NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - OREGON ST. VS OKLAHOMA ST.

March 21, 2021

Wayne Tinkle

Hinkle Fieldhouse

Oregon State Beavers

Postgame Media Conference

Oregon State 80, Oklahoma State 70

WAYNE TINKLE: Just super proud of the group, man. I mean, this is an unbelievable ride we're on. So much went against us tonight. Let me just congratulate Mike and their team. He's a class act, hell of a coach. Man, what they've been through, how he's kept them together. I just hope we don't face them again because he's got a bright, bright future.

But proud of our guys. We squandered it away, we panicked a couple of times. Man, we didn't ever back down. Different guys stepped up from Maurice Calloo, Dearon Tucker for a little bit, all the way down the line, Tariq Silver, Julien Franklin made a huge hustle play. Then Gianni Hunt before he got hurt.

That hurt us in the second half with their pressure. Then the starters, our guys were dominant in the paint, on the glass. I never would have thought if we turned it over 20 times we'd have a chance. It's just a credit to the heart and the buy-in and the poise we showed down the stretch.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You just seem to have no fear going to your bench. Did it again tonight. How are you so confident in all these guys knowing they're going to do something coming off the bench?

WAYNE TINKLE: It's how we kind of try to build our deal, man. We talk about guys staying positive, staying ready, because you never know when you're going to get called upon. Our guys have kept great attitudes. There's been moments where we had to peel a little paint in the locker room to get them going and get them back on page.

Sometimes it's a look in the eye. We've always gone with a little different rotation at the center spot. I mean, it's silly. I remember when we got Dearon Tucker, I said if that guy commits to the weight room, he's going to have the kind of body you see on players in the Oklahoma State program, and in their conference. I said that.

He's worked hard. We went with him. He was big in the first half. Roman and Warith on the glass, Jarod and Ethan on the glass. But it's a credit to them. It's a credit to their character. That's what we build our program on, so it's no surprise that they stepped up when we needed them most.

Q. Your group certainly has been resilient this year with everything that's been thrown at you. This moment was so much bigger than anything else to this point. With Oklahoma State coming hard at you, how did your group get through this one?

WAYNE TINKLE: We just stayed together. I mean, we had some uncharacteristic turnovers by young and old. They're really good. They're really long. They play their tails off. But we didn't panic. We just didn't panic. We told them to hang in there. When we used the timeout there late, we just said, Hey, they're a hell of a team, that's their run, now let's close it out.

We said that at shootaround. We said, Guys, they're very talented. Cade Cunningham is a heck of a player. Obviously he's not the only one on their squad. We said they're going to make plays, they're probably going to get some breakaways off of turnovers, bang some threes. Just remember what we faced all year long and how we keep coming back from adversity.

People ask, Why aren't you more excited, this and that? It's they have instilled confidence in us. That's what you want. A lot of times you hear, Coach doesn't have confidence in me, he's taken my confidence. Well, you need to give coach confidence. Our guys are buying into that.

I couldn't be more excited for them. But not surprised just because of the run we've been on. I tell you why. It's because what we face in our conference. It's what we face in our conference. I mean, we were concerned about Tennessee's defense. We said, Yeah. The coaches did a great job with their scouting report. This guy is like Chris Duarte, this guy defends like Parquet, this guy is like McKinley, this guy is like Cody Riley.

We've got some talented, talented teams in our league. We're obviously putting everybody on notice. I'm very happy for our program, but I'm extremely happy for the Pac-12 conference. Maybe now we'll get some damn respect.

Q. You said it right there. Maybe now you'll get some damn respect. What do you feel like you faced as sort of a Cinderella, if you will? Do you feel like that is how you have been labeled this tournament?

WAYNE TINKLE: I could care less. Yeah, no. I could care less. I was saving this one and I forgot to use it. I said, we may be on Eastern time but the clock hasn't hit midnight back in Corvallis. I forgot to throw that one at the guys.

Call us whatever you want. Believe me, I've been called all sorts of stuff. I could care less. We're moving on to the Sweet 16.

Q. A great day to be a Beaver. Between what yourself and Scott's women did, you've been building this way, that's the mentality, we're playing to win.

WAYNE TINKLE: No, for sure. It's how we've built our programs. Obviously the success we had at Montana. Yeah, we've had some pitfalls, but we've done incredible things at Oregon State.

