MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 9, 2022

Richard Pitino

Jaelen House

Jamal Mashburn

Thomas & Mack Center

New Mexico Lobos

Postgame Press Conference

Nevada - 79, New Mexico - 72

THE MODERATOR: Joining me today, we have our Head Coach Richard Pitino, No. 5, Jamal Mashburn, and No. 10, Jaelen House. So Coach, your opening statement, please.

RICHARD PITINO: Well, it was a difficult game in the sense of being in as much foul trouble as we were in was really hard. Three guys fouled out. Obviously, with, you know, Jaelen and Jamal in foul trouble, I mean, it was just very, very challenging. But we fought back. Cut it to three. Didn't execute at the end. You know, had a miscommunication there. That's on me.

But the bottom line is, I told the guys, when you take a step back, we showed a lot of growth this year. A lot of growth with a lot of adversity, and a lot of youth and a lot of inexperience. So we can learn from it. Disappointed to go home early, but proud of what we're building.

THE MODERATOR: Okay. Questions for our student athletes?

Q. For both of you guys, the free-throw line, obviously, played a big part in the game and the fouls that were being called. So I'm curious how you two adjusted to the way the game was being called? Was there anything you had to adjust? Did you have to back off a little bit? Jaelen, you in particular, because you were getting the fouls. I know, Jamal, you weren't necessarily getting the fouls called on you, but the game was certainly being called pretty tightly. So did you guys have to adjust and what did you do to adjust?

JAMAL MASHBURN: You know, I think every game I go out there with the same attack mentality and just attacking and how I play. So I'm not really worried about how the game is going to be called. I try to just stay out of all that just because, you know, it's going to be so wishy washy with the refs and calls don't go certain ways. And they make mistakes just like us. But I come with the same approach every game.

JAELEN HOUSE: I just thought we had to tone it down a little bit. We couldn't be as aggressive on defense because I felt like it was a little titty tacky. But me going to the line, though, I just thought since they were calling it from them, I would think they would call it for us. So that's all that happened.

Q. Jaelen and Jamal, for both of you, Coach talked about growth. And I'm going to ask you both what you felt. How did you both grow as individuals in the team? And have you ever been through a season like this, where you've been on teams through attrition and injury, so much was thrust upon you as guards because of the inexperience and the lack of depth in the front court?

JAELEN HOUSE: What can I say? I mean, this year is a different role for me, so it was kind of -- a little hard at first. But I think I kind of got the hang of it at the end of the day. Yeah, that's really it.

JAMAL MASHBURN: Yeah, I think just overall throughout this whole year, I think we've all been able to learn a lot as far as individuals and just as a team, you know, how to talk to certain the guys. You know, for me personally, I want to be a better leader and just continue to grow in that aspect of things. So, you know, just my choice of words, how I can get these guys on the same page, you know, like every day throughout practice, throughout strength training, whatever it may be, you know, just being able to help people. I think this year I've been able to be in a position to learn that and help a lot of people out. So that's what I can take from it.

Q. So the way they were defending the two of you, obviously, they know -- and by this point of the season, they know that you guys drive an awful lot. Did you feel that the guards out on the perimeter were kind of letting you get by a little bit and pushing you to a spot? That's what they said. They were trying to lead you to a spot as much as anything or -- into their bigs, frankly. Did you feel that at all or did you --

JAELEN HOUSE: No. I honestly I didn't even peep that.

JAMAL MASHBURN: I think I definitely noticed they were loading up on us and they were making us drive and kick, and having us do different things like that. But I mean, it wasn't really nothing I noticed major like that, though. So, yeah.

Q. Jaelen, not to harp on the officiating, and obviously not to get you in any trouble --

RICHARD PITINO: I don't think the players can get in trouble, can they? No, I can, but they can't. So fire away.

Q. You did have that animated exchange a little bit there in the second half prior with the official prior to the free-throw that was going off. What was going on as far as that exchange there?

JAELEN HOUSE: Which one?

Q. When you got into it a little bit prior to a free-throw there, about mid-second half. It was, obviously, frustrating for you, it seemed like, and there was some kind of exchange with the official where you just kind of squared something away, I guess.

JAELEN HOUSE: I have no idea what you're talking about, honestly.

THE MODERATOR: Further questions for our student athletes?

Q. Jamal, you followed Coach Pitino to New Mexico, now that the season is over, how would you describe the whole experience? Do you like that you made that choice?

JAMAL MASHBURN: 100 percent. Ever since the beginning when I made the choice, I knew it was going to be the right one. Just because it allowed me to expand my game and, you know, obviously, expand our relationship as a player and head coach.

