can was posting up and I didn't even know he was coming to trap from the bottom side and he did and he got a steal and it led to a bucket. So the guy played his butt off and I'm really happy for him.

Q. Did coach telling you anything going into this game about your role and how did you manage to play without having that kind of added pressure?

MITCH LIGHTFOOT: I would say, yeah, I mean obviously we're missing David, he's a huge piece of our team and I think that I need to go out there and I need to give us that inside presence. I wouldn't say that I was trying to replace his shots, because I don't think we can replace him. He's a great player. But, yeah, I'm looking forward to when he comes back but in the meantime I'm going to make sure we stay winning until he gets here.

Q. What did you make of DaJuan's play tonight, especially on the defensive end?

MITCH LIGHTFOOT: I mean, dude, he's everywhere. He impacts everything. He can be there on help side, he's so active, so active hands that whenever anybody drives in the lane near him they're always a little cognizant of where he is and he can make teams a little, make them second guess themselves, if you will. So I think he did a great job and then obviously down on the offensive end distributing the ball, making passes, making hard cuts, he did a good job.

Q. What about that pass he made to you late? You got it down to three, Mitch, and you guys did a little side pick and roll. What did you see from that pass?

MITCH LIGHTFOOT: Yeah, I mean just great feel. You look at that and he fit that into a window that was about this big (Indicating) so yeah he did a great job, obviously I've got to convert on my free throw, but that's another thing over there.