NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: REGIONAL SEMIFINAL - PROVIDENCE VS KANSAS

March 24, 2022

Bill Self

Christian Braun

Ochai Agbaji

Remy Martin

United Center

Kansas Jayhawks

Sweet 16 Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Kansas student-athletes Remy Martin, Christian Braun and Ochai Agbaji.

Q. Ochai, you were named a finalist for the Naismith Trophy. Only two other Jayhawks have won that award. What does it mean to be up for consideration for that?

OCHAI AGBAJI: That means a lot. Obviously to me and the people that support me, but I think it means a lot more to coach and obviously the program that the University of Kansas has been. And all the players that have been there. So it just means a lot in the grand scheme of things. I couldn't have done it without my teammates. So really thankful for that.

Q. Remy and Christian, give me an idea how much the games have been able to open up because of the year Ochai has had?

REMY MARTIN: First off, I think just giving him the award now. This dude, he's been amazing the whole year. It helps the team. He's been the anchor of the team. He's been phenomenal the whole year. And it just helps everybody when he's playing the way he's been playing.

And getting the ball in to Dave, opening up the floor for me. Because they don't leave him sometimes. So those driving lanes is open for me. So him being him all year has helped this whole program.

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: I'd say the same thing, he's been so great all year that the defense just has to watch him. Has to focus on him. A lot of their game plan is on Ochai. It opens the game up for Remy. It opens up the game for us. Like he said, driving lanes, open shots just because they're focusing attention on him because he's been so great this year.

It helps our team and makes everybody better and he gets to build his case for player of the year. He's still playing. That's our player of the year. We're excited for him just these next couple of games and excited for the team, see what we can do.

Q. Obviously you've reached the point in the season where if you lose you go home. Each time you advance I'm sure the pressure gets a little more intense. Does Coach Self change anything he does about his approach to the game? Does he do anything to, I don't know, maybe lighten things up a little bit for you guys? Is there something that he does this time of year that maybe doesn't necessarily happen during the regular season?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I would say I think just when the postseason started right when we got done with conference, that the practices leading up to the Big 12 Tournament, he was just a little bit more amped up. And then the first weekend he was even more amped up. He's just taking it level by level, being more intense in practice, more focused to detail, making sure we're all focused on detail, too. So this past practice that we had yesterday was really, really intense.

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: I'd say the same thing. His energy level is off the charts. And he's intense and he focuses on every little thing because he knows little details can send you home. So his energy is great. Just a lot of times in a good mood just because we're winning. He told us this was -- to get to the second weekend is when you really get to experience what March Madness is all about. That's what he tells us all the time. So he's excited to get here. And his energy in practice is great.

REMY MARTIN: I think just the little things, like CB said, the little things is what matters. It can send you home. So just dialed in on the little things. And polishing up on some of the stuff, some of our sets. But he's happy with us, and we're just all ready to go out there and play.

Q. You're holding teams to 38 percent shooting or so in the tournament. How key is your success, how much is your success predicated on your defense?

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: I would say that it's really important, especially this next game. They run a lot of really good sets. And we've got to do a really good job focusing, talking and communicating on switches and stuff like that. So it's really important that we do hold these teams to those low numbers, especially Providence. They shot the ball really well last game.

So it is a big focus of ours, focus on defense, because we know when we get out and we get stops, we get out in transition, we can run. And that's when we're at our best. When we get our stops that's when we're at our best.

Q. Remy, just talk about the first halves that you were able to come in in Fort Worth and really spark the team and how you're feeling about that? And then after that, CB and Ochai, what have you seen from Remy in practice that maybe we haven't seen yet?

REMY MARTIN: For me, I'm just -- first off, I'm just happy that I'm healthy and I'm feeling a lot better and feeling like myself. And this is something I've always wanted to do as soon as I got to Kansas but unfortunately due to some injuries I had to wield it back a little bit. But I'm happy that I get to just be on the court, whether if I'm starting, whether if I'm playing little minutes. I'm just happy to go out there and represent and go as hard as I can for my teammates.

I came here ultimately to win. So whatever I can do to contribute into that, whatever the team needs me to do, I'm willing to do.

