NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL FOUR: UCLA VS GONZAGA

April 3, 2021

Jalen Suggs

Lucas Oil Stadium - Unity Court (South)

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Semi-Final Postgame Media Conference

Gonzaga - 93, UCLA - 90

Q. I can see the emotion on your face, man. What are you feeling and then can you walk me through that final shot?

JALEN SUGGS: Oh, my God. I don't know. I don't know. I saw Johnny got the miss and got the miss and put it back in. And Corey took it out right away, "Corey, Corey come here," and I got as many dribbles as I can. Tried to get as close as I could.

He was actually like right under me. But I just put it up. I was fading away with it. And it went off the backboard and in. I don't know. I've always wanted to run up on the table and like Kobe and D-Wade and go like that, and that's the first thing I did.

Man, that is something that you practice on your mini hoop as a kid or in the gym just messing around. And to be able to do that, it's crazy.

Q. I know this is kind of early to talk about, but you now have a play that's going to be forever remembered in Gonzaga lore. That shot is going to go down as one of the best shots in program history. Just how does that feel for you?

JALEN SUGGS: I mean, it's amazing. Again, like I said, stuff like this is something you dream up as a kid and you practice on a mini hoop. But it was a great shot. Crazy shot. It was special. But, I mean, I can't say enough about this group, the way that everyone fought all night long in regulation and over time. Andrew came up huge as well to get a great game. Corey, Drew, Anton. A.C. came in gave us a spark in the first half.

It was one of the most special games I've ever been a part of in any sport. And it was crazy. This is a moment I'm going to look back on in a while and re-watch.

Q. Talk about just the level, high level of play in that game, both offenses just functioning at a high rate. What was it like to be involved in something like that? It was like an instant classic.

JALEN SUGGS: It was great. UCLA is a great team. They deserve a lot of credit. A lot of credit. Coming from the First Four game to the Final Four, putting up the fight they gave us. They deserve all the credit in the world.

They have shot makers, and big-time shot makers in Johnny Juzang, Jaime. Tyger played great. Cody played great. That team is special. But I don't think we lost our identity all night. We came out a little slow. But it's the Final Four and teams are going to make runs, and they're here for a reason.

But we stuck together, kept turning on offense and kept it moving and stuck with it, man. It turned out to a great team win.

Q. Where does this rank among the best moments of your life?

JALEN SUGGS: So I've always said a football game, section championship against Benilde-St. Margaret's my senior year was my greatest sports moment I've been a part of. It skyrockets above that. I mean, it was nuts. And I still can't speak. I have so many things going on in my head. I just can't believe that happened. I don't think it's really going to hit me until I wake up tomorrow. But, I mean, tonight was special.

Q. Could you sort of explain the challenge that you had in trying to run both the offense and deal with defending a player as creative and as energetic as Juzang is?

JALEN SUGGS: Johnny is a special player. He is. No other way to put it. A special offensive talent. I tried to stay solid. He took a lot of tough shots, made a lot of tough shots. That's what great players do. But on the offensive end, it makes it a lot easier when you've got guys like Corey and another point guard like Andrew can take some pressure off, a beast in the paint like Drew and Joel knocking down shots.

It made it easy for me to key on the defense, give it my all. And the offensive end, just cut, get guys open and take shots when I feel like I have a good look. So, yeah.

Q. You guys have been on a collision course with Baylor all year. You were supposed to play them earlier, didn't get the opportunity. Now you get for all the marbles. What's your early thoughts on being a game away from a national title and playing against that team?

JALEN SUGGS: I can't wait to get there. I'm extremely excited. It's just something we've put as an accomplishment that we want to get to at the beginning of the year. And to be here, it just shows all the hard work and effort that we put in all season long.

And Baylor's a great team. They've got great guard play. They play really hard, have great defense, bigs who give it their all, play above the rim. So it's going to be a dogfight, I think. There's no other way to put it. We're going to go at them. It's going to be a game of runs and I mean it's going to be a battle.

