NATIONAL INVITATION TOURNAMENT: NORTH TEXAS VS WISCONSIN

March 27, 2023

Greg Gard

Tyler Wahl

Chucky Hepburn

Orleans Arena

Wisconsin Badgers

Semi Finals Pregame Press Conference

GREG GARD: Thank you. Obviously we're excited to be here and obviously one of the last eight teams still playing, so our guys have approached this last two and a half weeks really well. The mindset they have come with has been terrific. It's obviously shown with how they have been able to find ways to advance.

Excited, like I said, to be here for this in the semifinals and looking forward to playing a really good North Texas team tomorrow night.

Q. An off-the-court question, you could have one game, two games here, but when we talked to you in November, you said you would wait until the season was over and evaluate what your future looked like and make a decision. Are you still following that plan, or have you come to a conclusion in your mind what you're going to be doing next year?

TYLER WAHL: Yeah, we've still got two games left hopefully, so I'm going to play these games out and kind of take it from there.

Q. Obviously they are one of the slowest-paced teams in the country, and you guys like to take it a little bit slow, too. Does that change anything about how you try to take them off-schedule a little bit?

GREG GARD: No. I would caution -- we've cautioned our guys, don't get fooled by where they are in terms of pace of play because we have seen them be aggressive in transition. If the door is open, they are going to take it. The guards are really good with Perry and Huntsberry, and much like us, if we have an advantage, these guys know they can do and push it.

So I can't get too caught up in the rankings of the pace of play. I just watch how they play. If you watch them on film, would you never put them in that category. I think part of it is because of how good they are defensively. They have a lot of long possessions on the defensive end because it's hard to score against them.

We know we are going to have to play really well regardless of the style of play. But obviously they done a good job defensively. It shows with what their number tell you.

Q. Could you speak to that? They describe themselves as opportunistic on the offensive end. Have you seen how they run the fast break and how they would settle back and set up a halfcourt set, too?

CHUCKY HEPBURN: Yeah, it's still a basketball game. Still treat everything the same. Some things are different. But I think if we just play our basketball, we'll be good.

Q. Jordan has always had Johnny around his whole life, just close their entire life with. With Johnny gone now, Jordan says he's relying on some other guys, yourself included. Have you found that, just him leaning on you, and you kind of being there for him with his twin gone?

CHUCKY HEPBURN: Yeah, I think Jordan has definitely known the type of role he's stepped into. He's still kind of learning and just asking questions of me and Tyler, just to kind of get experience and just know what it's like to be on the court, you know.

Q. North Texas has a history of having some pretty big postseason wins against power conference teams. They beat Purdue in the Tournament a couple years ago; took out Oklahoma State. Is this just a dangerous mid-major team at a time when see you more mid-majors making a dent in the NCAA Tournament and across the board in college basketball?

GREG GARD: I don't like the term "mid-major." You know, I coached at one 20-some years ago, and we felt we could play with anybody at that time. You know, that's, obviously -- I think we have seen, you know, just watch the landscape of college basketball, that's a term -- a label that gets put out there but the basketball is -- there's so many good players and so many good coaches and one or two players can really tip the scales in your favor.

I don't like the term mid-major because I've seen how good teams are. You've obviously got one in your league that's in the Final Four, Florida and Atlanta and obviously two here with UAB and North Texas.

So really, I don't get caught up in that. And I know that's guys understand that, too, that it's not about what's on the front of your jersey. It's about the players and how well they play together.

And Grant's done a great job. I've known him for a long time and he's had success everywhere he's been. So good basketball knows to level. I coached in Division III for six years at Plattville, and we felt we could play with Division I, Division II teams and we beat most of the Division II teams we played.

Again, getting caught into a label of a level is very dangerous.

Q. Does that catch your attention when you face a team like this that's had some success in the postseason?

GREG GARD: I knew obviously they beat Purdue two years ago. They have had a lot of good wins. You know, you win 29 games, it's not by accident. You know, they didn't fluke their way into 29 wins. They are, like I said, they are really good and got experienced guards. It's a guard -- it's a guard's game. Just watch how, and those two are really good players.

Q. Tyler, just for you, North Texas is probably going to be without Abou, their 6-10 guy that has anchored them throughout the season. How do you guys approach trying to take an advantage, a pretty big size advantage when you head into this game?

TYLER WAHL: I feel like they definitely miss him, and they have the last couple games but the people that have stepped up and have been playing that 5-spot have definitely done a good job. They wouldn't be winning those games and getting to the position they are at right now without it.

So we have to approach it like we would any other game and go in there ready to get a good battle.

Q. You started out strong from the free throw line early in the year and you went through that rough stretch, and now you're shooting free throws as well as you ever have. Can you explain how you were able to get it going back in the direction you wanted?

TYLER WAHL: I feel like when I came back I just lost a little bit of confidence but just going in there every day and not really worrying about the outside noise and then just continuing to get better. I feel like I was able to find it again, and then keep it rolling these last few weeks.

Q. After the Oregon game, Dana Altman had a lot to say about how much institutional support Wisconsin had given you guys, flying the pep band out, flying Bucky out, the cheerleaders to Eugene on a weeknight. Do you live like Wisconsin has your back going into the NIT?

GREG GARD: Yeah, I mean, I felt that all along. We don't get -- I ever in know if the band or the cheerleaders are going, so I just make sure I get myself on the plane and our guys are on the plane. It's work for them to make the trip.

So yeah, I mean, we've felt supported all the way through this. We have to be able to host two home games, which was good and our fan support for them was really good, specifically on the second one against Liberty. You know, these guys have embraced the support. They have taken this and an opportunity to continue to play and they have made the most of it.

Q. You guys being from Minnesota and Nebraska, Big Ten country, what does it mean to be the last Big Ten cool playing?

TYLER WAHL: I look at it as a great opportunity. Everyone wants to be playing at the end of March, and we have the opportunity to go out there. We are still playing great teams. The last four or the eight that are playing, you have to win a lot of games to get to it. I feel like the competition is good, and it's really where we want to be.

Q. The Oregon fan had the sign that said the cheese curds were overrated. Do you have any comment on cheese curds?

TYLER WAHL: I love cheese curds.

Q. What have you learned about your team throughout this tournament?

TYLER WAHL: What have I learned. I felt like it just shows that we're pretty resilient and that we have had a lot of ups and downs throughout the season, and that could have been another turning point where things fell apart. But we took it as an opportunity to come together and get some wins and play some good basketball.