MAUI JIM MAUI INVITATIONAL

November 22, 2022

Greg McDermott

Baylor Scheierman

Ryan Nembhard

Lahaina Civic Center

Creighton Bluejays

Postgame Press Conference

Creighton - 90, Arkansas - 87

THE MODERATOR: We'll go ahead and get started with an opening statement from coach and then take questions for the student-athletes.

GREG MCDERMOTT: It was just an incredible college basketball game. There was a lot of haymakers thrown out there in 40 minutes. Their poise for as young as they are is really incredible. We didn't go very deep on the bench tonight, or this afternoon. I felt like we kind of had to ride these guys and they did a great job.

Some execution down the stretch to get Kalkbrenner some touches for some easy baskets, and then we executed at least the last play defensively the way we wanted.

But that team's winning a lot of games. I would like to think we're going to win a lot of games. They just kind of ran out of time. It was just an awesome basketball game against a very, very good opponent.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Questions for our student-athletes?

Q. It was a great game tonight. What was your impression of Arkansas? What did they surprise you when you got on the court playing against them?

RYAN NEMBHARD: Yeah, they're a great team. They got a lot of length. They're big. They got a lot of size. They play really hard. They try and turn you over. They're just a good young team. It was a great matchup.

Q. Baylor, early in the second half you weren't as active, but you kind of picked up later in the half and started to assert your game. What kind of adjustments, what were they doing to you early in the half?

BAYLOR SCHEIERMAN: Well, they put No. 4 on me and he was kind of following me everywhere. Sometimes spacing can be the best friend there. Kind of just picking and choosing my spots. Obviously as the half went on I pick and choose where I wanted to get the ball.

But I got confidence in my teammates that they can make plays. When they're dogging me like that, it leaves other people open.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Go get some rest for tomorrow's game. Thank you. We'll take questions for coach.

Q. You mentioned that you shortened your bench today. How much concern is that when you got to play three in three days and tomorrow is not even a 24-hour turnaround?

GREG MCDERMOTT: Yeah, well, I mean, the team that we're going to play has got two hours less than us, so they're going to be in the same boat.

We had to battle a little foul trouble, Kaluma in the first half, and we survived it, and then Trey Alexander got his third with 13 and a half to go. I thought Farabello came in and did a great job in that situation, hit a big three at a critical time.

So you're playing tomorrow really on adrenaline. It's three games in a short period of time and you don't ever do this except for your conference tournament. But we're going to be a little tired tomorrow, but hopefully our energy and enthusiasm for being in the championship can trump some of that fatigue.

Q. You mentioned coming into the tournament, I think you had been waiting like 34 years to get a team out here. Now that you've been here a couple days and experienced this kind of game, tomorrow's championship notwithstanding, is this the experience you wanted when you brought a team here?

GREG MCDERMOTT: Absolutely. I mean, the hospitality since we've arrived on the island and in our hotel has been incredible. Think about it. Will you have a better college environment than what we had today? You had half the gym full of Arkansas fans and half full of Creighton fans and it's in a place where it's really loud and it impacts the game. Usually you're playing at home, on the road, whatever.

But there was so many changes in momentum during that game that both fan bases really were into the game and on the edge of their seat the whole time. This is a game that our guys are going to look back on it a long time and remember because it was such an incredible environment. You couldn't communicate with your team when Arkansas was on a run and I think they probably had a hard time communicating when we were on a run because the fans were really into it.

Q. In tough games like this, what does it mean to have someone like Ryan running the show for you? What does he give you?

GREG MCDERMOTT: He's just grown so much. He really, he dictates our tempo with his speed with the basketball. Obviously, his shooting's been really good in this tournament. I don't know what it is now, he's got 30-some assists and five or six turnovers on the year.

Last year at this time he struggled with some turnovers. So I think he just, he's got a better feel for what we're asking him to do, and that's been good to see. But he plays with a lot of confidence. I think his teammates really respect him, so they look him in the eye in the huddle and listen to what he has to say.

But he's mature beyond his years. He doesn't think like a guy that's playing in the fifth or sixth game of his sophomore season in college. I think his dad being a basketball person, his brother's obviously with the Pacers, he's been around it and fighting to keep up with his brother his whole life, and now he's really blazing his own trail. It's been fun to see because as good a basketball player as he is, he's even a better person. He's just such a joy to coach. He's about all the right stuff. I think when you're about the right stuff good things have a tendency to happen to you.