NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - FINAL FOUR: VILLANOVA VS KANSAS

April 2, 2022

Jay Wright

Collin Gillespie

Brandon Slater

Caleb Daniels

Caesars Superdome

Villanova Wildcats

Semi-Finals Postgame Media Conference

Kansas - 81, Villanova - 65

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Villanova.

COACH WRIGHT: We were on the other side of this and it takes a lot of work to get to where Kansas is going to be Monday night. We want to make sure that we give them the credit they deserve. I know we have to talk about some of the things we didn't do well. But they played great. And they were well-prepared and they really executed. And whenever we have to talk about what we didn't do well, which there were a number of things, we want to make sure they get the credit they deserve. They played a great game tonight.

Q. David McCormack tonight, just a bit too much power for the kids?

COACH WRIGHT: He was outstanding. It's not just him being outstanding, it's their execution and their schemes to get him the ball at the right spots.

I know it looks like he's getting it -- it looks like he's getting it with a guy behind him, but it's because they move the ball so well, and he seals really well. And sometimes we did a good job and he hit some good shots. He was outstanding.

Q. Collin, you had a pretty terrific career with Villanova. How do you want Villanova fans to remember you five to 10 years from now now that it's over?

COLLIN GILLESPIE: As a guy who was going to do anything to help his team, whether it was getting guys shots, rebounding, diving on the floor, taking a charge. I would have done whatever it took to win games and make sure that we were playing Villanova basketball.

Q. Like you said, fully crediting Kansas, when you look at Ochai getting going early, what do you sort of, what's rolling through the computer right now and then in real time?

COACH WRIGHT: That was really a big key. And that's why I want to make sure -- it was our game plan not to let him get it going. And we made some mistakes. But just not being in contact with him, letting him catch and shoot, it was our game plan going in.

But they moved the ball so well, he moved so well without it, you've got to give them a lot of credit. But that's one of the areas, right to start the game off, you go down 10-0 against a team that good, you're in trouble. And you've got to try to fight back and you've got to believe you can and we believed we could. But if you look back on it, going down 10-0 and letting him get it going at the start, arguably one of the best shooters in the country, that was not the way we planned it.

Q. It goes without saying, you obviously missed Justin a lot. Where do you think you missed him the most?

COACH WRIGHT: Well, that's one of the things, I want to make sure -- I know it's true -- but we were ready and we were good enough to win that game. They did a lot of things that made them win the game. So I know I have to address Justin not being here, but maybe the start of the game, just we're not -- we know what we're doing when he's in there, we know our rotation.

At the beginning of the game, when a team gets it going like that on the perimeter we usually go smaller. We bring Caleb off the bench. It's things like that. You've got to give them credit in recognizing that and that we didn't have the ability to do that.

Like they didn't just start going inside every time. They went at us on the perimeter early, then they went to McCormack, and you give them credit for that.

Q. Brandon and Caleb, you guys are sitting on the same dais with one of the great Villanova players of all time. Can you reflect in this moment? I know that's difficult, but can you guys reflect on what he has meant to this program?

CALEB DANIELS: I feel as if Collin is, like you just said, a legend of Villanova basketball. He's what Villanova basketball is. And even off the court, he's a near and dear brother to me, brother to Brandon, brother to all of us.

And me coming here, he welcomed me with open arms, as if I've known him my whole life. Just him just extending his arms out and just always welcoming guys in, there's just something special about him, knowing how to talk to each one of the guys, and just his leadership is valuable to us. And the things that he taught me while he was here, just something I'll treasure forever.

BRANDON SLATER: Like he said, he's one of the greatest Villanova basketball players, but also one of the greatest Villanova people that I've ever met. And I'll go to war for Collin Gillespie any day.

It's amazing to have somebody like him with you your whole career. And to see what he's become and to see how he's helped me personally and the rest of our players who have come in and who has tried to get better under the leadership of him. He showed us how to play Villanova basketball from day one. And he holds to us the same standard that he holds himself. And that's all you can ask for is somebody who embodies the true meaning of Villanova basketball.

COACH WRIGHT: And those guys hit on all the aspects as a player and off the court. The final piece I'd like to add is, at Villanova, the mission of the university is about community and love and truth. And he's just -- everything as a player they talked about -- he's a Villanova man. He's a great Villanova man. And that's a big part of our program. It's not just being a basketball player but being a Villanova man. And he's one of the best ever.