So I think it's -- it's been a great year. I wouldn't change anything about this year. I don't hold any regrets. I think everything that we've been through and I have been through has been a learning experience. So we can only get better and keep moving forward?

Q. What's the biggest difference you've seen from Pitino from your previous school to now?

JAMAL MASHBURN: Well, he's a lot like me. He's a worker. So he's going to take what he did last year and improve on it and, you know, how he -- how he speaks to his players, how he gets guys going in practice. You know, he's improved all around, just like me.

Q. I know today wasn't probably going to really change the feel going in. It seemed like you guys were feeling pretty optimistic, it seems like. You guys are happy about where things are going, but this is going to be a different team next year. You guys are probably maybe a couple pieces away from -- you guys will look different next year. So I'm curious what you two individually, knowing that the team might be a little -- look a little different. What you two individually want to do this offseason, what you guys need to change in your games from what you learned this year to next year, and what we can expect from the two of you different next year?

JAELEN HOUSE: Getting in the weight room, gaining weight. (Laughter.) And stop turning the ball over.

JAMAL MASHBURN: Just because he little. It's just, it's just funny.

THE MODERATOR: Any final questions for our student athletes? Oh, go ahead.

JAMAL MASHBURN: No, I was just going to follow up on -- you know, I would say for me, just from what I got to get better on is definitely just getting my teammates involved. And I would say, like, you know, I can get to my spots pretty much any time I want, but it's just being able to make the right here decisions, and I think that needs to improve in my game, at least. And, you know, I'm going to continue to work, you know, my butt off in every aspect of my game. So you're going to see all the categories go up. So for sure.

THE MODERATOR: All right. We thank you, gentlemen. And they are dismissed. We will now take questions for the coach.

Q. Coach, you've continually said that you're building. It's a process. Obviously, you probably wanted a win today. But to see your team compete, especially late in the game, see guys off the bench make key plays, what does that say going into the season and next year?

RICHARD PITINO: I'm very optimistic. Today, certainly, we wanted a win. We wanted to go on a run. But you look at our roster, we're clearly deficient at certain spots with what transpired this year.

I'm proud of Sebastian, the growth that he's had, even Jordan Arroyo doing some things. It was not what we envisioned front court-wise. But I think there was so many learning experiences when you have so many new guys.

And I think that they really, really evolved as the year went on. We played great versus UNLV, we had moments here versus a very, very talented, well coached team. Just kind of ran out of gas.

They are guys made a couple more plays than our guys did. I truly believe we have a lot of good pieces to build around. I think that the recruiting, the recruits we're bringing in, I'm fired up about.

We'll see what transpires in the spring. You just never know in today's climate. But I think we have a lot to sell. I don't know what the exact numbers was, but we jumped about 150 in the net and it's hard to do.

When putting together a team under very, very adverse, different situation and circumstances. So I'm very excited. I really am. I mean, I'm going to give them a little time off, but get back to work. And, you know, it's -- the future is very, very bright for our program.

Q. Richard, I know you said you don't think the players can get in trouble. But I don't care if you get in trouble. So I'm going to ask you. The officiating certainly played a part in this game. Whether you agreed with it or not, it was a big factor in this game and it did take one of your primary scorers kind of out of a lot of minutes. He didn't star the second half, he had to adjust how he defended. Your thoughts on the officiating in general, but just how the free-throw line affected today's game?

RICHARD PITINO: Yeah, listen, I'm not going to say we lost because of the rest of his. I'm never going to do that. It was a hard game to coach because we were so out of rhythm in the foul trouble. The foul call was just a weird play on the break where they called it on House. I.

Think that was a momentum changer, because that gave him I believe his third foul when we were up nine. But it's not the rest of his' fault. I don't think it was perfect all around for any of us, but it was a hard game to get into rhythm with suggestions.

And we have not had a lot of games where Jaelen has been in foul trouble. And, obviously, fouling three guys out, very difficult to overcome.

Q. Richard, I understand what happened, I looked on the floor at the end of the first half, Jordan Arroyo, Taryn Todd, Jeremiah Francis, the lineup that you were forced to go to almost felt like it was so symbolic of the whole season and yet you've got two tap-ins from Jordan. Having to go to that lineup felt symbolic of what you had to do and how thin you were and yet it felt like all season long you got production from places that maybe you didn't know you could.

RICHARD PITINO: Yeah, I mean, it's -- that's the key to this whole thing, is when you're building a program, like, early, you know, you're not going to be strong enough to endure some of those things.

