PAC-12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 11, 2022

Tommy Lloyd

Justin Kier

Azuolas Tubelis

Arizona Wildcats

Postgame Press Conference

Arizona - 82, Colorado - 72

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by University of Arizona.

TOMMY LLOYD: Great effort, considering all the circumstances. Super proud of the guys and they on a quick turnaround. They took a scouting report, and they really hung with the game plan.

And we obviously made some adjustments from last time we played these guys. And these guys get a ton of credit.

Also I want to give my staff a ton of credit. We did some things we're not traditionally comfortable with today. Those are emotional things, what those guys mean to me, but they had some great ideas, and we hung with it.

And those guys -- I told them after the game, our staff, the care factor is off the charts. So for those guys that talked me into what we did today, they deserve a lot of credit because I can be pretty hard-headed sometimes.

Q. You're 24 for 25 for the free-throw line. What does that mean to you?

TOMMY LLOYD: It's a game of averages. It's great. Step up and make them. And yesterday I think we did some early. Maybe just getting a feel for the arena, the ball, the gym, the rims, the whole thing. And then when Zu makes his free throws like that, we get locked in really special. Dalen, the way he played today, all around great. Dalen is a high character guy. I'm not the least bit surprised that he stepped up and hit those huge 3s down at the end.

Q. It's not the first time that Justin stepped up into the starting role. What did he do?

TOMMY LLOYD: You know what he means to the program and means to me. He's awesome. I had zero reservations. And once Kerr's injury, we knew what it was going to be, I had a chance to win the game.

Colorado exposed us a few weeks ago. I told you guys I don't mind losing because it gives you a chance to recalibrate and fix things. And we fixed things, and that's what this program is about: Growing, responding, and being high character.

So Justin, he fits that to a T. And I'm going to see if I can petition the NCAA for a seventh year of eligibility.

Q. Jabari Walker from the Buffs was definitely making it rain the first half, but in the second he took one shot in total from the 4. How did you adjust coming out of halftime to deprive him of looks --

TOMMY LLOYD: I'll tell you what, if you want to get hot, play against Arizona. We had a snake pit right now, we're beating them to it, but Jabari is a really good player. Didn't shoot the ball well early in the year, shooting the ball well late. We picked our poison. We kind of got a little more sticky to him and closed out a little harder in the second half.

The other thing that disrupted it was fouls. And that's a sneaky thing that's undervalued in this game, is pinning fouls on the other team's best players.

We wanted to attack those guys inside/out. We wanted to attack them off the dribble, and pin fouls on them. I think that kind of -- second half was neck and neck. And then we got both those bigs on the bench, and we were able to extend a little lead and ride it out.

Q. Can you talk about that first half, seemed like you were playing on a different level?

AZUOLAS TUBELIS: We have some plays where I have a chance to go find myself. I have other options. But they guided me that I was able to drive the ball. So I just drove the ball and made decisions.

TOMMY LLOYD: When he shoots his left-hand jumper like that, it makes his coach really happy.

Q. What did they talk you into?

TOMMY LLOYD: To have way more gap integrity in our defense and got the ball pressure a little bit better once we settled into the game. I think down at CU, they scored like over 50 points in the paint. And we lost all of our defensive principles.

We're a great paint protection team. And sometimes I get greedy and I want both. I want the paint protected and I don't want to give up any 3s. And usually that's a pretty good formula.

But sometimes you've got to pick your poison against these teams. Short prep, we picked our poison, we knew we'd be down bodies. Wanted good ball pressure, stickier in the gaps. They did a good job executing it.

I don't know how many two-point field goals they made. Looks like they made two eight-point field goals in 40 minutes. If math is right, they were 8-for-30 from 2, and you have to make a lot of 3s to overcome that. We did a great job not putting them on the foul line because they're shooting a lot of jump shots. It was a winning formula.

Q. Zu was very understated, he's been that way his whole career. Can you talk about him and what he's meant to this team at this stage?

TOMMY LLOYD: Zu is a special player. And what I love about him is he can take it to another level when needed. (Indiscernible) not been too many big games where he hasn't shown up and been one of if not the best player on the court.

I count on him. I count on that. Every once in a while I give him a look like I did today, like, hey, we need the right Zu today. And then he just gives me the nod and then acknowledges it, and he goes out and does it.

And he makes -- and I am so excited about the progression he's made this year. And I think we're getting an amazing foundation built. And I think next year we'll see what happens. But I think there's amazing potential for him to take even a bigger jump.

Q. Oumar provided a big boost in that second half. What did you think about his play?

TOMMY LLOYD: Oumar has been outstanding. We say it over and over again. We count on that. When they had a ton of foul issues, Oumar, some guys on the bench, you think should we keep the big guy out there when they're playing small ball, and we decided to roll with it because I wanted to see how they were going to adapt to him. When he caught that ball over the top and dunked it, I think he sent a message like we're big and strong. Pin a ton of fouls on him. He was the one that was pinning all the fouls.

