NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - RICHMOND VS PROVIDENCE

March 18, 2022

Jared Bynum

Ed Cooley

Al Durham

Andrew Fonts

Justin Minaya

A.J. Reeves

KeyBank Center

Providence Friars

Media Conference

Q. Jared, I wonder if you, as we do probably, see a lot of similarities between Richmond and Providence in terms of experience and age of players?

JARED BYNUM: They're an older team like we are, and they have a couple of fifth year guys and a couple of guys that have been with the program for a while, so there are definitely some similarities between the age and the experience on the teams.

Q. Perhaps just sort of danger quotient associated with Richmond, what makes them a dangerous opponent?

JARED BYNUM: They have a lot of guys that know their system well and know how to play within their offense, so it's going to be a systematic game. We've got to be able to take away some of their sets and some of the ways they get easy baskets, but I'm looking forward to a good game and a competitive game and moving forward.

Q. There are so many of you, I don't know who to choose from, so whoever wants this. Richmond plays an interesting style of offense. It gets called difficult to prepare for or unique. How difficult is it to prepare for? How different is it than what you see on a regular basis? Again, anybody want to jump in?

JUSTIN MINAYA: I just think Richmond is a really good team. They're always moving. They're always moving around, so they always keep you on your heels kind of on defense. You always have to be prepared for back cuts and be prepared for all different types of things. They have three very good players too with Gilyard and Burton and then Golden. Those guys, they do a really good job in half court and getting everybody going.

Q. This is a question for A.J. Just in your relationship with Tyler Burton, I was wondering if you guys still talk now and what your relationship is with him?

A.J. REEVES: Yeah, definitely. I've been hitting him up throughout the season because he has been having a really, really good season, and just when we got here and I saw that they were in Buffalo, too, and it was a potential match-up between us two, I was just, like, man, you got to win this game. You know how huge this would be for the rivals and everything?

Ben and Tom coached us from probably our ninth grade years, each of us, and played on the same team. He is a year younger than me, but he did play up. Our relationship has been strong, and I can't wait to get out there and play against my brother.

Q. Just wondering yesterday you got off to an early lead, and you played with a lead. How important is that for you guys mentality-wise to play with the lead in a game come tomorrow?

AL DURHAM: I think it's important for us to jump out to a good start. It gives us energy. It gives us a lot of energy going into the game and our bench energy to come in and keep up that momentum that we got. I feel like that is a big thing for us. We would always want to jump out and get on our opponents from the jump.

Q. A.J., for you what does it mean for this team to be 40 minutes away from a Sweet 16?

A.J. REEVES: One in a -- I don't even know how to really answer that. We just got to go out there and give it our all. Again, going back to everybody doubted us. Went from one of the teams that was supposed to be upset the other day, and now it's like, oh, you're a four seed, you're supposed to beat them.

We just take it as one game at a time, and the Sweet 16 is a very viable goal for us, and it's an option for us to we just want to play our hardest out there and get that W.

Q. Justin, for you, obviously, like you guys poised down the stretch, Richmond has come back from a through 15-point deficits in the second half. Is that a point of emphasis as you guys prepare that it doesn't matter how big the lead is, but we have to play a full 40 minutes here?

JUSTIN MINAYA: Yeah, yeah. I think like us, they're a team that never gives in. No matter what the score is or where you are at in the game, I feel like we're kind of a team that will keep going no matter what the score is. We kind of give our all to every play, and I feel like they're similar in that way.

I think we're both really experienced teams, so we've been in a lot of big games, a lot of different games, good games, bad games. We've kind of seen it all. That's why I think we have a lot of similarities between the two.

Q. This question is for Andrew. Yesterday players at the dais coach said that it was a culture win. The people that can't be inside your building, inside the offices every single day, what is the Providence College basketball culture?

ANDREW FONTS: I think I would start with how connected the group is this year. That's something we pride ourselves on and how connected not just -- on the court and off the court. We hang out 24/7. These are my brothers. Great group of guys. I definitely say connected, tough, physical and determined.

We all have a chip on our shoulder. We have guys coming from mid-majors or low majors or we have guys that didn't get much playing time or a lot of minutes in their old school, and they came together here, and they really bought into a role, and couldn't be more proud of this group. Just excited to be here and excited to play another 40 minutes.

Q. Andrew, this is a question for you. What was the message the team from the coaches during practice today considering that you guys are on the precipice of the Sweet 16?

