NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - CREIGHTON VS SAN DIEGO ST.

March 16, 2022

Matt Bradley

Adam Seiko

Trey Pulliam

Dickies Arena

San Diego St. Aztecs

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the student-athletes from San Diego State University. Furthest from me, Trey Pulliam. In the middle is Adam Seiko, and closest to me is Matt Bradley.

And we will take questions from the room first. Left middle.

Q. This is for any of you guys. You guys, I think, have played against 12 7-footers this year. Obviously, facing another one with Creighton. What have you learned about playing against that kind of size around the rim that you think you can apply from this game?

THE MODERATOR: Matt, you can start with that.

MATT BRADLEY: Yeah. We're pretty aware of who they have to offer as far as with Creighton's big man. We've been challenged this year by a bunch of great big men that are over seven-foot.

So we know that we have got to get down there playing on two feet, either try to shoot it over the top or find the big man if he steps up. And just be aware of him at all times when it comes to rebounding and stuff. So definitely have an eye out for him.

THE MODERATOR: Adam.

ADAM SEIKO: Yeah. You know, it's going to be a challenge playing Kalkbrenner and his size. And, you know, we've gone against that size. And even in practice, playing with Nate Messer who is such a tremendous shot blocker at the rim.

Our point guards and our guards, we work on that stuff in practice. Playing off two feet, getting in there, looking out -- finding other people. We just want to stop him in either high-low offense and keep him off the glass, and we should be good off that.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Trey.

TREY PULLIAM: Like both these guys touched on, just trying to play more in the mirror range. Playing against seven-footers, it's hard to get to the rim. They block a lot of shots. Just playing on two feet really, just making smart reads, and don't force anything.

THE MODERATOR: In the front to the right.

Q. I guess for Adam and Trey, since you played in this tournament before, what's kind of the sense or feeling of the fresh slate kind of thing here, given over the last few years the Aztecs haven't been able to win a tournament game, but at the same time after losing the Mountain West final, you get of get a clear of the slate and start over, does it feel like that? Or what does it feel like?

THE MODERATOR: And you would like Trey and Adam?

Trey, go ahead.

TREY PULLIAM: It definitely feels good just to be here. Last year, we took a tough loss to Syracuse. So definitely to be able to have the year back with COVID and being able to be here, just a blessing. And we're just looking forward to getting on the court tomorrow and hopefully getting a W.

THE MODERATOR: Adam?

ADAM SEIKO: Yeah, I mean, we're focused on the tournament now. It was tough taking a loss in the conference championship. Which, you know, that's over, we've moved on. We've had a good prep week so far, a good scouting week. And being here last year and, you know, losing -- we want to come in here and get a win. We want to make San Diego proud, and we're ready to go.

THE MODERATOR: Go back to the left.

Q. Adam, you and Arthur have been kind of going back and forth this week about there's been maybe talking a little bit more trash. Has he always been that way? When did he first start exhibiting that quality?

ADAM SEIKO: Yeah. I mean, he's always been a confident kid. You know, he's very confident in his game. And he -- his game will do the talking as well. But he does talk a lot. That doesn't aware me, worry my teammates. I'm used to it. It's a lot of fluff. But, you know, I'm focused on this team, focused on our game plan, and it's exciting to play him. But, you know, we want to go in there and beat them.

THE MODERATOR: Those of you on the ZOOM, you can raise your hand virtually and allow you to call on me if you have a question. We'll continue in the room, middle right.

Q. This is for Trey. You mentioned on ZOOM the other day, your son. Has he ever seen you play in person and what's that going to mean to you to have? I'm assuming he's going to be here -- to have him here seeing you?

TREY PULLIAM: Yeah. He's nervous seeing me play in person, especially last year with COVID and stuff like that, making it hard to travel to get out the state. So just to be able to play here, him being able to see me and see what his dad does, I know I'm always gone and not able to be there in person, it means the world to me.

THE MODERATOR: Back to the left.

Q. This run that you guys -- AG kind of has to be going through emotions this week. It's kind of his hometown team. How have you guys seen him manage this situation? I don't know if you guys have handled something similar but if you had advice for him, what would it be?

MATT BRADLEY: I'm sorry, could you ask the question again? My bad.

Q. AG is from Omaha. It's kind of the hometown team. How have you seen him manage his emotions leading up to this game. I don't know if you have been in a similar situation, but if you have, what would you do in that spot?

MATT BRADLEY: So as far as AG, I know -- he does a good job of managing his emotions. Sometimes, you know, as teammates, we just got to ask, like, hey, man, what can we do for you? But as far as -- he's always trying to do onto others the right way. So I know he's been encouraging to us, regardless. He's been through a lot this year as far as personally with his body and other things going on. But he's been a great teammate through it all. So, you know, it's something I haven't really noticed. And he's just been -- you know, he's been the same guy for us all season.

THE MODERATOR: Adam, anything you want to add to that?

