NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST FOUR

March 19, 2024

KJ Simpson

J'Vonne Hadley

Tristan da Silva

UD Arena

Colorado Buffaloes

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by the Colorado Buffaloes.

Q. Talk about the excitement of the tournament?

TRISTAN DA SILVA: It's great, obviously my experience in my freshman year was a little different just because of COVID. But really excited to be here with this squad. I really love this team.

J'VONNE HADLEY: I'm beyond excited. I'm also extremely grateful. Without the man above I wouldn't be here, many of us wouldn't be here. I'm extremely excited for this experience.

KJ SIMPSON: Same thing. Who doesn't love continuing to play basketball during March. Thanks to everybody who put me and my teammates in this position, all the people that are in this program that have supported us. And just excited to play.

Q. What's been the biggest reason for your recent success here and how you guys have been playing so well this last month?

KJ SIMPSON: I think it's all been prioritized on just our defense. We've kind of locked in defensively towards the last end of the stretch of the season in the Pac-12.

After our UCLA game it was a tough loss for us and we just mentally connected as a team after that and started to string together some wins.

We lost a tough one to Oregon. It was a hard-fought battle, but I think with this team we're really connected and really clicking at the right time.

J'VONNE HADLEY: I would just say our trust. Our trust in one another is at the highest it's been all season. We trust in each other that we're going to be there for each other on defense, move the ball on offense and just be there for each other in general. If have you a team like that trusts each other on both offense and defense, you're hard to beat.

TRISTAN DA SILVA: Same thing. Ultimately trusting each other, playing with our principles, knowing what we're looking for on offense and defense, and then just going out and competing.

Q. I'm sure you're aware that Coach Rice and Tad are good friends. When the selection came out, Coach Rice said, I've already watched every one of their games because I watched them all live, rooting for Tad. I assume it goes the other way too. How did that help with the prep, the coaching staff's familiarity, do you think?

TRISTAN DA SILVA: It's good, I guess. I mean, they're the ones preparing the scout. Obviously them being tight helps because they've watched all the games. They know their play style and we've already talked about it. We've already went through scouting reports. They gave us a good feel about how Boise is going to play against us.

J'VONNE HADLEY: I think with our coaching staff being familiar, it obviously helps. And it helps release a lot of stress, stress on the coaching staff for sure, because in March, quick turn around. You're playing a lot of different teams. Lot of different scouting reports, so it definitely helps relieve a lot of stress for them.

KJ SIMPSON: And I think another thing to add to that as well, add on to what these guys said, we actually played them last year. And we had a different team. They had a different team. Great players, but kind of similar -- some players have stayed as well.

So we understand kind of the personnel on each other's teams. Coaches being best friends, like J'Vonne said, it eases it, a lot easier and slower. You don't have to stress as much because like in March you play against teams you're not familiar about. But since the coaches are familiar, just makes it a lot easier and the transition a lot smoother.

Q. Tristan, curious your thoughts on Tyson Degenhart and his game and the success he's had since he arrived at Boise State.

TRISTAN DA SILVA: I've been catching up over the past weeks just because we played them last year, trying to look at how people are doing in the conference, and obviously them playing in the Mountain West, played against a couple of our guys. And yeah, he's developed pretty good. He's a solid player, fundamentally sound, can score at all three levels. So I'm excited to go up against him.

Q. KJ, towards the end of the year coach was really upset that not a lot of people were talking about you nationally. Quote, it pissed him off. How excited are you just to be here on a national stage and show the country that you were being worthy of an All-American type guy. And also for you, J'Vonne and Tristan, do you kind of echo that same sentiment that coach had about KJ should be more talked about?

KJ SIMPSON: Yeah, I mean, for sure. I mean, I'm really excited to show the world, represent who I am. I have to back up what coach says, but that's just been kind of the story of my life. I've just been kind of an underdog in the sense. Didn't do the traditional route of going to the big-named schools. Not leaving or jumping ship when things got hard. I'm real big on loyalty. So just growing up, that's who I am. That's who I've had to embody and being. So I just know that as long as I put in the work, as long as I put in the effort, I have been playing with great guys up here like this, and the support from my teammates and coaching staff, family, friends, everything will all pay off in the end, but I'm really excited to kind of showcase myself. I know we all are excited to showcase ourselves in this tournament.

