NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - MISSOURI VS OKLAHOMA

March 20, 2021

Austin Reaves

Lucas Oil Stadium - Equality Court (North)

Oklahoma Sooners

Postgame Media Conference

Oklahoma - 72, Missouri - 68

THE MODERATOR: We will start first with questions for Austin.

Q. Obviously you, Brady, and Elijah did it again for you guys tonight. Can you speak about the performance from you three with De'Vion out?

AUSTIN REAVES: Yeah, the big-time performance, performances from everybody. Vic came in, gave us really good minutes, Alondes played really good minutes, E.J., Brady really stepped their game up a lot. That's what they're capable of. We've known they're capable of that for a long time and it just shown today. I can't be more proud of those guys and everybody else on the team.

Q. Can you talk about the way you were able to put them away. You guys scored on seven of the last eight possessions, just how big was that to close the game out?

AUSTIN REAVES: Oh, it's major. Closing the game like that is major. You win a lot of those games when you do the things that you, that we did down the stretch. Coach put us in really good positions to be successful and everybody just really come together and made good plays down the stretch.

Q. Jalen's the set play, he recognized Brady in the wing for a three-pointer, how big was that at that time when it was just a one-point game?

AUSTIN REAVES: Oh, major. I threw a horrible pass. I thought I was throwing it to Kur for a second, but he went up, made a really good play on the ball, got it, come down, didn't travel, and seen Brady wide open and made the right play. Brady knocked down a big shot there.

Q. You touched on Jalen there. Wanted to ask you about him. A couple big plays for him down the stretch. Obviously hitting the free throws. What did you think about his overall performance, especially given the absence of De'Vion?

AUSTIN REAVES: Big. Big time. He stepped into a big-time role on a big-time stage and did what he does. We have known he's capable of doing those things for the whole year and with De'Vion out, got the opportunity to step up and do those things. He had really, really good possessions down the stretch and the full game, just to be really solid on the defensive end, really just stick to coach's game plan, and he was really, really major for us tonight.

Q. To get this win and in light of the fact that you guys were so close to being in the tournament a year ago when it gets cancelled, what did it mean to finally be on the floor tonight and then to play in a game like this where it was so tight and competitive and come out with the win?

AUSTIN REAVES: Like you said, when the year was cancelled last year everybody had a sick taste in their mouth. This is a tournament that you grow up watching, you grow up wanting to play in, and for us not to be able to do that, it just, it stung, honestly. But to be back here this year, hungry, just ready to compete and like you said it was a close game the whole game, I think we got up eight or so a couple times and then they would make a run right back. For us to stay together and fight through those close games like that is really big for us.

Q. Do you think older guys, like you and Brady, we saw the performance that you two specifically had tonight, do you think you guys as older guys maybe even appreciate it a little bit more being out there and just embracing the moment?

AUSTIN REAVES: Oh, for sure. When you're young you think everything's going to stay around for a long time. I remember my freshman year like it was yesterday. I had those same thoughts like, oh, these four, five years, however long I'm in college it's going to take awhile, but it goes by really in the blink of an eye, so really just cherishing every moment out there with the guys and just making special bonds with everybody is a really big thing.

Q. How much easier is it to run this offense when Brady's making the threes like that and really stretching the defense?

AUSTIN REAVES: It's easy. Get him the ball, and he's going to do the rest. Coach, like I said, had a really good game plan offensively, defensively, to get guys in the position that he wanted us to be in. For Brady to make shots like that it's super big. He's been doing it for a long time now, four years in a row that he's, I mean, been one of the best four-man shooters if not all of basketball, one through five. And it's special just to see it, to be a part of it and I really just want the best for him.

Q. How did those last two or three minutes feel compared to some of the late-game struggles that you've had and you seem like you've stayed composed in those moments and they haven't always worked out for you. What do you feel like was working the best for you tonight just as far as it mentally goes?

AUSTIN REAVES: It's really about the same. You attack all games the same way, you attack late game the same way. You really got to be composed. Late in the year we dropped some of those games. Got to give credit to the other team when they made better plays down the stretch. But I feel like it was similar and we just came out on the better end of the stick this time.

Q. You've got a lot of veterans, but did you see maybe some of the younger guys grow up tonight as far as stepping up on the big stage?

AUSTIN REAVES: For sure. We have known that they're capable of doing those things. We have full trust in them doing those things, Vic, Jalen, really, really everybody on the team, we have faith in. I know E.J.'s not really a young guy, but first time on the stage like this and played a phenomenal basketball game. Couldn't say enough about his performance. I mean, everybody's performance we really just gutted out a win.

Q. Obviously we talked about it a lot this season that you guys have played just so many close games. Is that a huge advantage for you guys staying even-keeled through all the runs of a game and obviously in the late moments?

AUSTIN REAVES: Oh, yeah, when you're in the Big-12 you're going to play, all the games are going to be close, so you're going to be prepared when it comes this time of the season to be successful in the last two minutes of a basketball game. So just being in a conference like that it's special, just knowing that every night you got to come out and play, it really prepares you for the post-season.

Q. Big-time performance for you guys. How much communication have you had with De'Vion the last 24 hours? Text, Zoom, anything like that? Has he offered any encouragement to y'all and vice versa?

AUSTIN REAVES: Oh, for sure. He texted us I think two days ago, just really just wishing us the best and texted us before the game and we were all on FaceTime with him rights after the game in the locker room. It sucks for him to not be here. We know, we all know how bad he wants to be here. He's a competitor, he's a grinder, so to get this taken away from him is tough, but I know he was in his room running around jumping up and down, yelling at the TV, just to be excited for us, just to see us get a win. So we can't look over that and we just really got to appreciate what he's brought to us for the full year and really now too.

Q. Elijah did his usual stuff, rebounding, steals, playing tough, all that. He also scored and was very efficient and with De'Vion out how important was it for Elijah to get whatever he had, 17, 18 points?

AUSTIN REAVES: It was big. He's a big-time player. That's why he's here, that's why the coaches wanted him here. Just like you said, he did everything that he usually does and then produced really well on the offensive end, which we know he's capable of. We have seen it for a year now, a little over, just his capability of being an all-around player. And really he stepped up on a big stage and made really, really good plays. I mean, if you watch the game you could tell he was one of the best players on the floor tonight.

Q. One question about your defense, what did you guys do well defensively and compared to what Lon Kruger's game plan was?

AUSTIN REAVES: I felt like we executed it really well. We was going to help with the four man because Tilmon's a beast down there. He's got really good moves, strong, really strong, and can finish around the basket. So we really just had to help, and then, and then really just stay in front of the ball as guards, don't let him get going down hill. I felt like we executed it really well. Props to Coach Kruger and the coaching staff for drawing all that up. Can't say enough about it.

Q. Great game. Just wondered, you mentioned the defense, it seemed like awhile that was going to be the thing that carried you to victory and then here they come knocking all those crazy shots down. But you were able, unlike some of these other games, to finish this one off, both you and your teammates. What was the key in getting that done?

AUSTIN REAVES: Really just being resilient. It's March. Crazy things are going to happen. Like you said, they made big shots down the stretch, a couple step-backs, a couple just pull-ups and stuff like that, to cut it to a close game like that. But really just being resilient and refusing to lose, honestly. You lose now, you go home, you think about all the things you could have done, should have done, and stuff like that. But now we get to stick around and play another game on Monday.