I think throughout my years I've been pretty battle tested on any position I've been on, whether it's starting or coming off the bench. I'm pretty well-equipped myself and what I'm able to do. So when Coach puts me in a game I just go out there, try to help Ochai and CB out, get the pressure off of them, and just go out there and play my game.

I'm just happy to go out there play in a Sweet 16 with these guys that we've been battling ever since I got there. So I wouldn't do it with any other guys. This is the best guys, the best group that I've ever been around. And I'm just happy to go out there and play and contribute as much as I am.

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: I would say we talked about his health. In practice, he looks quick. He's making moves that we haven't seen him make in a while. And just you can see it in games. His energy translates from practice to games for us and everybody feeds off his energy. Everybody feeds off his shot-making.

When Remy is doing that it takes us to a whole new level. There's games, like, Creighton, we're going to go need him to get 20. He got 16 in the first half. He's going to keep us in games just with his shot making. And that ability is something we haven't had in the past, he's somebody that can jump up and make a shot and make a play. And his energy on defense, his energy as a person is great for our team.

OCHAI AGBAJI: I would say his energy. In practice, whether he's going, whether he's on the sidelines, whether he's on the court, going up and down or limited, he's always bringing energy. He's always talking, bringing positive vibes to the team and to everyone in the program. So I think he has a new tier where he can take it up to that we've seen in practice, that we can see in the game. So I'm just excited for him.

Q. Ochai and Remy, you probably heard Coach Self say this and Coach Cooley said it a little bit ago that these two teams mirror each other. Are there advantages and disadvantages to how that helps you in preparation?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I would say the way we mirror each other, yeah, with our sets and obviously 3-point shooting ability. I think when those things are equal, we kind of have to find what we're best at and really stick to it as far as making them play bad or just defensively locking in on stuff they do, trying to throw them off, because they're going to try to do the same thing for us. So really focusing on the defensive end. I think that's where the game is going to be won at, where we're going to be successful.

REMY MARTIN: What Ochai said, I think the defensive end. I think that both coaches are pretty hard-nosed and defense, and want just players out there that just go hard and give it their all. So I think it's going to be an incredible game. And I think it's a game that we all are looking forward to playing in.

Q. Is there any similar teams you've played that kind of remind you of Providence? And also, when it comes to the style of play that they have, is it something similar to what you guys do in practice as well?

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: I don't know if there's any teams that come to mind that are similar to them, but the way they run a lot of sets -- we've played a lot of teams, like, K-State runs a lot of sets, Baylor runs a lot of sets -- that you have you to have a high attention to detail on. As I said earlier you've got to communicate and get ready for everything they throw at you.

They have a bunch of sets that they have and they're only going to run so many in a game. It's hard to scout which ones they'll run. You've got to be ready for a lot of things and you've got to aligned defensively.

Like Ochai said, it's easier to make a team play bad than it is to go out make shots every game. So we've got to focus on making them play bad, focus on their sets and take things away that we know what they're good at. If we can do that, we can win the game.

Q. Remy, Providence has six guys who have transferred into its program. And as somebody who has made that move yourself, what are the challenges that come with doing that from not just a basketball point but from a team and culture standpoint as well?

REMY MARTIN: Man, take me back. It takes me back to, like, my freshman year, just like going into a program not knowing much, trying to figure out your way. It's a lot. It's a lot that goes into it. Your family coming to see you, your friends. It takes away -- it's like going into another program like your freshman year.

And thankfully for me, these guys have been amazing for me to go in and feel comfortable, but it's definitely a little bit of a struggle, because it's something that you're not familiar with. You have to adapt to the coaches, the players, the whole program.

So having six transfers for them, I know, it can be kind of difficult. But for me it was amazing because these guys came in and they absorbed me and they made sure I was okay and they opened arms to me.

Q. Christian, you've talked about Ochai understanding what winning brings for everyone. I'm wondering if you have any sort of appreciation of that for yourself of what a strong end to the month of March can mean to your own future?

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: I would say just for everybody, the more you play, the more people you play in front of you, and the more games you win, the more people get to see you play and the more people get to see what you can do. You can show more of your game. All those things come the further you play.

Ochai does a good job of focusing on winning and he knows that winning will make his draft stock higher. That goes for everybody. Opportunities are given to those who win. And we all know as a team -- Jalen, Remy, whoever is on the team, Dave, Dajuan -- everyone is focused on getting those wins because, like I said, winners are rewarded. We know if we win, Coach always tells us the pie is big enough for everybody.

