NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - AKRON VS UCLA

March 16, 2022

John Groce

Xavier Castaneda

Ali Ali

Enrique Freeman

Moda Center

Akron Zips

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Akron student-athletes Xavier Castaneda, Ali Ali and Enrique Freeman. Gentlemen, welcome to Portland.

Q. Anybody can answer this, but you played a close game at Ohio State earlier in the year. Can that help you in any way with the crowd you're going to face tomorrow night?

ENRIQUE FREEMAN: No, I don't think so. I think we've come a long way from that game, and we still have the capability, as we showed in that game, and we're going to do that tomorrow.

Q. Ali, Coach Cronin was just here a little bit ago and mentioned your name in the same breath with Kevin Durant. Does that blow your mind?

ALI ALI: Yeah, a little bit. It's obviously great to be mentioned in the same breath as Kevin Durant. He's obviously a great player.

Q. He did say he thought you could be the next NBA player from the Mid-American Conference. Has that always been your goal?

ALI ALI: Yeah, when I started playing basketball, that's always been my dream, and one day maybe I will be able to fulfill that dream.

Q. Xavier, you averaged nearly 19 points a game in the MAAC Tournament. How do you plan to keep that up?

XAVIER CASTANEDA: Playing with confidence, staying aggressive and trying to win, that's about it.

Q. Enrique, given that UCLA went on a run last year, does that factor in how you're planning to prepare for them?

ENRIQUE FREEMAN: No, we prepare for everyone just the same.

Q. I'm wondering if you're embracing the underdog. I saw some BPI that gave you a 7% chance. Does that inspire you in any way?

ENRIQUE FREEMAN: I think it inspires for sure. I think every game, the last few games we've played, we've always been the underdog. So we're kinda used to it and have that mentality going into the game.

Q. But there have been some three and four team upsets. Do you guys pay attention to stats?

ENRIQUE FREEMAN: No. Never.

Q. Ali, I understand that Kobe Bryant is your favorite player, and he has had an impact on this team. Can you explain his influence not only on the season, but in particular now after winning the MAAC and playing in March Madness in Portland.

ALI ALI: He has definitely had a big impact on the player and the person I am today, having that mentality of just winning regardless of who the opponent is.

And I think that's the mindset we have as a group. Lately we have been predicted to lose the last three or four games we played. So like Enrique said, it's nothing new, I guess. So we're ready and excited to go out there and compete for forty minutes.

Q. Being that this is a brand-new experience for you, are you nervous heading into the tournament?

XAVIER CASTANEDA: I wouldn't say nervous. We're excited to be here. It's a great opportunity for us and the University of Akron. Just a great opportunity, and we're fully aware of that and ready to embrace it.

ALI ALI: I would say more excitement than nervousness, but obviously we will find out tomorrow night. But definitely excited. I mean, this is something we all kinda watched growing up. And now that we're here, we really can't be too nervous. We've just got to go out there and play.

ENRIQUE FREEMAN: Yes, same thing, definitely excited for tomorrow.

Q. Wondering about the trip. I don't know how long your flight was, but mine was seven hours. I'm just wondering how you're feeling. Do you feel like -- are you on tournament adrenaline still?

ENRIQUE FREEMAN: I think so. I think the time change is a little funky, but I think we're good.

ALI ALI: It could be course worse. It could be 10, 12 hours like overseas. So it's a little bit of a difference, but we're ready, we're excited. We're here.

Q. Guys, can you each go through your story on how you got to the University of Akron being that you're out here in the Pacific Northwest, so people have an idea of where you came from and why you chose Akron?

XAVIER CASTANEDA: I started my career collegiately at South Florida, and I transferred. And when I was in the portal, I knew a few guys who had gone to Akron, Christian and Jeremy, and I talked to some guys. And I also knew Groce prior to coming to Akron. I knew him when he was at Illinois.

So just those relationships that I built prior to being in college helped me to my decision.

ALI ALI: I kinda got lucky. Florida was watching somebody else at an AAU Tournament, and it was probably one of our final tournaments. And then they basically reached out, the first Division I team to give me a chance.

