MOUNTAIN WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 13, 2024

Richard Pitino

Donovan Dent

Tru Washington

Thomas & Mack Center

New Mexico Lobos

Postgame Press Conference

New Mexico 82, Air Force 56

THE MODERATOR: We have student-athletes Donovan Dent, Tru Washington. Coach, your thoughts on tonight's game? Are.

RICHARD PITINO: Loved our energy, loved our toughness, plus 20 on the glass. Loved the way we shared the ball. 21 assists.

I thought overall it was about as complete a performance as we've had in a while. I know it was the largest margin of victory in the history for us in the Mountain West Tournament, which is great.

All-around really good 40-minute effort, and it was good to be able to play some guys going into the bench a little bit because obviously we're trying to do what every other team is trying to do here and win three more. We know it's going to be hard, but it was great to be able to get this win tonight.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Just how much did the Air Force game a couple of weeks ago weigh on your mind going into this one, and how did it feel to get your get-back?

DONOVAN DENT: A couple of weeks ago they kind of hurt us a lot. We didn't come in prepared and we took them for granted. This game we came in ready, prepared to do what we gotta do.

TRU WASHINGTON: Like he said, we took the first game for granted. This game we came in and got after it.

Q. Obviously the competition will get a little tougher, but when you look at the way you were able to dominate in basically every facet of the game tonight, what does that do for your confidence going forward?

DONOVAN DENT: I think it just builds momentum for us going into a strong game against Boise. We know what we have to do. We have to be physical. We didn't win against them in the regular season, so we know what we have to do to figure it out.

Q. The Boise State matchup tomorrow obviously is the big one for you guys in a lot of ways. Not only did they sweep you guys, you guys probably need another good quality win to feel a little more comfortable about NCAA Tournament. What needs to change in the Boise State matchup?

DONOVAN DENT: We just have to be more physical. They kind of bullied us the first two games this season. We know what we have to do: We have rebound and play hard and play together.

TRU WASHINGTON: After this game I feel like we're finally clicking. Going into the game we're going to have a better bond going into it, so we should get this win.

Q. Based on this last matchup that you had with Air Force and just being able to make those types of differences, I mean, what do you think you'll be able to bring in from this game into the next game with Boise State?

TRU WASHINGTON: Just our confidence, man. This first game we're just trying to get the rhythm. Going into the next game and just get the win.

DONOVAN DENT: I think this builds great momentum for us. Great first win. Getting day two, it would feel great.

Q. This is for you, Tru. You haven't had a lot of games recently in the back half of the season, maybe the last month or so, where you scored 14. You had some of those in nonconference. I'm curious, when you got out there today, what was the difference, and what gives you the mindset just to be aggressive in your role like you were in the second half tonight?

TRU WASHINGTON: Just get on the court and play hard at all times. Even if it's going my way or not going my way, just go in there and just compete.

Q. Another question for you, Tru. Obviously another great game today. You've had the opportunity for this year to learn under some great guards, like the guy next to you, like Jaelen House, Jamal Mashburn Jr. What are some of the things that you think helped you kind of have this great game today from what you have learned from that?

TRU WASHINGTON: I will say it started at practice. Competing against them, they're making me better as much as I'm making them better. Just having confidence going into this game, honestly.

THE MODERATOR: We'll dismiss the student-athletes at this time. Questions for Coach.

Q. The way you dominated the boards was impressive. They only had four offensive rebounds. The second chances, A, that you didn't allow them and the ones that you got set the tone and you were able to get out and run. They didn't get second chances. The offensive rebounds I though was pretty good. Your thoughts?

RICHARD PITINO: They switched everything, so they're going to have guards on bigs around the rim. You have to take advantage of it.

We had the size advantage. Our guys were battling their butts off on the glass. JT was terrific. Then it allows us to get out on the break, I mean, if we rebound the ball.

Like you said, we guarded them, and they missed 30 shots. We only allowed them to get four offensive rebounds, which was great. Physically a very, very good performance by our guys.

Q. Rytis Petraitis had 16 points and 6 rebounds at the half tonight. What did you try to do differently in the second half to try to limit what he does?