ADAM SEIKO: Yeah. I mean, AG being from here, it's definitely exciting for him, you know, I imagine. He hasn't talked about it a lot. We know that he -- you know, he lives here. But we know that he's locked in, we know that he's ready to go. We know there's a lot of things, personally, like for all of us going on maybe on the outside, but we are just focusing on the game right now. I know AG is focused.

And like Matt said, he's gone through a lot. And, you know, to see him come through and grow this season, he makes so many winning plays for us, that's what we want him to do against Creighton, as well, and I know he's ready.

THE MODERATOR: Trey, anything you can add?

TREY PULLIAM: Nothing to add.

THE MODERATOR: All right.

Go back to the to the right.

Q. Again, one for Trey. And a separate one for Matt and Adam.

Trey, just when you got to, of course, Canada and Navarro the first time, obviously, all kids grow up wanting to play Division I, and here you are in this small town. What were your thoughts? What was that when you saw that?

TREY PULLIAM: Just going into JUCO?

Q. Uh-huh.

TREY PULLIAM: I mean, I saw it as just an opportunity for me to play basketball again. Leaving high school, I never had any opportunities or anything like that.

So just me having an opportunity to go and play somewhere, I was just excited to be a part of a team and instead of having a chance to make it somewhere.

And I just wanted to give it my all, and I knew I could set myself up for a future there. So I just tried to do everything I could to make it out of there.

Q. For Matt and Adam, you both can answer this. When you look at Creighton on tape, do you kind of see the same team in the sense that they're very good defensively, sometimes struggle offensively. You know, they both have good -- you and them have both elite defensive players of the year in their conferences, kind of won a lot of games in the culture?

THE MODERATOR: Adam, you can start with that one.

ADAM SEIKO: Yeah. After watching the film, we do have similarities. They like to run in transition a lot like we do up, like to keep it up and down the floor. They defend at a high level, as well. They make you play one-on-one, make you make shots at the rim, you know, like we do. But we're similar in our gaps.

But other than that, you know, we did a good scout on them. We know what they like to do, and we have a good game plan going into it.

THE MODERATOR: Matt?

MATT BRADLEY: Yeah. There's definitely a lot of similarities. But I think our coaches put, like, emphasis on, like, them shooting, them getting out in transition.

And I noticed they have, like, really great length as well, as far as, like, on the wings and stuff. So they play hard. Which, you know, it looks like it resembles us.

But, ultimately, I think -- you know, they are a different team. And I think we have a lot more maturity. So I -- you know, it's going to show tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: To the right-front again.

Q. For Matt, given that you haven't played in this tournament, does that put you in any kind of unique or special head space? Any kind of a different, you know, approach coming into this to the guys that have played it?

MATT BRADLEY: You know, it probably should. But, like I said before, you know, if I was to do that to myself, I think I'd do this team a disservice trying to put myself in a weird head space. Like, you know, the moment's too big for me or whatever the case may be.

So, you know, I'm just coming in, the main thing I want to have fun, taking in the experience, but ultimately just trying to win and get it done for us. So, you know, it's -- this is a big moment, but it's just another game.

THE MODERATOR: Okay. We have a couple more minutes with our student-athletes. Do we have any more questions?

We'll add one more from our friend from Omaha.

Q. What sort of advantage do you guys think you have because you have played on this stage before?

THE MODERATOR: Trey?

TREY PULLIAM: I think we just have the experience, especially with us playing last year. We definitely don't want to go down that road again; so we know what it takes to win. And we're just going to do everything we can, give it our all to get it done.

ADAM SEIKO: Yeah, like Trey said. The experience, you know, playing in the tournament, different feelings, different vibes. There's a lot of cameras, a lot of extra stuff going on around you.

And we've been here in this spot and we know what it takes to win. We know what we have to do, we have to game plan, be mentally ready, physically ready, as well. And, you know, compared to them, who have some young players who haven't been here. And we have some mature guys, as well. So all of us are looking forward to it. And I feel like the advantage is just us being mature, being ready to go.

THE MODERATOR: We have one question on ZOOM from Lee Hamilton. Lee, go ahead.

Q. Yeah, I have a question for Matt. The fact that you've had to carry a big load offensively and you're the trigger man to get everybody else involved, how do you handle all the double teams and just the pressure that you seem to be under on a game-by-game basis?

MATT BRADLEY: I think it showed pretty well in this past tournament. You know, a lot of guys stepped up; Trey, Adam, Chad, in moments. You know, everybody as a team collectively stepped up on offense.

And, you know, I had -- we still won. And I had games where I only scored five points, seven points. So that was a big sign.

And I think what we're looking to do is, you know, have my offensive aggressiveness as well as have other guys step in as well and chip in. So if we can get it both going, it's going to be really good.

But I'm not worried about it at all. If I'm getting doubled, whatever the case maybe, I trust my teammates and I know they're going to step up. So, yeah, I'm feeling good about it.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Unless we have any other questions in the room, that will do it with our student-athletes. We'll have Coach Dutch coming up in just a moment.