|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
PACIFIC-12 CONFERENCE MEN'S TOURNAMENTMarch 13, 2014Nick JohnsonT.J. McConnellSean MillerLAS VEGAS, NEVADA Arizona – 71 THE MODERATOR: Coach, an opening statement, please. COACH MILLER: Well, I thought today we had obviously an excellent defensive day.  We were locked in, and our effort level, everything that we really wanted to do defensively, we were able to do it. That is the one thing about having a high seed in a conference tournament. It's to your advantage because the team you play, and in Utah's case, had to play a 40‑minute hard‑fought game yesterday against Washington. We didn't. I felt like the longer the game went, you could kind of sense that that was to our advantage. But T.J. and Nick set the tone for our defense. Although I thought Utah might have missed some shots they normally make, for the most part we tried to make the game hard‑earned on that end of the floor, and it was one of our best defensive efforts of the season. To me, that set the tone, and that was the story line of our first game here in this tournament. Q. T.J. and Nick, they said that the key was you guys were able to take away the pick‑and‑roll. What made your defense so effective in doing that? T.J. McCONNELL: I would say it was pretty much a team effort. When we've got a guy like Delon Wright coming off a pick‑and‑roll, you've got to worry about him at first. But as a team I think we did a good job of containing him and containing the big men as well. Q. Nick and T.J., can you talk about how much defense translates into offense for Arizona? NICK JOHNSON: I think that's been our biggest thing this year, really. When we get stops and get rebounds and get the push, our athleticism is really at play. I think finishing with dunks and around the basket gets everybody going. So it's definitely one of our strong points. Q. Larry Krystkowiak said that he thought after the success they'd had in that second game using their pick‑and‑roll, that that might have been your focus. Was that something you guys concentrated specifically on? COACH MILLER: It was, and we saw that. We saw that they hurt us at times. They had a couple missed opportunities late in the game at Utah that I know that they were looking to take advantage of today off of Delon Wright using ball screens and a lot of different ways that they do it. That was our emphasis. Our defense just collectively was better. It's not one person. It's the group. We were in the right place at the right time and played with a lot of energy and lot of effort. As the game wore on, like I said, I felt like we took advantage of our freshness. Q. I hope you don't get tired of hearing questions about Nick there. But can you brag a little bit about some of the little things that he does that maybe we don't notice? COACH MILLER: Well, I think both of these guys embody a lot of qualities that you want in players, but especially guards. In Nick's case, one of the things that's very understated and I believe that the coaches in our conference have recognized is he actually plays three different positions in every game. It's hard to do. It's hard to learn three positions let alone do it effectively. From a defensive perspective, both T.J. and Nick, they bring a great will, a great desire and talent on that end of the court. Scoring points is always something that people pay attention to, assists, production, all those types of things. But Nick there in that area, T.J. as well, and I think off the court the same thing. One of the things our team is fortunate to be is close off the court, and it starts with people on our team wanting to be close. These guys have worked really since last spring to foster that. I think a lot of the things that you see on the court started a long time ago with us. It started a long time ago with Nick wanting to be on a special team this year. He's certainly the leader, and I believe T.J. is right there with him, and it's been a big part of our success for sure. Seeing Nick on the All‑American team, to me, it's well‑deserved, hard‑earned. Our record is 29‑3. We've been there from November when we played on a neutral court in Madison Square Garden to an 11:00 a.m. tip off in the snow at Michigan, to playing at San Diego State, I think in the first couple weeks of our season, playing in a conference that I believe is second to none. We might have six or seven teams that are in the NCAA tournament. So we've been there from start to finish, and Nick's carried us, and T.J. as back court mate, as a combination these guys, I don't believe, take a back seat to many. Q. Coming off the loss to Oregon, was that a little bit of a wake‑up call coming into the tournament? NICK JOHNSON: I wouldn't say a wake‑up call. Just, I mean, it was good for us a little bit. We ended the season not the way we wanted to, but we still had a really good regular season. But it kind of just refocused us a little bit. We got into practice a little bit. We had some work to get done. Just really trying to come here and get our second goal of the year. I mean, our three goals were to win the regular season Pac‑12 Championship, come here and get this one, and then go from there. So I say refocus us a little bit. Q. You guys were unbeatable at home and yet struggled a little bit on the road and looked sometimes vulnerable. You're not going to have the luxury to be back at home from here on out. Can you talk about what it's going to be like to be on the road? Have you discussed the challenges? NICK JOHNSON: I think we've done great on the road, if you look at our resume. I mean, our third game of the year was at San Diego State in a hostile environment. We went to Duke, or I'm sorry, to Madison Square Garden where it was the majority of Duke fans. Then we were at Michigan. So those were our three big road games in non‑conference. We slipped up a few times in conference, but that's credit to those teams. But, here you heard all the fans here, and we're fully expecting that wherever we go because we have a great fan base. Q. Larry Krystkowiak just a little bit ago said he was pretty deflated when he was game planning for this game for your defense because he kind of was starting to feel like nothing was going to work. It's an obvious question, but I would imagine those are the kind of words a coach likes to hear, because it means your defense is at the top of its game. COACH MILLER: Well, it's nice of Larry to say. As you know in his own right what he's done at Utah with his not only overall program, I think back a few years ago when we played Utah and looking at the team that they put out on the court today winning 20 games, they're very difficult to defend. You can ask these guys. We've prepared three times for them, and they run a great offense, they execute, they screen. Each of their players knows their role. So, no question we have an excellent defense. You know, and to kind of answer your question about us. I feel like we've been a great road team this year. We've only lost three times the entire season. We lost in a game at Cal where Brandon Ashley got hurt in the game on a buzzer shot. By the way, Cal's an NCAA tournament team. We lost on Senior Day at Oregon against the team that now has won seven in a row on the last game of our season, and we lost a double overtime game at Arizona State. They also are an NCAA tournament team. To me, one of the things that gives us confidence in this setting is exactly what you said, and that is our success away from home and the fact that we have been battle tested. Q. T.J., since Brandon Ashley was lost for the season, you appear to be just much more aggressive on the offensive end of the floor. Is that by design as a result of the injury, or is it just also you being more comfortable with your teammates on the floor your first season? T.J. McCONNELL: It's tough to lose a guy like Brandon production‑wise. Nick, as the leader, came up to me and said, now that Brandon's down you're going to have to pick up the slack a little bit on offense, and the coaches have said that as well. So I'm kind of just letting the game come to me. If I'm open, I'm obviously going to shoot, but I'm trying to get the team the offense, get people the ball, and my teammates have done a good job of making shots and getting me the ball as well. THE MODERATOR: Coach Miller, a projection about tomorrow's game? COACH MILLER: Well, we're going to play either Cal or Colorado. That much we know. We've had four games against those teams. I put them in a very good category, well‑coached, terrific individual talent, play as a cohesive unit. We're going to have our hands full with either team. There is not one that we favor over the next. We're just excited that we're one of the four teams remaining in this tournament. You know, when you have as many fans that have traveled the way we have to Vegas, you almost feel like it's your obligation to perform well and to advance for them for their efforts. Just hearing our crowd today, I would imagine it's only going to pick up moving towards tomorrow. We're excited to play tomorrow and recognize that we're in a terrific conference, and we're excited to play in front of so many Arizona Wildcat fans. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|