BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

March 8, 2023

Kyle Neptune

Cam Whitmore

Justin Moore

Madison Square Garden

Villanova Wildcats

Postgame Media Conference

Villanova - 80, Georgetown - 48

Q. The guy on your right, it was his first half taking over, and the guy on your left blew it open in the second half. What do you think about both their performances tonight?

COACH NEPTUNE: We all know what type of player Justin Moore is and Cam Whitmore, we all know what they're capable of doing. I thought it was a great team effort. I thought we really came out and executed defensively.

Q. Justin talked little bit yesterday about how it was on him and the leaders to have that mindset of one day at a time. How do you think he's been, and I guess Caleb and Brandon, too, of keeping you guys focused on what's at hand here and taking it one day?

COACH NEPTUNE: I think our guys have been amazing, especially Justin, even being out to start the season. He was always on our guys. Always a great example of Villanova basketball players. Our guys, everyone knows he's a leader. Our guys move to his beat.

So our guys just respect him. So anytime that anything he can give us out there basketball-wise, we always talk about is nothing in comparison to what he gives out there leadership-wise.

COACH NEPTUNE: I think our guys have been amazing, especially Justin. Even being out to start the season, he was always on our guys, always a great example of Villanova basketball players.

Our guys, I mean, everyone knows that he's a leader. Our guys move to his beat. So our guys just respect him. So anytime that anything he can give us out there basketball-wise, we always talk about, is nothing in comparison to what he gives out there leadership-wise.

Q. How you've played of late I know it was a slow start to season and you had injuries. How you're playing late, is that your version of what Villanova basketball looks like?

COACH NEPTUNE: Yeah, I think we're still a work in progress, I think we can still get better. Our goal is to be the best team we can be by the end of the season. I think we can still reach that goal.

Q. Coach, it seems like, because I've seen Georgetown before where maybe if they're able in the first five minutes be able to engineer their offense then they get going, but you guys hit them early with your defense. You kind of like turn over the ball a few times with them. And it just seems like they weren't able to recover from that. Was that the target?

COACH NEPTUNE: Yeah, we wanted to come out from the very start and play as hard as we possibly could. I think our guys did that. I thought we came out, set the tone, played extremely hard and I thought that kind of carried us.

Q. Kyle, I'm sure you grew up looking up to Patrick Ewing, like a lot of people did. What's it like coaching against him? And what do you think of the struggles they've had this season?

COACH NEPTUNE: You know, I think obviously Georgetown is one of the premier programs in this league. I think he does a great job. It's just the wear and tear of seasons. You never know how things are going to go. I wish him the best.

Q. Cam, we kind of talked about this a couple weeks back, the way Justin has been back. Has this really opened up the floor for you? Is this as locked in as you've felt all season?

CAM WHITMORE: It's pretty obvious that he's a big help. He's the leader of our team. He's the glue of our team. It's definitely better he's back.

Q. You personally, how did you feel out there tonight?

CAM WHITMORE: I felt pretty good. The second half I turned it up a little bit, just my teammates found me and shared the ball and that's what we did.

Q. I saw after the game you went to Melo, who was sitting courtside. Talk about the relationship you have with him. Is he a mentor to you? What's going on there?

CAM WHITMORE: Definitely a mentor, long-time friend. And same thing with his background, his family. So just a good relationship we have with each other.

Q. Justin, I know the goal is to be the best you guys can be at the end of the year but you had a season high 15 3-pointers tonight. Thoughts on that, and is this just the beginning?

JUSTIN MOORE: We all know we can shoot the ball. We're not really worried about makes and misses. Tonight was one of those games we were just hitting at a high clip, but we were really focused on defense, and that's what got us over the hump.

Q. Cam, for you, earlier today you received Big East Freshman of the Year. Were you trying to, in a way, go out there, make a statement, prove that honor was deserved?

CAM WHITMORE: Not really, just play the game, play for my team and coaches. And really awards don't matter to me. Just accolades. Just glad to be out there be out there with my brothers.

Q. Justin, you guys were obviously en fuego from the 3-point line. During that period, did you feel they were being soft on 3-point defense? Did you think they weren't really closing out well? Did you sense that that was going to be a major point for you all, or could be a major point for you?

JUSTIN MOORE: Well, we know they sometimes get scrambled up or give us space on 3-pointers, as part of the defense. But they did a great job. We hit some tough ones. We had our open looks as well, but we hit some tough ones. That's going to happen. They still played hard and gave us some great defense.

Q. Talk about 22, the player?

JUSTIN MOORE: He's an outstanding player. I like playing with him. He plays hard, and he gives it his all. And he's open to listening to me when I'm trying to help him out as well.

Q. Kyle, could have beat Creighton when you played them in Omaha. Then you beat them pretty good at home. What do you like about that matchup?

COACH NEPTUNE: At this time of the year, you just throw out what happened before. And now we're in a tournament situation. So we're just thinking about this game against Creighton. We'll go back to the hotel. We'll rest up and we'll start game planning.

Q. Will you rest up or what does tonight look like for you?

COACH NEPTUNE: Obviously in a tournament setting, the coaches are not probably resting up as much as the players are. Their job is to go out there on the court and give it all. Our job is to make sure they're prepared. Hopefully we can both do what we want to do here.