NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - MICHIGAN VS TEXAS SOUTHERN

March 20, 2021

Michael Weathers

Mackey Arena

Texas Southern Tigers

Postgame Media Conference

Michigan - 82, Texas Southern - 66

Q. Mike, congratulations again on the season. This is not how you wanted it to end, but give me your thoughts on the way -- it looked like you guys were tight early, and then once you got in t it was a little too late, but you made a great run there in the second half. What are your thoughts?

MICHAEL WEATHERS: That's just our brand of basketball -- never quit, never stop playing, always play every second like it's your last. Coach Jones preaches to us just a never-give-up mentality. I wouldn't want to go anywhere without this group of guys, and I know that with these group of guys, I know they're always going to fight, and that's how we usually play.

Q. Did you think as a group you were tight early? Man, you had open shots. You and your teammates would make great drives to the basket or have an open shot, and they just weren't falling.

MICHAEL WEATHERS: I think it was just a little bit of nervousness at first. We just didn't hit shots enough tonight, and that was just a big part of us. We went 1 of 11 from three, 1 of 12 from three, and I think it was just an off night for us. It was just a great season, great run, and I wouldn't want to do it with any other group of guys.

Q. How would you put into words what it's meant to you and your team to get this far and play at this level even though it didn't go the way you wanted, to be at this stage now?

MICHAEL WEATHERS: I would just say, for us, it was just truly a blessing. Like with the COVID situation, it's just unknown. So you never know what's going on. But I want to commend the NCAA, how they held everything down and operated everything.

It was a great run that we had, and like I said, I wouldn't want to do it with anybody else. I love these guys. These guys are like my brothers. So it was a great run we had, but unfortunately, it had to come to an end.

Q. Speaking of runs, what did you think of the run you all had in the second half that cut the deficit in half as you tried to make it a game?

MICHAEL WEATHERS: I thought, if we played with that intensity in the first half, the first four minutes, I think it would be a different game. For us, we always want to play the -- we always want to play four-minute segments and win every four-minute segment, but in those first eight minutes, we just got down too much and dug ourself too deep of a hole. So it was just too much for us to come back from.

But I want to commend Michigan and how they played tonight.

Q. Mike, congratulations again. You guys were a lot of fun to watch over these last two games. Can you talk to me about what you hoped to have showed the nation these last two games about Texas Southern basketball?

MICHAEL WEATHERS: For us, we just wanted to show that we're a hardworking group of guys. We come in every day with a blue-collar mentality, and we just never give up. This group of guys is always going to fight down to the end, down to the wire. I'm glad it was Texas Southern in this tournament, and that we got to represent Texas Southern in the right way. It was just a fun run, but like I said, unfortunately, it has to come to an end.

Q. Mike, congratulations on a well-played season. Didn't quite end the way you wanted to, but represented Texas Southern in the conference quite well. My question to you is this. With you being able to play in different avenues as a student-athlete, what was the experience like for you personally being a student-athlete at Texas Southern in the HBCU world?

MICHAEL WEATHERS: When I first got to Texas Southern, it was open arms. So it was basically like walking into a new family. They embraced me with open arms, and it's just a lot of fun being at an HBCU. The atmosphere, just the people around, it's just a great group of people to be around. They really care about you, and they really take the time to look out for you.

Texas Southern is just a great university to attend to.

Q. Thank you so much, Mike, for representing the conference, Texas Southern, and HBCUs quite well. Good luck to you in your future.

MICHAEL WEATHERS: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

Q. Your coach just said he had to tell you to be more selfish and look for your shot more. What was that conversation like?

MICHAEL WEATHERS: With Coach, he always tells me that he knows that I want to get my teammates involved because I'm just that type of person. I always want to see my group of guys around me shine more than me.

But for him, he told me that he needs me to be a little bit more selfish and to look for the shot, like you said, just to help us out on more of the offensive end.

But, I mean, I wouldn't -- I wouldn't trade any of the moments that I had with this team for anything. It was just a great season. Being able to just play with these group of guys, it just means a lot. Even though we did talk about me being selfish on the offensive end, these guys was on my back, guided me, helping me throughout the whole way. So I really want to commend our guys.

Q. Sorry if I'm a little late on this, but obviously Michigan had a size advantage, but you all weren't afraid to take the ball inside on them. How much was it intended to kind of go with that dribble drive so often against them?

MICHAEL WEATHERS: With us, we wanted -- our game plan was to attack Michigan's bigs, but I mean, they're a great group of bigs. I'm not surprised. They work hard every day. You can see it on the floor. You can see it. They were a top team in the country the whole year.

It was just a great battle, but unfortunately, we didn't come out with the win.

THE MODERATOR: I've got one quick one for you. How meaningful was it to have the NCAA Tournament back after last year's cancellation?

MICHAEL WEATHERS: It was great. Just to be back on this stage and have this stage present in front of everybody, it's just a great feeling. I'm really glad the NCAA found a way to figure this all out and get this tournament going, and I really just want to commend them for that.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Mike, for your time and a successful season.