But hey, guys, Justin's the man of the hour. You need to ask him questions. You got enough from me.

Q. Justin, can you talk about what went into the game, if Kerr Kriisa had talked to you in particular, given you a pat on the back? What are some of the words of motivation that he talked about before you got into the game?

JUSTIN KIER: We talk all the time. He was just like: You've got this. That's all he was telling me. You've got this. I don't need to tell you anything. I know you'll go out there play great.

I started asking him questions at halftime. Just what do you see out there? Are you seeing anything I miss? He was like: Go out there, you're good. You're doing good. They're shooting the ball well right now. And that's a great team. Colorado is a great team.

So he was letting me know that I was ready for it. I knew I was ready, but I wanted to hear some things from him.

Q. Justin, you seemed extra confident getting in the lane early out in transition, 6-for-6 from the line. At the start, did you feel extra confident and what about the role that you had?

JUSTIN KIER: I knew I had to come out, do what I needed to do for the team. I had to fill the spot with Kerr. These guys give me the most confidence in the world. When I get confidence from them, that's all I need.

I knew I had to come out here, do what I need to do, not do anything extra and make sure we come out do what we need to do to win.

Q. Two good guards tomorrow, possibly facing Boogie Ellis and Tyger Campbell. What do you do for that game?

JUSTIN KIER: We'll do what we've been doing all year, look at the scout and game plan. As you said, our coaching staff does a great job. We'll go back, get rest. Look at the scouts and be ready for whoever.

Q. Justin, what's coming here to Arizona kind of -- was a chance to play point guard part of your decision? At least combo backup or whatever? If so, how does it feel to kind of be thrown in this situation?

JUSTIN KIER: I would definitely say that just because I know how I would be coached. And this coaching staff does a great job making point guards, educating them on what you can do. Since I've met Coach, he's taught me how to read defenses and hit the role guys and stay on two feet.

He's helped me so much for my game. So, yes, I think that was a big part of it. And we'll continue to go.

Q. At Arizona, you talked about what it meant to be an Arizona Wildcat. Talk about a little bit more now that you're playing in the Pac-12 Tournament, to see all the fans come out, what's it feel like, and how proud are you to be a Wildcat?

JUSTIN KIER: Extremely grateful. As you guys have seen, they're the loudest in the gym. I think we had the most fans. So they have my heart and they always will. I'll say it again, it's the best decision I've made. And I'm just excited to continue this run.

Q. Any updates on Kerr, any thoughts on --

TOMMY LLOYD: Got a sprained ankle. We've got a great training staff. And I think -- I don't think the severity of it is -- I think him playing next week is a real possibility. We're just going to take it day-by-day, but I think all the major stuff checked out okay. Now it's just a matter of attacking it.

Q. (Indiscernible) from three today, two really big ones, especially that one late, you guys were up by nine, three seconds on the shot clock. What was going through your head when he was putting up that 3?

TOMMY LLOYD: He's going to make it. I love that kid. He's got confidence and he's got sway. He's a really good player. His best days are ahead of him. I'm glad he got that moment because he's put in a ton of time behind the scenes.

He's believed in himself. And he's deserving of it. And he's, like I mentioned to you all, super high character. I know he missed one in the corner in the zone at the end of the shot clock. I thought that one was in too. I've got a lot of belief in him.

Q. You said you made some different things that the staff, you guys were talking about, did that have anything to do with Justin changing the lineup or was it more about what Colorado?

TOMMY LLOYD: Mostly based off last -- I thought even today, Justin out there, Justin's a really good defender. He's really grown in his one for ones, did a good job there. He did a great job there. And I thought offensively Justin's penetration could help us. Kerr is obviously a good shooter, stuff like that. Justin is more a downhill guard, be able to get down in the paint, make some plays. Sometimes it just works out.

Q. I know you're talking about the adjustments of picking your poison defensively, what you guys wanted to do. But back-to-back games, the shot from the 3-point line, is that any concerning at all heading into March?

TOMMY LLOYD: If they shoot well from 3 and you choke down the lane and you limit free throws, it's a formula. They're going to score. You don't get shutouts in basketball.

So sometimes you've got to make decisions. And tomorrow, depending on who we play, we might come out with a different plan. Today, we felt like this was the best plan for us based on playing these guys recently and watching them play.

And luckily it worked out. I'll tell you what, it took some courage to stick with it, because they made four 3s before the first media timeout, you're like, here we go again. And you just gotta hang with it, sometimes, and believe in the plan.

The players, they tightened it up, executed it a little bit better, and it ended up working.