SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 14, 2021

John Petty, Jr.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Postgame Press Conference

Alabama 80, LSU 79

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by John Petty, Jr. If you could make an opening statement about winning the 2021 SEC championship, then take questions.

JOHN PETTY, JR.: It's kind of undescribable feeling. Just everything personally that we've been through, especially me and Herb being here four years, all the ups and downs, all the adversity we went through. Just to see us stay the course, continue working hard and win this, it feels amazing.

It wasn't our best game, but we got guys that always hold each other together, stay together. We pulled it out. I couldn't be more proud of these guys than I am now.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for J.P.

Q. What happened before the game with the scuffle with the two teams?

JOHN PETTY, JR.: Honestly I don't know. We was just in shootaround, layup lines. I turned around, seen a bunch of commotion. I was just trying to stop it. It kind of actually pumped us up, made the game more fun.

I honestly don't know what happened, but something happened.

Q. Earlier in the tournament you made your 300th three, you're the all-time leader in the history of Alabama basketball. What was it like to pull off what hasn't happened since 2006-2007 where a university has won the SEC football championship, then the regular season, and basketball tournament?

JOHN PETTY, JR.: It's an amazing feeling. I really didn't know until you actually said something. I ain't know I made my 300th three. Appreciate you telling me.

You know what's amazing? Just to see our school do both things in basketball and football just tells about the school itself, just the way they recruit, the people that we have around our school. It's amazing. It's kind of, like I say, undescribable just because all these things haven't been done in so long.

It hasn't set in on us yet so I really can't even tell you how we feel.

Q. Describe the last LSU possession, the last seven seconds. What was your perception of what was going on?

JOHN PETTY, JR.: I just know we had to get a stop. I really didn't care what else happened. I just know we had to stop them from scoring that last seven seconds. No matter what we had to do, who did it, somebody just had to get them stopped. And we did, and we champs.