ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 12, 2024

Earl Grant

Jaeden Zackery

Claudell Harris

Capital One Arena

Boston College Eagles

Postgame Press Conference

Boston College 81, Miami 65

EARL GRANT: Really proud of the players. I thought we played extremely hard, followed the game plan, played together, shared the ball. We just executed the plan that we put together, and guys just played with a lot of grit. So just proud of the players and happy for our program.

Q. Coach, how good was your defense in the first half, and when Zackery and Post are going like that, as a coach do you try not to get in the way? How is it when they're flowing like that?

EARL GRANT: Yeah, that's a good word, flowing. That's what we try to do. We try to flow.

But you're talking about two guys who have been with me for three years. We've been together. So JZ has been my point guard, and I won't trade him for anybody else. He knows what to do out there. He knows what to do.

Him and Quinten Post been here building the program for three consecutive years. There's a lot of confidence I have when they're on the floor.

Q. What does this all-around game say for Quinten, and if he can avoid injury, what do you see as his ability at the next level?

EARL GRANT: Yeah, he's a great player. He's developed in the program. Came in pretty humble, wanted to be coached, wanted to get better. He got an opportunity. Came off the bench his first year, and he just kept getting better.

I think he's got a bright future. I think he'll play basketball for a lot of years once he's done with his college basketball, and hopefully he's got a lot more college basketball to play.

Q. Coach, you're up by 15 in the second half, they went on that surge. I think it was a 7-0 run to cut it to eight. Seemed like you guys kept your cool, pulled away down the stretch. Speaking of the composure, how can you make sure that carries on into next game, especially with short rest against a team that already beat you this season?

EARL GRANT: Yeah, we've got veteran guards. Obviously JZ, this is his fourth year in college; Claudell, this is his third; Mason, it's his fourth. So we've got veteran guards.

Good teams makes runs. Miami has some good players and so they can make shots. They're big and physical, got an all-conference player, guys who can make a lot of threes. Teams are going to make runs.

So we just stayed steady, and our guys just continued to execute, and then they got back on track.

Q. What does the next 24 hours look like for you, how fast you have to turn around, getting the scout to the players and getting them through their walk-through? Along with for the players, how do you guys handle being rehydrated, getting off your feet so you can have the same amount of energy tomorrow night for the late game?

CLAUDELL HARRIS, JR.: As for the players, I feel like it's like he said, us being veterans, we have to lead the team into not only being good on the court but being good off the court, as well. Hydrating, eating well, making sure we get rest, making sure we stretch, making sure everything is right, mentally, physically and emotionally to be ready for tomorrow.

Q. Quinten obviously had the big number with 13 rebounds, but a number of guys posted multiple rebounds. How did the team attack the rim, get on the boards, just the collective communication between everybody that was on the floor tonight?

JAEDEN ZACKERY: I would say it's been a big thing in practice. We've been talking about rebounding down and box points. So the biggest thing we worked on is getting to the rim, and we know we have two of the best rebounders in the conference with Devin and QP. But we know we have great guards that can rebound too as it shows in the stats every game.

So we've made a big point on just getting to the rim, being physical like the team we are, and just we benefit from it.

Q. Earl, obviously QP has had a strong season, but have you noticed any extra urgency from him, especially on a night like tonight?

EARL GRANT: You know, I think he's got good teammates, and they've been together for some years. He's got some new guys in the program that he's connected with now, as well.

I just think he wants to continue to play. I think he wants to continue. His brotherhood is probably the biggest thing. So he's been playing with good energy, good passion. He's been doing it all year.

But I think that's the biggest thing, just the brotherhood and wanting to continue to play with his brothers.

Q. Coach, obviously when you beat a team two times in the regular season, you can expect them to give you some different looks, offense, defense. What adjustments did you see from Miami, and what were you able to do to overcome that?

EARL GRANT: I mean, they did make some adjustments. They went with a bigger lineup, played two bigger guys instead of the four-guard lineup that they usually play. They went to some zone, 2-3 zone which they hadn't done in either of the other games. I thought our players did a good job of just adapting and adjusting.

Again, it goes back to just experience on our team. They don't panic. We're not perfect, but they don't panic, and they just keep trying to figure things out.