I trusted them. My gut feeling told me it was the right thing to do, and here we are.

ENRIQUE FREEMAN: I'm from Cleveland, so I went to Akron for academics. And they had an open tryout, and I tried out. And I walked on, and now I'm here.

Q. A 14 seed has upset a 3 seed at each of the past four men's tournaments. How confident are you that the Zips will be able to continue the streak against the Bruins?

ENRIQUE FREEMAN: Our team, and I think we go into every game trying to go 1-0, so that's our goal for tomorrow.

Q. Wondering about your defense. What makes you guys so effective? Is it aggressiveness? Attitude? The athletes you have? What do you think is the key?

XAVIER CASTANEDA: I think every player playing with pride on the defense and carrying out the game and the scheme, everything like that. Just focusing on every possession, keeping your defender in front, things like that. Every possession really counts.

Q. For tomorrow what do you think is the biggest concern?

ALI ALI: Us. Just doing what we do offensively and defensively and just taking care of what we need to do on both sides of the ball to give us the best chance to win.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, gentlemen. Best of luck tomorrow.

Joining us is head coach for University of Akron, John Groce. Coach, welcome to Portland. Sorry about the traffic. Take time for an opening statement.

COACH GROCE: Obviously super excited about the opportunity to compete tomorrow. We've had just a great run here over the last two to three weeks. They're really a neat group to coach. Really starts with their character.

Obviously, tomorrow night, you know, or afternoon, I guess time zone-wise, 6:00 something here, 9:50 back at home, we've got a great opportunity tomorrow night against a really good UCLA team, the more I watch them on film, and they're healthy now.

I've always had a great deal of respect for Mick. I've known him for a long time. They look like, when I'm watching them on film, now that they're healthy, a 1 or 2 seed, to be quite honest.

You can see why they were ranked early on top whatever they were in the country. Five starters returning. Really impressed with them offensively and defensively. Their ability to take care of the ball offensively is what really stands out. Really skilled. You can tell they're really smart, have played together for a while.

And then defensively, their numbers from a defensive efficiency standpoint are terrific. And then they rebound it really well, as his teams have always done wherever he's been.

So great respect for him in UCLA, and looking forward to the challenge.

Q. John, the guys seem really confident. Have you seen that grow just during the eight-game winning streak?

COACH GROCE: No question about it. I think obviously they've had some success. So now they're a little bit more confident. But they also -- I think trust is a big word. I think they really trust each other and understand the strengths of each other and how to fit all that together.

There is a trust level I think from staff to players right now, that we trust them that they're going to execute what we need to get done. I think there's a trust level from the players to the coaching staff as well.

Player-to-player, there's just -- we've always played with some toughness and togetherness and a lot of courage. We came back from big deficits throughout the year, we found ways to win close games.

I think the separator here lately has been that trust word. There is an element of trust, camaraderie and chemistry among the group here over the last eight games

Q. Mick compared Ali to Kevin Durant in terms of making guarded shots.

COACH GROCE: Can I say the same thing about Jaquez? He's pretty close. He does a lot of the same things. It's interesting watching him. Very similar.

Q. Do you see flashes of what he can do that is different than most?

COACH GROCE: Sure. I think with Ali, you know, he's always had up side, and I think now it's starting to come to fruition. He's a three-level scorer.

And I agree with Mick, he can make tough shots. He can pass it and make guys better. He can play with his back to the basket. He can play facing the basket. He can play as the ball handler in a pick and roll. He can play as the screener in a pick and roll.

He's so versatile. And I think that's what makes him -- he's really a versatile defender as well at the other end, and that's what makes him a really good player, I think. If I can encapsulate that in one word, it would be versatility.

Q. What is the mindset for preparing your players for the possibility of playing multiple games in a short amount of time?

COACH GROCE: Great question. We having a saying, preparation trumps pressure. But we don't just say that in season 3 and season 4. Season 1 for us is nonconference, season 2 conference, season 3 conference tournament, season 4 postseason.

That's something we take a lot of pride in year-round. So it's not something we just turn on like a light switch.

