NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - TEXAS SOUTHERN VS KANSAS

March 16, 2022

Brison Gresham

John Walker III

Dickies Arena

Texas Southern Tigers

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right. Welcome the student-athletes from Texas Southern University, winners last name over Texas A&M Corpus Christi in Dayton. Quick turnaround and now here in Fort Worth preparing for their game in the round of 64. We have Brison Gresham and John Walker III joining us today. We'll take questions on ZOOM and in the room.

So if you are watching online, please virtually raise your hand and we will address those questions, as well as those here in Fort Worth. And we'll start right here in the building. Front row to the right.

Q. Hi, guys. John and Brison, I guess for each of you: How have you handled the last 24 hours? What's that been like and how ready are you to take on Kansas tomorrow?

BRISON GRESHAM: The last 24 hours have been kind of tiring, really, with all the traveling. Just been trying to get some rest, really. And what was your second question? My bad.

Q. (No microphone.)

BRISON GRESHAM: They're a very good team. It should be a great game for sure.

JOHN WALKER III: Yeah, the last 24 hours have been crazy, of course. Exciting. Also just locking back in on Kansas, though. They're definitely going to be a competitive matchup. We excited for the challenge.

THE MODERATOR: To the left.

Q. Brison, how much time have you guys had to watch film, scout, get ready for the matchup? Or do you just have to go wing it and play ball and kind of rely on your principles that you've had all season?

BRISON GRESHAM: We kind of landed here, I want to say a little bit over midnight. So, honestly, like, this morning was really our first time watching them. And what was your second question?

Q. I'll follow up on that. What stood out? I mean, seeing it for the first time, and, you know, you don't have a lot of time to prep, right?

BRISON GRESHAM: They're a very good ball team, I should say. They play fast. They're competitive. They compete at a high level. And I feel like we compete at a high level, as well. It'll be a good game.

Q. Coach Self called you one of the more athletic bigs he's seen all year. What do you see in their bigs, especially No. 33, McCormack.

BRISON GRESHAM: He's a big guy. Physical. I hope the refs let us play physical. So hopefully it will be a very good, competitive game.

Q. Do you like that?

BRISON GRESHAM: Yeah, I love playing physical. I love seeing, like, physical bigs. I miss that style of play, really.

THE MODERATOR: Who's been the most physical team you've seen this year? Obviously, a lot of great opponents. The win over Florida sticks out as one of the bigger victories for you guys.

BRISON GRESHAM: That I've seen or that I've played against?

THE MODERATOR: That you've played against, yeah.

BRISON GRESHAM: I'd definitely have to say -- it might sound crazy, but I'll Say Elkhorn. The team that we played in the championship, they're a very little, chippy team. Like, size-wise, they kind of small but they're a chippy team and they play physical.

Q. John, what's it like to be back here after last season and now going through this a second time?

JOHN WALKER III: It's definitely a great feeling, honestly. Just to be able to do something that most people struggle to get done once, to be able to do it twice in a row is an amazing feeling. But also a great opportunity also. So it's an amazing feeling.

Q. Yeah, for both of you guys, you haven't talked about it much. You said you landed at midnight, you go straight to film. It's got to be kind of a whirlwind. But when you think about KU, is there one thing that you think y'all need to do to be successful tomorrow? Like, something that you're really keying in on right now?

JOHN WALKER III: Definitely to play harder than them. That's absolutely nonnegotiable. You got to play harder than the other team. That's really what we're focusing on. At the very least, we're going to have to play harder than them to gain anything.

BRISON GRESHAM: Any time you're playing seeds, like, 16 and 1, you always got to be able to outrebound the team. So I would say what our big emphasis is on trying to rebound the basketball.

Q. For both of you guys: For people who haven't seen you guys play this year and maybe flip on the TV and just watch this one, what's your style? How do you want this game to be played? If you could dictate it -- and, obviously, Kansas is going to try and take you out of what you do. But if it goes your way, how does that look?

BRISON GRESHAM: I'll say smash mouth basketball. Like, we want the game to be as physical as it can possibly be, actually.

