NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - RUTGERS VS HOUSTON

March 21, 2021

Geo Baker

Lucas Oil Stadium Unity (South)

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Postgame Media Conference

Houston 63, Rutgers 60

THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by Geo Baker. We'll start with questions.

Q. Could you take us through what happened when you had the ball down one? Is it as simple as it looks, just bounced off your leg?

GEO BAKER: Yeah, I mean, it was just an iso play. We kind of faked two screens coming high, got the defender looking a little bit. I just attacked. Yeah, I mean, I was just trying to go to my left, in-and-out dribble. Usually it's a one-dribble step-back. Kind of hedged it a little bit, which I didn't really expect. I just lost it. It's a move I made like a million times. So that's probably the first time I ever lost it in that position.

Q. Can you talk about the emotion in the locker room, everything you've been through, final minute losing the game like that?

GEO BAKER: Yeah, just a lot of emotion. We've been through so much this year. Honestly, if you weren't inside you really just can't understand it, from isolating to wins to losses to being here in March. A lot of us were trying to go to March Madness last year, we didn't get that chance. For a lot of us it's been two years now. So just leading up to this moment, to lose like that was tough.

Just to add to it, Coach Boylan, me personally, he has been my biggest supporter since I first have been on campus. Just always talking, always calling me, not even talking about basketball, asking me about how my family is, how my mom is, how I'm doing. Just so much more than just basketball. To hear that, too, it only added to the emotion in the locker room.

Just a really tough day overall.

Q. You've been a leader and the face of this program for four years. What did you say to the guys? What was said afterwards in the locker room?

GEO BAKER: Just how much everyone loves each other. I didn't really say much, to be honest with you. But everyone just saying that we love each other, we're proud of each other. Proud of everything that we did, everything we've been through. Any single one of us could have opted out. There's been players all over the country who opted out because of COVID. But we all stuck with it.

Yeah, I mean, just saw a lot of emotion.

Q. In terms of where you brought this program from where it was when you started to now, it's fresh off a loss, but have you been reflecting? Do you take comfort in the fact of what you were able to do for this program and where it is now?

GEO BAKER: Not really, to be honest. Felt we could have gone farther. Came down to one possession. Felt we could have done something more. So I don't know, I mean, I just -- as a competitor, you just never really are satisfied. You kind of always just want more.

I felt like I let that slip away on the last play.

Q. How long do you think it's going to take to get over this? You're up 10, looks like the Sweet 16 is coming.

GEO BAKER: I don't know if people ever really get over tough times. You kind of just -- you have to live with it and bounce back. Losses are lessons. I've learned a lot of lessons through my life. This is probably just going to be another one of those.

How do you take it in? How do you react to it? How do you bounce back and make something positive out of it?

I don't know if I'm ever really going to forget today or get over it. But there's better days ahead. You just have to understand that and work through it, just continue on.

Q. Do you know yet if this is your last game at Rutgers? If it is, how do you want to be remembered?

GEO BAKER: No, honestly I haven't really thought about that. I don't know if any of the guys have thought about that. I've always wanted my legacy to be a winner. I don't really know where that stands right now, to be honest with you.

I mean, that's just what I've always felt like I am, is a winner. Yeah, I mean, that's just what I want to be known for. I don't really care about stats or individual stuff, any of that. We just want to be a winning team because that's always the most important thing at the end of the day. Basketball is a game of wins and losses. It's only one or the other, yeah.

Q. Coach was talking about how trying the whole year has been, everything you have had to deal with with the COVID stuff. Obviously you wanted to advance. Is there going to be a part of you when you wake up tomorrow or get back home that there's some relief this season is finally done?

GEO BAKER: No, I don't think so. There's tough times during the season where you may have that thought for a second, whether it's you're isolating, you're away from your family, or even just a hard day on the court. But at the end of the day we all play this game because we love it, we love to compete. March Madness only intensifies that, only makes you want it even more.

I don't think there's any relief for anyone. You always just wish you could just keep playing. I don't think so.

Q. I know you like to have a clutch shot throughout your career. Ron has been very clutch throughout his career. What do you say to him after his three-pointer missed the mark?

GEO BAKER: He's a really good shooter. Like I say, I really don't have much to say after the game.

Yeah, I mean, Ron is really confident. He's a special player. He's been a big part of what we've been doing here. He knows that. We'll continue to tell him that.

But, yeah, just stay confident I guess is what I'd tell him.