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NCAA MEN'S 2ND & 3RD ROUNDS: ST. LOUISMarch 23, 2014Ron BakerCleanthony EarlyGregg MarshallFred VanVleetST. LOUIS, MISSOURI Kentucky – 78 THE MODERATOR: The Wichita State Shockers of the Missouri Valley Conference are here. Coach Marshall will start with a statement on the game. COACH MARSHALL: We want to congratulate Kentucky on a wonderful game. I thought it was a fantastic basketball game. I thought both teams made tremendous plays, back and forth and back and forth. And in the end they made one more play. And the last shot for us did not go that would have tied it or won it, depending on where he took it from, Fred. But just excited to be sitting here with these gentlemen and the joy that they brought us all year long will live with me forever. So congratulations to Kentucky. Q. The last play, how frustrating was it not to get the ball to Cleanthony; is that what the play was for? COACH MARSHALL: Yeah, we had three options on that play. We had Clea as an option, we had Ron as an option, and they took both of those away. To their credit. I don't know if they switched or what they did, but in the end we got the ball to Fred and we had 3.2 seconds to try to create something. And he got a decent look and it didn't go in. But, you know, they're very well‑coached and credit to them for making the stop. Q. Cleanthony, can you talk about your emotions after you're allowed to see a brilliant two‑year career here, to see it end here tonight. CLEANTHONY EARLY: It's bittersweet. I wanted it to end a little different, but I have to understand certain facts. I'm sure I'll continue working really hard to be successful. I am sure my teammates will, and it is what it is. Q. For Cleanthony. Can you talk about your second half there, it seemed like you took the team on your shoulders and just making play after play, just the feelings you were having during that hot streak. CLEANTHONY EARLY: I just feel like I am always there when my team needs me, and they always find me whatever they need me. And we feed off each other in positive ways. Q. Where does this game rate in terms of high level of basketball games you have been a part of? It seemed to be greatly played on both sides. COACH MARSHALL: I thought it was a great game the whole time it was going on. It was back and forth and they would have the lead, we would have the lead, they would have the lead, we would have the lead. And ultimately their lead was 2 or 3 points. It was 2 about the last possession. And they finally missed a free throw and we were able to get in at half court and run a play that we practiced numerous times. And tried to get a shot to tie or win the game. I think it was a three that Fred took and if he makes it we win the game, walking off. So it was a great basketball game. I told Coach Calipari that, I told their players that. I told our team that. You know, certainly there are things I wish I could have done to help these guys one more play, one more basket, a different defense, a different call. But their run ended up being 2 points better than ours at the end of 40 minutes. Q. Just talk about Cleanthony's performance today and the way he has played in big game after big game for you over two years. COACH MARSHALL: Well, I think that's a pretty good indication of the quality of player that he is. Just athletically gifted. Shooting the ball great. He was 4‑6 from three and 3‑3 from the line. He was for 31 points. I didn't even sub him at all in the second half. Maybe that's my fault, but it was going so well. And the TV time‑outs are so long. He rises to the occasion, doesn't he, Bob? On the big stage he plays his best. And I am just sorry that his career is now over here, but I will guarantee you his career is just starting at the next level. He is going to be a dynamite player, because he is a great person and he works extremely hard and he wants to be a great player. So he will have his degree in hand and somebody will get themselves a really good player. Q. Gregg, getting to the free‑throw line the second half, how were they doing that? Kind of affect the game. COACH MARSHALL: Yeah. In the end they just basically lowered their head. It seemed they were just driving it and we were having too much body contact. And for the first time this year it seemed like the rules, the new rules, worked against us as opposed to in our favor. So credit them. I mean, they‑‑I don't know what point it started, but they just started lowering their head and driving it, and we had to do a better job of either showing our hands or not bodying them so much. Relying on the help defense around the rim. And that was a big key. We couldn't defend the foul line at the end the last eight or ten minutes. Q. Coach, in that situation is it always certain that you're going to call a time‑out that late? Or would you‑‑or did you think of just letting them go ahead and run the play opposed to giving Kentucky time to set up its defense? COACH MARSHALL: That's something we talked about with the staff if they miss. If they made the free throw we wanted to get it to half court and we have a couple of things that we can run for a 2‑ or 3‑point shot. We needed a 2 to tie. So we had options for a 2 and we had options for a 3 and we were just looking for the best look. In retrospect I could have let them play. Could have done a lot of things during the course of the game. There is probably a thousand decisions and a thousand plays in the game, and that was just one of them. But we had a shot in the air from the M.V.P. of our league who is a clutch performer. So it didn't go this time and I don't think that has anything to do with it. Q. Their point guard, Andrew Harrison, there was a question of whether he was going to play today and he came out and he scored 20 and was obviously a huge factor all game. Were you surprised how effective he was considering the injury and what made him so tough for you guys? COACH MARSHALL: I wasn't surprised at all. I said yesterday that he would play and I anticipated him playing and he played great. He drove it, drove it, shot it very well. Was for 19 points. Tremendous young player. Tremendous young player who had a great day. Q. This question is for Fred. Can you tell me what the hardest thing about playing with foul trouble was tonight? FRED VanVLEET: Just the defensive effort on their side. I would have liked to have been a little bit more aggressive. We had to switch some match‑ups at the end because of my foul trouble. So can't put myself in that position obviously. I picked up some cheap ones early on and it is just hard to play like that coming down the stretch, especially when‑‑I mean, they realize I have four fouls as well, so they were just trying to attack me and get me out of the game. But I wish I would have not put‑‑I had one cheap one on the offensive rebound I think or they caught it on me and it was somebody else, but it's over now. Q. I'm not for a minute suggesting that you would