MAUI JIM'S MAUI INVITATIONAL

November 24, 2021

Randy Bennett

Logan Johnson

Dan Fotu

St. Mary's Gaels

Postgame Press Conference

Wisconsin - 61, Saint Mary's - 55

RANDY BENNETT: We were fortunate to play in a really good game. So it didn't turn out the way we wanted it to at the end, but played pretty well for 30 minutes and then Wisconsin played well down the stretch, and I think we were up 10 with about 10 to go.

So we had to do a lot of things right to get in that position and that's why you come to this. That's why you try and get in the best college basketball tournament in the country is to play against really good teams like a Wisconsin, a Houston, an Oregon, a whoever, Butler, Texas A&M, all those guys. So we got two. Tonight we didn't come out on top, but I thought we played a pretty good game against a very well-coached team and group of guys.

Q. You played very well in the first half. What was Wisconsin able to do effectively in the second half?

DAN FOTU: They just packed the paint a little bit. We let them grow a bit of confidence. We knocked some shots down on the outside, but we went away from going inside. But in the end we put it inside. But Tass did a good job and, yeah, we just let them grow some confidence.

Q. Saint Mary's and Wisconsin seemed very similar. What was it like to play against a team that can do a lot of same things that you guys can with how disciplined are you?

LOGAN JOHNSON: Like coach said earlier, that's why you come to these tournaments. Wisconsin's a well-coached team. They put in a lot of work. So whenever you get to battle against competition that brings the same level of intensity, those are what you live for and we just didn't get the result we wanted tonight.

Q. Dan, the battle with Tyler Wahl extremely physical. What was that like just in the trenches going toe-to-toe with him?

DAN FOTU: Yeah, we were both talking to each other and he's a tough dude. But it was fun. It was really tough, but, yeah, it was good. It was fun.

Q. I'm guessing Tyler Wahl's not near the top of your scouting report in terms of offensive threats. What did you see out of him? Were you okay with him taking those shots given what Wisconsin's done in the past?

RANDY BENNETT: Yeah, some of them. Like, we recognized him as what he is. He does all the little things that help you win. He had a lot to do with Fotu not scoring in the second half because he's a really good defender. He's strong. He walls up on layups. He's tough. He's not going to give you anything easy. I thought that's where he was effective.

Offensively, we had some defensive negligence, gave them a blow by with a right-hand layup late that was a big bucket and helped him get the lead. So we didn't do a great job on him, but part of the deal was, hey, yeah, make him shoot, score. Don't help off Davis. Don't help off Davison. So that's how we were trying to play.

Yeah. He did a good job. He made some baskets. Some of it we just weren't in tune with what we were supposed to be doing defensively, especially late second half. I thought we did a good job defensively for 30 minutes and then they hit a three on us. It was just bad, bad D.

Then we just had a little run there and they got that thing back to a two- or four-point game and gave them hope. But the kid you were talking about is good. He played well. He made a big -- I mean, he had a big game and he had a big game on the defensive end too. He had a lot to do with Fotu's struggles.

Q. Could you speak to Johnny Davis's ability. Once they got him going down hill for some of those key possessions, just the challenge he presents because he hits the basket, he has the mid-range, that versatility he has.

RANDY BENNETT: Yeah, he's a good guard. He's a good guard. Our guard, Logan Johnson, can really defend. Really defend. I think he's one of the best defenders in -- he's one of the best defensive guards in college basketball. He can really guard. He got off early a little bit on us. He had nine at half.

And then Logan got in foul trouble, and we kind of had to take him off of him, so it affected how well we could guard him. Then they went to him down the stretch and he made some big buckets. He hit a big three on Ducas, big three, and put them up four.

I came away from this tournament thinking I don't know if there's a better guy in this tournament than that kid. He's a tough cover. We see a lot of good ones, but that one's got a real chance. He'll really help Wisconsin win a lot of games.