NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: REGIONAL SEMIFINAL: OREGON ST. VS LOYOLA CHICAGO

March 27, 2021

Cameron Krutwig

Bankers Life Fieldhouse

Loyola Chicago Ramblers

Sweet 16 Postgame Media Conference

Oregon State - 65, Loyola Chicago - 58

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Cameron Krutwig.

Q. When you checked out, you and Lucas had a really long embrace. I wonder if you could share what that moment was like and what you guys said to each other there.

CAMERON KRUTWIG: I just told him I loved him and stuff. And I mean, it's kind of hard to put into words the type of stuff. We were roommates the last two years. Just a lot of memories I'll have with him. And it's just tough. I told him I loved him and everything. And just, yeah.

Q. Can you tell us the emotions you're feeling now as the season and year has come to such an abrupt end today?

CAMERON KRUTWIG: Obviously you're disappointed, sad. Just we felt like we could go further. Credit to Oregon State. I mean, they played a good game. First half we didn't really come out. We couldn't really make shots today. We got great open looks. They just weren't falling today. Their defense played zone a little bit. Just wasn't enough today for us.

Obviously sad. Locker room scene was pretty tough. Just those guys, you make memories with and everything. You don't want it to end. But it's just tough right now. But we'll look back on this season and have a lot of memories and especially what we did coming from my junior year to now, getting bounced in the first round of March Madness to making the Sweet 16 and everything. So we'll have a lot of memories to look back on. But as of right now it definitely hurts.

Q. Even when you guys got down to a double-digit deficit it seemed like you guys still had the fight, you still were in the game. What was going on that you were unable to get over the hump?

CAMERON KRUTWIG: Like I said, we had some opportunities there, there was a loose ball and Braden got a wide-open look that he probably wants back. He probably makes that shot 7 out of 10 times. We just couldn't find it.

We didn't go away, like you said, just tried to keep it in the fight and everything and play to the horn. But we got great looks. I mean, I don't know what we shot from 3, but not to blame anything or anything, we all -- you never want to miss. But it just wasn't falling. It wasn't our night.

They made some big shots and we kind of didn't. Myself included. I have a couple I would like back. But right now it's just kind of that game will kind of fade off, and the memories that we made and the celebrations and everything, those will remain.

Q. Have you given thought or made a decision if you'll possibly come back next year for your extra year of eligibility?

CAMERON KRUTWIG: No, I have not yet. Just right now trying to enjoy the company of the guys, just the guys that we battled all year and everything like that. I haven't given it any thought.

Q. I was wondering if you could just, like, tell me, does this one hurt more than the Final Four one? Just like compare the two for me. Does it hurt more? Does it hurt less? Same feelings?

CAMERON KRUTWIG: Yeah, I would say it hurts more just -- I know when you're a freshman -- obviously I took that loss hard, but I had three more years. Obviously I felt for those seniors and those guys. Obviously they were in the spot that I'm in now. And, yeah, it definitely hurts more to know that this was kind of my senior year and everything. Just the kind of group of guys we had. It was shaping up -- we were shaping up to try to get back there.

And also think it hurts more now just because this is the most recent one. Like I said earlier, that Michigan loss, I mean it still hurts a little bit. But those memories we made during the whole ride and everything mean way more to know that we lost that game and I'm sure it will be the same down the road.

Q. How have you grown, matured, changed through the Loyola culture/Porter's influence on your life?

CAMERON KRUTWIG: Oh, that's a heavy one. Just from being a freshman, just trying to grow every year. Me and Coach and Luke really kind of built a special relationship and everything. It was tough in there in the locker room just through it all, thick and thin, it's just tough to kind of put that into words.

But I'm proud of the career I've had. I know Lucas is proud of the career he's had. So, yeah.

Q. It seemed like especially in the first half Oregon State's defense was just really tough for you guys to overcome. I know they looked like they were playing a lot of zone. I know they were a pretty long team. But was there something specific that just made it difficult for you guys to get anything going on offense?

CAMERON KRUTWIG: We didn't play with the pace we wanted to play with. We kind of let them slow us down a little bit. Honestly, we got a lot of good looks. If you go back and watch the tape, we got a lot of open 3s. We just didn't make them. I got a couple of open looks in the paint I missed, especially in that second half.

I don't know. Yeah, they ran that zone. They do run it well. But I felt like we were getting our looks, getting open shots. We just didn't convert on them. And we really didn't play with the type of pace that we wanted to play with. We kind of got the pace going a little bit more in the second half and we started to kind of find our rhythm a little bit, but it was kind of too little too late.