Q. This is for any of you guys. What do you think you guys do best? What's the strength of your team? And then second part of the question, what do you see in Boise State as maybe the greatest challenge in playing them?

KJ SIMPSON: I think within us, I think we're at our best when we're running in transition. Obviously we're used to playing at altitude. We're well-conditioned. We love trying to get out in transition.

Defense and rebounding has been our identity or what we've prioritized as a team and within the coaching staff. So that's something that we embody within ourselves.

And then in terms of Boise State, we understand it's not going to be an easy game. They're hard-fought-nosed team. Mountain West is a tough conference. We had to go up against Colorado State. Been watching film on them and the games that Boise's been playing -- and there's a lot of good teams in that conference.

We just understand going in it's not going to be easy. All these games are not going to be easy. All the teams are good around this time. But we know if we just stick it out possession by possession and just play Colorado basketball that we'll be fine.

J'VONNE HADLEY: I would say in terms of ourselves, again, just sharing the ball, especially in March. You can't get here without guarding, both individually and the team.

Boise State is a good team, defense. And so we've just got to share the ball, move the ball and get them moving. And that's something we've done really well. We've had a lot of success. It's shown. And so we've just got to keep doing that.

In terms of Boise State, just winning the so-called war on the boards. The game starts when the shot goes up. Boxing out, finishing possessions, rebounding, and just being physical. It's going to be a physical game. We understand that I'm pretty sure Boise State understands that. So it's going to be a physical game, for sure.

TRISTAN DA SILVA: I don't have much to add. They both pretty much summed it up. I think it's a toughness game at the end of the day. So that shows up in rebounding, finishing plays, playing through contact. That's what it's going to come down to.

Q. Do you feel that same way that Tad was feeling about his play and how he should be more talked about, and how it's a big stage for him to show what he can do?

J'VONNE HADLEY: For sure, not only because he's one of my guys, just because his play style, his numbers, everything points in the right direction, that it's on a national level.

So he should have been getting those national looks. And there's a lot of questions why, why hasn't he. But I know it's a perfect opportunity for, not only him, but like KJ said, the rest of us as well. We wouldn't get here if we weren't a good, solid team and if we didn't have solid players.

Obviously we have a good so-called head of the snake, KJ, Tristan, Eddie, a veteran group. We have a lot of guys are excited to showcase our talents as well.

TRISTAN DA SILVA: Obviously I'm happy for him. He's been playing phenomenal. So getting on that stage and getting to compete against the best, that's what he's supposed to do.

But as J'Vonne said, everybody on this team I'm happy for, to be in this position and playing against a good team on the national level.

Q. You guys started the Buff Chain and defensive player of the game chain. What momentum has it brought for team chemistry? And what would it mean for one of you guys to get one of those chains in a win for Dayton, whether it be the Buff chain or the defense player chain?

TRISTAN DA SILVA: You just get credit at the end of the game or the next day. It's kind of a funny way to shout people out after their performance, and it's a funny thing to do.

We're happy for guys that haven't gotten the chain yet. They get the chain or they come off the bench, they get the chain and they impact the game in a different way. So it's a fun little thing.

J'VONNE HADLEY: It's definitely a fun thing that we do. But at the end of the day it would be really cool to have the opportunity to get those chains because we only do it when we win.

After we get this W, yeah, it would be cool for anybody on our team to get the chain. We're not the type of team to be, like, he should have got it, or he should have got that chain. We're just grateful that we have the opportunity to get those chains.

KJ SIMPSON: I think like they said, it's a funny way, but at the same time it's real competitive within the team. And that's something that you want. You want guys competing and trying to get a defensive chain.