RICHARD PITINO: I mean, he had 26 points and 10 rebounds, so I don't know if we did anything well on him. He is really good, and he's really good at finishing around the rim.

We had, like, four or five and-ones that we've got to be better at, but he's one of the better players in the league, and he just finds a way to not take bad shots to get to the rim, so a lot of that -- I thought we made him earn it, but a lot of it was him just being really good.

Q. Obviously getting a lot of production on both ends of the floor from basically anyone on any given night is something that has helped you throughout this season, but how does that help in a tournament setting especially today and going into the rest of the tournament?

RICHARD PITINO: It was good to be able to rest some guys. Mash is coming off of an illness, so he was winded. We were getting him in and out.

Jaelen played really, really well, but then we were up, and I wanted to keep him out. Donovan was playing pretty well offensively. I was trying to get him that 10th assist to see if he could do it. It was good to be able to not wear them down too much and still find a way to win the game.

Q. A couple of the specialty stats that have coincided with your success and your struggles this year are points off turnovers and points in the paint. You guys 50 points in the paint and got back to 20-9 advantage in points off turnovers. Those are the two things that seem to bring you a lot of success. Was there something that you guys did going into this game that kind of focused on those two in particular?

RICHARD PITINO: Well, we wanted to disrupt. I think if you let Air Force run their offense and you let them be comfortable, they can pick you apart. They've done it to us obviously in the past. We were really, really aggressive trying to turn them over.

Then we knew whenever we've been good versus Air Force, we've had to go inside because, like I said, they're going to switch everything, and they're going to be physical with you. We wanted to go inside. We wanted to get to the free-throw line. So credit to our guys to be able to go in there or throw it in there.

Q. JT in particular inside shot 8-of-12 and hit a three too, but double-double for JT and his ability to kind of do that on a big stage again. I know this is the first round, but it is a tournament that he has never been in.

RICHARD PITINO: Just remarkably consistent. Remarkably productive, and to do it missing three or four shots. Not a high, high volume guy by any means.

He's had a great year. I told our guys, I said it's been a really good year. Can we go make it a great year this week? And tonight was the right step in the right direction.

Q. Boise State is the matchup. They swept you guys. Big and physical on the last one. You said you got bullied a little bit. I'm curious what you do to combat a bully and what you can do. They're the same size as they were when you played them both times in the regular season. What can you do to combat what they do?

RICHARD PITINO: Just be more tough. Be more physical. Provide more resistance. Do a better job on Stanley and Degenhart. They were too comfortable st game. We have to keep Buzo off the glass. He hurt us. Everybody has to be ready. We've put ourselves in a position to go do something special.

23 wins is great, and we have to get some rest, lock in, see if we can get one tomorrow because Boise is a terrific team.

They're tough, and we've got to be tougher.

Q. Just kind of along those same lines, Richard, you guys clearly have a competitive bunch. How eager are you to get another shot at Boise State?

RICHARD PITINO: Well, eager to get some rest. I'm happy that we played great tonight. We'll go back and watch some film. We'll go play with amazing energy and spirit.

We've got some of the best fans in the world that love to turn this into Pit West. Hopefully they can do that. We have a high level respect for Boise. Well-coached, tough culture, have had a level of consistency that we're trying to build over time it. We've got to give them our best shot because they're really good.

Q. One more: If you look at the way the game went tonight, Donovan Dent plays a tick over 30 minutes. You kept everybody else well under what they averaged. Did that go about as ideal as you would have wanted it to in those regards?

RICHARD PITINO: Yeah, I think so. Being able to get to the bench a little bit was great, and hopefully we'll have fresh legs tomorrow. You never know going into these games. You don't prepare for it. You just want to play great basketball.

We did that, and it was good to be able to sub some guys out and get them some rest.

Q. You got off to a great start. How did that help fuel the way you want to play and the way you want to disrupt?

RICHARD PITINO: Yeah, I thought we were ready to go. Like our guys said, we were really disappointed in the last one that we lost at our place. That one really, really stung.

To our guys' credit, they bounced back. They played unbelievably hard. They looked at themselves in the mirror and said, we didn't bring it that game. The coaching staff looked themselves in the mirror and said, we didn't bring it that game and did a much better job tonight.