ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 10, 2022

Mike Krzyzewski

Wendell Moore, Jr.

Jeremy Roach

Mark Williams

Barclays Center

Duke Blue Devils

Postgame Press Conference

Duke - 88, Syracuse - 79

THE MODERATOR: We're now joined by Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. We have student-athletes Wendell Moore, Jeremy Roach, and Mark Williams.

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: We got the game we expected. Jim's program, he's got a program for almost five decades. They have a lot of pride. If you gave him five possessions during the year, they'd be an NCAA tournament team right now. They've just lost some incredibly tough games.

His teams always play with great confidence. They did today. Great verve. And I knew Jimmy would pick up for Buddy. They're a great, great family.

So I thought we started the game well then fell in love with the three-point shot. I thought it was going to be easier, and they got momentum. We started fouling, and they saw the ball go in a lot, and then it was a helluva game.

Proud of my guys for especially executing down the stretch. Wendell really led us. I thought it was Mark's best half in the second half this year. The guy who really turned it around for us was Jeremy. Jeremy had a sensational game.

Our programs got hit with a little bit of food poisoning bug or whatever. But A.J., we weren't sure if he was going to play. He tried to play. He was throwing up. Of course Carol and I were throwing up all day yesterday. I know that's pleasant to talk about. Would you like to talk about that more?

So we're hoping it's not a bug that goes through the team. A few of the kids are not up to par. Hopefully by tomorrow we'll be in a lot better shape. If you want to ask any questions of our team, please do.

Q. Coach, you mentioned how you were very proud of the way your team executed down the stretch. You've said they've become an older team the last few weeks. Is that an example of that, going 10-0 to close out the game and advance to the next round?

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: Yeah, I think everyone stepped up. Started with Wendell hitting the two free throws. You can't practice those things. So for tomorrow, if we get a chance to play the next day but especially for next week, having -- being in those situations really, really helps us. It helps us a lot.

Q. This question is for the players. When Syracuse hit that three to go up before you went on the 10-0 run, what's going through your mind? Is there pressure involved? What's going through your mind on that one?

MARK WILLIAMS: Yeah, obviously versus North Carolina, we got that feeling of defeat knowing there's not a second chance to play in Cameron again. So I think for me personally that's what was going through my mind. We lose that game, we're done, like we're not playing in the ACC tournament again. So honestly, that was probably the biggest thing, just surviving and advancing.

Q. Coach, in what could have been your last matchup against --

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: You want to do the players first, and I'll come back to you right away.

Q. Wendell, this question's for you. You being a captain this year, anything special that you said to the guys today to spark that run, or is there anything that stands out as kind of that moment that fueled the 10-0 run?

WENDELL MOORE: No, I'd probably say, just when we came back out -- was that the under four timeout? We had this look in our eyes that we were going to get it done. We had this look in the huddle, everybody knew what we were going to do the for the next three possessions. Three stops and three scores. Everybody knew what we were doing on the offensive end, and really it was just a matter of getting stops on the defensive end.

So that look I saw in everybody's eyes, it just looked like we're not losing this game.

Q. Mark, for you, you just mentioned recalling the North Carolina game. How important for you was it to take what you guys learned from that game and apply it to this one, especially when it came down so close late in the game?

MARK WILLIAMS: I think it was really important. We had to learn from that game, but at the same time, we had to move on. We can't really harp on that game too much because then you're playing mind games with yourself or thinking, what if this happens? What if that happens? I think you had to just go out there, play your game, be confident, go out there and win the game, and that's what we did.

Q. Mark, at the end of the game, Paolo put his arm around you walking to the free-throw line. Did he say anything to you? It almost looked like he was like, thanks, man.

MARK WILLIAMS: He was just like way to play. I was just like, yeah, on to the next one. Just got to take it one day at a time and go from there.

Q. Jeremy, you've had a few games here lately where you've really picked up the scoring. What's been feeling good for you in the flow of these games?

JEREMY ROACH: Just staying confident out there. The coaches and all the players have the biggest confidence in me. That's really just the biggest thing, staying confident and staying consistent.

Q. Three of their players played every minute of the game and never came off the court. You guys did kick up your defensive intensity at the end of the game. Did you sense that they were getting worn down? Jimmy Boeheim was 6 for 7 from three and ended up 6 for 9. Did you feel that your intensity hurt them?

WENDELL MOORE: I actually think it did a little bit honestly. Because whenever we get stops and we're able to the run, force them to run with us. So a couple of those times, you just see -- I can remember one where Trevor is running side by side with the defender and he just beat him down the floor. Maybe it's attributed to them being tired. Maybe it's attributed to Trev just running faster. I kind of felt like -- really definitely down at the end of the game, I realized our legs are getting tired, our bodies are getting tired. So it just opened up a couple more easier things for us.

Q. I'm curious what the defensive strategy was on Jimmy Boeheim today, and how would you assess the way he played?

MARK WILLIAMS: He definitely played a helluva game today. With Buddy out, he was going to take more shots, be more aggressive out there, and he definitely did that. Especially towards the end of the game, we really like shut him out, made all his shots, tough shots. Obviously made some, but we did enough to win. So I think we did a good job on him.