ANDREW FONTS: It's definitely a quick turnaround. We have about 48 hours to prepare for them. We're trying just to pick up on any tendencies that we can. Obviously, we talked about the Princeton offense and trying to learn that as much as we can. We played against a couple of teams early in November that ran a similar offense, so, yeah, trying to pick up on some tendencies and really focus on us as well. We're a good team. We want to focus on what we can do, and, yeah, we're excited to play.

Q. A.J., I want to go back to something you just said that people picking South Dakota State, and you guys got through that game, but you saw what happened later in the day with Saint Peter's beating Kentucky, what happened here twice. For a team in your spot with your seed, is the first game the most nerve-racking, just the toughest one to get through, and now this becomes a little more like regular basketball going forward?

A.J. REEVES: I guess you could kind of say that. It's like in a way when you make your first shot or something like that, you get at ease, and you get more comfortable. You're not as nervous anymore, so you can really go and play your game, but at the end of the day, it's March. You know what I'm saying? If you have a bad day, you can go home, so I feel like that's just our mindset. It's just play our hardest and be who we are and just stay on top of things. I feel like if we get the job -- we take care of what we have to do and get the job done, then we'll win, you know what I'm saying?

Q. Question for Al. Have you had a chance to touch base with Coach Miller, and I'm sure you heard about the news that he is back in circulation.

AL DURHAM: I haven't gotten a chance to talk to him, but I heard some great news yesterday that he got hired. He got that position at URI. I'm happy for him. I couldn't explain how grateful I am for him to be able to coach me for four years and learn so much from him, and I'm just -- I'm grateful for him, and I'm also happy for him to get a chance to experience Rhode Island and coach over there.

Q. Jared, question for you. Is there anything that you and Ed Croswell that you can glean from your Atlantic-10 days and have you shared that with your team?

JARED BYNUM: I wouldn't say they play the same exact way that they play now since we've been there. It's going on three, four years since we've been there, so a lot has changed, but I think it's just going to be kind of cool playing another A-10 team in the tournament coming from the A-10 and having played against some of those guys while we were there, so definitely an experience and opportunity I'm looking forward to, and I'm grateful for it.

Q. Do you remember when you did play Richmond and Gilyard, did you match up with him in that game?

JARED BYNUM: I remember that game. That was a pretty good game. I think it came down to the wire while I was there. I can't remember like the exact details of the game or how the match-up went, but I just remember a pretty good A-10 conference game that came down to the wire, and I remember a couple of those guys that were on the team then that are now upper classmen. And Gilyard was there, and he is a fifth year senior, so a lot of guys on that team have experience within the system and the way they play, so it should be a good game going forward.

I think just his motor and his drive and his leadership, you know, he is the point guard of the team. He makes everything go and makes those guys go. Like we used to say, the head of the snake. He is the guy that kind of gets them going and everything runs through him, so he is definitely a key emphasis going into this game.

ED COOLEY: I had an opportunity to go to dinner with my wife. I didn't go to Chop House. I had too much film to watch with Richmond, and haven't slept, as you can see. Oh, what an opponent we're about to play. I'm so happy for Coach Mooney, his staff, and his family. We have a great relationship, but we had a lot to learn in a short period of time, so just getting a little bit more comfortable with them now. And hopefully we have an opportunity to compete and try to advance.

Q. I wanted to ask about Tyler Burton. You recruited him in high school. Is this a little bit of a full circle for you, and what's it been like watching him on film the last ten hours or so?

ED COOLEY: First of all, he has a great family. Quentin being a Friar, I'm sure blood is a little thicker than water in this game, but it's been a real pleasure to see his growth to see how much he has improved, to see how physical, to see how tough. I'm very proud of him. I'm very, very proud of him. Gave him a big hug yesterday. Was really happy for him. Was happy for his dad.

Hopefully he can have a really bad game tomorrow, but he has definitely earned the right to be here, and he has been one of the leaders of that team, that senior-laden team. I'm very happy for him and very proud of him.

Q. You talked about having to bone up on Richmond. I wanted to talk about their offense. I guess how different is it than most? And also, it seems like at least you find it or elements of it or do you find elements of it in other teams than maybe back when Pete Carrill was running it. Is it more ubiquitous these days?

ED COOLEY: Great word, ubiquitous. I would say it's the Princeton style on Belco. They do a really good job. You can see the synergy and chemistry that they have because they've played together for so long. They know the cuts. We have not played it to that level. In our preseason, we've played some games that what we call two-three side action. Their big is really, really skilled and is one of the better passing bigs we've competed against. So we're going to have our hands full with that, but to say we played someone with that style, no.

Today and our walk-through tomorrow, we have to do a really good job of staying disciplined and detailed in what we need to do to try to compete.