Everybody is just focussed on that. And we know if we win games that means everybody is playing well, and that will mean the most opportunities for everybody.

Q. Not necessarily a tournament question, a lot of talk has been about NIL this year. Adidas announcing yesterday that they're making it easier for more athletes at their schools to have access to that network. Curious your thoughts on a big move like that. And how has this changed life for you all, I guess, in the last year you've been able to experience it?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I think it's really cool. I haven't really read much into it yet. But I saw that they passed something that, or Adidas passed that. I think it's really cool for not only us but future guys or future recruits and recruiting side that goes with college and all that stuff. I think it's really special moving forward.

CHRISTIAN BRAUN: I would say it's something cool, something different from the past, last years, something we haven't had. When you get to express yourself and know your personality and show more about who you are, I think it's cool. The NIL, you see it around the country, a lot of guys have shirts, a lot of guys have a lot of things. It's cool to see people's personality, see those things shine through which you really didn't get to see in the past.

REMY MARTIN: I think it's really cool. I wish I had one more year so I could capitalize on everything. I wish I had that. But honestly, it's a privilege. It's awesome to be able to have those opportunities to be able to capitalize on it. And I love Adidas. I wish I could get some more gear. Let's get some more going. Let's try to capitalize on it.

Q. Ochai, wondering how teams have approached defending you differently or how that's evolved throughout the course of the season, and also what you expect from Justin Minaya, in particular, from Providence?

OCHAI AGBAJI: I would say going into every game it's kind of a mystery. There's some teams that will face guard me. There are some teams that will play regular.

So it's kind of just one of those things where you have to get out and see in the moment how they're playing me, how he's going to play me in this game coming up Friday. So it's just one of those things you've got to see how it goes.

Q. Ochai, could you explain the level of confidence you have now compared to when you first came to Kansas?

OCHAI AGBAJI: It's a complete 180. Since I've stepped foot on campus, obviously I had confidence, but I was under a lot of recruits and all that, high major recruits and all that. But I just continued to keep working. And that build my confidence over time.

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by head coach Bill Self.

COACH SELF: Well, we're obviously very excited to be in the Sweet 16. We're excited to play a tremendous Providence team. And there's not a better place for us to be than Chicago playing in it. So our guys are all jacked and looking forward to it. And hopefully it will be a lot of fun.

Q. Ochai was named the finalist for the Naismith Trophy. Give me an idea as to what that means to be up for that kind of award?

COACH SELF: Well, he's been named, I believe, first-team All-American on the four or five of the major All-American things. And so if you're a first-team All-American you're a top five player. So I don't think it's a shock that he's part of the Naismith award finalist.

And there's multiple, I think there's like six or seven. We were talking about that earlier, that would be considered a major player of the year award possibilities. But for him to be a finalist is something that he deserves. And if the voting is not done yet, hopefully we can add to his resumé from this point forward. That would certainly play a role in helping him, if that's not done yet.

Q. Just give me the level of pride you have in seeing the way he's developed from the beginning of his career to where he is now?

COACH SELF: I think all coaches take pride in development of where someone starts and where they finish. And it's much more difficult for a talented person to go from here to here than maybe somebody that's not as talented to go from here to here.

And he's one of those talented kids that have gone from here to here, and so that's just due to his commitment and his work ethic. And we could not be more proud of him on how he's represented himself and us the last four years.

Q. You've reached kind of a point in the season where if you lose you go home.

COACH SELF: That's a great assessment. Great journalism right there. (Laughter).

Q. I guess each time you advance, the pressure intensifies. Do you find yourself doing things differently this time of year? Do you approach things differently? Do you try to make things a little more light for your guys?

COACH SELF: Yes, you do try to make things more light. Because if they didn't care you wouldn't be in this position. So every team that's playing this weekend has a team full of guys that care a lot. Yes, you do try to make it a little lighter, but not at the expense of them thinking they've done anything yet. So I think it's a little bit of a fine line to walk.

But even though we haven't started it really yet, my players would complain about it. But I think it becomes a lot more mental this time of year and less physical. And I think our players would probably agree with that.