In a sense, that's not really what we look for. It's not, our priority is, oh, I have to play defense so I can get the chain. Like we said, it's a funny way of giving credit to the guy that stepped up and played great defense or a guy who was the Buff of the game in a sense for that game.

But we do compete within ourselves and within each other. And it's just a good way to kind of keep everybody connected.

Q. KJ, Boise State is certainly grateful to be back in the NCAA Tournament for a third straight year. But their initial reaction was shocked that they got a spot in the First Four. What was your team's reaction when they got the news you would be coming to Dayton because it's an awfully quick turnaround?

KJ SIMPSON: We were excited, we were excited. But I know me personally I was kind of stuck in the moment because it's the first time I've been announced in March Madness, and seeing Colorado pop up, it was like, oh, wow, I understand it's the First Four but we still made it.

There's a bunch of really good teams that didn't make it. I think with the room everybody was really excited just keep on playing basketball and keep this season going.

Q. I know you don't want to necessarily be matched up with him, but Tyson Degenhart, he's done something that's never been done in Boise State, brought this team to three straight NCAA Tournaments. Thoughts on Tyson's play and his impact on his team?

KJ SIMPSON: He's a heck of a player. I remember playing against him last year at the Myrtle Beach tournament and how much the coaches stressed on him within the scouting report and going against him and seeing his talent and his leadership out there and following that team along the year last year and then understanding what they've been doing this year. I mean, it's special.

You have a guy like that who goes out there and plays hard for his team, and it's nothing but respect for him, and can't wait to go up against him.

Q. As for you, if you're a younger team, this can be overwhelming getting to the tournament. You guys are veterans. You've played all kinds of basketball over the years. Is there a sense going into this that your confidence just going and kind of let it all hang out the next few days?

KJ SIMPSON: Yeah, for sure. I mean, I know I've never been to March Madness but at the same time I have the experience of playing at a high level and playing against high-level teams. And I know everybody on this team or most of the guys on this team have that same experience.

I think at this stage you just have to take the approach of you just gotta go out there and play. You can't rise to the level of expectations. You have to fall back on your principles, fall back on what you've been doing in practice, do the things that got you here and to this point.

Obviously the higher level you go, you're going to need guys to step up, going to need guys to play great minutes. But I have every confidence and trust within my teammates that we'll be able to do that, even if it's March Madness or any other game.

J'VONNE HADLEY: I would say that I'm pretty comfortable. I know that -- again, we're a veteran group. I know that we're pretty comfortable. I know that we know that we should be here. We've earned this. We've worked for this, both individually and as a team.

I know for myself, I've been through a different path than other people. I went to junior college and stuff like that. So I know that my work, I deserve to be here and I'm comfortable being here. I know the guys are in the same boat. We've worked for this. So we're going to go into the game comfortable and ready to go.

TRISTAN DA SILVA: As J'Vonne said, I think we're here for a reason. So we just keep trusting each other, keep playing together, keep playing the way that we know we're capable of, we're going to be all right.

Q. J'Vonne, what stands out about Chibuzo Agbo's game? He's obviously a good shooter, underrated defender, but what stands out about his game for Boise State?

J'VONNE HADLEY: I would say the biggest thing that we talked about is just his effort, his ability to rebound the ball and just do a little bit of everything. When you have guys like that, they're a tough guard. So that's definitely one of the key points of the game. So we know we have to lock in and just do what we do.

Q. KJ, Max Rice for Boise State he's been here multiple times as a kid, basically. What about his game stands out to you and obviously he can shoot but he does a lot of instinctual things for his team at times. What about Max Rice stands out to you?

KJ SIMPSON: I think just the biggest thing obviously he can shoot. He can shoot and he has the ultimate green light to shoot. And he will pull it from anywhere. But he also has a high IQ. He does really smart things. You can see it in watching films. He kind of makes the right play at the right times, and he's just a great player.

Obviously I remember him from going against him last year. Seeing the improvement he's made and the success of the team, it's been kind of cool to watch. And so I have nothing but respect for him. Obviously I'll have to stay attached because he will let it fly. Just watching film and getting prepared for that match-up.