Q. Just talking with some of the players in the hallway, there was one phrase that they kept saying as to why this team is here. And the phrase was we left our egos at the door. There's some programs in the country where egos are just a part of a team sometimes, but this team is different. Why?

ED COOLEY: I think that's a great question. So many times in today's youth, they look at the mirror and only see themselves, and they want to make it about them. I'm proud to say this group being mature as it is did and has left their ego at the door for the better of the team.

I think our team is much greater than its individual parts, and I think that's why we are here. Each game, each situation somebody different has stepped up, and it's all about can we advance, can we win, and I think it's a credit to the maturity of the group where they're not making it about themselves, and that's really hard in today's society because everybody wants to be selfish, and this group has been the most unselfish group I've coached.

Q. I know you saw Saint Peter's earlier in the year. What was your reaction to the news of yesterday, and just thinking back to the days at Fairfield, I mean, how far-fetched is it -- is a Sweet 16 for any school, let alone a MAAC school, and you're a school like Providence. It's been 25 years. The Sweet 16 level, to get to that point, whether you are a big school or small school, how difficult is it?

ED COOLEY: As a MAAC coach, I couldn't be more proud of Shaheen. He was an assistant in the Big East as well as a player, but that is a monumental game, monumental game in college basketball. I'm pretty sure nobody, nobody's bracket had them except for the families of Saint Peter's, and being a MAAC coach, I'm so excited for them. I'm happy for the MAAC, really, really happy for the MAAC as those games are hard to get.

Any time you have a chance to advance and talk about the Sweet 16, it will be an amazing accomplishment, something that I as a head coach have not accomplished yet and hope to do that, but at the same time, Saint Peter's will have the same opportunity. We played them. Ironically, my last loss in the MAAC was to Saint Peter's at the Harbor Yard when I was coaching in the semifinal of the MAAC tournament in 2011. Really happy for their administration, happy for their school, and I'll be cheering for them along the way.

Q. You guys play veteran-led teams all the time. Is Richmond maybe a little bit unique knowing the collective experience they have together all the years that they've been together? It's not just old guys that have come in from different places?

ED COOLEY: I think it's a credit to their staff and it's a credit to the players given what the portal system looks like. It's something Coach Mooney is definitely teaching and the loyalty that they've had to him, you know, going through a rough stretch and staying there. They're reaping the rewards of their loyalty to the coaching staff. That's one of the few older teams that we've played. They're old too.

The Friars got some age, but Richmond has some age as well, so I think it's just a credit to the players' loyalty and to what Coach has been doing with his group, so they deserve a lot of credits withstanding some of the tough waters.

Q. I'm curious what you think about Gilyard and how he makes them go, and can you take us back to when Al Durham came to you? Al said it really wasn't much of a recruiting. It was pretty much you guys. Do you remember it that way, and obviously, he has panned out for you in a big way?

ED COOLEY: Well, Gilyard, let's talk about him first. I think he is one of the elite guards that we would have played against this year. He broke Linehan's record. He has really quick hands. He has an "it" factor on the floor. He plays at multiple speeds. He plays full speed on offense. You got to guard him. He has made a lot of threes. He is the Energizer Bunny for them, and he is going to be someone we're going to have to pay a lot of attention to, a ton of attention.

As far as Al Durham, I thought Ivan Thomas did a great job early in the recruitment when he was in high school. We had an opportunity to recruit him in high school, and we weren't fortunate enough to get him to come the first time, but I'm no idiot. When kids are looking about different opportunities and we feel they fit and his biggest fit for us was his approach, his attitude, and his unselfishness to get us to where we are today. He is a big, big reason, one of the reasons why I'm sitting here today and one of the bigger reasons why we had the year that we've had.

Q. What kind of message were you trying to get across to the team today out at practice?

ED COOLEY: The message was embrace the moment. There's going to be some ups and downs tomorrow night. There's going to be some disappointments over a period of time where we may turn it over, miss a shot here. We say the game is long, yet it goes fast, and we have to embrace this moment and try to capitalize on opportunities because they're going to go through the same thing. Play to our strengths. Understand what they're trying to get to. Let's not overcomplicate. Let's be simple.

The preparation is not like a normal basic practice week against a system that we haven't played against. They haven't played against. I can tell you this, by Sunday morning, I can guarantee you Providence or Richmond will be advancing to the Sweet 16. I can guarantee you that. Right? Put it down. Somebody is moving forward, and the more disciplined, connected, lucky team -- you're going to need a little luck in order to advance. Yet, it's my job and Coach Mooney's job to get the kids excited and inspired to move forward.

