NCAA Men's 1st and 2nd Rounds: Des Moines Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Des Moines, Iowa Richard Pitino this year. Obviously, you see him tweeting all the time Jordan Murphy and giving us his best regards. So I think that's about the most part, but we appreciate his support wherever Dupree McBrayer he is at. Minnesota Golden Gophers DUPREE McBRAYER: Before he got his job over in THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome senior Greece he was able to give us pointers, and that's forward Jordan Murphy and senior guard Dupree about it. He's in Greece, and like Murph said, we see McBrayer. Questions for our student-athletes? his tweets giving us his best regards. We thank him for his support. Q. For each of you, your thoughts on where the team is at right now and what's going to be THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, thank you very much. important tomorrow against Louisville? JORDAN MURPHY: I think our team is in a good place, At this time, we have Richard Pitino, University of confident going into tomorrow. We're still figuring out Minnesota Golden Gophers. They are making their our game plan and stuff like that and figuring out our second NCAA appearance and second in the last three plan of attack. Obviously, it's a very important game to years under Richard Pitino. Coach? us. Means a lot to our young guys and our older guys going out in a good way. I think that's about it. RICHARD PITINO: Excited to be here. The grind of a regular season is a lot, and the goal is obviously going DUPREE McBRAYER: Still figuring some things out on to an NCAA Tournament. So that in itself is a great how we are going to guard and stuff, but we feel really accomplishment. Proud of our guys to be able to good about tomorrow. bounce back from a lot of things out of their control last year to get back to an NCAA Tournament with five new Q. The angle in our town is and Richard players, starting two freshmen, playing one of the Pitino and all of that. Does that cross your toughest schedules in the country and obviously one of consciousness in Minnesota? Does it even come the best conferences in all of college . up? JORDAN MURPHY: No, not at all. We probably see To be here is great. We move on to a new season. those headlines all the time and we take it with a grain Celebration is over and now it's time to go compete for of salt and pass by it. It's not something our team is a championship and play a really, really good Louisville focused on. It's about our team versus Louisville and team. that's it. Q. Richard, of all the teams you could have played DUPREE McBRAYER: I've been telling the guys from in the first game here it's Louisville. What was day one it's not about the Pitino family. It's about your reaction when you saw that team in the Minnesota versus Louisville and knowing that our bracket opposite you? coach came from Louisville and it's just Minnesota RICHARD PITINO: Well, I was wanting to know where versus Louisville. We will be fine. we were playing. Location is important to me. Then I wanted to know what day we were playing because we Q. In the absence of other questions, how much got a little injury with Matz. I was hoping that we would contact have you had with the senior Pitino? How play Friday. But other than that it was more about okay, much has he been at your practices? Have you how does Louisville play? It's get to work. Watch film learned anything from him about basketball? Take on them. Put together a game plan. all the other stuff out of it. JORDAN MURPHY: We really haven't had a lot of You know, all that other stuff didn't even really cross my contact with him. Obviously, he got a new coaching job mind to be honest. It was doing my very best to put overseas. So we haven't had a lot of contact with him ourselves in a position to play a really good Louisville team, a very well-coached Louisville team.

Rev #1 by #189 at 2019-03-20 16:02:00 GMT page 1 of 3 Q. With Jordan Murphy, how has he picked your Q. When you talk about the job and I know you and brain over the years to try to become a better Luke Murray are friends. The job that they've done player, and how have you seen him do that? and that the staff has done and you knew the guys RICHARD PITINO: Jordan is a thinker. He's not one of and the job that Chris has done this season? those guys you yell and scream at. He's analytical. RICHARD PITINO: It's been really good. Whenever You more need to talk to him about his game. Every you're bringing in fifth year seniors. Do they have a big guy in the country has an identity crisis. They want true freshman on the roster? They don't. Obviously, to be outside. They want to be shooting threes. They with them coming in here and scrapping together a want to do those things, and Murph did can do that. pretty good roster, obviously Jordan Juarez one of the He can shoot threes, but he knows where his bread is most improved players in the country. Offensively what buttered. We've talked about that. And we've told they run is tough. Defensively very good and what them not to deviate from where he is. Do great at what did at Xavier is phenomenal. I've got a lot you're good at. Obviously, with Murph it's a process of of respect about what they do. I think Chris does a me and him communicating all the time about where terrific job. Luke is one of the best up-and-coming we can put him in a position to succeed. He's a real assistant coaches in the country. I wouldn't be coachable kid. surprised if he gets a head coaching job at some point soon. He is really, really connected. So all those guys Q. You picked up things from your dad along the do a great job. I think Chris will win big there. way coaching in the tournament. Have you picked up X's and O's or mentality? This team is good at Q. Coach, you mentioned mental toughness. Is relaxing at this time of year. Was it more strategy this team tougher mentally than any of your past or mentality you picked up along the way? teams and if the answer is yes, why? RICHARD PITINO: I would say the coaches you are RICHARD PITINO: I think some of 'em are. You know, around. The X and O part you are going to do what anytime you get whether it's the Big Ten or any of these you feel comfortable with, but it's that environment that power conferences you need to try to stay old to the you take from and the culture that they build and the best of your ability. It's hard to do with transfers and way they are at times like this in March. I've been lucky deflections and so on, but when you got Michael Hurt, to be around it, obviously, growing up my whole life. As Jordan Murphy, Eric Curry, Dupree McBrayer, guys like an assistant coach I was in several tournaments as that who have played in the NCAA Tournament and well. You've got to make it about the game. You've got who have finished in the top 4 in the Big Ten, played on to enjoy this. You've got to enjoy the exposure and the the road in the Big Ten, went undefeated two years spotlight being on your program. You've got to enjoy ago. Those are the guys that need to be the voices. these open practices, be in front of fans and to do The other guys need to follow suite from there. That's these things. But then you've got to make it about what being part of a winning program is about. You basketball. That's the biggest things. You've got to need guys in your locker room to step up and I think execute. You've got to go tough. It's a single- we've got really good leadership in there. They don't elimination tournament, and playing at this level in the get real emotional. They're not too high, they're not too Big Ten tournament we were able to get two wins in low. I try to be that way and I think the personnel is as single-elimination games. So I think we understand well. They go about their business. They're not about that part of it, but we've also got new guys that haven't a beat your chest type of team. You make a three been here before. So that may be a new adjustment you're not going to see a bow and arrow. They're just period throughout the course of the game as well. going to get back on defense, and that's the way I like it. They're a fun group to be around. Q. Your dad is not known for holding his tongue, but he has not tweeted about this game. He has Q. Coach, update us on Matz? not texted as far as I know about this game. Has RICHARD PITINO: We held him out yesterday, slowly he been asked to be quiet? coming back, getting a little bit better. That will be a RICHARD PITINO: Not by me. We spoke. Normally game-time decision, but he got popped pretty good in he would listen if I told him to be quiet. I think you that Purdue game. So we've got to make sure we're know better than that. No, I spoke to him once. He's in careful with him and do what's best for him. Greece. Not easy to get ahold of people in Greece. We didn't talk much about anything other than he Q. Jarvis has a unique role on your team. Talk asked about Matz, how he's doing, asked about the about that? team. At the end of the day my focus is totally on RICHARD PITINO: We did a military team building helping our team be put in a position to succeed, not a thing in the fall and you do a bunch of team building whole lot else more than that. exercises, and Jarvis, they've done the program for