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: Jimmy going into the game was 0 for 7 the last three games from three. So he played like a big-time player today, and he is a big-time player. He had a sensational performance, not a good one, a sensational performance.

Q. Jeremy, on that three that you hit with a minute to go, can you just talk a little bit about the trust that Wendell has, how he found you on the wing there. Can you just talk a little bit about the trust he has in you to find you for that shot?

WENDELL MOORE: Like I said before, the coach and the players have all the confidence in me. I was hot at that point, obviously, but he has all the trust in me to make that shot, and I have all the trust in him. If it was vice versa, I would do the same thing.

Q. Mark, in your first two meetings against Syracuse, you had two big games. It's clear you were going to be a focal point for them defensively going into the game. They threw 1-3-1 at you, they threw man at you. Later in the game they threw the 2-3 at you. You struggled a little bit in the first half getting shots really and then the second half you broke through. How did that come about for you?

MARK WILLIAMS: Obviously, it felt great. I think my teammates did a good job of finding me in certain spots. Obviously in the first half I don't think I scored, but we were doing a lot of different things to get a lot of points. Still credit to them. And then obviously in the second half, we were flowing, playing inside out, and got the win, which is honestly the most important thing.

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: His coach played defense on him. I didn't get him the ball. My staff at halftime said, I think we should get Mark the ball. So that was a great suggestion.

Q. Mark, just given the circumstances, there's obviously been a lot written about your coach as a source of motivation for you guys winning in this postseason, but how much do you want to win for each other since this is your one and maybe last chance together as a group collectively?

MARK WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's huge.

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: It's the most.

MARK WILLIAMS: Yeah, it's the most. Obviously, we won't get this squad of 14 back. We have one opportunity to do that, and it can be taken away in one game. Obviously for us, it's probably the biggest thing obviously with Coach as well. It's just sort of the combination of all those things is huge for us to win every game we play from here on out.

Q. Coach, in what could have been your last matchup against Coach Boeheim today, looking back at the relationship you share with him, what are the emotions walking away from today's win just going through your head right now?

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: We're the best friends. I don't know if there's anybody in coaching that could be better friends with another coach in his profession than me and Jim. I mean, that comes way before USA basketball, with P.J. Carlesimo and Mike Fratello. The four of us were like brothers, and then the 11 years with the U.S. Team.

I mean, we grew up -- we saw Buddy and Jimmy grow up. My older -- two older grandsons are best friends with them. So they're like family. My wife, Mickie and Juli are -- they text and call all the time. So there's nobody except a former player that I cheer for more than Jim. So it's tough playing against them, and we were fortunate enough to win today.

But his team did him proud. His team did him proud.

Q. Coach, going off of that, just what you can say about the fact that you have been friends for all these years, but being in the same conference for almost a decade now and being able to have these matchups, and then a little bit more about Buddy and Jimmy and just how they've evolved before your eyes.

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: The addition of Syracuse to the ACC was an amazing addition, not just the school, but the program, especially the basketball program. It elevated our conference. For a while there, we had all Hall of Fame coaches. We're leaving, but Jim's not. To have him come in, it just adds a level of prestige and also accomplishment.

Buddy's the leading scorer in our league, so for them not to have him today -- I wish what happened yesterday was adjudicated during the game, where if that's going to be called -- I'm not saying it shouldn't be called, but where you're punished during the game, and that's the way it would normally be done in the regular season. So I thought that was unfortunate. But Buddy's been great.

And for Jimmy to come from Cornell and play. I mean, he had a spectacular game today, not a good one. How good is that for a father to be able to coach your two sons? They have an amazing relationship. They're a great family. I wish there was some way they could get into postseason because I think actually they can beat anybody in our league when Buddy's playing.

They didn't play well in the two games before us, but they played great tonight. Really they've lost heartbreakers, including their last one against Miami and Carolina. They're right there. They're right there. It doesn't translate. They're 16-17.

I feel bad. I wish there was some way they could still play.

Q. You guys scored 88 points. You obviously played well offensively. I'm curious how happy you were with the shot selection today and moving forward what you think your group can do even better on that end of the floor.

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: The shot selection was fine. We missed open threes in the first half, but then when you're missing, you have to drive or get fouled or find another way to score, and we didn't do that.

We're not playing very good defense right now. We did not against North Carolina, and we did not in this game. We're missing a lot of assignments, and we fouled a lot of three-point shooters. I mean, we fouled at least three today. You just can't do that. So we can improve definitely on that end of the court.

The offensive side of the court, we're fine. We had 24 assists and 9 turnovers, shared the ball well. But on defense, we've got to play better.

Q. Mike, you touched on it in your previous answer, but I was wondering what your thoughts were on the decision to suspend Buddy today.

MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: Well, I think once it passed the point of no return, the game, then they had to do whatever they have to do. I'm just saying that I was surprised that it was not reviewed during the game, and then if it was reviewed during the game -- he actually got a harsher punishment than somebody who would have done that in a game. So that's unfortunate that that occurred.

I don't fault anybody for their judgment. I just wish that it would have done in the confines of the game. Once it gets outside of the game, then the punishment has to be outside the game. That was very unfortunate.

All right. Thank you.