NCAA Men's 1st and 2nd Rounds: Tulsa Thursday, March 21, 2019 Tulsa, Oklahoma Ron Hunter anyone said. Just playing, man. End of the day it's Malik Benlevi basketball. Whoever scores more wins. Whoever plays better defense wins. It's a simple game. Playing D'Marcus Simonds hard every night and consistency will follow.

Devin Mitchell Q. Devin, you played Cincinnati last year obviously Georgia State Panthers and so you've seen a team that just beat Houston. You had two wins over the SEC in preseason, but THE MODERATOR: Malik Benlevi, Devin Mitchell, and was there something about the Kansas State game D'Marcus Simonds. on the road when were you ahead with 9 minutes left that maybe made you think this team is again Q. When you guys are watching tape of you, what going to do something special? are some things that stand out to you? DEVIN MITCHELL: Yeah. I don't remember that game, D'MARCUS SIMONDS: They really like to play in but back in June and July when we started practicing, transition. They work hard defensively. Really similar we just knew we had something different this year. I to how we play and, you know, they crash the glass think we've just been comfortable all year in any really hard, and, you know, with us being a smaller situation and we're battle-tested in non-conference. team, we'll have to lock in our rebounding. That Kansas State game, being in the game with those guys, a defensive team at a tough place to play in Q. You guys, whether you guys specifically or the Manhattan, Kansas. team, has been in this position before, been in the tournament. Just curious, when you look at the We all looked at each other, hey, man, we're pretty seeding, you pulled off the upset before, how does good. We can definitely make some noise if we stay that factor in when you look at people say you're a locked in, because we feel like that was the game we should have won down the stretch. Just being able to 14, you're going up against a 3, considering y'all's lock in and I think the biggest thing with us just being history that you've been here and done that comfortable. already? MALIK BENLEVI: To be honest, we don't really care Q. Malik, you guys shoot a lot of 3s. Defensively what seed. We're going to come in and play hard they're a Top 10 in a lot of the categories. What do regardless. We feel we can beat anybody with the defense that we're supposed to play. you see from them specifically and how they play defense and how big of a challenge is that? D'MARCUS SIMONDS: Piggybacking off what Malik MALIK BENLEVI: We know Houston is a very physical said, we haven't looked at the seed really. We knew team. They'll be on you the whole game. We feel like we weren't going to be over a 10-seed-type deal. We we're the best 3-point shooting team in the country. were going to play somebody that was better. Yeah. We're going to find ways to get them up. Devin is top We're just going to come play as hard as we can. 20 with 3-point shooter, Jeff Thomas, D'Marcus, me. We're going to be able to knock some down. DEVIN MITCHELL: Yeah, I mean, if you look at we didn't really make that upset. I don't think anybody on Q. Just curious, the stories kind of made the our roster was on that team. We're more locked in on rounds this week. For those of us who haven't what our team has to do and what we can do to make been around you, the Selection Sunday, you have a our moment. new favorite truck stop on the way. What was that like? You hear the stories of how you find out, but Q. D'Marcus, just I know the big thing consistency, that kind of at the top there? consistency. What have you been doing this MALIK BENLEVI: We found a new spot out there. We season to be more consistent? just on a bus and Coach just stopped and we looked D'MARCUS SIMONDS: I haven't thought about what and seen, man, what are we doing? We went in there and seen like lot of old people and like, "Who are y'all?"