Q. You talked about how these two teams mirror each other. Ed said the same thing earlier. Are there advantages, disadvantages to that when you're prepping for a team that reminds you of your own?

COACH SELF: Well, we don't run the same stuff. But personnel reminds us both, probably, I guess, as you said Ed said as well, of each other. I don't think there's an advantage or disadvantage.

You go into a season in your non-conference games hoping you can play non-conference opponents that would give you an idea what it would be like to play somebody that plays a different style than your league played that may prepare you for NCAA Tournament.

I'm not sure either one of us will benefit from that mindset. Like they played Wisconsin early. I guarantee you -- it may have been a scheduled game, it may have been part of a challenge -- but that was great for them in case they played a team that played like Wisconsin that's different than most.

But with us, it's not really different. We're going to be playing somebody that is comparable to what we have seen the majority of the time this year.

Q. The biggest key to guarding the 3-point shot against these guys?

COACH SELF: For us we have to have great switches. You've got to switch to take something away rather than let them catch and then react. And the other thing, you can't allow -- they're going to make 3s, but you would rather get them off the bounce, force them to get them off the bounce than off the catch. Be there on the catch where there's very, very short closeouts, if any.

Q. What do you like about this year's team?

COACH SELF: Well, there's a lot of things I like a lot. I think, A, they're fun to be around. We have a good blend of youth and experience. I think we have some toughness. I think we have some skill. But the biggest thing, I think, I like is they like to compete. That to me is what makes it more fun.

It's always fun to compete and win, but it's also fun, in some guys' minds, when you're down three at the under-four timeout, let's figure this out. So I do think we have a team that enjoys that. I'm sure Providence does as well, or they wouldn't be 11-2 in close games. So that's another way we kind of mirror each other also.

Q. Four good defensive teams here in Chicago. What do you like about the way your team plays defense? And what stands out to you about Providence's defense when you watch them on film?

COACH SELF: You know, they're big. When they've got Durham out there at the point, that's probably as big a group as, as long a group as we've played against this year. Texas Tech would be somebody that would rival that. I could be off a little bit, but basically 6-4, 6-7, 6-8 in the back court. That's a long team.

They have good quickness. I do like how we're guarding better now. I'm not exactly giddy about it yet because we haven't been as consistent, as consistently good. But I think people that follow us would say we've been a different team defensively the last month than we were prior to that.

Q. It's been a while since you lived and worked in this state, 19 years. You're getting ready to celebrate a milestone birthday this year.

COACH SELF: 50 is a tough age. 50 is a tough age.

Q. Does it seem like just yesterday? Does it seem like a lifetime ago? Do you think you made a good call taking this job?

COACH SELF: Oh, you know, when I was in Champaign and we came to the city a lot -- and you guys don't care about it but since you asked -- every time driving up and seeing the skyline, I used to think, man, there's some stuff getting done in this city. This is where action happens, and -- whether it be recruiting business or whatever. And I always liked that. I loved Chicago.

And we had some great games here when I coached here and in the United Center. And the Illini certainly supported us, the fans certainly supported us in an unbelievable way in this building. So I have great memories of the United Center. And we played relatively well here.

But it was the right move for me to do what we did. I doubted it. Buyer's remorse for a while because you never know because the situation we left behind was pretty good, as you all know. But it's worked out well for us and certainly I'm very proud of the time I had in Champaign, even though it was limited. But I still have a lot of people that I'm very close to here.

And I said this before, and I mean this. San Antonio has been really good to us and there's other places that have been good to us and playing regionals in different areas. But this was my hope that we would be in Chicago. This is about as good as it could be for me personally and for our fan base being right here.

Q. You were mentioning what a quality weekend could do for Ochai's candidacy for player of the year. What about Christian? What could a positive weekend do for him?

COACH SELF: These NBA -- you're talking about NBA. It would certainly benefit him. It's a little bit different than a player-of-the-year deal, though. NBA, these guys have seen these guys play right now, what is it, 36 games? They study it. And even when they're finished playing, they're going to work them out. They're going to have to re-prove themselves each and every day.

Yes, I do think it could play a role in helping everybody that perform well. And I hope that's the case. But that's not what we're thinking about. If the players are thinking about that right now, their head's not right. You worry about those things after you've taken care of business here. And the best way to take care of those things is to be present and team do well. I think our guys have that figured out.

