NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - TEXAS A&M-CC VS ALABAMA

March 15, 2023

Brandon Miller

Mark Sears

Legacy Arena

Alabama Crimson Tide

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are ready to begin our press conference with Alabama players.

Q. For both you guys, only traveling 45 minutes to get here, you are going to have a lot of home fans both on Thursday and if you win on Saturday. What kind of excitement do you have at playing in Birmingham this weekend?

BRANDON MILLER: One thing you just, just the home court advantage. Being able to have the Alabama fans come 45 minutes away. I think that's the biggest thing for us. Like I said before, they gave us great energy and we play off them.

Q. This is for Mark. You know, when you go back to the summer when you were talking to Nate Oats and talking about transferring, is this what you envisioned would happen?

MARK SEARS: This is exactly what I envisioned to what happen, especially what we were doing in the season. This is one of the main reasons I wanted to come to Alabama.

Q. For Brandon, Jahvon Quinerly around this time last year quickly into the first round of the game tore his ACL, the comeback has been incredible. I talked to his doctor today. Six months coming back and clicking at the right time. What has he been like with the rehab. I'm sure you saw it, and what does this mean to this team?

BRANDON MILLER: His story is just a crazy story. You know, from the ACL tear to not being able to play a whole year. I'm really happy for him. I feel like he's just a big brother away from home, just looking to win.

Q. Just kind of with all the success you have had, how do you block out the outside noise and focus on the goal ahead?

BRANDON MILLER: Well, us having the bond that we have, I feel like we all just lean on each other. We know our struggles on and off the court, we know our strengths on and off the court. Just knowing that plays a big part in our success on the court.

MARK SEARS: What he said, we love each other like a brother. That means on court, having that bond on the court. That's leading to our success.

Q. There's only been one No. 1 seed that lost. That was Virginia to UMBC a couple years ago. How much was that brought up to you just in terms of making sure that Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is respected.

BRANDON MILLER: We can only control how we play. We can't really control how everybody else plays. We know the energy that we need to come out in this first game to get a win, so, yeah.

Q. I know you got in around 6 o'clock yesterday at your hotel here. What was the 24 hours like? Did you guys watch the game as a group? How did you prep for the game tomorrow?

BRANDON MILLER: We had a nice dinner, watching the game on a projector. I feel that's a big thing. Our bond is real, we're always together watching games. I feel like just having that bond, starting from May 28th just getting closer and closer.

Q. For both of you guys, I know you guys overall number 1 seed in this tournament for the first time in program history. Do you feel any pressure to deliver or do you guys maybe welcome that pressure?

MARK SEARS: We don't feel any type of pressure because we go out there and we practice hard. When you practice hard you really have no -- you really don't feel any type of pressure when you are playing hard.

Q. So just being so close to home, how does it feel to have the fans being able to travel, basically being in your backyard?

BRANDON MILLER: It means a lot just to know that they can come 45 minutes away, just be here for us. Like I said, we play off them. They give us the energy that we need, when we don't have. Even away games, we see Alabama fans there. I feel like they give the energy that we need just to win the game.

Q. Brandon, I notice there's a security guy over there. Is this something you are doing regularly now, traveling with security?

BRANDON MILLER: I feel like we always travel with security. That's all I'm going to say on that.

Q. Brandon, you guys were asked about the pressure of being number one. You had a brief run at number one. Do you feel more prepared to handle with everybody's -- the target on your back, everybody looking at you all as the favorite?

BRANDON MILLER: Like I said, we have been number one during the season. I feel like before we wasn't as prepared but I feel like now we are more prepared for anything that comes our way.

Q. Brandon, Mark, anything you guys noticed about Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, any tendencies last night. Anything you got to shut down, watching them last night?

BRANDON MILLER: Watching them last night, we know that they are going to come out and play us hard. I think any team in this tournament this week is just going to come out and give what they have. So we just have to come out and give the energy that we need to win against a good team.

Q. Brandon, I think I know the answer to this but I feel like it has to be asked again. With all that's happened with you off the court this season, is there any pressure or any burden coming into this? How do you block that out and focus on the NCAA Tournament with all the other stuff swirling around?

BRANDON MILLER: Like I said before, I just lean on my teammates, really. They are here for me like a family away from home.

Q. So having just won the SEC Tournament, what's the whole team mentality been like, wanting to just not settle, wanting to go for it again.

MARK SEARS: We take it one game at a time, one possession at a time. That's how we're looking at this right now.

Q. Brandon, having just won the SEC, the MVP of the tournament. You have another chance to display your abilities on the big stage. Get your thoughts on this, the opportunity to show what you got?

BRANDON MILLER: One thing, you're right, it is another opportunity. Without my teammates I wouldn't be here to this day. They push me to this day to be the guy who I am toady. Since May 28th. It's been hard work since then. Blood and sweat. I think without them I wouldn't have had any of the awards that I've achieved. I'm just really honored and blessed to be here.

Q. Overall encompassing the season, what's been really special amongst you guys? How have you been so successful this season?

BRANDON MILLER: Just how we bond with each other. I have never seen a team that bond just like us off the court. And I mean, we're with each other every day, even at each other's houses. I mean, to feel like that builds everything up just to get closer and closer on the court. It's how we know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and I feel like that plays a big part in who we are today.

THE MODERATOR: Okay, thank you.