NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Second Round - Rutgers vs Houston Sunday, March 21, 2021 Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Lucas Oil Stadium Unity (South) Houston Cougars bad. I don't want it to end that way. I love this team. We so close-knitted. We a family. I just didn't want to let these DeJon Jarreau guys down. It's my last year playing with this group.

Postgame Media Conference Man, just like I said, a will to win. Shout-out to our training crew for helping me get back within two days. That was incredible, from yesterday to today, all day getting Houston 63, Rutgers 60 treatment, getting treatment. My hip was the best it was to play the game. I was happy I was able to finish it, grind it THE MODERATOR: We are joined by DeJon. We'll take out and get the win. questions. Q. When you saw Tramon fly in for the offensive Q. Can you tell me, describe how bad you wanted rebound, what is going through your mind? What this? How does the hip feel right now? does it say about him?

DEJON JARREAU: I can't even tell you how bad I wanted DEJON JARREAU: Tramon, he a warrior. That's actually it. It's just a will to win, will not to go home. I been through my roommate when we on road games. Me and him so much, with myself and with this team, with this crazy always talk, just talk about the game, just talk about life. year we been through with COVID, not having fans, with all That's my little brother. Just seeing him fly in, get that the pauses. Man, just everything. rebound, make the free throw, the and one, shows his toughness, how important he is to this team. My hip hurt so bad. I just ain't want to go home. I told Coach Sam put me back in. I just did what I had to do to Man, that was a culture play, culture play, toughness play. try to help my team get this win. Shout-out to my team for Happy he was the one to do it. It paid off for him. He been having my back. through so much this season. Just to see him just come in and fly and get the offensive rebound, that's just stuff we Q. How do you think you were able to stay in the work on. I'm happy the stuff we work on is coming out in game? You were down almost the entire second half. the games. Describe the team's mentality. Q. We talked to you the other day about what was DEJON JARREAU: Just our culture. Coach Sampson did your biggest win. Back then it was your biggest win. a great job building this culture we have here with Where is this one now? toughness, just a will, just to find a way to win. Everything leading up to this point from June, the hard practices, the DEJON JARREAU: It's No. 1. This is crazy. Man, best film sessions, all the sprints, that's what we do it for, we do game I done played. Credit to Rutgers, they played hard, it for March. I'm happy it's paying off. made shots. Great school. But culture win games. We just showed how great our culture is, how great this team Q. Was there any way you were coming out of that is, how many weapons we have. Marcus was off today. game? Watching on TV, it was clear that you were Tramon stepped up again. going to play and try to finish that game and win that game no matter what it took to you and your body. Man, it just shows all the work that we have put in, it show in March. Just the best days for you to succeed. Man, just DEJON JARREAU: There was no way I was coming out shout-out to this team for fighting, finding a way to win. the game. Coach Sampson kept asking me, was I all right, Like I say, we found a way to win. am I okay. Inside I wasn't okay, but I just wanted to win so

105819-1-1063 2021-03-22 01:56:00 GMT Page 1 of 2 Q. Can you take us into the huddle when you were believed in myself, tried not to think about my hip, just tried down nine. I believe there was four-something left in to play the game. Whatever happens happens. the game. You haven't been in this position a lot this year. What were you thinking? How were you able to That last play, I actually get subbed out, it was hurting so get back into it? bad. That goes to show you the depth of this team. I told Coach Sampson put Jamal Shead in. He got in, gave us DEJON JARREAU: We never thought the game was over. great minutes, played a great defensive possession. We Credit to Coach Sampson for being in our ear, just telling were able to will ourselves to this win. Shout-out to the us we're one stop away, as soon as we do this or do that, team. we'll be this close. That gave us confidence when you have a coach like that. Man, Coach Sampson, just a great THE MODERATOR: Thank you. coach. He gives us confidence. FastScripts by ASAP Sports I try my best along with the seniors to give the young guys confidence because it's never over till it's over. Anything can happen, especially in March.

A will to win. Came together. That just shows how close we are, how much we love each other. We don't want it to end so soon. Like I say, it's all about the culture. Houston has a great culture.

Q. How much do you feel your presence on the court playing hurt inspired your teammates down the stretch?

DEJON JARREAU: Man, I know that just raised my respect level way more. Those guys respect me so much. They love me. I know me doing that, that just raised the bar just a little more.

I told them I wasn't coming out the game. I told them this wasn't my last game, that's all I kept saying in the huddle. Even when I came out, this not our last game. Each one of them looking at me like, We got you, this is not our last game, man.

I'm a warrior. I wasn't going to go out like that, even if we did lose. I was going to lose with me being on that court giving my best with my teammates. I'm happy the outcome was different, we was able to get the win.

I love this team. Man, culture.

Q. Towards the final play, it seemed like Rutgers kept trying to switch off and attack you on defense. How did you react to that? How did you attack them whenever they would do that?

DEJON JARREAU: You know, just trusting my defense, trying to sit down, even if my hip was hurt, I trust my defense, trust my feet. They kept going at me. Marcus kept asking me do I want to switch. I'm like, Bro, we have to switch. Something bad will happen when you don't communicate, when you don't trust in yourself. I just

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