Q. Nate Watson remembers getting recruiting interest from you when he was younger. What do you remember about watching him back then and how he's developed now?

COACH SELF: The thing about it is in recruiting, you don't remember everybody. But you do remember certain guys stand out and you've always been interested in what they do when they go somewhere else. Nate's been a guy, I don't know that I would say I follow every box score, but I have followed him and really enjoyed his success. He's gotten a lot better.

And I think this year with Ed, has really benefited him a big way. If I'm not mistaken, this is his fifth year? Fifth year of playing? So he's taken full advantage of that. But I really like guys who can defend their own position and throw it to him and get a basket. And he's a guy that can do both.

Q. Outside of Xs and Os, what's the toughest thing about facing a team that always feels like they're never given a chance to win? They have a chip on their shoulder every time they go out and play.

COACH SELF: It amazes me. Ed's done an unbelievable, won 25 and wins the Big East, have a chip every time they play, which is part of being a good salesman. But teams need to buy into a certain thought or theory or belief. And I'm sure that's been the thing that's probably driven them as much as anybody. They probably think, well, we win the league but they still talk about Villanova. Or we're a 4 seed and Villanova is a 2 seed, we win the league. You can use those things as motivation all the time. I'm sure Ed is very good at that. I know we've done similar things as well.

But they're not a team, from our perspective or I think anyone else's perspective now, that gets no respect. They have gotten respect and they've earned it all. And the fact that they -- I had one guy tell me that there's some deal out there, a lucky team or something. Whatever, the media has pegged them as that because they won so many close games.

And luck doesn't win close games; toughness and skill and execution does. And so they've got a lot to be proud of. And I know they're going into this game believing that if they play well, they can handle us. And we know that we're going to have to play well to do that to them.

Q. Not sure if you saw Houston's celebration after making it to the Sweet 16.

COACH SELF: No. No.

Q. Wonder if you can keep the pattern going.

COACH SELF: No, no. I'm happy for Kelvin, that he felt comfortable enough in his own skin to do that. But, you know, I have family and friends that I would like to continue to speak to me throughout the remainder of my life. And that I would not do that just so I would lose that relationship due to the embarrassment I would cause them. So that will not happen here.

Q. Christian said something along the lines of it's easier to make them play bad than it is to consistently make shots. How have they embraced that mindset?

COACH SELF: I think that we haven't consistently. I think we have at times. I don't think we have consistently. Steve brought up Illinois a little bit ago. We won the league at Illinois and we shot 42 percent as a team for a year. And so the mindset was -- it wasn't us playing good -- the mindset was we just have to make sure that everybody else plays worse. That's a mindset you develop.

When you make shots, a lot of times you lose that intensity. And so we haven't been consistent with that as much. But I do think we're getting better at it. We won the national championship and had a great, great team, and their whole mindset was that the other team can't score, you can't lose. And we haven't developed. We haven't developed that as of yet, even though I think we made some pretty big strides on it.

Q. I know the COVID years have given some guys a chance to come back, pushed some of the ages farther out. But Jalen Coleman-Lands he's pushing it way out there?

COACH SELF: He's getting ready to have a milestone birthday as well.

Q. I think he has. I think he's a few months away from being 26. So what's the value of someone like that, that kind of age and experience, being in the program?

COACH SELF: He's been great. He's been great. He's working on his second master's degree and hopefully will complete that. I don't know if he can be done this spring, but soon after that. He's extremely bright.

But here's a guy, I could screw it up, two years at Illinois, played for John and Brad; transferred; had to sit out, and then the next year he gets hurt. He got the year back. He's year four being a sophomore then. Then he graduates from DePaul his fifth year. Goes and plays his fourth year at Iowa State. And then you have a COVID year, he gets that back.

So he's in his seventh year with us. We have another guy who is in his sixth year, Mitch, and I actually think it's great.

I think that what's been done with the COVID, with the NCAA, has provided many great opportunities for kids that would have missed out on some stuff.

Another one is Charlie Moore. He's a Chicago guy. And even though he was only with us for a brief bit, two years, seeing the success he's had because of what the NCAA has allowed, I think, is a huge positive as well. So it's been good for a lot of kids and good for programs.