SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 13, 2021

Darius Days

LSU Tigers

Postgame Press Conference

LSU 78, Arkansas 71

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Darius Days.

Q. For as good as y'all's offense is, today your defense won this game. Talk about the defense y'all played. Talk about Javonte in the final minute.

DARIUS DAYS: Javonte played great. Coach has been preaching defensive rebound, defensive rebound, just closing the gaps, not let them get to the rim as easy. We had a couple times where they got to the rim at will. They was getting to the basket easy a couple times.

Javonte played great up top against Notae, against all the guards up top, against Tate. He closed the game out for us with the free throws, as well.

Q. Eric Gaines for a freshman had some unreal plays in the last 3 minutes. The resilience of this kid was unreal.

DARIUS DAYS: Right. We believe in each other. He came in the game, even though he's a freshman, came in the game and he did his job. He got a big stop at the end of the game. Javonte knocked down the two free throws. That just shows what kind of young guys we have on our team, what they're going to do next year.

We love these guys. We believe in these guys.

Q. Talk about your game today. Stayed out of foul trouble, got to battle till the end. That had to please you.

DARIUS DAYS: Most definitely. Sometimes I get in foul trouble, I have to sit for a long period of time. I don't enjoy sitting on the bench because I feel like I can't help my team win.

Being out there at the end to close it out, it was a great feeling to get that win. Everybody played well today.

Q. You get another shot at Alabama. Getting this third shot at Alabama, talk about that.

DARIUS DAYS: It's going to be a good one. Like I say yesterday, bring your popcorn, it's going to be a great one. I feel like it's going to be one for the ages. It's going to be a heavyweight fight, punch to punch.

We got to play great defense. We know they going to play great defense like they've been doing the whole year. I feel like it's going to be a shootout tomorrow. It's going to be a great game.

Q. How much would it mean to have a chance to take a tournament title home to Baton Rouge?

DARIUS DAYS: It would be great. It's been a long time since we had an SEC championship. Even not going home the first game, because I've been a part of that early part of my freshman and sophomore year here. It's great getting to the championship game. It feels really good.

Q. The idea that you guys are playing some of your best basketball right now. Even the commentators said if you have the defensive tenacity and effort that y'all showed today, not a lot of teams can hang with you guys.

DARIUS DAYS: Not really. Not at all. We're playing defense. The guards are playing great defense. Cam is playing pretty good defense. Trendon is playing good defense. Everybody is playing great defense. Off the bench, that's a big spark to the defense as well. Everybody is doing their job. If everybody do their job, we should come home with a championship.

Q. We saw the locker room. Talk about the fun you get to have after big wins like this.

DARIUS DAYS: It's unbelievable. The music is playing. Even Coach Wade is dancing, some of the coaches are dancing. It's unlike no other. It's just fun. It just shows us, if we keep winning, we'll have great times like that again. Just got to keep winning.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

DARIUS DAYS: Thank y'all.