Rev #1 by #274 at 2019-03-21 16:40:00 GMT page 1 of 4 consistency, consistency. What are you doing We're Georgia State basketball team. We came here about that? to watch the selection. We made a couple of new fans RON HUNTER: He's been a better player. His out there. numbers won't walk like that. We've got five guys averaging double figures. If we had an opportunity to DEVIN MITCHELL: Yeah. Basically what Malik said. go win games in NCAA Tournament, you have to do We're on the bus and Coach just like pull off. So, we less scoring an other guys have to pick it up. stopped and -- forgot the name of the place, like The Red Zone or something like that. Definitely walked in. Last year we played Cincinnati. He out-scored our Everybody is, "Where are all these people coming bunch, their team and the whole deal. We need to be from?" more balanced. That's what we were this year. We've got guys, five guys that shoot 40 percent better from We explained to them what was going on and they the 3-point line. We're a better team this year than last opened it up with their arms and we were good, good year. That's how he's got better because of his to go, and got to see who we were playing. sacrifice. He's a much better player today than he was last year. Q. Malik, will you talk a little bit about how your game has elevated the last couple of weeks? Q. Houston's defense, rebounding they have a You've had three double-doubles now in your last couple guys that can just light it up 3-point range. three games, double-doubles at the Sun Belt When you see that, what, in your opinion, the Tournament and Georgia Southern. challenges that is on both ends? MALIK BENLEVI: I feel I'm playing some of my best RON HUNTER: Zero receive, we have no shot, buddy. ball right now. The guys, they believe in me. So like I don't know why we're coming. Actually, you know when they see me open, they give me the ball. And I what? Our kids are good players. The only thing I know we're a small team, so, I mean, I go in there and think Houston definitely has better, a much better try to get every rebound. I just got to be that dog and I coach. Their Coach is so much better. I don't know if got my brothers with me, and they believe in me and I I'm going to be in that game, I'm outmatched. believe in them. They believe in me and give me more confidence to play harder and play well. Kelvin, he's like my idol. When I was -- I think when I was 10, he was 60 at that time. I really look up to THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the Panthers of grandpa. Grandpa has -- he's got a great team, been Georgia State? All right. Thank you very much. Best coaching longer. I will ask grandpa if I should call a of luck tomorrow. timeout. I'll ask him who I should start.

The Head Coach of Georgia State is with us Ron If it's four minutes to go in the game and we are Hunter. winning, I will ask grandpa if it's okay to finish the game and we can win because I don't even know why we're RON HUNTER: Goes without saying we are excited to here but -- no, they've done a great job. be here and Tulsa really nice town. I spent some time here before when I was the Head Coach at IUPUI. My The great thing about it, we were paired because we team is extremely excited to be here. We've earned played Cincinnati year, almost identical. My top 7 guys the right to be here. were in.

I think that we're a little bit more relaxed this time than RON HUNTER: the same position last year and same we were a year ago when we played Cincinnati. My game. They know they're playing against great players kids were on a mission. We had a practice yesterday and we are. I'm going to get out-coached. I told my that got me so excited I was ready to play last night. wife. They're going to talk about me. I'm going to get And if any of you know me I don't get very excited out-coached because grandpa is on the other side out often. So we were really ready to play last night. there.

I think our kids will be ready for a great Houston team, Q. Coach, what specifically from the practice well coached. Kelvin is doing a great job with that yesterday got you excited? program and we're just ready to get going. RON HUNTER: We made shots. When we make shots in practice, we usually make them in games. It's just THE MODERATOR: Questions. the approach. When I first walked in there, I wanted to see their approach. Q. I just -- I want to know the thing with D'Marcus

