NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - SYRACUSE VS SAN DIEGO STATE

March 19, 2021

Brian Dutcher

San Diego State Aztecs

Hinkle Fieldhouse

Postgame Media Conference

Syracuse - 78, San Diego State - 62

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher. Coach, an opening statement.

COACH DUTCHER: There's only one team in this event that's going to win every game. I was hoping we'd have an opportunity to make a deeper run at this thing. It didn't happen. That is a credit to Syracuse and how well they played. I thought we played hard to the end. We had a tendency of maybe struggling to find an offensive flow at times, but our defense always keeps up in the game.

But tonight we let them create too much separation. They played well offensively. Obviously we struggled to shoot the ball. Their zone was very good. We were trying to find ways to attack it off the dribble, off the pass, off the high post. Weren't successful at any of those things because of their high quality defense. So that's a credit to Syracuse.

I like the fight and toughness of my team. I was obviously disappointed we weren't in striking distance where we could have put a little more pressure on them down the stretch but I'm proud of the season. I thank the seniors for all they've done for San Diego State University and obviously me as the head coach spending for years with me -- Jordan, Matt, Adam Seiko, a redshirt junior coming in with me as a first-time head coach. And the contributions they made to the program along with the seniors -- Gomez and Tomaic and Trey Pulliam. We have class kids that gave their all for San Diego State University. Came up a little short in the tournament.

Q. You took 40 3s. Were those open looks or do you feel like they looked open by the time you guys got ready to shoot them and they closed out on you?

COACH DUTCHER: They have great length. You don't realize it until you get out there on them. Some of the looks were clean. But some were a little deeper than normal. Obviously we knew we had to make 3s in order to compete in this game. And so the ones we got we didn't make. Not all of them were great but some of them were good looks.

But obviously when you're missing them, the defense starts shrinking and it gets harder to drive. I thought we tried to attack more off the dribble in the second half but obviously we're too far gone in the score to seriously affect the game. This is the first 2-3 zone we've played against all season. And obviously a very good one. Coach Boeheim has had the success he's had because he plays it better than anybody.

Q. What was the turning point of this game? You had a 15-10 lead there and they just went on a huge run. What was the turning point of the first half for you during that 18-point run?

COACH DUTCHER: They started making a lot of 3-balls. Obviously Buddy Boeheim was shooting well during this event, shooting the lights out. But Jared came in and made some. I think they made seven 3s a game. I think they had 12-plus against us today. Richmond, who made I think one or two 3s all season made two tonight.

When they started building the lead, the basket started looking bigger for all of them and they shot well against us. And we're a pretty good defensive team. So they hit some contested ones. I don't think we gave them a lot of easy looks. But they're playing really good basketball right now at a great time of the year in March.