NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - DRAKE VS WASHINGTON STATE

March 21, 2024

Darian DeVries

Tucker DeVries

Atin Wright

Darnell Brodie

CHI Health Center

Drake Bulldogs

Media Conference

Washington State 66, Drake 61

THE MODERATOR: Drake Bulldogs are with us. Head Coach Darian DeVries, Tucker DeVries, Atin Wright, Darnell Brodie.

DARIAN DeVRIES: Congrats to Washington State on a hard-fought win. Certainly a game that we felt like we had a chance there and had gotten a cushion there late in the game. Just weren't able to close it out.

It's always tough to end your season today was a tough one always. I thought our guys played extremely hard and left it all out there, and unfortunately, came up a little short.

Q. Darian, can you talk about how much the game changed down the stretch when Darnell fouled out?

DARIAN DeVRIES: That was tough for us. With their size and physicality, having Brodie out there is certainly helpful, so I thought down the stretch we could have really used him. Especially on the defensive end.

He had a really good second half too. We were able to get it inside a lot more in the second half and go to him and go play through him a little bit more, and weren't able to do that obviously when he was out there late in the game those last four minutes or so.

Q. Darian, the last maybe seven and a half minutes, two field goals. What happened offensively that got you guys out of rhythm?

DARIAN DeVRIES: A combination of things. They went to a zone there for a little while. They went to a one-three-one and took us out of our rhythm a little bit there. Missed a few good looks at a critical time.

We had gotten up eight. I thought we had gotten a couple of good looks there to maybe extend it to 11. We were able to get a couple of those to go down.

There was a couple of bad turnovers in there, a couple of possessions we didn't get exactly what we would have liked, and ended up having to take something -- challenge late clock.

I was disappointed. I thought we had really found a nice rhythm there, gotten up eight, and felt like we were starting to take control of the game. Maybe one of those goes down, and we're in a good spot, but it didn't happen.

Q. Things go a little sideways for you down the stretch last year and then this happens. Just what's the disappointment level? Maybe have a little bit of deja vu here, Darian?

DARIAN DeVRIES: Yeah, certainly last year's game, this year's game, two different teams, two different games, but having a lead late in these games and things, I think the first thing as a coach is you blame yourself. You go back and think about everything you could have done differently.

There's certainly plenty of possessions there where I would have liked if maybe we had done something else. So I thought, again, I go back to our guys played their hearts out and put themselves in position to win. We came up a little short.

Q. Tucker, talk a little bit about Darnell and the three years you guys have spent together and what he has meant to you.

TUCKER DeVRIES: It's been special to play with Brodie. He's meant a lot to this program. He's put so much into what this program is about, and the fans love him. We love him and the work he has put in to put himself in this position.

Honestly really wanted to win this one for him being his last year. This is why he came back, to get back to this stage. I thought he played a great game, especially the second half. He kind of took over the game. For us not to close it out for him hurts pretty bad. Especially not being able to have him out there for the last three minutes.

I can't thank Brodie enough for everything he's done for me and the program because he's meant a lot to everybody here.

Q. To follow up on what Tucker just said, Darnell, how are you feeling right now about the way things have ended here and your career as you hear your teammate talk so highly about you?

DARNELL BRODIE: My years here at Drake have been absolutely amazing. I'm thankful for my coaches and teammates for believing in me and for how far I came and them putting their trust in me and helping me get to where I'm at.

At the same time this is a brand new team, young team, and we came so far. We played as hard as we can, and that's all I could ask for as far as being a senior.