BIG TEN CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 11, 2022

Steve Pikiell

Geo Baker

Ron Harper Jr.

Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Postgame Press Conference

Iowa-84, Rutgers-74

MODERATOR: We are joined by Rutgers University Head Coach Steve Pikiell, along with Geo Baker and Ron Harper, Jr.

Coach Pikiell, we'll ask that you open with an opening statement, then we'll take questions for the students and get them back to the locker room. Coach?

COACH STEVE PIKIELL: Tip of the hat, Iowa's been playing great basketball. Not the way I wanted to play today. I thought we got off to a good start, just couldn't finish the deal against a really good team, but Fran's a great coach.

Obviously, Keegan Murray was a problem for us from the opening tip, and they had it going. I thought we played like us for about 13 minutes in the second half and kind of clawed back in it, then could never get really back over the hump. Again, one of the huge keys was to defend without fouling and we fouled them a lot. Got to play better.

This group has been great all year long, they're warriors. We just didn't have enough today and that's on me, too. I've got to make sure to have these guys more like us. Today, there were minutes that we weren't us, and that's what bothered me the most, but that's on me. And we'll be ready for the next one.

Q. Geo, what did you see that was maybe different from the last time you faced Iowa in Iowa's approach, and how you handled them?

GEO BAKER: I mean, I think Coach just said it, it was really us. Obviously, that's a really good team. I thought we played hard, but we didn't play like Rutgers, which is defense against ops. I thought they made some really tough shots. They have a lot of really good players. And I thought they made good adjustments. I thought we were attacking them man-to-man, they were in the zone, we got a little lost there. But it's not really the offensive end, we scored enough points, we just really didn't get any stops.

Q. Ron, just after that good start, what kind of changed? What were they able to do to kind of take you guys out of that offense?

RON HARPER, JR.: Like Geo said, I felt we got off to a good start in the beginning and then they kind of changed the zone. Like he said, we kind of got lost a little bit. I felt like our zone offense was a step slower than it usually is, and once they figured out they could just play zone, they played it the rest of the game, and that's on us. We've got to run our stuff full speed, play a little bit harder and try to get them off that zone.

Like Geo said, we just didn't play like ourselves. We played like Rutgers for maybe 15 minutes, but we let the game get away from ourselves, and we've got to predicate ourselves on defense.

Q. Well, you guys have been here since the beginning. Geo, especially you, as far as the foundation that Rutgers is now. Can you both explain how you're feeling as far as, you know, this is your last Big Ten game, this is the finale, the finality of it. Can you explain the finality of this moment for you, and second part of this is, describe the foundation that you guys are leaving behind in Rutgers as well?

GEO BAKER: Just being here in the Big Ten Tournament is always just a special moment. And time flies. I think some of our younger guys don't really understand that. You know, just it goes fast.

But where we started, the 14 seed, you know, we were happy we made it to the quarterfinals, and now we're starting out in the quarterfinals. I think it just shows how far we've taken this program and the direction it's going. it's just going to continue on. We're happy that we're the guys who started that, but at the same time, we just lost the game, so we're upset about that, too.

Looking back at it, obviously we're really happy with the foundation that we've laid and the guys that are coming in after us obviously are going to continue to do that.

RON HARPER, JR.: Just like what Geo said, I feel like when we got here, it's a lot different than where we are now. A lot of guys weren't talking about us when I was a freshman, so I feel like we put this program in a good place. It's upsetting that our last Big Ten game will go down like that, but it's bigger than that.

We built something special here with Coach Pikiell, with Geo and myself. We trusted the process all the way through and we kind of brought Rutgers to a level it's never been before, so we're proud. But we've still got basketball to play, so we're looking to keep going.

Q. If you could deliver a message to the selection committee that will be making this decision for the tournament, what would you say to them now about this team?

RON HARPER, JR.: Man, if we're not in, I don't know what to tell you, man. I feel like this team has proved itself, proved we've gotten better day in and day out. Every time we come off a tough loss, we always bounce back. So this team definitely deserves to play in March. We're a great team and I feel like we can make a lot of noise in March. We're just going to hope the selection committee sees us through, but we feel like we should definitely be playing.

GEO BAKER: Pretty much what Ron said, finish top 4 in the Big Ten, beat other teams that are going to make it, too, so I feel like we're in a good position.

Q. Steve, overall thoughts on the officiating, and what happened with Dave Vandyke getting the technicals?

COACH STEVE PIKIELL: Yeah, I don't know, I'll have to find that out. I mean, a lot of stuff going on right now. There were a zillion technicals. It's on me. So we've got to do a better job. That's on me. I have no idea. I'll figure that out after, we'll sift through it, I'll talk to some people.

Q. Coach, I wanted to ask you, the development of Tony Perkins for Iowa, how has that changed the team since you guys first saw them?

