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NCAA MEN'S 2ND & 3RD ROUNDS: PHILADELPHIAMarch 22, 2013Gregory EcheniqueGreg McDermottDoug McDermottEthan WraggePHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA Creighton – 67 COACH MCDERMOTT: I was scared to death of this game, just because the more I watched Cincinnati, the more I realized it probably wasn't the best of match‑ups for us because of their length, their athletic ability, their ability to be disruptive on the defensive end of the floor, and I wasn't sure we could rebound with them for 40 minutes. And to our guys' credit, they did rebound with them for 40 minutes. Cincinnati hasn't been out‑rebounded much this year, and we found a way to do it. We had some self‑inflicted turnovers that we don't normally have, but fortunately we came out of the gate strong. Ethan had a great first half, Doug got it going there a little bit, and we were able to build a little bit of a lead and then hang on. But Gregory Echenique was huge for us; his ball screen defense, his ability to protect the paint, and then I think he had the basket of the game when it was tied at 54 out of that time‑out. He made a tough man‑type play to get us two points to regain the lead there. Really proud of my team. We've been shooting for this game for a year, wanting to get back to have an opportunity to play to get into the Sweet 16, and I'm proud that we've gotten back to that point. Q. Greg, it's been a while since you played in the Big East, but is this win going to have a little extra meaning because it was over a Big East team? GREGORY ECHENIQUE: You know, it's still special, regardless. It's an NCAA game. But it's definitely a good feeling because I know I took a lot of heat when I left Rutgers and went to Creighton and all that. People questioned it, why would I leave a Big East team and all that. And definitely, I mean, it's good now. It's good to prove to people why I did what I did and how special of a team we've got and how special Omaha and Creighton and the whole family that we have is. That definitely means a lot to me. Q. 54‑54 in the last three minutes of the game, what made the difference for you guys in terms of scoring and defense and getting to the basket. DOUG McDERMOTT: I thought we did a great job of rebounding, and we also got to the line and hit 11 of 12 free throws, so that certainly helps. We have a lot of confidence in all of our guys to come in and knock down free throws, and I mean, it was a little ugly there towards the end but we found a way to pull it off, and I'm really proud that we can move on here. ETHAN WRAGGE: I thought the guys in there did a good job of taking it one possession at a time, not really looking at the score, just kind of getting a stop and then taking care of the ball, and I thought we just did a good job of pushing through that tough time. Q. For Greg and Doug, you guys have a great opportunity here against Duke, four‑time national champ, No.2 seed. What are your thoughts on the opportunity this game represents and how well you played today, how confident are you going into that game? GREGORY ECHENIQUE: Well, I'm really excited. I mean, last year we got to play North Carolina, this year we get Duke. I'm really looking forward to it. I think it's a great opportunity for us, another great tradition, a great program, and like I said, I think it's just a big opportunity for us to, once again, try to prove people wrong, and this is what we worked for. We knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I'm confident that we'll put a plan together and we'll be able to come and compete. DOUG McDERMOTT: I mean, we've been working for this moment since we lost to North Carolina last year, so I think it's every kid's dream to get a chance to play against Duke in the NCAA Tournament. It really doesn't get much better than that. They're a great team, especially with Ryan Kelly in the lineup. We know it's going to be a huge challenge, but it's what it's all about. We're going to get ready, have a good practice tomorrow, and I know our coach will put together a good plan, and we'll be ready to go. Q. Gregory and Doug, a very physical game, late in the season you guys, big guys playing almost every minute of the game. How does your body feel, and how do you recover in time to get back on the court by Sunday? DOUG McDERMOTT: Yeah, I mean, it was a really physical game. We knew coming in that it would be. We've been off for about a week and a half or so since our conference tournament, so it was a little winded to start the game, but I eased into it a little bit, and I've got to give them a lot of credit, they were physical on the back boards, and I guess for now just get an ice bath, get off my feet, drink a lot of fluids and be ready to go against Duke. GREGORY ECHENIQUE: Yeah, I agree with that. I think we'll just get some ice and all that. Surprisingly my body doesn't feel too bad. I'm actually happy about that. I was thinking about that after the game and I'm excited. A lot of times things hurt more later on, so I'm just looking forward to Sunday, and I'm pretty sure I'll just stay off my feet, drink a lot of water, and I'll be good. Q. Doug and Ethan, I know it probably wasn't on your mind, but does this kind of give you an idea of what you guys are going to be in for playing in the Big East next year? DOUG McDERMOTT: Yeah, it's really physical basketball and a lot of athletes a lot different than what we're used to in Missouri Valley. It should be a great challenge for our program, but we're looking forward to it, and I mean, they're just kind of a preview of what it's going to be like starting next year. We're definitely really excited for it. ETHAN WRAGGE: Yes, to second what Doug said, it was an honor to play a team in the Big East, and we were excited for the