NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - NOTRE DAME VS ALABAMA

March 18, 2022

Mike Brey

Blake Wesley

Cormac Ryan

Viejas Arena

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Media Conference

Notre Dame - 78, Alabama - 64

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Notre Dame coach Mike Brey and student-athletes Blake Wesley and Cormac Ryan.

COACH BREY: Proud of this group. I thought our defense in the second half was definitely the difference. We defended, really the last 30 minutes we defended. We couldn't guard them early. And certainly they're a different team when Quinerly goes down, and it looked bad and I feel for him because he's a heck of a guard. Thrilled about our resiliency and belief on wanting to survive and advance in this tournament.

Q. Cormac, you said it was like a dream. What would today be, a career high in the NCAA Tournament?

CORMAC RYAN: I don't even know. I don't know what's better than a dream. I guess it's just, I mean, it's a great feeling. And to be able to win the game like that, to be able to grit it out -- people were saying double overtime, long flight, legs are going to be tired. We were gunning and we were ready to go. And it just feels special. It feels special for us. And it's our time.

Q. 7-of-9 from 3, did the basket just look real big for you?

CORMAC RYAN: I mean, I was just letting it fly. And when you have it rolling, you have it rolling. So picked a good night for it, I guess.

Q. Cormac, your team is now 15-1 this year when they make at least 10 3s. How important is it as a weapon in your offensive philosophy?

CORMAC RYAN: It's definitely a huge weapon for us. We've got such a versatile group and so many guys who can shoot the ball at such a high level. And so when we're rolling and we're guarding, and then you add the 3-point attack, we're really a tough group to deal with.

Q. Cormac, how much did you use all the talk of adversity and being tired and the short trip and everything to really fuel you and say, I'm not going to pay any attention to that; I'm just going to go out there and play the game of my life?

CORMAC RYAN: I think we were just hungry. And we were hungry down in Dayton, and I don't think we ever lost it. We kind of rolled into California with that hunger. And I think the quick trip actually helped us because we were still hungry. It was like we just got off the court; put us back on, we're ready.

Q. Cormac, you said the other day how you woke up early in the morning and you got Wordle in two tries. How great a morning of a start of a day that was for you. What's different today to go out and put up 29 points?

CORMAC RYAN: Today I got the Wordle on four guesses. I don't know if that was the reason. Sometimes you have it rolling, and I just think the trust that these guys have in me and the trust that we all share together is special. And Coach has said many times, you take a look at the season, every single guy on this team has had a night like tonight.

We have guys who can erupt at any moment. And it's not like it's my time to do it, I need to get mine. It's, like, we are sharing in each other's success to the highest level. And that's just special to be a part of.

Q. I see coach tapping to keep your head up here. You had a couple of rough nights but tonight you came out performed well. What was it that changed your performance today?

BLAKE WESLEY: First of all, this man was hot today. So he had the hot hand. But you see the Rutgers game, I didn't play good. I had a bad first half. But at the end of the day I still played good. Got some rebounds.

Today I was in foul trouble. Came out. Still played. Still had my poise, still cheered on my teammates when we were even down and up. Just being myself. Even when things aren't going right, how you're going to be, just be myself.

Q. Blake, that stretch that you had there in the second half looked a lot like the Louisville game. Did you get to the point I'm going to keep driving it to the basket and good things will happen?

BLAKE WESLEY: Yes, sir. My shot was not, I shot one 3 today. I didn't like it. I got down hill. I seen the big man drop. That's my go to to attack the basket.

A. This was an Alabama team that came in with three straight losses. How much of an opportunity did you sense it was a team reeling a little bit?

CORMAC RYAN: To be honest, I don't think we knew that, I don't think anybody did. We were prepared to play a talented team. We knew it was going to be a dogfight. It was really about us. It was, could we execute on defense, execute on offense? And I think we did that.

Coach Brey has said, from the moment we got selected, once you're in that tournament, those numbers in front of the names, they go away and then it's just 5-on-5. And we played like that. We're not afraid of anybody and we're a hungry group.

Q. What have you noticed from Cormac late in the year here? Obviously he played really well against Rutgers. Today was tremendous. And I think it's now 8-of-10 in double figures for him?

COACH BREY: I think Nate got banged up at NC State. And we had him -- he's in the starting lineup. And I thought that grew him and got him more confident. And as he's been more confident -- he was voted a captain; he's always been a great leader -- but as he's been more confident, he's been even a better leader, to the point where he drags people with him, even his coach sometimes.