THE MODERATOR: John?

JOHN WALKER III: Yeah, most definitely. We try to play -- we going to try and stay in our game plan. But, yeah, smash mouth most definitely. Just try to be as aggressive as possible with anybody.

THE MODERATOR: Front row.

Q. Guys, how would you describe the relationship between John and Coach Jones? And be able to coach your son is probably something a lot of fathers dream of. But how do you see their interactions and how have you seen them get along throughout the last couple years?

JOHN WALKER III: Man, it's amazing to see how they can just flip that switch to go from coach to son. It's definitely a switch that's flipped. Like, when they coaching, it's all about business. Like, you my player right now and that's how they address each other. And I like seeing the respect they got for each other because I know that's not easy to do.

BRISON GRESHAM: I kind of look up to Coach Jones, because just last year I had a son. And I tried to take a little -- some pieces that he do with John and try to keep it in my brain, so when my son get older, I'll reciprocate it.

Q. What kind of things?

BRISON GRESHAM: Just, like, how he coaches his son sometimes. Like, he tries to stay away from not coaching him as his son. Like, how he get on him sometimes, like, he coach him like a regular player.

Q. Do you guys have a good story that maybe illustrates the relationship that you have seen?

BRISON GRESHAM: A good story? That's a tough one. Let me see.

JOHN WALKER III: Have y'all seen, like, every year they go to the tournament? Like, they take the same pose with the picture. Like, that's crazy, the fact that they win that much to where they can have a tradition like that. To take the same pose for the tournament every year, I'm jealous of that for sure.

THE MODERATOR: Okay. Any other questions in the room? Okay. Back on left.

Q. Obviously, we've talked about to you guys about midnight and short turnaround and all that stuff. Are there advantages to just having played last night? You guys are young guys. I mean, does that not bother you? Are you happy you had that game to the rust off and now you get to go again tomorrow?

BRISON GRESHAM: I don't think there's no advantages. Because when the ball is tipped, the ball is tipped, I feel like. So you got to compete.

THE MODERATOR: John?

JOHN WALKER III: Yeah, I don't really see too many advantages. Maybe just the fact that we got out of a tough one. So our blood's already flowing. So I think our focus is already where it needs to be for the most part. Like, just having a close game and being that close to going home, you got a certain level of -- you know what I'm saying? Respect for what you got going on. So that's probably the only good thing about playing this fast. Like, it's not -- we ain't really locked out, we just stay locked in for the most part.

THE MODERATOR: You guys had a nine-game road trip to begin this season, facing a lot of incredible opponents. How did that prepare you for this moment? You already know what some of the best teams in the country look like in person. Brison?

BRISON GRESHAM: I just made -- I feel like it made us gel together, actually. And especially, like, not winning a couple games. Like, it -- it's almost like you got to gel together. If not -- like, you can't spread away, like, while losing. That's not what good teams do.

So I feel like -- that's really, like, an advantage of our nonconference schedule, like, playing nine road games. And I've been on three different college teams, and that was, like, the craziest thing I ever experienced, really.

JOHN WALKER III: Yeah, most definitely. I think the part that I like about it most is us getting so used to adversity. We know when adversity hits, it's just, All right, just buckle down, get through it, whatever. It just gets us prepared for any type of close games or anything. Because we know it's a dogfight throughout that pre-conference schedule. So when you slug it out like that every night, it kind of becomes who you are.

THE MODERATOR: Not seeing any questions on ZOOM, do we have anyone else here in Fort Worth? In the front row again?

Q. Yeah, Brison, just last year with Houston and the run that you guys had there, what kind of lessons does that prepare you for this year?

BRISON GRESHAM: Small things. Like, just like things that people don't really realize. I feel like as the fans watch March Madness, they looking for the oohs and awes. But, like, a small thing can get you beat, a small thing going to help you win the game.

THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the student-athletes? All right. If not, guys, good luck and welcome to Fort Worth.

BRISON GRESHAM: Thank you.

JOHN WALKER III: Thank y'all.