challenge. Yeah, they have a lot more athletic ability than people in our league, and I thought we were able to find a way around it today and just fight through it. Q. Doug, can you just take us through the flagrant, what you think happened there, and when you caught the ball what were you seeing and how did that all occur? DOUG McDERMOTT: I mean, it's just natural. I mean, I maybe was a little too high with the ball, just probably a call you've got to make in that situation. I was being aggressive, and they got me there. It's too bad it happened, but our team found a way to fight through it, and I'm really proud that Austin go to the line and hit those free throws there at the end of the game to give us a chance to win. Q. Doug, how much will this team's success in the postseason determine what you want to do individually after this season? DOUG McDERMOTT: I mean, it means a lot. Since last season we wanted to get back to this game like we've all been saying, and I mean, it definitely plays a big factor just because I want to go as far as we possibly can. And when we've got seniors like Grant Gibbs and Gregory, we just want to do it for them, and that's really all I'm focused on right now is just trying to get as far as we can and that decision will come later. But I feel like it definitely does play a part in it. Q. Doug, I kidded Gibbs that he looks like me getting out of bed in the morning when he came off the court. Do you notice what it takes for him to prepare for a game and what he goes through? DOUG McDERMOTT: Yeah, he's had some injuries through his career, but he's a guy where you roll the ball on the floor, he's ready to go. He's a competitor. He knows he doesn't have a lot of time left. He's getting towards the end of his career. So he's just happy to be there. He's a tough kid, and he's the heart and soul of our team. He's a leader off the floor. We're so glad grant is a part of this team. He may end up on top 10 a couple times tonight, but we're happy for him, and we wouldn't trade him for anyone. Q. Doug or Gregory, they pride themselves on their physicality, and fair or not, there's a notion that teams that score a lot aren't necessarily as physical. Do you think you guys put a little bit of that to rest that you guys can play physical when and if necessary? GREGORY ECHENIQUE: Yeah, it's funny how somehow it always goes back to people questioning our toughness, but I honestly don't think that's true at all. I think we can definitely play tough. We've showed it before, and we just proved it today again. And yeah, we take it personal. Obviously it's disrespectful when people say that, but it's okay, we had a chance to prove it and we did, and if we get challenged again, we'll be there. Q. Doug, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you broke your own single‑season school scoring record for Creighton. Is that just the icing on the cake for you, and what does that mean to you kind of with another NCAA win? DOUG McDERMOTT: Yeah, it doesn't mean a lot to me now, but I'm sure down the road it will mean a lot more to me. There's been a lot of great players to play at Creighton, guys that I've looked up to growing up, so it's definitely a really cool accomplishment. But something Creighton hasn't done is made it to the Sweet 16. So that's my goal right now, so that's all I'm focused on, and definitely a cool accomplishment though. Q. Kind of along the same lines with Gibbs, a lot is made about your son finding you at Creighton, but apparently he did, as well. What do you see in him? Seems like you give him a lot of the instruction or he runs a lot of the instruction. COACH MCDERMOTT: He's a winner. He won in high school. I probably started watching him when he was in eighth or ninth grade and recruited him when I was at Iowa State. And obviously he's had a rash of injuries starting with a broken wrist in high school that caused him to miss most of his senior year, he tore his labrum and has knee problems, foot problems, you name it. But from the shoulders up, he's one of the better basketball players I've ever been around. He absolutely gets it, understands it. He's got a great feel for his teammates, when they maybe need a kick in the rear, when they need a pat on the back, when they need a touch in the post. Those are things that are really hard to teach, and they're inherent to Grant. We would not be where we're at today without him. I mean, you take‑‑ there's a lot of guys that have scored a lot more points and got a lot more rebounds, but he is our ultimate glue guy. He held everything together when we had a tough stretch in February. Q. On the flipside of what I asked Gregory, in a game like this where buckets are at a premium, how critical is it to have guys that you know can score, especially from outside and at the free‑throw line? COACH MCDERMOTT: I think it was really important that Ethan Wragge hit some shots early because that forced him to stretch their defense, and now we were able to get it to Doug and Gregory in some isolation situations on the block. The reality of it is when we had a chance to pull away they made a couple great blocks on lay‑ups for Doug where we got the ball exactly where we wanted and they went and made a great play. But we're built on our ability to shoot it, and we've got a lot of guys that can do it, and generally if one guy is not having a great night, somebody else will. But the combination of Doug and Gregory inside with some of the guys that we have that can shoot the ball gives us some pretty good weapons. Q. When the game was tied and they were going to make their run on you, even through the flagrant foul play, what did you think of your team's toughness down the stretch? COACH MCDERMOTT: I thought our toughness was good the whole game. Cincinnati hasn't been out‑rebounded much this year. We did