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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 10, 2011

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by BYU. Coach, some general comments on today's game.
COACH ROSE: I was really pleased with how we competed. I thought our team in crucial situations got big rebounds. We made big shots. We made big free throws. We were able to win that first-round game, which is very difficult, to play a team for the third time.
Give a lot of credit to Coach Christian and his team. I thought they did some things. They controlled the pace of this game, played at the pace they wanted to. We got a little impatient at times offensively. But for the most part, we got good shots. We just were in a little bit of a hurry. I think a lot of that had to do with the pace defensively. We were on defense a long time. When you sprint that thing up there, you get in a hurry to score.
To be able to finish the game like we did, hit a few free throws, win the game, we're excited to move forward.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions for the student-athletes.

Q. Is there anything specific about the TCU defense that made it so difficult to score for you today?
JIMMER FREDETTE: They did a good job defensively. But, like coach said, we had a lot of open shots that we just missed tonight. Not a lot of times do we miss wide-open shots like that. But sometimes that happens. We just kept playing, kept battling, still got the win. So that was good.

Q. Wins in March are rarely pretty. Is this just surviving and advancing?
COACH ROSE: We're excited. We'll build on this. It's a big win. I think that our whole team is looking forward to tomorrow.
JIMMER FREDETTE: Yeah, definitely we're looking forward to tomorrow. This game's done with now. We got the win. That's really what matters. We keep moving forward. It's one-and-done. I'm just proud of my teammates, how we battled, found a way to win, even though we didn't play very well.

Q. There's a perception nationally that you're diminished without Brandon. How is the evolution of reinventing the team going? Where do you think you are at this stage? Are you ready for the tournament?
JIMMER FREDETTE: I don't think we have to necessarily reinvent anything. We still have guys on this team that can play and do the stuff. They're still going to play the same way. I don't think that we have to necessarily change the way we play to be a better team.
I think we're going to be fine. All's we got to do is go out and play and make shots, play our game, same way as always.
CHARLES ABOUO: I agree with Jimmer. We have a great coaching staff. We're a really deep team. Regardless of the guys that are out there, our coaches do a good job of helping us play with confidence. We have a lot of confidence in each other, in our abilities.
I think whichever five guys are on the court, just play hard, we're all trying to win the game.

Q. Can you talk about you might get Colorado State or New Mexico. Are the Lobos a team you want to face after what happened against them this year?
JIMMER FREDETTE: It doesn't really matter to me. Either one. Both teams are going to be tough opponents to play against. They're both fighting for their NCAA tournament lives. I think either one is going to give a great effort.
We're not really looking to see. I don't have a favorite one to play or anything like that. I'm just ready to go out there and play again.
CHARLES ABOUO: Yeah, I agree. You got to be ready to face either team. Like we saw today, every team is going to give you a battle. Every team is playing for their lives. Regardless of who we play, we just have to be ready and go out and win the game.

Q. Jimmer, have you enjoyed the attention you've gotten this year? Are you looking forward to the NCAA tournament? Do you know what's coming?
JIMMER FREDETTE: The year's been great. We've had a great year. Won the conference regular-season championship. Had a great season. Things have gone well. The media attention is a little crazy at times, so you just have to manage your time the best you can.
But I was happy that we got a win today. I'm not too worried about the NCAA tournament right now 'cause we have such a tough game we're going to have to play tomorrow. Once we play that game, we'll see what happens after that.
But obviously it's creeping up on us. We just need to continue to win. If we win, keep winning, it will help us for down the road.

Q. Charles, you've doubled your season average over the last eight games in points and rebounds. What have you adjusted in your game to make yourself more productive?
CHARLES ABOUO: You know, I haven't really adjusted anything. All year what I try to do is just make sure when my number is called to come out there and help my teammates, play as hard as I can, just be in a situation to make plays and help us win.
Sometimes you get more points than other games. The mindset's always been the same.
THE MODERATOR: We'll dismiss the student-athletes at this time and continue with questions for Coach Rose.

Q. Can you talk about not subbing in the second half, what that means for your team.
COACH ROSE: Well, the pace of the game was pretty slow. It was dictated by TCU. We tried to get it going to start that second half. We got a little bit of a lead, then we had some open shots, missed it. Then they did a good job of coming back.
I thought the pace of the game was to a point where it was going to be limited possessions. Then they zoned us. We haven't been zoned for quite a while. That group was the most comfortable offensive unit against the zone. So we stayed with that group so we could get some consistency.
I thought that was an issue in the first half, that we played in spurts, but we weren't very consistent. So stayed with the same group, you know, for that as well.

Q. When you get in a game like that where the other team is trying to control the tempo, how do you force the tempo your own way?
COACH ROSE: I thought we did. We got out, got some good looks at the basket. We didn't shoot the ball from the three-point line as well as we're capable of. We're not a team that will go out and trap and try to take chances defensively to get steals. We rely a lot on Jackson's ability to make defensive plays.
But we made some really crucial plays down the stretch defensively where we got stops, were able to get the ball. But tonight was about grinding it out, finding a way to win without hitting your comfortable shots that you normally hit. Noah did a terrific job on the boards getting second attempts for scores. Charles did a terrific job getting second attempts for scores. Kyle Collinsworth had eight rebounds, he was terrific getting to the free-throw line and converting at times.
We're pleased with the win, look forward to tomorrow.

Q. What made TCU so difficult to shake today?
COACH ROSE: I think that Jim has done a great job in the last couple weeks keeping that group together. It's hard to coach your team when you don't have a lot of success. Both of the games we've played have been really close at times, then we've hit some shots and kind of broke it open.
But they played a great game at Air Force, had a chance there to win. Played a great game at Utah, had a chance to win late in the season. Then he had a week to prepare. I thought he did a terrific job in his preparation against Wyoming and it carried over tonight.
These games are hard to win. First-round games, just take a look, it's not just happening here in Vegas, but all over the country. The dark jerseys are winning a lot of games.

Q. Is there a reason why we've seen a lot less minutes from Stephen Rogers the last few games?
COACH ROSE: Stephen is one of those guys who gives us a real lift when he comes off the bench and hits shots. I think his confidence right now is maybe down a little. What we need him to do is get in there, hit a few shots, and he'll be fine.

Q. Can you talk about second-chance points? I can't imagine that's the way you thought you would win today.
COACH ROSE: I think we've probably addressed this quite a few times. That's the special, unique thing about this team. If you followed us from the start of the season, South Padre Island, Omaha, Nebraska, Buffalo, New York, Glens Falls, New York, watched this team play, this would not surprise you because we see this group has found ways to win games. This is 28, 29 wins. That's something that you don't find a lot of teams across the country that can be that consistent in finding ways to win games.
So you're right. Last night I didn't think that. Today, watching it, didn't surprise me. We needed to do that to win.

Q. If you play New Mexico tomorrow, what has been the most frustrating for you in the two games this season?
COACH ROSE: They beat us (smiling).

Q. You talked about how this group was the best group that plays the best against the zone. Is that why we saw limited minutes from Magnusson?
COACH ROSE: Again, I thought the pace of this game dictated the substitution pattern, okay? You get a game where there's a lot more possessions in the game, then we'll need to deal with that.
It's basically all about a feel. You're trying to figure out a way to help your team win a game. We knew as a group that that second half was going to go fast because TCU had the ball most of the time.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much, coach.
COACH ROSE: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENT

March 10, 2011

Charles Abouo

Jimmer Fredette

Dave Rose