Our guys have really bought into that. I will give the 2019-20 team a lot of credit for that because they were really elite in preparation and taught a lot of these guys, whether it's Greg, Ali, Mike, Enrique Freeman, what that looks like.

And Enrique referenced that the other night after the MAAC championship game. So they really embrace that. They want to learn, they want to know how we're attacking, what we're doing. And they really embrace that preparation piece.

I think what that does is allows you to focus -- once you've got that, my stepdad used to call it "hay in the barn," now you can go out and play. You've tried to do everything right.

I think they understand that it's not a perfect game. It's not. They're not going to play perfect. We're not coaching perfect, the officials aren't -- everybody is trying to do the best they can and minimize mistakes and be great at what they do.

So I think what's happened with this group is they understands there is good, bad and ugly, I always tell them, in life and ball. And so the people, the organizations, the teams, the staffs, the people that deal with that the best oftentimes are at an extreme advantage and just able to get to the next thing and move on.

I think they've really embraced that as well. That and lastly I think the "one game at a time" deal, they've really embraced that.

Q. The players mentioned how you weren't favored to win the past couple of games and that trend continues. How does that affect this team going forward?

COACH GROCE: You know, you try to guess, obviously, what's going through their minds and hearts. That's our job as coaches, to try to figure that out. My gut -- they're pretty motivated -- they're in the NCAA Tournament, right? This is a great opportunity. They're excited to play. They know.

The other thing we've talked about is, hey, man, it really just is up -- we've got to believe. It's the people in the locker room.

But you're right, they were underdogs, at least my dad told me -- I didn't pay much attention to that, but underdog Buffalo, underdog against Kent, underdog against Toledo in the semis. It just is what it is. You can't control that. Worry about the things you can control, which is what I was alluding to earlier about the group.

Q. Can you even remember how far back you go with Mick?

COACH GROCE: Yeah, long time. Obviously as assistants, as associate head coaches, as head coaches. Long, long time. Obviously, I mentioned earlier, I have great respect for him and how he does it and the way his teams play. They're really, really good. They've been good for a long time.

Q. Are you concerned at all about the travel? I mean, it's a pretty long flight, and I know they're young --

COACH GROCE: Once again, I can't control that, right? I've kind of -- maybe early on in my career I would have, but we can't control that. So we gotta move and figure out what's in front of us, what are we dealing with, how do we deal with it in the best way possible.

So we've tried to get them adjusted. Obviously fortunate we got really good support staff, and we talk all the time.

We had a sleep doctor do a seminar with us, and we brought up that very question, traveling, for example, East Coast to West Coast, or vice versa, how do we do that. What if it's a two-day advance in terms of when you arrive? What if it's a one-day advance? So we utilized some of that education to the best of our ability to try to make the transition obviously from Akron time to Portland time.

Q. What did the sleep doctor say?

COACH GROCE: You have to decide in a nutshell whether or not you're going to stay on East Coast time or transition to Pacific Coast time. Obviously, with the game time being as such, we made the decision to transition, and we have been working on that since our arrival.

Q. What is the biggest concern for you guys?

COACH GROCE: Where do you want me to start? Obviously got a lot of experience, five starters back from the Final Four team. Offensively and defensively they're efficient on both sides of the ball.

But, again, I think -- and I said this in an earlier interview, you look at the turnover differential for them, their percentage versus opponent percentage, you look at the rebounding, you know, you've got to compete in those two areas.

Those are probably my two biggest concerns.

Q. One of the biggest parts of this team all year has been the defense. Enrique Freeman, MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, No. 1 in the conference. What do you think this defense looks like tomorrow night against the Bruins?

COACH GROCE: Hopefully efficient for us and trying to make them inefficient. Easier said than done. Good players, good coach, good scheme.

That's what all of us are trying to do in this tournament, right? When we say efficiency, it's points per possession. Those are fancy coaches' phrases for saying hold them, try to prevent them from scoring and try to score a few points yourself. Right?

So that, I think, is on the forefront of our minds, obviously.

And how we do that, it's easier said than done because of their experience, because they have size. They've got great length and athleticism on the wings. They have great guard play, a steadying force in Campbell.

