NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: REGIONAL SEMIFINAL - PRINCETON VS CREIGHTON

March 24, 2023

Mitch Henderson

Ryan Langborg

Tosan Evbuomwan

KFC Yum! Center

Princeton Tigers

Sweet 16 Postgame Media Conference

Creighton - 86, Princeton - 75

MITCH HENDERSON: I can't believe I've coached almost 24 years now, and this is so rare to come across a group like this led by Ryan and Tosan and Keeshawn, Konrad and Jacob. They allowed us to coach them and then which allowed us to coach the younger guys and let them develop.

I'm so proud of them. The school is so proud of them. You look at this is such a successful year. It's such a year of joy for our program. These guys have done something that no one has ever done, and I know that last time there's some really great Princeton teams in the past, but this is a really, really special team. It's such an honor to be around them on a day-to-day basis.

We fought. It's a heck of a team. We fought all the way to the end, but came up short. That does not define us one bit. This is a very special group, and I love them, love being their coach.

THE MODERATOR: Let's start with questions.

Q. Mitch, there was more orange in the crowd today than any other color. Your fans gave you a sustained standing ovation as you left the court at the end of the game. If you and maybe the players could say what that meant to you in that moment.

MITCH HENDERSON: That means everything. We told everybody, wait until you see. We talked to our fans in the hotel before we came over and did a lot of interviews this week, on TV, never got worked up or nervous. I was so fired up before coming over here. It was the coolest thing.

You know, this group right here, they made -- we love our school, and we feel really good about the school, but we felt the love.

RYAN LANGBORG: Yeah, I mean, we wouldn't be here without the fans, without the alums, everybody that's come to support us.

Man, I mean, every time we hit a couple of shots, they're going nuts, and it gives us all the confidence in the world. I'm very thankful for everyone who is supporting us.

Q. Tosan, so many people saw you for the first time this month. What do you hope they learned about you and this team?

TOSAN EVBUOMWAN: You know, I'm sure -- I'm hopeful that they watched those games and, you know, saw the great team that we are and the great talents that we have.

We have very talented guys, and we really gel well together as a group. It's our style of play, selfless basketball. We'll see how far it goes. I'm just so proud of my team, proud of this guy. He has been unbelievable, you know, all year, and especially as his level just raised so much these past few weeks.

Yeah, he deserves a lot more, you know, I think, from the Ivy League in terms of recognition. But it clearly doesn't mean anything to him. And he came out and he has played the last few weeks and, you know, just put us on his back. He has been unbelievable.

Q. Tosan, this is for you as well. It feels a little trivial to ask this now, but given the run of success and kind of burst into the limelight, I know you are an international student, but has there been any interest in NIL deals that's suddenly come your way because of this tournament run?

TOSAN EVBUOMWAN: Yeah, I'm navigating that very carefully with my status. Yeah, there's been some stuff, but, yeah, navigating it carefully.

Q. Anything fun that you can hint at?

TOSAN EVBUOMWAN: Not really, to be honest, because, again, there's not a whole lot I can do. You know, it's a fun part of, I think, the game now. But it's not really I think what it's about for us, you know.

Q. For Coach as well as the student-athletes. Coach, you talked about the fan base and the support. Just what this entire season from start to finish has meant to you as you reflect on the journey. And to the student-athletes, just what this has been like for you to not only to put Princeton on the map but the Ivy League as well.

MITCH HENDERSON: We were a work in progress all season. We really got to play our best basketball here as of late. Both Ryan and Tosan played very limited minutes as freshmen. They missed their entire sophomore year. Played two years basically.

What this team and these guys at the helm have been able to do is really historic in a number of different ways. I got to play four years of college basketball at Princeton. These guys played two and a half. It's just amazing. It's amazing what they've done.

RYAN LANGBORG: Yeah, just I think the Ivy League and a lot of other schools around the same kind of conferences, I think we deserve the recognition. You've seen kind of years in a row where teams, 15 seeds and things are making runs. I think it just shows that there's not a lot that separates us from everyone else.