Q. If you are fortunate enough to win tomorrow, you will be a Sweet 16 coach, a coach who has taken a team to the Sweet 16. I wonder if you go back, say, 30 hours from the end of that game, I don't know if you necessarily would be that much better or worse a coach than you were as you sit here today.

I wonder if it's fair the labels that we put on coaches, whether it's this coach can get a team to a Sweet 16, this team can get a team to a Final Four, this coach has a certain level of success. How do you see that within the industry?

ED COOLEY: I think that's a very fair question, and I think as a coach, you can't worry about that. I think your fans want to get you there. I think those are people's opinions.

I think if you sit in this seat that I'm sitting in, it's very difficult. It's very hard to advance, and everybody has expectations on you as the leader, as the coach. Yet, at the same time, they don't know how to get there themselves. They have an opinion. They can say, well, why didn't you do this and why can't you do that? Well, you can't coach in a big game or you can't coach in a small game. The stage is a little bit bigger, March Madness, but a lot of things have to break your way in order to advance.

And as can you see with the many upsets that's happening every single year, sometimes it works, sometimes it don't, but that don't define what you are trying to do for your young men, what you are trying to do for your institution. Just being on this stage has helped us in so many different ways already, whether it be admissions, whether it be recruiting, whether it be trying to push other people forward, inspiring young men to be great. You have to be self-confident that it's okay in failure. It's okay.

You may not be happy with it, but as long as you know you did your best, you tried your best, you can't control some of those things. You label me however you want, but you are always going to label me someone who is going to give back and inspire our young men to be better than they think they are.

Q. When did you know you had a special team this year? I know a lot of coaches last year had a tough one with the COVID. When did you know you had a special team -- knowing you had a special team to make it this far in the tournament?

ED COOLEY: When did I know we had a special team? Obviously, it was a work in progress, yet in the month of June and July, I just saw the connection they were building off the court. I saw the connection that the staff had with them. I saw them wanting to be in the gym more than be in the dorm and just hanging out.

I listened to the conversations in the locker room. I listened to the conversations at meals. I listened to the conversation at my house and in our -- we go to breakfast together. We'll go to dinner together. I thought our staff did a really good job of building chemistry off the floor to have a great relationship on the floor. And then as we started to win a lot of close games early, our confidence just grew and roles grew, and guys said, hey, we just want to try to win.

One game at a time, I thought our guys showed a lot of emotion towards togetherness, and they had an unbelievable will to want to win, and I still think that's in our DNA right now, so hopefully we can continue that. I appreciate that question because it's a great question.

Q. I wanted to follow up on their offense because I'm not a basketball X and Os guy, and I talked to Jay Bilas today, and I said, hey, explain this offense to me. It took a little while.

I would ask you, when you study it, is it really as complicated as they say? You've been around the game for a while, but when you first started digging into what a Princeton offense is, what were your impressions of how complicated it is or how intricate it is?

ED COOLEY: It's funny in the game through the years with Carrill, everybody -- is it complicated? Yes. But things are complicated if you make it complicated. As a leader, you have to simplify things to, A, do what you do. It's not going to be perfect taking away all their action, but I think it's complicated if you think it is.

You got to encourage your men, hey, just keep it simple. The more complicated it is, the simpler it is for us to teach because you're not going to be able to go through everything that they do. There's a philosophy of which we want to play. There's positional defense of which we want to play, and regardless of what they do, if we're positionally in the right place defensively, we'll give ourselves an opportunity to get stops.

When they talk about Princeton, Princeton, Princeton, first of all, Princeton is getting a lot of love on just their name, and they don't need it. Right? They don't need the love. Let's call it the Providence offense so we get some love out of it.

At the same time, I think is it complicated? It's hard. I don't think many things are complicated, right? I think you got to simplify it the best way for you to inspire your men to try to have success.

Q. I just wondered if you have any thoughts on Archie Miller to Rhode Island.

ED COOLEY: Yes, Archie and I are very, very close. Very close to the Miller family as we coached the gold medal team together in Greece in the 19 and under. I think it's a great hire. You know, I think he'll like the state of Rhode Island. I think they got a first class person. I'm really happy for Thor. I'm happy for their fan base. I think it's going to be -- I think it's a great hire, and I'm very, very happy for him and Morgan and Leah his daughter.

I will cheer for him like I do every single year except for one game. I hope they're absolutely horrendous when they play us, and I told him that as I talked to him on the phone today, I'm very excited for him. I'm very excited for the URI fan base.

Also, thinking of Coach Cox and his time too. To replace someone -- someone had to be removed, and Coach Cox did a hell of a job there, and they went in a different direction, and that's their prerogative. I'm excited for Arch, and hopefully he can have some success.