NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - CAL ST. FULLERTON VS DUKE

March 17, 2022

Dedrique Taylor

Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Cal St. Fullerton Titans

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Coach Taylor. If you could give an opening statement.

DEDRIQUE TAYLOR: Just excited obviously to be here and be participating in what we know as one of the world's greatest sporting events that's out there. So really, really excited, but anxious to see what our group does.

The shootaround here, and then obviously tomorrow we're playing -- it's no secret who we're playing. We're playing college basketball itself. So I'm anxious to see this group in that environment and how they handle themselves. I think we have a very mature, very experienced group, but it's a different animal when they're getting on that stage. So I'm anxious to see them.

Q. Coach, you just said it, it's an exciting experience and just see how your players approach this moment. How have you seen them just through the couple days of being here approach this stage?

DEDRIQUE TAYLOR: I've encouraged them to document it because it's life changing. I've encouraged them to document it in their own way, but I'll tell you what I've seen is that they've become even closer than they were throughout the course of the season. Just some of the fanfare and some of the experience for them has been unique, but it's been an experience that they've gone through together.

They're reaping the benefits of, so to speak, and the only thing that I ask is just to be yourself. Don't try to do anything or be anyone that you haven't been for the 21 wins. Be who you are even in the 10 or 11 losses that we have. There's a certain level of feedback from both winning and losing that I think has really, really made this team who they are. So I think it's important for us to utilize that and just go forward and be the best version of ourself.

Q. Dedrique, obviously you have a lot of experience, a lot more than Duke does. Just in general, how much does that help you in a game like this especially when they might have the advantage athletically?

DEDRIQUE TAYLOR: I think it helps a great deal just in terms of the level of togetherness, the level of connectedness. I think Duke does have a lot of experience in these types of events. They played where the Brooklyn Nets play, and they've played in front of this type of atmosphere, which again, I think, is a credit to this group, to our group in terms of just going out there and being who you are. Don't get distracted by the things that are going on outside the floor. It's not time for that. It's actually time for us to work.

That's where I'm really excited about this group and their workmanlike attitude and the way they've approached things. When we screw around, we screw around with the best of them, but when it's time to go to work, they are able to turn it on and work like they should.

Q. You mentioned Duke college basketball itself. Do you have a relationship at all with Coach K? Have you ever met him? What has Krzyzewski kind of meant to the game, in your opinion?

DEDRIQUE TAYLOR: I think I met him once or twice. When I say met him, I shook his hand. He doesn't know me from Tom, and that's awesome, but I did work for Herb Sendek, who competed against him for over ten years. So there's a lot of tradition in terms of what he used to talk about with Coach K, and I think Coach K, something that I stole from him is the standard. I think it's a USA Basketball deal and it's a Duke basketball deal, but I think the standard goes hand in hand with who we are or who we're trying to be.

But I think also, when you speak about college basketball, when you think about college basketball, you think about Coach K. When you think about success, you think about Coach K. When you think about leadership the way that I think about leadership, you think about Coach K, and he's synonymous with all three of those things among others.

But obviously, he has a special place in college basketball. It's no secret, Duke's polarizing, but again, you have to have a level of respect, in my opinion, for what they've done and how they've done it over the course of time. And you can't do anything but tip your hat and hope like hell you can replicate what they've done.

Q. Coach, you and your players have talked about growing together. Could you share your perspective on how they've grown and what you've seen through their evolution through the season?

DEDRIQUE TAYLOR: Yeah, it's been amazing to watch them ascend on campus because they come from all over. They come from Central Florida as a transfer. They come from Tennessee as a transfer. They come from University of San Francisco. We've got a kid transferring from Oakland and junior college. So to watch them kind of size each other up at first and then slowly but surely understand the significance of why they're together, understand the importance of why they're together, but then also understand that that togetherness can be important to what they're trying to do.