Q. You said when you committed here that the goal was to win a national championship. How does it feel being one game away from coming through and making that goal a reality?

JALEN SUGGS: Again, it feels great. It's things you dream about. When dreams start to become realities and you're able to experience those things, it's special. And those are things you've got to cherish. You're never going to get another moment like this. You'll never be able to relive this.

My mentality is I'm going to give it my all 110 percent while I'm here. Try to come out on top for the guys on this team, for the city of Spokane and for everyone involved and the fans of Gonzaga basketball.

Q. Could you walk us through the block and one-handed bounce pass to Drew with two minutes in regulation? And there will be kids mimicking you on hoops all around the country tomorrow. Who did you grow up -- do you have a favorite buzzer beater now that you're going to be part of?

JALEN SUGGS: I was in the corner, maybe a grace slit, Cody Riley, had a wide-open lane, and I couldn't just give him a free bucket. Either I was going to find him at the line or make a play on the ball. I went to the corner, it was tough to get it. I got it. I saw Drew running, and Tyger Campbell is fast. I wanted to throw it. It looked wide open. And then as soon as I let it go out of my hands, he had like another gear. It made it a lot closer than I wanted it to be. I knew Coach was maybe a little pissed that I made the pass, but it got through. Drew made a great catch, finished it off. That was a huge play.

And my favorite buzzer beater, I don't think it gets much better than Kris Jenkins, National Championship game, tie game, comes out and drills it. As it goes in, cannons go off, confetti is falling. That was the one for me.

Q. I don't know if you've had time, but I'm curious, have you had a chance to watch the replay? If you haven't, how many times do you think you'll watch it before you go to bed tonight?

JALEN SUGGS: I've seen it once, once or twice after the game. I mean, it's crazy. Again, like I said, to actually live out that moment, oh, my gosh, I still don't believe it right now, honestly. Like I said, it's not going to kick in until I wake up in the morning.

But that's a special one, one that I'll always cherish. That was super fun.

Q. What set the stage for your big moment was 30 seconds from Andrew Nembhard when -- makes a great defensive play, the 3-on-1, and he has that 3-pointer. What did you think about his composure leading up to your big moment?

JALEN SUGGS: We all have the utmost trust in each other, especially in Andrew. He's a player. Like I said this is why I was so excited and happy to hear that he got cleared to play because I love playing with great players. He's one of them. I told you guys one of the best guards in the country.

I don't think he gets enough credit that he deserves. And just a big-time shot. That's a huge shot. He made huge plays down the stretch. I mean, that's my guy. I mean, we rock together, and to see him hit that, I was extremely happy for him. Big shot. Big key. My shot was great, but there was a lot of plays from Drew, Corey, Joel, Andrew down the stretch that really made that happen.

Q. I know a lot of people have said that they'll never see anything like this before, but there was something similar that did happen here in Lucas Oil Stadium. It was Gordon Hayward back in 2010. He did not make his shot. Did that run through your mind as time was ticking down, or after you made yours?

JALEN SUGGS: Oh, not at all. I was just thinking, please, please go in. I don't want to go to another overtime. I want to get this over with. But I saw something afterwards, Gordon Hayward walked, so Jalen starts to run. That was pretty funny. That's the one I've seen before as well. Exact same situation. Got it with three seconds. Ran down the court, right side of the floor, let it go hit off the backboard, and went out. I mean, mine went in, which was great. So, no, yeah.

Q. Coach Few said as soon as he saw the ball was in your hand, he was not nervous anymore. He knew it was going to go in. How much does it mean to you to know that your coach believes in you so much?

JALEN SUGGS: It's the main reason I came to the program. Could have gone to a lot of places, and people ask me why Gonzaga? Why is this a place you want to come and a small city in Washington, small conference in WCC? It's not like the Big Ten or Big 12 or anything like that.

For the people and for the culture, that's why I chose to come here. I knew Coach had the utmost trust in me and belief in me to make plays at all times. I don't know that he really believed it was going in. Because I didn't. But I appreciate it.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.