And we had just so much -- with three centers down, it was just very, very hard. But I give Jordan a lot of credit. Taryn did some great things.

The bottom line is what we're trying to do in year one, set a foundation with everything; on the court, off the court.

Our guys were great off the court this year, great in the classroom, great on a daily basis, a lot of teaching moments. And then just strengthening everything that we do.

So I didn't envision that lineup being in the game. But it just kind of is what it is. And I thought our guys were ready to go and did some good things.

Q. So this is kind of a follow-up to that. And to the one foul in particular, and I'm not going to harp on one play --

RICHARD PITINO: Good Lord. What is the fine structure in the Mountain West? Go ahead.

Q. The foul that was called on Jaelen, his third foul, that certainly swung momentum. Again, whether you agree with it or not, it was certainly a momentum swinging play. I'm curious what you tell Jaelen on how to play the rest of the game? Do you tell him to back off or is Jaelen the type of guy you can't tell to back off?

RICHARD PITINO: No, if I'm going to put you in the game, you have to play the right way. So I didn't tell him not to play defense or anything like that. That was a crucial call.

The technical that gave him a second foul, he has to -- both guys are jawing at each other. But he just has to -- and it's hard to tell a 19, 20, 21-year-old, Let him say something and move on.

Those guys, they'd rather quit than do that. And I understand it. But they need to be smarter on that. And then the unfortunate call in the third was really hard.

But I didn't tell him, you know, if you're in the game, you got to play the right way. And he did. He weathered very difficult foul trouble all game.

Q. Coach, when you talk about growth, will you sit down with every player and say, This is the game plan for you in the offseason?

RICHARD PITINO: Yeah. So like I said, it's spring break here coming up for our guys. So we'll get home, finish out this week academically, give them a break, and then we'll come back in and we just tell them the truth, tell them, This is what you did well, this is where you need to get better.

The weight room is huge. I mean, we have a light group. A very, very light group. And so, I'd say about 90 percent of the team needing to put on significant strength.

But that's it. You know, I'm going to go recruiting this weekend. We just keep building it. You know, and I think we had some really good moments in year one.

You know, when you take over a job when you're sub 300 in the net, you got a lot of concerns. You do. I'm happy I took it. I think it's a special place. The Mountain West is not a mid major conference, in my opinion. There's not a whole lot of a difference in the Big Ten and what I'm seeing here.

So it's a terrific league. We need to continue to recruit our buts off and develop the players that are in the program. And we'll be right back at it. So we'll have some meetings with the staff, the players, and everybody where we can get better and stronger moving forward.

Q. Jamal and Jaelen were kind of the ones that scored most consistently, but you also had guys like Johnson and Jenkins, and even Jay where they would step up in some games. What can you say about players like that that weren't as consistent but definitely showed up in some games? And how do you keep that momentum going for next season?

RICHARD PITINO: KJ was, obviously, off today. I thought he had a lot of good looks. And I kept telling, Get out of your head, man. Shoot the next one, you're good. But you could tell he was down on himself throughout the course of the game. I think Javonte, he was pretty consistent for most of the year.

What we need to do moving forward -- and Jay was kind of up and down. He was in foul trouble today. But what we need to do is moving forward, we need five threats on the court at all times. It's not a secret what we try to do offensively with Jaelen and Jamal.

But now we need to develop whoever it is in the low post and continue to -- if Jamal is trapped on a ball, screen, throw back three, things like that.

But, you know, they all had really good moments. Kind of those complementary pieces. And then, obviously, Jamal and Jaelen to come in here and be all-conference players in year one with a new situation is fun. And so, we're going to build around them and we got some really good recruits that we're fired up about.

Q. Coach, you've praised your fan base throughout the entire season, obviously, in Albuquerque with everything going on, to experience your fans dominate a home state team, what can you say about the Lobo fan base?

RICHARD PITINO: We have one of the -- and I'm not saying it just to make our fans feel better. I truly believe we have one of the best fan bases in college basketball.

We were second in attendance with a vaccine mandate and mask mandate with the majority of the year, with a team that's in a rebuild.

Our last game, we're almost at 10,000 fans. There's a lot of programs that would kill to have that. There's a lot of programs that would kill to have this fan base show up at a conference tournament.

It's why -- I said it over and over again. It's why I chose this job. I could have sat out. I didn't have to work this year. But I always wanted a place like Albuquerque where you're kind of the only show in town, in the winter.

And the fans love it. And we'll get the pit back. We consistently talk about what it was. It's still really, really good. And it's going to get better and better. So it's why the players come here. It's why I decided to coach here. I believe in it. We just got to keep building.