NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - NORFOLK ST. VS BAYLOR

March 16, 2022

Kris Bankston

Joe Bryant Jr.

Dana Tate Jr.

Dickies Arena

Norfolk St. Spartans

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right. To the far side of me all the way at the other end, we have Kris Bankston. In the middle, we have Joe Bryant. And closest to me is Dana Tate. The Norfolk student-athletes. Men, congratulations on making it here. We'll take questions from the room and then we will go to the ZOOM. We'll start right there in the middle.

Q. Hey, guys. Just all three of y'all, Craig Wilder, WAVY 10. Since the championship, how do you think the teams refocused and all the travel and everything? I know it's been quite a whirlwind, but how would you say you guys are refocused?

THE MODERATOR: We'll start with Kris on the far end on that.

KRIS BANKSTON: Well, we -- after the tournament, we celebrated that night and we got ready and prepared for practice. We prepared for this moment.

THE MODERATOR: Okay. In the middle, Joe?

JOE BRYANT JR.: Like he said, we celebrated after the game. But there's a new goal at hand. It's time to win a national championship, and that's what we're focused to do.

THE MODERATOR: Dana.

DANA TATE JR.: What my two teammates said, we did take in that moment and celebrated. But for a few of us, it's a new experience. So to refocusing, we locked back in. And we know we have more games to play. So we were happy in the moment, but, ultimately, you know, we had to make a change and get back focused.

THE MODERATOR: We've got Mark with the microphone. We'll come to you. And josh is on this side with this one, as well.

Q. I'm a local guy, guys; so I'm going to keep going until they stop.

Kris, playing in a game like this against Baylor, a power five school, obviously at the Big 12. How much do you, as the man in the middle, sort of take it upon yourself to be that physical man you have been, but continue to take your game to the next level knowing you're going to play a pretty incredible opponent?

KRIS BANKSTON: Can you ask that again?

Q. Yeah, being a -- man in the middle, against a bigger, long team, you know, power 5 sort of school that had a great run, how much do you take it upon yourself to continue to step up your play?

KRIS BANKSTON: I mean, I don't look at it as, like, an individual-type thing. I really focus on the team. I want the team to actually perform well against this team.

Q. Your guys second tournament in a row, but how different is it going to be this year being in an arena like this, playing in the home state of Baylor, whereas I guess last year you were playing in the bubble after you won the final first four?

JOE BRYANT JR.: Last year, it was a lot of guys' first experience. I mean, this year, it's a lot different. Like you said, last year was in the bubble. This year, like, a lot of media and stuff. So this is kind of different for everybody. But I feel like we're mentally locked in for the game. We just got to come ready with our hard hat on and be ready to play.

THE MODERATOR: Right here in front, 25 News.

Q. Yeah, Joe, I was just wondering, what's maybe one thing you've learned from last year that you're going to be take into this run at the tournament?

JOE BRYANT JR.: Just taking different things from the high majors that we played last year, like Gonzaga. I would say they had a lot of pros; so they did a lot of things different than from what we did. So this year, we're taking stuff from them. You know, also using stuff from teams this year.

THE MODERATOR: Let's go back to the far-left.

Q. Joe, you mentioned last year, some of the freedoms that you have this year, just walking out on the street and enjoying the atmosphere that you didn't get a chance last year to do in the bubble. What's been some of the things you started to take in this year that you didn't last year?

JOE BRYANT JR.: Like you said, just walking around enjoying the city. And just enjoying my teammates instead of like last year we had to quarantine for, like, two days. This year, we just in our rooms, just chilling. So just enjoying my time with them. And like I said, just walking around the city, enjoying the city.

THE MODERATOR: Right here.

Q. For all three guys, you talk about playing Gonzaga, you played Xavier earlier this season. How much does that help you prepare for a team like Baylor, a name like Baylor, the defending national champions on this stage?

THE MODERATOR: We'll start close, Dana.

DANA TATE JR.: I feel like playing how we played this year helped prepare us for this moment, helped level us. We know what to expect. We know how we got to come out, we've got to play from the beginning. And I think we're comfortable at this stage now, you know, after playing with each other for 30 games and going through this long season. So I think we're going to be good going up against another high major, just another opponent on the list.

THE MODERATOR: Joe.

JOE BRYANT JR.: Can you say the question one more time? I forgot the question.

Q. So, you know, playing Gonzaga last year, getting that experience and getting to play Xavier earlier, how much does that prepare you for the type of level of basketball that you're going to see against a team like Baylor, a name like Baylor, a team that's the defending national champions?

JOE BRYANT JR.: Just how they played hard. We play hard, as well. Just keeping that up. Like he said, we're comfortable now. We played a lot of high majors so far. We just got to -- if we come mentally locked in, mentally ready, stick to the game plan that coach gives us, then we should be good.

THE MODERATOR: Kris.

KRIS BANKSTON: Like what Dana said, I just feel like we know what to expect now. Now, like, we played a high major and we see how they play. And like Joe said, they do play hard, and we also play hard. We just got to come in and bring our A-game.

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Q. Hey, Joe, in a game like this, when there's commentators, they tend to spotlight players. Obviously, being the media player of the year, I'm sure you're going to get some notice on TV national time. You being a hometown kid, what are you most proud of coming from Hampton Roads, being from the 757, what are you most proud of now playing on this biggest stage for Norfolk State basketball?

JOE BRYANT JR.: Just playing with the guys and the coaches that helped me get here. It's not a one-man show. I got a media player of the year by my teammates and my coaches trusting me and counting on me. Like I said, it's not a one-man show. I'm just happy to be here with the guys, and, hopefully, we can make a special run in this tournament.

Q. Dana, I was just wondering what is it about Baylor that stands out to you when you look at the film? What are you expecting when you take the floor?

DANA TATE JR.: Big 12 team. You know, they're tall, they're athletic. I've played against many people like that. So I'm not really expecting anything different. I'm just ready to play on Thursday.

THE MODERATOR: We've got about two more minutes allotted for the student-athletes. We have a couple more questions right in the back.

Q. Dana and Kris, this is your first opportunity in this kind of environment. What are the things that you -- walking in the building that you got when you walked in?

DANA TATE JR.: The arena is beautiful. Yeah, you just get a chill down your body that you're actually here. As a basketball player, you play for a long time. As a kid, you always dream of this moment playing at this stage and in this atmosphere. So to finally be here and to finally feel what it feels like to be around these type of people and be around this type of environment, it's crazy. It's mind-blowing. And it's like a dream come true. So I'm taking in every moment of it. I'm not taking anything for granted and just, you know, enjoying my time with my teammates and really cherishing this experience.

Q. Joe, why don't you follow up on that.

JOE BRYANT JR.: Like he said, just enjoying the time with the teammates because you never know if it's going to happen again.

Like he said, the arena is definitely beautiful. I'm just ready to play, honestly.

THE MODERATOR: Kris, anything you'd like to add about that subject?

KRIS BANKSTON: I mean, they basically said everything that I was going to say. Like, the arena looks nice. And, yeah, we are enjoying this moment right now. We're living in a good moment.

Q. Joe, just how do you feel like you match up with Baylor and what do you believe your chances are, obviously, being a No. 16 seed?

JOE BRYANT JR.: I mean, they obviously, got some good guards. We got good guards, as well. They got some decent bigs, we got good bigs. So I feel like we match up pretty well. It's going to come down to whoever plays hardest, who executes the longest, you know, for 40 minutes. And I feel like we can do that. So that's what we going to do.

THE MODERATOR: Men, thank you very much. Appreciate it.

JOE BRYANT JR.: Appreciate you.