You have a tough group who is bonded and the best of friends, you play with joy, anything can happen.

Q. Coach, if you could talk a little bit about Creighton's size and length and what kind of challenges that posed for your team and what that forced you guys to have to do to compete tonight?

MITCH HENDERSON: We had seen great size and length against Arizona, but we haven't seen Kalkbrenner's agility and the speed, the way they're getting him the ball in different positions.

I had said we want him to be 10 for 20, not 18 for 20, and he was 9 for 12. I thought he was the key. They just got easy baskets when they needed them.

I thought the last four minutes of the first half was crucial swinging their way, and we couldn't get back into the game. They're really well-coached. Coach McDermott, he does a great job. They know exactly what they are, and they're very well-oiled, as we had expected.

Q. This question is for Coach and for both players. That was a fast-paced game, especially the first half. I think there were 90 points scored in the first half. Although you guys were right in it, was that the pace you wanted this game to be played at?

MITCH HENDERSON: No. Thought it was -- we were really concerned at halftime about their transition baskets. We thought we played excellent on offense. Three turnovers. We were playing well.

Again, that last couple of minutes of the first half, but it was very difficult to figure out how to get stops, and they were just right top of us.

So, yeah, too many quick possessions. I mean, we had five turnovers on the game. We got ten more shots than they did. We just couldn't stop them.

RYAN LANGBORG: I think transition hurt us. I think it was pretty evident out there. But, I mean, I'm just proud of what we've done and going to try not to think about it too much. But, yeah, if we got back on defense a little more, I think it would have been a little better, but...

Q. Mitch, just I wanted to get a word on your two seniors up there. They combined for 48 points tonight and certainly the way that they went out and what you thought about their performance.

MITCH HENDERSON: I mean, Ryan in the last four weeks has just, in my opinion, been one of the best players in the tournament, the Ivy League tournament, NCAA tournament. He has just been terrific. His confidence level rose throughout the tournament, and so did ours.

He is so tough, and such an underrated defender. Tough as nails. Such a pleasure to coach him.

And Tosan, you know, we've talked a lot about you, Tosan, but, you know, these guys were just terrific. And the fight comes from within, and when the seniors are tough, when the seniors fight, it trickles down to the whole group.

So thankful to be associated with them.

Q. Ryan, you mentioned playing with joy, and in these last 12 days you seemed to have really embraced that. Is that something that you as players talk to each other about, about how you're going to approach this tournament experience?

RYAN LANGBORG: Honestly, no. I think it's we've been -- I think, as Coach says, we try to be together as much as we can, but I think that just comes from our bond. The Ivy League is special. We've been best friends for four years, us seniors. We just spend so much time together. We know we play our best when we're not thinking and just having fun.

We're just celebrating buckets and happy for each other, that's when our momentum goes, that's when our confidence builds.

Q. This is for Tosan and Ryan. I apologize if this was asked earlier. When you look back a month or so from now and think about these last two weeks, can you put into words, you know, what will go through your mind?

TOSAN EVBUOMWAN: I didn't hear that.

Q. A month or so plus from now, when you think about what you guys accomplished in this run in March here, what's going to go through your mind? What will you reflect on the most?

TOSAN EVBUOMWAN: Yeah, for me I'm sure it will be a lot of pride. You know, we created great memories with one another, and I think that's what it's all about. You know, being able to look back and be proud of something which you've done together as a unit.

We're going to -- our bond was great. We're going to have an even greater bond, and it's going to be special. I'm sure it will last all of our lifetimes, everybody on the team, top to bottom.

Yeah, I'm just very thankful to be in this position and be in this position with my teammates and coaching staff. You know, I wouldn't want to be here with anyone else.

RYAN LANGBORG: Yeah, just super proud of this guy and everyone else on the team that's led us to this point, and I think we've just got to celebrate it, know it's something special, and just continue to enjoy this moment for the rest of our lives. Yeah, that's bonded us forever.