BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 12, 2021

Kevin Willard

Seton Hall Pirates

Madison Square Garden

Postgame Media Conference

Georgetown - 66, Seton Hall - 58

Q. You're tied 57-57, 2 minutes left. What do you think was the difference down the stretch?

COACH WILLARD: We missed a lot of free throws where we could have gave ourselves a one- or two-point cushion. And we missed a lot of free throws in the last three minutes, four minutes of the game, where we ended up getting empty possessions. So we get to the free-throw line. We missed a free throw. We get to the free-throw line, we miss two free throws. We make one out of two.

And you just can't go 5-for-11 from the free-throw line when they're going 8-for-25. That's the difference in the ball game.

Q. Would you guys go to the NIT if selected?

COACH WILLARD: I haven't really put a whole lot of thought into it at this moment. I'm not 100 percent sure that's going to be the best thing for this team. I wouldn't play Sandro in the NIT. I have some seniors that -- I'm not sure going into a hotel in Texas right now is the best thing for my seniors. But I'm going to have a conversation with them later.

But as of right now I'm leaning toward not doing it just for the fact of everything that we've been through all year long. I'm just not sure that's something that's best for us right now.

Q. You brought Bryce in here to be a big part of this team. How much do you think it hurt you guys that he just couldn't get on the court consistently?

COACH WILLARD: Yeah, I mean, obviously we were really excited about bringing Bryce in just because of the dynamic and the makeup of this team. We thought his ability to be able to get in the paint and be able to create shots for Jared and Myles and take some pressure off Sandro.

Obviously, not having him technically the last half of the season, it really hurt us in the fact it just put so much on Shavar's plate, not only offensively but defensively. I feel bad for him. It's a tough way to end your career not being able to play all year long.

And it hurt us. I'm not going to lie, it hurt us, but I feel worse for him. I think it hurt him more because it's a tough way to end your career.

Q. Just wondering what it's been like for you this season as a whole to coach under these circumstances? When you look back later from now and you look back at this, how will you look at this year? Is it like something you'll throw away or --

COACH WILLARD: No, no, I mean, I'm really proud of this basketball team. I think I made some decisions early on when we came out of COVID lockdown that hurt us, probably hurt our chances for the NCAA Tournament, because it's looked upon like we couldn't beat anybody, when I tried to give what these guys wanted to do. They wanted to play games.

Coming out -- I've said it before, coming out of the summer and the season ending last year, these guys really just wanted to play games when we came out of lockdown and we just weren't ready to play. And that really kind of set us back.

Bryce gets hurt in the first six minutes of the Louisville game and we're on the road. And we played more road games than anybody else. I just think it probably wasn't the best decision.

But when I look back at it this is a great group to coach. They played hard. They practiced hard. They had a great attitude. We got close to coming -- after losing three great seniors last year to come back and replace those guys and get close to making the NCAA Tournament. I'm proud of this team.

Q. It seemed like Sandro had a tough time around the rim. Some chippies that didn't go down. Was there anything that Georgetown did in particular to bother him, or was it just a tough night for him?

COACH WILLARD: If you're driving and you're not getting foul calls and teams are able to be a little more physical with you, that probably doesn't help.

Q. What do you want to say about your seniors? You've been with these guys a long time. They've won a lot of games for you?

COACH WILLARD: This is always, you know -- it's always tough at the end of the year. I'm proud of them. They've been here four years. They've given their heart and soul. They've been great in the classroom. They've been great in the community. And they've been terrific on the basketball court.

I'm going to miss them very much. But they can hold their heads high. They had great careers. Had a chance to go to four straight NCAA Tournaments. Each one of them gave a lot. I think what I'm most proud of them, I said this the other day, you know, all of them have really grown as men. They're just not -- I look at what Myles Cale is doing in his community, and the foundation. And Sandro coming in as a young, young immature young man has blossomed into an NBA player, in my opinion. Shavar was a walk-on and plays 34 minutes tonight for us.

We're just really proud of all of them. Really am. Looking forward to what they hold in the future, because I think they're going to all have bright futures.