be satisfied with reaching this point, but for the coach and the players, how long do you think it will take you to appreciate what the nation saw out of your team all this season and today? RON BAKER: I think they'll look back at us and see how successful we were throughout the year. We've accomplished a lot of things this year. Setting new records within our University, as individuals as well. It's just tough to end it in such an amazing run like this. Lost to a very good team that came out and played well. And I feel like if they continue to play like that throughout the tournament, they will be tough to beat. COACH MARSHALL: I don't have any control over what folks want to believe or think that they saw. I know what's in my heart, I know what I saw. I thought I saw a very high‑level basketball game between two incredibly gifted teams, that one team won by one play, one basket, 2 points. And to take anything away from what these young men have done all season long, and more importantly, how they've done it, if they want to do that, so be it, good for them. Q. For Ron, is there any frustration that you're 35‑0 and don't really get to work your way into the tournament. You have to play a game like this, the second game out, and Kentucky has to, you know, get up once and you guys have been getting up for everybody throughout this unbeaten streak. RON BAKER: Yeah, as individual, pretty frustrated we weren't able to get the win, that's the biggest thing. It's just one of those things growing up you go through some humps in your life, kind of like this one. It's tough to see us go out like this. We all wanted more and at the end of the day, you know, somebody's got to go home. I thought we had a great year and it's just unfortunate we won't be playing next week. Q. Also for Ron, yesterday you were commenting about their size and how they didn't start anybody under 6'6". It didn't seem like that affected your shooting very much. You shot over 54% I think. And other than rebounding, was there any factor as far as their physicality that played into the result? RON BAKER: When you are that long and athletic, sometimes they're able to get in gaps as far as defense. They contest shots a lot better than someone who might be 6'2", little things like that. But I thought we handled that well. It's just, you know, one play, that's what it came down to. Q. For Gregg and Ron. Can you guys just describe the field, walking through and doing the handshake after the game, it looked like there was real reverence for both teams for each other, it was very slow. Do you recall anything that anybody said to you as you walked through? COACH MARSHALL: Coach Cal just told me we had a marvelous season. And I congratulated each and every one of them and told them, you know, Congratulations and great game. And I don't know, it was tough. They played a great game. They put on a wonderful show. And I just thought it was a great basketball game. And they deserved it tonight. They played‑‑they were one play better. RON BAKER: Going through the line, you know, every player's out there playing as hard as they can. I congratulated all of their players that played, like Coach said, one play better than us tonight, they deserved to go on. At the end I shook hands with Andrew Harrison and he said, You're a bad, bad, bad boy. (Laughter.) And I told him the same. He's a great player and I wish him the best. Q. Gregg, rebounding, was that maybe your biggest concern coming in? And how did you think that played out and affected things? COACH MARSHALL: That was a problem. It started early in the second half. They got 5 quick points on two stick‑backs. And I think they kicked it out for a 3 on one of them. And there was another possession, maybe four or five minutes to go, maybe only three minutes to go, where they got another offensive rebound. It is just a situation where they come so hard. Julius Randle gets five offensive rebounds and he is a grown man and he comes really, really hard. So I was disappointed on our work on the glass, but that's what they do. They're very good at it. Q. Gregg, the suddenness of losing in a tournament like this, you looked to be emotional. Can you share anything about what you were feeling after the game? COACH MARSHALL: Just, you know, the first time‑‑we spilled some emotions in our looker room and I thanked the seniors and just told every single one of them that I loved them and they made it a complete joy to coach them this season. And, you know, it's hard. You mention the finality of it. We won't be able to coach these seniors anymore. But it's been such a fun, enjoyable, magic season. I mean, it's literally been a magic carpet ride that I mentioned a week or so ago. And to have it end is going to be something that we have to get used to. But I still think in retrospect we will look back at it and just be so proud. I hope that you're around when we come back for the ceremony in 20 years or whatever it's going to be and we can reminisce and it's pretty special. Q. Gregg, can you just reflect on Early's performance and Early's performance in a game with so many pro prospects, he looked like the best player on the floor. COACH MARSHALL: He's done that many times. Go back and look at the Louisville game last year in the Final Four. I mean, he gets that look on his face and just you got to get him the ball. And he took 17 shots tonight, scores 31 points. Like I said, I couldn't take him out. He was in such a groove and I'm just so pleased that he chose to come and help this program, and that the two years that he's put together are just fantastic. And there's no way that we play at this level without him. But that's what recruiting's about. And we're out there trying to find the next Cleanthony Early, I can assure you. Q. Gregg, I know it's difficult now, but do you think there will be a time when you can look back and say about this particular game that you sort of happy to be part of what was really an excellent second‑round NCAA game? COACH MARSHALL: I hope so. I know what I saw.  I don't know what you guys saw and what‑‑there was no magic shot at the end with Laettner and Pelphrey defending it and all that, but it had the makings of it with Fred's shot in the air. But I just thought that it was a great college basketball team and two high‑level teams. I thought they continued to make plays on both sides, back and forth, back and forth. So I hope it goes down as a great one. And I don't have any‑‑I am not ashamed to come out on the losing end. I just feel, once again, badly that these guys, I can't coach them anymore this year. All I can do is individual work when we get back after taking a week or so off. But I think our program's set up very well for the future and I'm looking forward to getting back to work. Thank you. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, gentlemen. Congratulations on your season. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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