AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 10, 2022

Joe Dooley

Vance Jackson

Tristen Newton

Dickies Arena

East Carolina Pirates

Postgame Press Conference

Cincinnati 74, ECU 63

JOE DOOLEY: Obviously we're disappointed, appreciate the contributions and the effort that the guys game during the year. I thought we did some good things. I thought the guys tried hard. Had a good group of guys to work with. I really can't complain about that.

The game today I think obviously points off the turnovers were a big key. And then at the end they go an 18-5 run to finish the game which, you know, we had some good looks. We had some times we needed to get some stops and wrap up possession; we didn't. Give Cincinnati credit for it making some plays. Davenport made a couple of big plays. Saunders made a couple of big plays and we answered some and didn't answer others

Q. Coach, you guys had 41 in the first half, 22 in the second half. I know they talked about changing some things up on how they were guarding Newton but what did you see from your perspective on what Cincinnati did and then the struggles on offense for you guys?

JOE DOOLEY: We had some looks that we missed which was a big part. I thought those were some things. I didn't think our shot selection in the second half was as good as the first half. Like what we talked about, we gave up some transition baskets and we did miss a few open shots, which would have helped, it would have helped if we had another guy or a collective group of guys add a couple more points along with these two guys.

Q. Vance, you've had so much success against Cincinnati this season and only 16 points tonight. Did they do anything differently defending you today?

VANCE JACKSON: Not really I just feel like I missed too many shots, wide-open shots. I feel like, yeah, just missed too many shots. To be honest, they're all shots I know I can make. My teammates believe in me, the coaches believe in me, so I just felt like I had to just do better. I'm shooting 2-for-10 from three. That's not good at all.

But, man, I tried, and I'm just thankful for like just having an opportunity, and coaches and my teammates just trusting in me.

Q. Tristen, you started 6-for-8 in the first half, what did you find that was working for you in the first half? And then in the second half they transitioned John to you. What did you find was working early and going on you finished with 26 points tonight?

TRISTEN NEWTON: I just felt like it was really my teammates setting good ball screens. They set good ball screens, which allowed me get to my spots. I feel like second half I think I was forcing a little bit too much. Like I could have came off the ball a little bit more.

But, yeah, that's pretty much it. I feel like just got to work on shot selection. So in the first half I was getting to my spot, second half I wasn't. So just got to work on that.

Q. Coach, it looked like there was a little bit of a scuffle at halftime going into the tunnel. Just curious if you could speak of what happened from your perspective.

JOE DOOLEY: Nothing happened. I mean, everything's fine.

Q. A couple times you went zone for a possession or two, that's something that Cincinnati struggled going against zone in the season. Did you see any change in how they played against it tonight?

JOE DOOLEY: We came back out and Davenport hit a big three. I thought we did a nice job, we turned them over with a little soft press, you know, changed it a little bit. They ran their overload, you know, Davenport hit a big shot. That was a big play. But I just think we're comfortable. I thought for the most part we guarded well enough man-to-man. We mixed in some zone. Seemed like we're in a little bit of a scramble mode. Obviously Davenport had that one but we had a couple of time where we didn't guard the dribble off the zone also.

Q. Joe, you guys I think Tristen hit a three just under four minutes to go to put you guys up one, and then don't score again. Just how do you sum up those final four minutes where things didn't go your way?

JOE DOOLEY: Frustrating. I thought we had a couple looks. We had a couple ones that we probably wish we could have had back. We talked about that. And then, you know, when you get stops, you've got to rebound the ball. We had a couple where we didn't defensive rebound the ball in situations we needed to. I think so those are all things that are, you know, they're the difference in the game as we recognize.

Q. And Vance, you only got one year at East Carolina but obviously a really good season for you. How would you sum up this one year in Greenville playing for ECU?

VANCE JACKSON: It's been great. I'm thankful for the opportunity. Not many people could have six chances at college. So I just feel I took advantage of my opportunity and I found a home in Greenville, representing ECU and I'm just thankful for that and I'm excited for my next chapter.