Because I think all of them at the end of the day, they all want to play well. And it's really hard to play well, but it's easy to play hard. So that's something that we really, really focused on. Since day one, we've tried to understand that we're a talented group, but that doesn't win you basketball games. What wins you basketball games are the little things, the team chemistry and the ability to get along. We've had our share of getting along and not getting along, and we've learned from all of those things and come to the understanding of in order for this to work, we've got to find a way to stay together.

Q. Coach K was talking a little bit about just not necessarily putting a lot of weight in the idea of one last ride, not putting that pressure on him and on his players. I wonder with you, with a roster of a lot of seniors who play major roles, did you use that as motivation, or is that something you also try to ignore, not kind of putting too much pressure on it being one last trip?

DEDRIQUE TAYLOR: It's interesting from a standpoint of I wouldn't call it pressure, I would just call it really understanding who you are and the fact that we're never going to have this group together again. I don't care what happens, we'll never have, unfortunately -- I probably should knock on wood. We'll never have a COVID-type situation again where guys get their eligibility back, but we'll never have this group together again.

So I've encouraged them to take advantage of the time, take advantage of each other, and leave a legacy because that's something that is possible, and something that we're seeing play out in front of our own eyes.

Like Coach K, you never rise to the level of the occasion, in my opinion. You sink to the level of your habits. So whatever your habits are, that's what we've been talking about with our group, is just trying to understand who you want to become every single day and every single instance in every single moment. If you can become that, I'll guarantee you you'll like the end result, and that's really what we've been focused on.

I wouldn't necessarily say it's pressure. I would say just be you. Just do what you do to get you here, do what you've done to get you to this point.

Q. Coach, scouting Duke, what are some things that stand out about them? And on the contrary, some stuff that you feel good about with your team heading into this matchup?

DEDRIQUE TAYLOR: Now that right there, that's a tough question. If I understand you correctly in terms of the scouting report, obviously, their size. They're just -- they are what they are. In terms of their size, I think their athleticism, I think their length, it's unlike anything that we've seen moving forward.

But in the same token, our guys understand that, and they're ready and poised to do what I think they do best, which is take advantage of those things that may present a challenge for them but use it to their advantage. So rebounding will be another issue. I think keeping them out of transition, and obviously transition defense starts with our offense, taking good quality shots that allow to you have a level of balance so that you can get back and eliminate hopefully some of Duke's transition points.

It won't be easy. The task will be hard. Again, I just want our group to focus on playing hard, competing, and doing what has got them to this point. Trust me, it's plenty good enough. The rest of the world probably doesn't think so, and that's awesome. Nobody ever said we could do anything anyway. So I think our own conference, they picked us seventh or eighth, so who cares?

Q. Coach, this is your second trip as head coach in the tournament. Just wondering, have you approached this any differently from your first time around?

DEDRIQUE TAYLOR: Yeah, I think I've approached it differently from an emotional standpoint in terms of the first time where I was all giddy and all that stuff. This time I think I'm a lot more subdued and really, really trying to focus on getting these guys to document this opportunity, document it and then look back and appreciate not only yourself, but who you're doing it with.

So I'm probably a little more laid back, but I think for me personally, having my family here, my mom and dad, and then having my two girls sit in the audience, you don't understand how much my heart is warm because of that, and that's what I appreciate more. And just being with them and hanging out with them is good enough for me.

Q. Could you just speak on documenting the moment? Obviously, you have your kids here. How have you personally documented this moment?

DEDRIQUE TAYLOR: I think just being a little bit more aware, seeing things, hearing things, feeling things. We all have emotions for a reason, and I think it's important to recognize them. So this is an exciting moment.

Just simple silly, silly stuff. Like last night we had practice over at the university, and I think I might have been the last one to the bus, and I noticed there was a police escort in front and back, and I smiled. Like those moments, as crazy as it sounds, that excites me. Just a different type of feeling for this group because I remember the days in December when we were 4-6 and I was not sure. Hell, I didn't even want to go to practice the next day with this group and I didn't want to have anything to do with them.

But we've endured those things and we've gotten through that. For me, it just makes me smile to be able to tell this group we have accomplished something that no other group will ever be able to do in my opinion. So I'm excited for them.