a good job defensively the first half on Kilpatrick. He got loose a few times the second half. But at times we had the guys shooting the shots we wanted them to take. They made a few of those, but frankly I was okay with that as long as some of the other guys didn't have the ball in their hands. Our guys for the most part executed our plan, and they were tough enough to stay in the fight on the back boards, and it's not easy against a team like Cincinnati because they're not going to stop coming. I was hoping we could get the pace more in our favor, and it was only a 29‑possession game the first half, which isn't close to what I wanted it, but that, again, is a credit to them. In some ways we had to beat them at their own game. Q. Duke up next. What stands out to you about this Duke team? COACH MCDERMOTT: You know, I've watched some film, not a lot, because my focus was on Cincinnati and I watched part of the game today. Obviously they're very versatile. You could argue that they may be the best team in the country since Ryan Kelly has come back. He gives them another weapon in a stretch four that can do what he can do. There are not a lot of weaknesses there. Plumlee inside is as a good front line player as we've faced. It'll be a heck of a challenge for us but I know it's something our guys are really excited about. As they've alluded to, it's been our goal to get back to this game and see if we can't kick that door down, and it'll be a challenge, but we're going to enjoy every second of it. Q. You mentioned how big of a factor Gregory was today. How much can he be against their front line tomorrow, and could he be a difference maker? COACH MCDERMOTT: He's going to have to be. We're going to have to keep him out of foul trouble, number one, because if‑‑ you have to decide what you're going to do with Plumlee because they do a pretty good job of getting him touches, and where the help is going to come from, if the help is going to come. Those are the decisions we have to make over the next 48 hours because there's not a lot of weaknesses on their team. Gregory gives a team like us a chance. Most mid major teams don't have the body that he has, and I thought he was outstanding. He's been outstanding defensively through the Missouri Valley tournament and was again today. So he'll have to be huge again. He played a great game against Carolina last year, and I know he'll be excited and ready to go on Sunday. Q. Speaking of Greg, can you just talk about the changes he's made in the last three years at Creighton, specifically his body and his mobility and how that's improved? COACH MCDERMOTT: Well, he's transformed his body, and obviously we have a strength coach and a nutritionist that's worked with him and educated him on how to get to where he needed to be. But Gregory had to do it, and at the end of the day he had to have some discipline and change his diet, change his work habits a little, and he's done that. He could not have played 28 minutes in a game as physical as this two and a half years ago when I first met him. I'm really proud of the player that Gregory has become. Obviously you heard him speak. He's a wonderful young man, and he puts his team first. But he's been a difference maker for us. He's allowed us to get back to this game two years in a row. Q. How much weight has he lost? COACH MCDERMOTT: Probably 40 pounds since I first met him. His body fat probably went in the high teens down to 8 percent. So he's not just lost weight but he's transformed his body in a way to make him the player that he is today. Q. The Big 5 is a big deal in this city. What can you say about the Big 5 as you prepare to enter the conference next year with Nova? COACH MCDERMOTT: I haven't researched it much. Obviously we've played St.Joe's a couple in the years that I've been at Creighton, so I'm familiar with them. But that research will start when the season is over. Obviously it's the tradition of the BIG EAST Conference is as good as it gets and I know I speak for everyone at Creighton that we're honored to be part of that league and excited to contribute to that league, the success of the league, and we've got some work to do, we understand that, but hopefully today was a sign that maybe we're not quite as far away as we think we are. We're going to have to make some changes and make some investment in our program, but I know we're prepared to do that. Q. That flagrant foul one was such a big call at the time. What did the refs tell you, were you and are you satisfied with their explanation? COACH MCDERMOTT: Well, I mean, it's pretty clear‑cut. I don't get to see the monitor. They almost like try to block it from you because I had a pretty good seat for it when they first started to look. But you know, it's‑‑ the rule is the rule, and I think there's a lot of coaches, me included, that probably don't think that the‑‑ what we intended it to do, it's not doing. We wanted to get rid of a flagrant elbow, not an incidental elbow, and by rule an incidental elbow above the shoulders is a flagrant 1. The referees did their job. I haven't seen the replay, but they looked at it, so I assume they're right. But it's just‑‑ you just‑‑ that could have changed the outcome of the game. That would have been unfortunate because there certainly wasn't any intent with what Doug was doing, he was just trying to clear himself because obviously there was a lot of contact in that double‑team. I'm not crazy about the rule. I hope we can tweak it because I think it puts the referees in a tough spot, I really do. But they've got a job to do, and they did it the way that the rule book reads. So I don't like the rule, but us coaches vote d it in, so I guess I'm guilty of having it in place. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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