We're looking forward to the challenge, though.

Q. Since UCLA went on that magical run to the Final Four last year, is that a factor in how you're preparing for them?

COACH GROCE: No, obviously just more from a respect thing, obviously. A respect for their players that have accomplished that, right? That's always going to be a part of their journey.

But in terms of our team versus their team this year, that run last year, I've told those guys, tomorrow it's they're playing and we're playing, it's a different year.

Q. Playing at Ohio State I know was ages ago, but that atmosphere, will it help in some regard?

COACH GROCE: Yeah, I think so. All those experiences, right? Experience is a great teacher. I appreciate you reminding me of that game. But, yeah, we played well. We played really, really well in a really tough environment against a very, very good team and a very well-coached team as well.

So obviously that's part of our journey this year. Does that give our guys some confidence? I think so. But at the end of the day, when that ball tips tomorrow, we're thinking about how do we win one possession at a time, how do we work together to try to get a stop, how do we work together to try to get our shot as they continue to talk about that as a team.

Q. We've heard from Xavier and from Enrique and Ali. There are five other guys that are on this team. Can you touch a little bit on them, Michael Wynn, Garvin Clarke?

COACH GROCE: Yeah, sure. Obviously, right, it's a team, and we've been playing as such, especially during this eight-game stretch. I thought Dawson was big in Cleveland, obviously shot making brings toughness and inspiration anytime he walks into a room. Just has that type of personality and mojo, if you will.

Greg Tribble is a leader. I trust him. He communicates well on the floor with me, with his teammates. He's very encouraging. He's great in huddles, elite defender, obviously played his best basketball of his career in Cleveland, here recently.

And then the guys that come off the bench for us, Bandaogo, Wynn, Clarke had great moments, Clarke in particular in the championship game, and really Winnie throughout. I teased him, he had zero points in one game, and in like in thirteen minutes he had 7 rebounds and 5 fouls, and I said, man at least your rebound total was higher than the fouls in the game.

We like to have a good time with them. We got really good guys, makes 'em fun to coach, and then we got the other guys that, right, that aren't in the primary rotation right now that are a big part of what we do as well.

Q. Going to Enrique Freeman, obviously the tryout and the walk-on experience, back then did you see the ceiling that he has right now back when he first tried out?

COACH GROCE: Are you asking me from a one-hour tryout did I see that he would become the MAAC tournament MVP and All-league player?

Q. Yeah.

COACH GROCE: Oh, sure. You saw his length, obviously he was a little lighter then than he is now, he had good hands, good motor that day, was a really good mover and just liked his vibe. It's hard not to like his vibe.

Do a background check, figure out, man this guy is on academic scholarship is a great kid, high character, so we put him on the team thinking we didn't have a lot to lose in that situation, because you don't see guys 6'7" with that type of length and those attributes that I just mentioned typically show up at a walk-on trial.

We keep him, he's on the scout team that year, championship year, 2019-20, and has a good year, and by the time we got to the end of year, we were like, man, maybe he will get in our rotation. And then we come back August of 2020, 20 pounds heavier, had really worked during the pandemic while he was at home. Don't know if he had a choice. His mom is a Cleveland police officer, great lady, him and his five sisters, runs a tight ship.

So he worked at it, and he came back and was much better, and it was obvious he was going to play, play for us, and kept hip out of the starting lineup. In the first game he gets 21 rebounds, at that point I had an inkling, once he gets the 21 rebounds.

He's obviously improved a great deal and gotten a lot better in a very short period of time, and a lot of it should be attributed to his character and his work capacity.

Q. What are you doing tomorrow? Are you going to let them watch some of the other games or you got plans for -- meetings all day?

COACH GROCE: On game day, the one thing I try to do -- when I was younger I keep referencing that, we'll probably meet about eight times tomorrow. I'm going to make sure I get a run in tomorrow, really important, get a great cup of Starbucks coffee in the morning, large or Venti, I think is what they call it, and we will have a good, healthy meeting tomorrow, move around, and try to get here early enough just like they did in Cleveland so they can get a taste of the environment before they take the floor.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach. Best of luck tomorrow.