NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - SAINT PETER'S VS MURRAY STATE

March 19, 2022

Tevin Brown

Justice Hill

Matt McMahon

KJ Williams

Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Murray St. Racers

Media Conference

Saint Peter's 70, Murray State 60

THE MODERATOR: We will welcome Murray State up to the podium. We have Justice Hill, Tevin Brown, KJ Williams and Coach Matt McMahon.

COACH McMAHON: Congratulations to Coach Shaheen Holloway and Saint Peter's University. Great accomplishment for them this weekend. A really tough and physical team.

Our guys competed every time we were able to get back into the game, 2, 3 points, they made a big play on their offensive end from an execution standpoint.

I'm proud of our players for their effort. I'm just disappointed. I wish I could have gotten us into some better positions to execute better both ends of the floor.

Really proud of these three guys here to my right. I'm sure they will do a great job here in the session, but obviously heartbroken, because they've invested a lot. They invested a lot in our team and our program to make it such a historic season.

So fresh off the disappointment is tough. But it's an absolute honor and privilege to get to coach three young men like this here on my right.

Q. Can you speak to the defensive job they did on you guys, particularly KC, and how difficult that was for you tonight?

KJ WILLIAMS: There is not really much to say. They just played well on the defensive end trying to keep us from out of our spots.

Q. I think you guys shot under 500 in the paint. How much was that stuff they did defensively? And were there opportunities that you -- shots that you felt you should have finished?

JUSTICE HILL: I think there were opportunities that we can't capitalize on that we usually would have finished in the paint, but I think it just comes with the game. It just wasn't our night in the paint, but kudos to them. They did a good job being tough in the paint.

TEVIN BROWN: Like Juice said, they play tough in the paint. We missed a lot of shots that we would normally make, and they played great exact defense in the paint.

Q. What's the emotional piece like when you go from winning 21 in a row? You haven't lost since December, and for it to end that fast, what's that piece like?

JUSTICE HILL: Like Coach said, it obviously sucks. We wouldn't want to lose a game ever, if we didn't have to lose a game. We go into every game expecting to win, so it's definitely an emotional let down, but at the same time motivating, ready to get back to work.

TEVIN BROWN: It's a let down. We haven't had the feeling of losing a game in a long time. For tonight to be one of the games we lost and for it to end our season really hurt.

KJ WILLIAMS: Yeah, we didn't lose since December, so that's a long time from now. Just heart broken. End of our season.

THE MODERATOR: We will let you guys go. Thank you very much. Questions for Coach McMahon.

Q. Coach, did the foul calls in the first half, did that kind of take some of the edge off? You had at least three guys with two fouls, and I guess there was some question about some of them on the players' part. Did that take their edge, make them less aggressive until you all started to put baskets together?

COACH McMAHON: I'm not sure, Gary. The foul trouble was an issue for us. We were already without Carter Collins with the ankle injury from Thursday. So maybe put us in difficult positions, playing some line-ups that haven't played together as much this season. We expected the game to be like that. If you look at Saint Peter's throughout the season, high volume of free throw attempts, both ways, in a lot of their games. I think that's credit to the toughness and physicality they play with.

Still, we did not play well. We were 4 of 17 from two in the first half and to go into the break just down five with the foul issues and the poor two-point performance, you feel like you still have an opportunity to get back into the game.

Q. You mentioned obviously the two-point performance. How much of that is what Saint Peter's did defensively and how much is it your guys missing shots that they would ordinarily make in there?

COACH McMAHON: I would say a combination of the two. If you study their numbers, they've been good, protecting the basket, all season long. One of the top teams in the country in block rate; one of the top two-point defensive teams in the country. But I'm also confident in our ability to the score from two; we have been ranked up there high as well. But credit to them. They made it difficult for us to score in the paint, and they deserve the credit for that. We didn't finish some of those plays.

Q. Of you mentioned the block rate. Can you break down for me schematically what it is about the way they guard that makes it so difficult to score on them?

COACH McMAHON: Sure. I think they did do a great job of protecting the painted area, not just post defense but they're really aggressive on the ball. They have good gap coverage. It's a compact, tight defense. They want to force you to take tough, contested shots at the basket. They've done a tremendous job. I can't say enough about them. We always talk you want to be playing your best basketball in March, and that's what they've done.

They have continued to get better as the season went along. They were the best team on the floor on Thursday, and they were the best team on the floor tonight. I give them credit and wish them well moving forward next week.

Q. In a season full of terrific memories and big comebacks, what do you remember most over the last five months?

COACH McMAHON: There will be a time to really sit back and reflect on the season and all of the accomplishments that this team came through with. For me it's always this way. The numbers are great, all the championships and the wins, but to me the fun part of coaching is seeing people max out, individual players max out, become the best they can be.

Hopefully you can build a team that will do the same, max out and become the best team we're capable of being. So it was a very special group. It was a lot of fun to coach because all they cared about was winning and playing for each other, and tons of great memories that we will look back on.

Obviously the disappointment of tonight is tough. Like I said in my opening statement, it's tough because you care. It's tough because it means something to you. Because you're passionate about it. These guys have invested a lot to have this historic season. You certainly don't want it to end. That's why I'm just disappointed I wasn't able to get our team into some better positions tonight to execute better, to give us a better chance to win.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.