It's great to work -- you brought up the women's program, Scott and his gals have done an incredible job. It's been neat to kind of watch and exchange ideas. The thing that makes me most proud is doing it the right way. His program is the same. Don't cut corners. You just outwork people.

It's a great day for Beaver Nation, that's for sure.

Q. You mentioned before about how you wish you could have done something like this with Tres. Your whole family is with you every step of the way. Given what this program means to you, the court-side seats they have at Gill Coliseum, what does this moment mean for you and your family?

WAYNE TINKLE: I try to think of others first. I talked the other night just about the calm and the poise and patience we've been praying for. My sister Mary reminded me, don't ever forget to give glory to God. It's unbelievable. My wife said, Gosh, are you taking medication? It's not the case. We're at peace. It's an incredible deal to share with my family.

What was great, is after the way -- first of all, Tres wore a T-shirt our first game, it was a picture of Jarod Lucas shooting a jumper. Some folks thought it was a picture of himself, which he would never do.

After the game the other night he asked Ryan Lawrence, our equipment manager, if he could have a Roman Silva jersey. He wore a Zach Reichle jersey for a while. He's fired up. You know what, it was too bad he missed out his freshman year with injury. It was too bad it was swept away last year because we felt we were about to make the same kind of run. He's knee deep in it with us, so is my wife and daughters. They're passionate. They're loyal. I just wish I could share it with him.

We walked through Victory Field the other day, stood about 12 feet apart just to visit there outside the fence. We'll find time. We'll find time. I'm so appreciative for them. The family I grew up with, the family I now have as an adult.

Hopefully this doesn't get me too emotional. It's a hell of a win by Loyola today. As I was saying my prayers, as I do before I take a nap, I just said this would be unbelievable. I grew up in Chicago, was born in Milwaukee, my dad was dean of men at Marquette. Then when I was a year old we moved to Chicago, he was vice president/dean of students at Loyola. I grew up on their campus. He had two offices, one on the north shore, one downtown at the Water Tower Place.

Some of my most fond memories were in the summer going to his office at the Water Tower Place. He would have to do some work. He'd have people keep me out of trouble. I'd go up to the gym, shoot some hoops. Then we'd go to the Cubs games in the afternoon. I remember stories about George Ireland. I remember going to see him play when I was like five or six years old. Coach Moser has done a hell of a job. They're a great team. This is really going to mean something extra special for me and my family.

Q. With Maurice Calloo, he was clearly fired up out there to play against Oklahoma State. Did you sense that?

WAYNE TINKLE: It's the earliest he's entered a game in a while. He was unbelievable. We've given him credit in the past for what he's been through. He started early. He went through some rough times. But he kept his nose to the grindstone. He kept coming back for more work. Yeah, we thought could go one way or another. Obviously he started there, but because of his positivity and his work ethic, we knew he was going to have a positive impact.

We had to calm him down a couple of times. But, man, his energy and what he provided for us, not just his points but ball security, defense, I am really proud of him. Really super proud of him. We say it all the time. Just stick with it, might not go your way for a while, hang in there, keep fighting, that's the answer. Just keep battling, stay together, trust in the process.

I got to shout-out with a couple parents on the way off the court. In these times sometimes that doubt can come into your program. The families and the parents of these kids have been just remarkable this year. They never stop believing even with some of the early struggles because they trusted our program, they trusted their kids because of the jobs they've done to raise them. This is for all of them. It's going to be pretty neat to share it with them.

Q. You mentioned the Pac-12 as a whole before not getting enough respect. Are you able to pinpoint why the league doesn't get the respect of the Big Ten, Big 12, et cetera?

WAYNE TINKLE: I'm sure there's years in the past where it was just. But you look at what's been built. Last year it was looking like we could have as many as seven or possibly eight. It was tough without the pre-season (indiscernible) for us to earn that early this year.

Let's face it, I know a lot of the people that watch games are in bed when we play out there. But we have really come together as a group of coaches these last couple of years because we are tired of it. I mean, I would have never guessed getting texts from multiple coaches after we won the tournament, the Pac-12 tournament. Then the support after the win the other night.

But it goes way before that. We need to stick up for each other. We need to go to bat for each other. Yeah, we want to kick each other's ass when we go head-to-head. But let's pull for each other. We've really united as a coaching group.

I couldn't be more excited. I'm going to be rooting my butt off tomorrow for those teams.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, coach.

WAYNE TINKLE: Get some sleep. Pour a glass of vino. Go, Beavs.