Rev #1 by #189 at 2019-03-20 16:02:00 GMT page 2 of 3 seven or eight years and at the end of it they give an cool thing about Jarvis is he signed with a third year MVP t-shirt to the best leaders and at the end of it head coach, to believe in me and when he's been here Jarvis was one of the two best leaders. Crazy good he's provided unbelievable leadership. He is a voice in quality leadership. Played off and on. You would never the locker room, regardless of the fact that he plays know it. He is on the bench, not afraid. We talked and he talked about the right things. He's been about vulnerability. Russell Westbrook is one guy. He appreciative. His family has been appreciative. You is not afraid to compete, and that's Jarvis. He is not don't always get that as well, so he's been a very, very afraid to be emotional and pour himself into the team. valuable member of our program and unfortunately He came in that game versus Michigan and everybody hasn't been able to play. But we all see the big picture was exhausted and he was like the Energizer bunny, and we are happy that he's going to be able to because he plays so hard. So I think his future is graduate. bright. Q. NCAA was asked if anybody in the room said, Q. What has Matz meant to the team this year "Is this a good idea to match Louisville and especially with Curry going down? Minnesota," chose not to comment. What is your RICHARD PITINO: Curry does down right before the thought on that? Should this game have been Purdue game and Matz hadn't played a lot. He played played or should they have found a way to match in the nonconference and did some good things. But you with somebody else? with Curry going down Matz comes into the game with RICHARD PITINO: I don't have a whole lot of opinion 7 blocks, 9 rebounds, 6 points, and changed the game. on it because when I'm sitting there Selection Sunday That's what being part of a team is all about, being I'm looking around. I'm excited about the fact that I ready to go, not feeling sorry for yourself when you know we're in the NCAA Tournament. I'll play whoever. don't play. He's a terrific, terrific kid. He's been a I'm excited. There is not one part of me that isn't valuable member of the team. He's never pouted and 1000% honored, appreciative, humbled by the fact that never felt sorry for himself. That's what being a team we're in the NCAA Tournament. It's a hard tournament member is all about, being ready when your number is to go to, only 19% of our teams get called. It's crucial. We will hopefully have him back to go to it. So you never are going to hear me ever tomorrow and I don't know if we will or not, hopefully he complain about anything that we play. Like I said, I got gets healthy more than anything. tons of respect for their program. Their coaching staff does a really good job. So I'm going to be very, very Q. I know earlier this week you said this isn't about excited tonight leading up to this game and tomorrow. you versus Louisville, but as you get closer to the Doesn't matter who we play. I'm just grateful for the game how do you control those emotions and opportunity. make sure they don't seep into your preparation? RICHARD PITINO: As you get closer, more and more Q. You mentioned Jordan, but also Steven Enoch it's about the game. It's been that way from day one. I and Malik Williams and other guys that can step think when you see Louisville pop up you are more out and hit the three. How do they affect the about okay, what am I going to say to the media? How game? am I going to lie to the media? I think you have to be RICHARD PITINO: The way that they play is a coaches prepared for those questions. But from an emotional dream. We've got five guys that can step out and standpoint when you play in the Big Ten there are so shoot. Malik can knock down a shot. Enoch is so big many emotional games. I learned that. I'm only 36. down low and the fact that he could hit a three is a As a young head coach you have to keep your different dimension as well, and anytime you have pick- emotions in check. I think I do a pretty decent job of and-pop and pick-and-roll, I think we've got really good that but that ball goes up and I'm watching film and I'm personnel. I think Chris does a good job of putting watching Louisville play, it's not about who the name on them in the right spots to put you in a bind and make the front of the jersey is. I'm watching a really good you make decisions. team Louisville, a well-prepared team with a lot of talent, and how can I put myself into a position to beat THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach. them and I know it's going to be difficult.

Q. For Johnson, it's been a complex path over the last four years for him. He had a big moment on senior night. What has he brought to the team? RICHARD PITINO: Jarvis Johnson was an important recruit for me when I got to the Twin Cities. He was a fringe guard. We thought he would fit us well. The

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