Q. Caleb, I know this didn't go the way you wanted but can you sum up your time here in New Orleans this weekend and what it's meant to you? Also how tough was it having some of those shots in the second half that just wouldn't quite go down. They just rimmed out on you.

CALEB DANIELS: I felt nevertheless it was an amazing time here with my brothers. The only thing that mattered to me was playing hard and together for my brothers every moment that I had out there, and the opportunities we had to just be out there together. And just to have the opportunities to be the best Villanova basketball team that we can be, I think that was very valuable to me. And that's what honestly mattered the most to me.

Q. Collin, in those final seconds, when Jermaine had his arm around you and you watched the season end, what was going through your mind?

COLLIN GILLESPIE: That this was the last time I was going to put the jersey on, and the last night I was going to be able to go out there, play with these guys, my teammates. They're the reason that I came back for my fifth year, for my teammates and coaches, just wanted to be around those guys and have an opportunity to play in games like that and be able to play with those guys.

Q. Collin, Jay yesterday was recounting when he reached out to you, I think, on Monday and he was wondering if he should reach out to the team and talk about re-instilling some faith that you guys could still win without Justin. And he said that you told him, don't bother, like, we've got this or whatever. I just wonder, at that time what gave you that level of confidence that everyone was kind of still feeling like this was doable?

COLLIN GILLESPIE: We had that belief in each other. Justin went down in the middle of the year with an ankle injury and we played without him then. And Justin gave these guys confidence, and they did it last year without me.

So we were good enough to win this game. And we didn't do some things early on. They got some open looks. And they made their open looks. But we felt like we were good enough. And I have a lot of confidence in these guys. And I know our team has confidence in each other to go out there and get it done. And you can't replace Justin, but guys were going to step up. And we felt like they were capable and we know that they're capable.

Q. Brandon, I forgot exactly what the score was, but you had a 3 that rimmed out. And I guess can you just maybe describe how that felt coming out of your hands? And Collin, you guys have played and excelled so often in close games. When Jermaine had the and one and I think you got within six, you had a couple of other chances, did you feel like you were right there where you wanted to be after getting out of that hole?

BRANDON SLATER: I had a couple of good looks that just didn't go in. Specifically I think you were talking about second half, I shot a 3, top of the key, came in and out. You just work on these shots every single day. And you've got to be confident.

And that's what I was, confident when I took the shot. And then when it didn't go in, I was still confident coming back to play defense on the next possession. So I can't really focus on I missed too much in the middle of the game because my teammates and my coaches need me for the next possession. That's what we talk about attitude and that's what attitude really means.

COLLIN GILLESPIE: We felt like we were right there. We were going to do whatever it took to battle back. We got down early, but it's a long game, it's a 40-minute game, and we pride ourselves on playing 40 minutes every night. And we were just talking about doing -- dig, scrap and claw and try to steal it in the end.

We got close. They made some big plays. You've got to give them credit, they made big shots down the stretch when we got close.

Q. What were the adjustments you tried to make to get Ochai off the spot? Looked like you put Collin on him for a little while at times. Once he gets off that start and you see you're not quite sticking with him in the way you want to, what did you try to do?

COACH WRIGHT: We tried to do a couple of different things with our schemes. One, denial defense on where we blitz, soft blitz him, when he does get the ball. We tried another where we don't help off of them. And but they put us in some situations that forced us to help. And then once they did, they made the extra pass. They had 18 assists. You've got to give them credit for that.

So there were situations that they created that eliminated our adjustments. We went zone. And it actually worked a couple times. But it was a little too late at that point.

Q. Early in the game, it seemed like the size of Kansas big men were taking full advantage of you guys. Was that going to be one of the issues going forward the rest of the game? And secondly, for Collin, what's one thing you'll take away during your experience at Villanova?

COACH WRIGHT: I'll just say, yeah, and the reason they were effective inside with their size was because they got us spread out early with Agbaji hitting 3s and we weren't able to get off and help in the post because they attacked us early on the perimeter, and that can become a problem for us.

COLLIN GILLESPIE: The relationships, my coaches, my teammates, all the guys that I have come across, and the community, it's really a family. And I loved every second of it. I have brothers that will last me a lifetime now. And I have coaches that I'll be friends with for life as well. And I'm just super grateful to have been a part of this. It's bigger than me, and it's just a really special place.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.