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BIG TEN CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 14, 2008Blake HoffarberLawrence McKenzieTubby SmithINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA THE MODERATOR: Coach, just like yesterday, we'll ask you to make a few opening comments. We'll take questions for your players, then finish up with questions for you. COACH SMITH: Certainly was a hard-fought game. There was a lot of ebb and flow to it, and I thought we established a presence early in the game and I thought that we were able to survive the onslaught and survive without Spencer Tollackson and with our guys in foul trouble. I have to give it to Indiana. They did a super job of keeping the ball alive and getting the second and third shots there at the end. Again, I have a lot of faith in these young men and the way they played and we're just grateful to get the win. THE MODERATOR: Questions for Blake or Lawrence. Q. What were you all thinking after D.J. White hits that free throw and goes up with 1.5 seconds remaining? LAWRENCE MCKENZIE: I just told the guys to calm down, and I really felt that we had a chance to make a shot. It's just amazing. I'm still in shock right now. But I really felt -- it's funny to say, but I felt like we had a chance to make a shot. Blake got the ball. They threw the pass, perfect pass, Blake got it. It went in. It was like I might have slapped myself two times; I thought I was dreaming (laughter). Q. Obviously, Blake, what's better that shot or your Espy win? BLAKE HOFFARBER: I think they're both equal. We got the win in both of those games. I mean, that's all I want to do is win. I think all of us on the team thought we could pull off that victory. It was kind of weird when they had a couple of shots to win it with the free throws or go ahead -- they went ahead and we called a timeout and Coach made up a good play and the guys executed it and Travis threw a good pass. And I think we just got -- there's always a little luck to a win. Q. Blake, if you could, just tell us exactly what the play was and what your thoughts were when the ball left your hand? BLAKE HOFFARBER: I was actually supposed to be a decoy. I was running off two screens and just kind of being a decoy. But I saw the ball just kind of going to the middle so I went up and grabbed it and just turned and tried to get it off on time. And I guess it went off in time. Q. Did you feel like it was good? BLAKE HOFFARBER: Yeah, I felt like it was good. I was kind of fading to the corner so I couldn't really see it was -- it felt good but I couldn't see if it was on target and I saw it go through. I was in shock. Q. After taking a 16-point lead, did you feel like you all really had to walk away with the win because of what kind of loss that would have been? LAWRENCE MCKENZIE: It would have been a disappointing loss but we know Indiana is a great team and great players and they're going to fight back, even after that first punch that we gave them. They did a great job of fighting back. And I'm not thinking about what if we would have lost now. Because we got that win. Blake made a great shot. And everybody's excited. But still have two more games to go. Q. I guess, Lawrence, this would have been the end of your NCAA tournament hopes. What does it feel like to be surviving the events again and does it seem likeliest of a miracle that you guys would be able to get an NCAA tournament bid? LAWRENCE MCKENZIE: Actually, this feels great. This feels great. But we really don't want to stop at this game and hope, and hope. You know, we want to go -- we want to go and try and win it all. That's the goal. That's the goal for each team that came in. We don't want to stop right now. I think -- I mean, that shot -- I just feel like -- I don't know. I don't want to say it feels like destiny, but something like that. Something of that nature. But we want to continue to keep on playing and get rest and come back and be ready for tomorrow. Q. Obviously this game was an opportunity to avenge earlier losses against Indiana. Illinois, know you face them tomorrow, can you talk about that game? LAWRENCE MCKENZIE: It's definitely a chance. Illinois has had us for a long time. It's definitely a chance to come out there and prove something else. But we're focusing on the big goal. We're still focusing on the big goal. And that's our goal, to get to the NCAA tournament. Coach has us think up -- in the hotel, we have to think like champions. That's how we're thinking. That's really helped us. I think it's about believing. Everybody believed. And I think that's what really helped that shot. Q. Lawrence, can you talk about the team playing shorthanded, the character that you guys displayed and Travis Busch doesn't play much all year then makes the pass all year, can you talk about guys like him stepping up? LAWRENCE MCKENZIE: Busch, I can say so much about Busch. He came in, got on the floor, got the loose ball and scrapped and at the end he made a great pass. He did a great job. In a team -- in a game like this, you really come together and get close, man. Sometimes a little too close. A couple of guys kissed Blake (smiling). I think a game like this you get close and you bind together. And after you win these type of games and after these type of things happen, you feel like the next game has to be yours. And you work so hard and you got this one. So I think it definitely helped us a lot. Q. Blake, for those of us who don't know, can you tell us the shot that got you on the Espy's and something about hitting shot while you're sitting down or whatever for those who don't know? BLAKE HOFFARBER: It was my sophomore year in high school and we were in the state championship game and I don't remember how many seconds were left, but it was kind of the same thing. And we were down by two and they threw it long and I went up and the ball got bobbed around and I fell down and I shot it from the corner on the corner by the baseline on the three-point line and made it. THE MODERATOR: Thank you for your time. We'll finish up with questions for Coach Smith. Q. A second ago you were shaking your head thinking about this game, is there an element of disbelief about what just happened there? COACH SMITH: No, just time. It's late, it was a long day. Got a game to get ready for tomorrow. This is over and done with. We'd like to stay with you all night, I guess, but we can't. So we'd just like to hurry and get this over with, that's why. Q. Tubby, in the immediate aftermath of the shot, you were by the scorer's table and you looked a little bit agitated. What was going on? COACH SMITH: I'd rather not say. Q. Blake said that he was actually supposed to be a decoy. What was the play you had drawn up? COACH SMITH: Well, he was actually supposed to get the ball, but at second thought I said, no, Blake they're going to be looking for you, you're going to be a decoy. So take it off and look for Dan and we'll throw it in the middle of the lane the lane area to try to get a foul, get them going off our back and maybe we can get that call. Maybe we'll get that call. Maybe we'll get that call. (Laughter.) But he grabbed the call and he was able to get the shot off, but he did catch it and it was in that area and, right, Travis Busch has never really thrown that pass. We've run that play in practice, but he's got one of the better arms. And you can't say enough about a kid who is a walk-on, on a scholarship this year. He does all the things the right way. Plays his heart out. Set the tone defensively for us. And that's what we're looking for guys that play with that type of heart and that type of hustle. I really thought he set a pace for us. And it's a great reward for him to get that opportunity to make that pass and be a part of that play to win the game. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. End of FastScripts |
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