NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - LOUISIANA VS TENNESSEE

March 16, 2023

Bob Marlin

Kobe Julien

Jordan Brown

Amway Center

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

Media Conference

Tennessee 58, Louisiana 55

BOB MARLIN: Tennessee is very physical, and in the first half we were right where we needed to be. We missed a couple of shots we normally make, Terence Lewis, and they blocked some shots, too. They did a really good job there. I believe the score was 19 apiece. And then we let them go on an 11-0 run to end the half, so our guys were really frustrated at halftime, and we had to pick them up a little bit.

We didn't make a three in the first half. We've got two really good three-point shooters in Garnett and Williams, and they didn't make any tonight.

But came out the second half, we fought, we were down -- I don't even know how many we were down with 13 or 10 to go. But I know with five to go, it was a two-possession game. I was really proud of our guys for coming back, making some shots. These two guys sitting here beside me, really happy for them, and I'm glad that they played tonight on a big stage because they're that kind of player.

Q. Kobe, tell me about that streak in the second half. Y'all got down 18 and it looked like y'all were kind of out of it. And then boom, you just started hitting threes and kind of got you back in the game.

KOBE JULIEN: I just wanted to try to step up and help my team win. My teammates, my coaches just keep telling me, your time is coming, you're going to be able to make big shots, you're going to be able to step up and help us get into this lead and just try to take over.

Q. Jordan, talk about what they did defensively to -- you still had your fair share of points, but what was so tough about what they do defensively?

JORDAN BROWN: I think they were just a physical team. They play hard, and they had a lot of people to throw. But we still fought. We fought out there. It was a battle the whole game, all the way to the end, so I'm very proud of all of our guys.

Q. Coach, talk about -- I thought really the game was the last three or four minutes of the first half as it turned out. So talk about that 11-0 run and kind of what happened there.

BOB MARLIN: Well, Terence Lewis missed a couple of shots he's been making all year, for one, and Joe had a steal and they got a block on that in the first half, also.

At the end, the ball got knocked out of bounds, and it was their ball. We know what play they're running and Plavsic is just too big and he got it. And I thought they got a lot of friendly rolls in the first half that we didn't get any.

That's the way it goes sometimes. In the second half, we were where we needed to be. We got the ball a couple times where we wanted to get it, and we couldn't score. So you have to give their defensive team credit. They're one of the best defensive teams in the country.

Q. Coach, of course not the result you guys were looking for, but can you speak to the accomplishments that this team has reached throughout the year and the pride you have for that?

BOB MARLIN: We're very proud of our guys. They know we love him. This has been a connected group. They've worked hard. We went to Puerto Rico and came back and certainly had a great November, won the Asheville championship, went undefeated in November, and win five in a row, lose at Drake to a really good team, and then win five more in a row. And we lost at Texas who's got a really good team.

Then we started conference with 6 of 8 on the road, so we had 8 of 10 games on the road right there. And we were able to come through that and win 10 more in a row and come back and win our conference tournament. I'm very proud of these guys. They did accomplish a lot, second most wins in school history, too. Tonight would have tied our 2018 team.

Q. Deep into the second half and towards the end of the game, you guys were getting very close to tying the game. What do you think that your team and your players could have done differently to have gone ahead and tied the game?

BOB MARLIN: We needed a few more stops I felt like early in the second half. We only had one three, and it was a big one. We just needed to block out. They got a couple easy of baskets. Aidoo got a bucket late in the shot clock, and their size bothered us at that stage.

But I thought our guys played well. We had them close to having doubt, and if we would have gone ahead, I think we could have done it, but we were right there and just ran out of time.

I thought we did a tremendous job and had a good plan on Vescovi when he gets three points, and it's a banked three, so no wonder he was frustrated when he came in front of our bench.

Q. What was the plan with Vescovi that worked? Was it staying up on him? That's not a big night for him.

BOB MARLIN: He and James are outstanding three-point shooters and we try to stay on top of him and keep him underneath the line. He missed a couple he normally makes. But he didn't get many attempts. Our guys carried out the game plan, they stayed up on him.

And if you would have told me he would have scored three points, and we made more field goals than them and had less turnovers, I would have told you we would have won the game.

Q. Jordan, I know your future may be undecided, but can you just speak to the legacy and the foundation that has been set for this team going forward?

JORDAN BROWN: I think all of us as a community, we really set kind of a stronger foundation. It started, once again, last year and then carried over into this year, and we learned from all of our mistakes the previous year, came back and applied everything. It took us far.

Q. For Coach and for Kobe, obviously the foundation has been laid of the success that this team can go making it to March Madness. Just how far or how much do you think this team can build on towards the future?

A. I told the guys afterwards I was really proud of all of our players. And we're going to lose a couple seniors, and we'll go out and recruit and pick up another player or two. I like our foundation that we have coming back. I feel like we can be at the top of the Sun Belt again.

Sun Belt is a great league. This year it was really good. To be the team that won the tournament, we were really excited about that. We know how hard it is to do that, but we were able to get it done.

That was the other thing tonight. We've had three elimination games, they've had one, and it was tonight. This was our fourth. They knew in the SEC tournament they were going to play in the dance, so it makes a difference.

KOBE JULIEN: I think our foundation was really set and a great tone for the year. Next year, I think we set a great base for it because we learn from wins, we learn from losses, and things we're not going to allow. We have standards on how we're going to work and how we're going to push each other. I think this group that we have that's coming back is a great group. We're ready to play and will be ready for the moment.

Q. Bob, you mentioned the technical or mentioned Uros earlier in front of y'all's bench. What happened from your view in that technical situation?

BOB MARLIN: Well, he was frustrated because he'd scored three points, I felt like, and he came, he was over there cheering and yelling at our bench and right in front of me. And all I told him was you're better than that. I voted for him Second-Team All-American. I said that yesterday.

Then the guys grabbed me, then Pat Adams -- his first technical the year for me. How many games did we play, 35? I didn't even know. 34? I get a technical in an NCAA Tournament game. But he came over, apologized, took the high road, and then after the game he was great, too.

I think he's a really good player, but that's what happened.

The referee also said that he saw the whole thing. We felt like we got hit, Jordan got hit in the face a couple times, and they went and reviewed it, and we didn't see it that way.

Q. Coach, I know you follow the game closely; do you have any overall thoughts about Duke and Tennessee?

BOB MARLIN: Didn't see Duke's game today. They must have played well. But Tennessee can really defend, and I think they'll have a good chance against Duke. It should be a good game. I just wish it would have been us.