COACH STEVE PIKIELL: Well, first of all, really good team. Fran does as good a job developing guys. It's really, we held them to 46 points the last game, and I think they've improved obviously a ton.

Keegan Murray is a problem. His brother's really good, too. Perkins can go downhill and get in the lane and make plays. But they've got a lot of guys that can contribute. He plays a lot of guys. So this is a team that's playing really well right now. I really thought we scored plenty of points to win. Our defense just was nowhere near it needed to be, 20 points in transition and then we gave up a zillion points from the foul line. So can't beat a really good team like that, playing defense the way we did.

But Perkins' a really good player, and they've got a lot of really good players. Bohannon's a problem, they've got a lot of answers. The McCafferys are good, and he's a heck of a coach. They score points and they blitzed us in a hurry in a couple possessions and we could never get back into it.

Q. First off, congratulations on the contract extension. And secondly, last night Iowa was hitting beyond the arc all night long, tonight they went right into the paint to you guys and you had a hard time stopping that early on. I think the second half you changed a few things. Do you want to talk a little bit about that?

COACH STEVE PIKIELL: We had to make some changes. I just really thought they blitzed us in transition. We talked about it all week, too, transition defense and they got that early. They got some easy baskets and some dunks. And we doubled down the low post a little bit. We just started playing Rutgers defense. We had a stretch there for like 13 minutes, kind of made it a little bit interesting, but couldn't.

To their credit, they made the big plays. We missed a dunk, we missed some shots that we had to make at that point in time because we had spotted them so many points. But that team's playing really well right now, and they got it going for that quick minute once we kind of dug back into it. Tip of the hat to them.

Q. Not a great time for someone to talk to you since the contract extension became official. I guess, one, what does it mean to you for Rutgers to trust you to extend the contract? And, two, the terms, $15 million buyout, the added years, is that you also saying that you're committing to Rutgers for the longterm as well?

COACH STEVE PIKIELL: I think I took the job six years ago and I committed to Rutgers. I love Rutgers, and it's a great place. I'm thankful. My staff has been great. I work for a great president who has the same vision that I do. Unbelievable conversation with him. I have Pat Hobbs, a great athletic director, build new facilities, we've got a brand new practice facility. So a lot of great things.

And I love Rutgers, I love that they gave me a chance. I want to make this a program people can be proud of. Obviously, we were in 14th place when I took over the job, and we were probably closer to 20th place in the league and we've moved up and done some good things, but we've still got a lot more to do.

So I'm just thankful and appreciative that they're trusting me with the program and I'm going to do a great job. And I'm thankful for my staff. I've got a great staff -- Brandin Knight, Karl Hobbs, T.J. Thompson -- as there is in the country. So very thankful for those guys. And, obviously, my players, I think they're awesome. This team has been the best team by far I've coached in six years, they come to practice, they've got a great approach.

So I'm thankful same vision I have, thankful that Rutgers is trusting me with their program and I'm honored to be the head coach, as I said in my initial press conference when I took the job six years ago.

Q. With under a minute left your team was still fighting, still playing defense, still forcing turnovers. What does that say about the character of the group of guys that you have?

COACH STEVE PIKIELL: I mean, you know, we've had to fight for six years, so we're going to continue to do that. Got a group of guys that have done that no matter what the circumstances, I want our team to keep playing and try to play the right way and finish the game, you know, and they showed a little bit of that at the end. A little bit too late, but they finished and they played hard until the end.

Q. Are you concerned or are you confident about Sunday?

COACH STEVE PIKIELL: I can't be any more confident. I think we win games, too. So if you play in this league, I don't know if people realize this league, every single game, all the ranked teams, and the teams that aren't ranked, are only not ranked because they're losing to ranked teams. The gauntlet of this league and what our guys had to do and play through, and I think we're playing well, too, at this time of the year. You know, we get that great opportunity and if we do, we'll take advantage of it.

Q. Steve, one more question. Geo and Ron talked a little bit about it, but from your perspective I know how much Geo meant to you getting him in this program, and then Ron also. Talk about the sacrifices that all you guys did together to get you where you're at, come Sunday you'll be in the NCAA Tournament?

COACH STEVE PIKIELL: That group, Geo said yes to us, we didn't have any winning streaks, we didn't have a brand new facility, we didn't have a lot of tradition, especially in this conference. He's made the dean's list. We sell out every game now. We can compete with anybody. His development has been unbelievable. He was the 414th recruit in the country, and he's going to end his career as one of the all-time great players, along with Ron Harper. And Caleb McConnell is (Defensive) Player of the Year in this league. Fourteen teams and a lot of great defenders.

Those guys said yes when the program wasn't in that kind of place, and for ever indebted to those guys. But they did it the right way. They represent the program the right way. Great students, great kids and real proud of them. Forever be indebted to those guys.

MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.