PAC-12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 10, 2023

Tommy Lloyd

Cedric Henderson Jr.

Azuolas Tubelis

Arizona Wildcats

Postgame Press Conference

Arizona - 78, Arizona State - 59

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

TOMMY LLOYD: Great effort by our guys. It was going to be a gritty game and we knew that. You play Arizona State you know what you're in for. It's going to be a scrappy game. They're a really talented players, and I thought our guys did a really good job stepping up to the challenge and delivering.

It wasn't a crazy high-emotion game for us. We were kind of even-keeled. Sometimes we can ride the ebbs and flows of emotions, but today I thought we were even-keeled and I thought it really worked out well for us.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Can you just reflect on how Cedric has played in these two games?

TOMMY LLOYD: Vegas Ced. He's been awesome. He's been great. Coach Rob and I have been talking just how much fun it is coaching him. He's one of those guys you wish you had for a couple years. But just for him to, just he's kept climbing and he's earned everything he's gotten in our program. He just keeps getting better and better and better. I know this, I'm super comfortable and confident when he's on the court.

Q. Could you talk about Ballo's confidence over the last few games.

TOMMY LLOYD: Yeah, it's Maui-O. When Oumar plays with force and plays on balance he's really good. You can just see him slowing down, gathering, catching in there but still being explosive up to the rim on those finishes. I thought he did an amazing job today defensively protecting the rim. We had some vertical contests, which we love, which were great, and then he just got some huge rebounds. So he is playing great, as is Zu. Zu had some big-time baskets for today and really delivered in there in huge critical moments when we were waning a little bit, and then he kind of snapped off one of those jump hooks or came up with a lose ball and got a put back.

So our bigs are really good and when they play like that, I think we're pretty hard to beat.

Q. Can you speak to the effect of the crowd tonight and how that helped you guys?

TOMMY LLOYD: It's great. I think, what do they call it, McKale North and the T-Locs, they show up and the U of A people, they love this tournament and they love our program and it makes it a special atmosphere and we love being a part of it.

Q. Two games in the PAC-12 tournament you guys are plus 50 in paint points. What do you make of that and how have you been so effective in that category?

AZUOLAS TUBELIS: I think it's pretty good. (Laughing.) I know we work on it every day. So it's not really that surprising for us because we work on that in every practice. But we made those paint points and then that just opened up for our guards, so that's why we made the run in both games and, yeah.

TOMMY LLOYD: Obviously it's how we like to play and when you got two bigs like we have, I think the smart thing is to feed 'em. And they did a great job, and they're doing a great job, they're seeing tons of different coverages and double packages and stuff like that, and then they're creating shots for our guys and playing out of it, and it's great to see.

It's just a great layer to have in your offense where if things get bogged down a little bit, you can just pitch it in the post and play through those guys, and those guys are delivering.

Q. Just want to get your thoughts on what impact the loss you guys had at McKale Center to the Sun Devils affected the way you guys strategically changed this game plan for this one?

TOMMY LLOYD: Well, I honestly don't think it had as much affect as you guys probably think. We didn't play well defensively, so we were kind of able to get a little more comfortable today in some of our coverages. And we didn't make a ton of changes, but I just think we had a little bit more of a conviction to play to our strengths and get the ball inside and stay stickier on shooters.

They're hard because they are really handsy and they're quick and they have a knack for turning you over. They got us a few times today. But I thought overall our guys did a better job handling that pressure.

Q. Can you talk real quick about Kerr, obviously his shoulder issue, one, how he felt through that, and then he was 1-7 and then he kind of turned it on.

TOMMY LLOYD: Yeah, I mean, Kerr's a winner. I just asked him, Are you good? And he's like, Yeah, no, I'm going to make a three. And so I think it's something that will get better day by day. I watched him make threes at shoot-around today, so I don't know if it's a, how much of a physical thing it is, how much of a mental thing it is. I know this, when it's on the line if he has an open look I usually feel pretty good.

Q. Do you feel that the ASU from what you've seen this year playing against them that they should be in the tournament, the NCAA tournament?

TOMMY LLOYD: I think they're right there. They're a difficult team to play against. I know whatever these experts and all this stuff had 'em right there and I feel like they're a tournament-worthy team. I know this, I mean, if you match up with them in the NCAA tournament, you're not going to sleep good. They are a difficult team to play against, and I think that's a team that can win NCAA tournament games without a doubt in my mind.

Q. Yesterday you went on two 10-0 runs, first half one, second half one. Today late in the game you went on spurts that Arizona State is notorious for. How did those fuel things on the positive side?

TOMMY LLOYD: Well, how we play, I mean, I think a lot of times our momentum accumulates a little bit. There's a cumulative effect, the pace we play at, the movement we want to get at, the way we want to offensive rebound, the way we want to pressure on defense. I think it leads to these moments in games where we can get out to these little spurts. It's nothing we, we don't sit there and coach for 10-0 runs. I wish I could. I don't know how to do that. But we play consistent with high effort and these guys have a knack for understanding moments. And I think, like Pelle's three in transition, it's a great shot. Even Courtney took one. We were on a little run, we hit a couple threes in the first half, he took one maybe a little bit questionable but also we had a little momentum and if he hit that you probably blow the roof off the place. You just have to have a little bit of feel for those moments and our guys do a great job of creating that. You guys got some questions for these guys? I -- Ced's got a lot of stuff to say.

Q. These two games, why do you think you've been so effective and what's been your focus?

CEDRIC HENDERSON JR.: I think the biggest thing was -- me and Tommy actually talked about -- it was pressuring the ball. Being aggressive defensively and crashing the board hard allowed me to be more aggressively. Kind of puts you in a mindset to play as hard as possible. And it just works out. I'm trusting guys like Zu and Oumar, Kerr and Courtney to pass the ball off screens and stuff like that to give me open shots.

Q. Your second straight year taking on UCLA in the championship. What are some key focuses for your team and does this make any difference for you having been there, done that last year?

AZULOAS TUBELIS: Yeah, they kind of have the same team maybe a few players left. But the man thing is just to try to stop those two main guys, Jaime and Tyger and all guys around them so we need to pressure the ball again and just play the same.

TOMMY LLOYD: Yeah, I mean it's awesome. Arizona, UCLA. I mean, it's really cool. Obviously there's an amazing rivalry there. I think there's a mutual respect between both programs. Mick's a great coach. Somebody told me some deal he's been to like, I don't know, 12 or 13 NCAA tournaments in a row. I'm only at this in my second year and that's hard for me to fathom. So, no, it's going to be great. It's going to be great I'm sure it's going to be two teams that are probably a little bit worn down, probably both facing some injuries, but that's kind of how tournament basketball is in the post-season. So we're coming out and we know it's going to be a great challenge and we look forward to the opportunity to play on the big stage.

Q. Free throws. Are we going to get some more reps in with the free throws tonight or was that a one-off?

TOMMY LLOYD: You hope so. I think we're a good free throw shooting team. For the most part we have been all year. Listen, it's how it goes sometimes. You can't like sit there and over react. It happens. So hopefully tomorrow -- there's a law of averages, right. Hopefully tomorrow we shoot over our average and kind of to balance out today.