NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - ARKANSAS VS KANSAS

March 18, 2023

Norm Roberts

KJ Adams Jr.

Jalen Wilson

Wells Fargo Arena

Kansas Jayhawks

Media Conference

Arkansas - 72, Kansas - 71

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Kansas to the dais, joined by Assistant Coach Norm Roberts, KJ Adams and Jalen Wilson. Coach, your thoughts?

NORM ROBERTS: It was a tough game, give Arkansas a lot of credit. They did a great job in the second half attacking us. Davis played out of this world, really made a lot of shots, but we knew he was good at doing that and then he really hurt us on the glass. We had some rebounds we needed to get, we didn't get them, but give them credit. They played very well in the second half.

Q. Coach, what can you say about this team, obviously going through everything with Bill Self and having to navigate through that adversity? What you want to say about the head coach of this team and fight in this team despite the loss today?

NORM ROBERTS: Our guys have been terrific all year. They fought to the very end, made huge plays. It was tough not having Coach here, but, you know, we don't make any excuses. We have to line up and get it done, and we came up a little bit short today, but these guys have been terrific all year.

Q. Norm, you talked about the length and the depth and the athletic ability of Arkansas and how that may be a problem today. Did you feel like it was a big factor in the game today?

NORM ROBERTS: It was probably more at the end. They did a good job of getting to the glass and getting their hands on balls and deflects, and we knew they were very active with their hands and their athletic ability. We got into foul trouble, and that hurt us a little bit, not having KJ in for quite a bit hurt us as well. Picking up those fouls early.

We knew that going in. We've battled that all season. But give them credit, it worked out for them today.

Q. Coach, maybe you can elaborate on the foul trouble for KJ and Earnest in the second half and how that affected you on both ends of the floor?

NORM ROBERTS: It probably affected us both offensively and defensively, because those two guys have been playing the bulk of the minutes. Our offense runs through KJ, and he wasn't out there for a while, and Ernest picked up a couple of silly fouls early, which got him out of the rotation early, and the bench, which I thought those guys did a good job, they tried hard, but in this atmosphere it makes it tough.

Q. KJ, you could see your frustration having to sit for those be minutes. What was it like for you not being able to contribute?

KJ ADAMS, JR.: It was definitely hard sitting on the bench when all the exciting stuff was going on, but I got in on the clutch moments and we just couldn't roll, but everybody did good and everybody did good when I wasn't out there.

Q. Coach, can you talk about Arkansas's game plan to prevent Gradey Dick from getting open for threes?

NORM ROBERTS: We've dealt with that all year but they have some long athletes that made it tough on him to get shots. I don't think we screened as well as we wanted to for him, maybe we could have ran a few more things for him, but they did nullify him a little bit.

I thought we shared the ball pretty good and we had a lot of balance, but they did do a good job of preventing him from getting open looks.

Q. You're down three with 25 seconds left in the game. What went into your plan to try to go for two at that point in the game?

NORM ROBERTS: We were trying to go for a three, too, whenever we could get and J Wil did a good job of getting fouled, and both options were there and Jalen took the two-point option.

Q. Jalen, the last free throw that was banked, was that supposed to be a miss? Was that be intended to be a make?

JALEN WILSON: I didn't try to make it; I was trying to miss it.

Q. In your mind what was the difference between the two halves from the KU standpoint?

JALEN WILSON: Just having them, you know -- they had a great energy, Arkansas, and they played to their strengths a lot, and I didn't do a good job on the glass and that let them get some second-chance points, and especially it was magnified at the end of game with the free throw.

It always comes down to one play, especially hustle plays like that. It's just disappointing to end like that, especially with how great our year was, credit to them for how they played.

Q. Everybody is understandably disappointed now in your locker room. What do you think when emotions die down, what do you think guys are going to remember about this season?

JALEN WILSON: That we persevered through a lot, no matter what was going on, we stayed true to who we are and true to our family, our culture that we've built through many years that I've seen. This is one of the tightest groups I've ever been around.

One thing about all year, no one is going to feel bad about anything that Kansas goes through. We have rallied through with each other and understood that it's really us against everybody else. No matter what the outcome is, you know, I love these guys, I loved this year, and I will remember this forever.

Q. Jalen, a tough loss, but big picture-wise, what did you want your legacy to be as a player for Kansas?

JALEN WILSON: I just love this place so much, putting on this jersey every day has changed my life for the rest of my life. I will always remember putting on this jersey, and I want to be remembered as a guy that loved this place and did everything to make this place special.

I never wanted it to be about me, even now, because there are so many different guys that's been here. I just want to make this place as special as I can, you know? That's really it.

Q. The fan bases were electric in this arena for both sides. Maybe you guys could talk about the fan base. A lot of people traveled here to Des Moines to cheer you on. What has that meant to you throughout the season? They were there the entire time screaming and hollering all the way to the last second.

JALEN WILSON: Our fans have been unbelievable all year, no matter where we've gone, no matter what the score has been; they've always had our back. It's just sad to have it end all right now. I love them fans. They get us back into games that we maybe sometimes don't even deserve having a chance in. That's the beauty of our school. Our people really love us, they love basketball, love supporting us and they're one of a kind. Today was just an example of how great they are.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach. Thank you, players.