His energy and wanting to go after it is really special right now. It comes at a great time. It's funny how that started since he's been starting. And I knew he'd be ready the way he was talking, the way he was talking to his teammates. He senses the moment for us. And he's been a great leader.

Q. Once Quinerly went out, how did things adjust with him not being in the lineup?

COACH BREY: That's a big loss for them, great guard. Having the two of them in there together is what really makes them go. So that really changed them. And their other guard, I'm drawing a blank on his name, it's a little too much. He's had to play the whole time and be the playmaker the whole time when they really have two playmakers, like we do. They got cut down to one playmaker. And he was exhausted.

Having said that, our group it's survival of the fittest, and we kind of -- I thought we really went for it. And our defense -- we knew a little bit more what to do defensively when he was out because there was really only one guy really going.

Q. You talked about this a little bit yesterday. I think people tend to look at the First Four as a disadvantage. But the confidence you can gain rolling down hill on this, how much of an advantage is it for this team in particular?

COACH BREY: It's my first experience with it, and I would say it's a little bit like maybe not having the double bye in a league tournament. And I thought Virginia Tech was really ready to roll against us two weeks ago because they played well and you got a feel of things.

So I think it is an advantage. And certainly it's played out in previous years. And we would love to be the example this year.

Q. Today felt a lot like 2015 and 2016 as far as even the other night at Rutgers. What is it about postseason basketball, when you guys get on a run the way you do, that just agrees with Notre Dame. This was, again, a must-see-TV game for your program?

COACH BREY: I think we play the right way. We share it. And we play with a free mind. And it's a group that has complete ownership of itself. I use Cormac as his leadership, but Dane, Prentiss, Nate, Paul now. When you can get a group to take ownership of itself, you're 80 percent of the way there.

And these guys really had ownership by late January. And then they talk about what they want to do and they sell my stuff when I'm not around. That's the ultimate dynamic as the leader. It doesn't always happen. But with special teams they have complete ownership. Every team in this tournament had ownership of itself and leadership.

And as a coach, don't screw it up. Don't overcoach them. Cormac Ryan grabbed me in Brooklyn, we were walking into a press conference after Virginia Tech beat us, came up put his arm around me, he said, Coach, be all over our ass tomorrow in practice. I said, message taken. Thank you.

And so leadership -- and they have ownership. It's a neat group that way.

Q. You mentioned Prentiss. 79 minutes in the past 48 hours in two time zones, he's turned the ball over once. Which message is taken from that?

COACH BREY: When he rotated into the role of just delivering and not worry about hunting it, we came back around and put him in the starting lineup against Western Michigan, and him and Blake starting out together, and he understood the weapons he has, that's when we really became the group. He just knew I got some weapons around me and I'll worry about my shot and my scoring later. And it's just been fabulous how he -- that's an amazing stat.

And we really harp on taking care of the ball. I actually have a sign in the locker room: Don't skip class; don't throw the ball away; you and I will get along just fine. There's a picture of me. And really that's our team meeting. That's all I say in the team meeting. He has lived that -- taking care of that ball.

Q. You come into these matchups people say this is going to be a tough matchup again for Notre Dame. Coming into this game against Texas Tech, that's what people are saying again. How do you prepare for Texas Tech?

COACH BREY: I've watched them during the year. You watch them a bunch. But I wanted to go out and just peek in and see them on eye level. Woohoo, do they have some bodies, baby.

No different than what we dealt with in the Big East all those years -- Florida State, Rutgers, these guys. They'll come after us, be all over us. They're a great defensive team. I guess I have to watch some film, huh? Maybe a half. I'll watch a half (chuckling).

Q. When Cormac committed to Stanford, you were one of his finalists. When you lose out on a kid like that then he goes in the portal, what's your kind of take on going back to a kid who passed on you the first time?

COACH BREY: No, I have a short memory. If the dude can help us win, man, my feelings aren't hurt. I'll date you again. And I'll pay for everything, baby. I know he's a good player.

Now, in fairness, he shouldn't have come to us as a freshman. We were too crowded on the perimeter because Pflueger and Gibbs were still there. And the year he sat out they were seniors, and the timing was perfect, really.

But you think back -- this is the portal stuff. So I'm somewhere -- one of my assistant texts "Cormac is in the portal." I still have his contact in my cell phone. I called him. He was shocked, almost, like, I just went into the portal ten minutes ago. I said, I know. Nothing's changed, man. Timing's perfect. When can you come visit?

And I'm not going to talk to you about academics. It's about basketball now. You were at a good school. You're coming to a good school. You'll figure all that out.

And so I have a short memory, if he can help us. Even if you break up with me, I may still come back. (Chuckling).