Rev #1 by #274 at 2019-03-21 16:40:00 GMT page 2 of 4 Last year when we came back from the conference probably going to get out-rebounded. I also know that tournament in New Orleans, I thought our approach we're going to defend you and we're going to make 3s. was kind of just being happy. I thought our seniors were locked in. As a matter of fact, I was. I wasn't So those two things, you can book those two things are going to practice yesterday, have a walk-thru. No, they going to happen. We know we're going to get some wanted to get after that. We got after it on a day we offensive rebounds and get steals. Again, that's part of generally walk-thru. what we do. It's not something I'm just screaming about in that regards, yeah, we want to be a great I knew right then that the guys were ready to play and rebounding team. I'd rather we want to be a great there was no laughing or joking. These kids were on a Rebounding team and not in the NCAA Tournament mission. We're going to lose about six out of seven of and not win those 48 games? Cincinnati was probably these guys. They want to go away with a win. one of the best rebounding teams that we have seen, and up until that 4-minute mark, it wasn't an issue for Q. I think I know the answer to this, and I think if I us. didn't already, I think you just hinted at it, but you feel like they got a chance -- you feel like you have Q. Ron, for the Houston audience I'm curious, Ray a chance to win, do you not? McCallum is on your staff. Kind of having a coach RON HUNTER: Most of the time when coaches get up, like that who has been through the wars, had a lot they give coach-speak. "Well, you know, we'll see, of experience, what's he meant to the program and we're going to play hard." If I don't believe it, how are done for you? my kids going to believe it? RON HUNTER: I'll tell you what, Ray has been tremendous. To have a guy that has taken a program It's no disrespect to Houston at all. I will be extremely, to the NCAA Tournament on a couple of different extremely disappointed if we don't win this game. occasions, a guy that has won a lot of basketball That's no disrespect to Houston at all. I've got a really games. It's so great to bounce things off of him. good basketball team. We have -- we got beat by Cincinnati. Our whole goal was to come back here and I also hired him because I didn't want to be the oldest win. on the staff. He's older than me. He's been tremendous. Coach being -- he also worked for Kelvin It was a tough year to coach this group because we at Indiana. Again, I think he knows a lot of Kelvin's had to go through the process. When you're a mid tendencies. He's been extremely helpful on the major, it's not automatic you're going to get there. We scouting end. Ray has been absolutely tremendous. beat Georgia, we beat Alabama, we beat some good teams on the way. The problem that we had, we got to It's kind of like night and day. Ray is kind of the quiet about January and they wanted to get from January to guy and I'm the crazy guy. We kind of balance each March. Now the kids are here. other out. I can't tell you how valuable he has been to me. So we know -- we knew -- that's one of the reasons why we left right after New Orleans and didn't stay for Q. Are you ready to retire the clip of you falling out selection show. We didn't care who we made. We of the stool or is that -- how do you feel about that? could have played a Boston Celtics. Our guys were on Cool at the time, but are you ready for a new clip? a mission, we want to win this game. RON HUNTER: It's funny, someone asked me that a couple weeks ago. My answer to that is absolutely not. Q. Seems like one of the keys to the game is going Because what it did, it put a trademark to our program. to be rebounding. With your team specifically, I'll be honest with you, if that situation didn't happen, I what are you telling them in regards to that? don't know if we're back here. Everywhere we are, RON HUNTER: Gosh, we've won 24 games so far this that's part of who we are now. year. I don't think there's one game in the last two years that we've out rebounded anyone. I won 24 It's helped us recruiting. Some would say helped my games last year. Sometimes the rebounding is one of son get to the NBA. Maybe it did. The whole situation the most misleading stats that you have out there. changed, the dynamic of Georgia State, and changed Because we played the matchup with you, yeah, I want my life, to be honest with you. It's not something that I to be a great rebounding team. shy away from. I get people to stop me all the time and ask me how my hip is doing. It wasn't even my hip Think about this: Not one time -- we've won in two (laughter). years now we have won 48 games and not out- rebounded one opponent, not one. We know we're Even when we got off the airplane, the guy said hello,

Rev #1 by #274 at 2019-03-21 16:40:00 GMT page 3 of 4 representative from Tulsa. Stopped in and said, "Hey, I remember seeing you and your son." That's just part of who we are now and we embrace that. We absolutely embrace that. That's part of our culture.

Q. Did the chair make the trip? RON HUNTER: I wanted it to but we were taking the band and everybody and it was either the chair or my AD. I thought, let's let the AD go. He's sitting back there now. We let him go and left the chair behind.

THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the second oldest coach on staff? All right. Ron, thank you very much. Good luck tomorrow

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