March 9, 2012

Ohio State – 88 was open and I was blessed enough to make the Purdue – 71 shots.

Q. Jared or William, I think the run was 17 to 2. What changed during that time? It An Interview With: looked like you were able to get out in transition. WILLIAM BUFORD: I think we eventually OHIO STATE locked down on our defense. Cooled down and Coach Thad Matta used the pick-and-roll, stopped letting them get to the basket. We just played together. We have five William Buford guys connected on defense. And we like -- when we do that, it's pretty tough to score against us, just let us get our run, let our defense lead our offense.

Q. For both players, just what was THE MODERATOR: Coach Matta will Purdue doing that made it tough for you guys make an opening statement, then go to questions to really break away from them really? for William and Jared. Coach? JARED SULLINGER: Honestly, coming COACH MATTA: I thought we started the into the second half, we were talking about game that was the biggest thing for me is seeing switching, and we kind of got messed up with it. how these guys started the game in a tournament Some people were switching, some people wasn't. format. You've got really three guys on this team And then finally when we broke out on that run, I that have been significant players in this situation, thought our communication was great because and I thought our preparation coming in was good. everybody was talking. And like Coach Matta I thought our minds were good. always tells us, when we talk on the defensive end, Purdue stymied us just a little bit there in it always carries over to the offense end, and I the first half. They got us on a ball screen. Then thought that's what made us break away. they started banking some 3s. We got some WILLIAM BUFORD: Pretty much what things figured out in the second half, and I thought Jared said, we start talking on defense. We told our offense execution-wise was where it needed to ourselves that we were going to lock down and quit be. trading baskets and we did that and we got a lead. THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Jared, the stat sheet says 48 to 18 in Q. Jared, what was different about the paint. Was that something that you guys tonight? You obviously were able to get more targeted coming into this game that you think shots, more freedom down low. you could get done? JARED SULLINGER: Obviously in JARED SULLINGER: I mean, honestly, practice, we've been working on offense execution, not trying to toot my own horn, but we played spacing, every little thing we always talked about in through me. Obviously, when we see the double, practice. Coming into this tournament, I thought our guards understand that if they get into the that was the biggest key for this team. open spot, they're going to have a knockdown And, I mean, this basketball team found me when I

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visit our archives at asapsports.com jump shot, or if they don't double, they're going to to guard them for a half second and they just found let me go work. So I thought that was the biggest me. key to this game. Will was doing great with that, Craft, and And our guards and even Deshaun we also got a lot of ball movement going side to (Thomas) found a way to find me in the post, and side, so it was easy for me and Deshaun to get into also I was posting up deep, so I didn't really have the paint. to take a bounce or make a move or wait for the double team. Q. Jared, you said a little earlier this year that the refs and the media were maybe Q. Jared, at the beginning of that run getting to you a little bit. Have you felt since where you guys pulled away in the second half, that time that you've had a renewed focus or a you guys had an offensive where I new focus? think you may have tipped it, Deshaun tipped it JARED SULLINGER: Can you say that a couple times, and Deshaun got a put-back one more time? early in that run. It just seemed like an energy play where maybe it sparked you guys. Can Q. Earlier this year you said that maybe plays like that help the team get rolling? you were letting the refs’ calls getting to you a JARED SULLINGER: First off, you gotta little bit, or the media. Since then, have you give Deshaun all the credit. I was at half court been more focused or what's been the celebrating for Deshaun to get the ball and put it difference? back in, so that was all Deshaun's energy. JARED SULLINGER: You just gotta play But with plays like that, it fuels our fire on basketball. I'm not always worried about what the the defensive end, and like I said earlier, the ref is calling or looking for a foul or give you a hit, communication was great because we were and you stop playing through the contact, and I just switching everything and we limited a lot of refocused on that and just played my game. people's touches. THE MODERATOR: Questions for Coach Matta. Q. Purdue ran a small offense or small lineup at you guys a lot tonight. Michigan will Q. Just in that play with Deshaun probably do the same. Was it good to see what where he tapped the rebound a couple times you saw tonight and will that help tomorrow? and got a put-back there, you guys don't get WILLIAM BUFORD: Absolutely. It's the rebound there, don't get the offensive always good to see good looks, so you know -- not rebound, maybe Purdue comes down I think so you know. So we can -- it's good to see and cut it to one possession. Was that an different looks because you never know what energy moment at all? you're going to see in the postseason. So it's COACH MATTA: Yeah, I think it was. always good to see different things that you just Especially from the effort that he gave to come up adjust. Our coaches did a great job adjusting, told with it because, like I said, I think he tipped it. It us what to do. I think it would be great for us. was tipped about three times. He went and got it with two hands, gathered himself, went up and put Q. Jared, we saw two Northland High it back in. That was the type of play in games like School guys get 30 points each tonight. Did this, when you're going back and forth, when you watch much of Trey's performance that something can ignite you, maybe that was a play first game? And maybe just comment about that did. your friend's performance and then your own performance tonight. Q. Thad, in the first half, as you JARED SULLINGER: Yeah, I watched mentioned, Purdue was getting you with the Trey play, played a great game. Hopefully not switches and getting (Lewis) Jackson on a tomorrow, but he played a great game. bigger guy that he could go by. Did you keep But, I mean, it's a perfect system for him switching and just do it differently or how did and he fits perfect. And for me, our guards, I was you better cut that off in the second half? setting really good screens, and our guards COACH MATTA: Yeah, you know, he had understood that if I set a good screen, my man has

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visit our archives at asapsports.com 10 points and 10 assists. We did a great job on problems or whatever before you get into the them. What happened when we went to the other tournament? switching, then they went to the hand-offs and got COACH MATTA: Well, I think the one us on a couple 3s there in the first half. We had to thing that I was -- and I talked about this before the communicate better in the second half. game with some camera -- but I was curious to see The thing was, we wanted to make how this team performed tonight, how we started Jackson finish over length, finishing over size, and the game. We knew Purdue was going to come make tough 2s. And that was kind of the thing. with great energy off of a great win last night. Purdue, especially since they played us in Game 1, With that said, you're in a tournament has really started shooting the 3-point shot format. We're a young team. I thought that the effectively. And once we figured out that they were buildup coming in, not finding out until late last on fire again, I thought we did a better job locking night who we were playing, we had a late-night film down. session, guys were asking questions, guys are And probably most importantly was we zoned in. We did get 30 minutes this morning at guarded the ball better. They weren't able to do 9:00 o'clock on the court, and I liked the way -- so get inside our defense quite as easily. when they do it up today, I was kind of curious how would they play in a tournament environment. Q. Thad, I'll ask you the same question So answering your question, I think we can I asked Jared. What was different about continue to grow. I think that these are the times tonight in terms of the space he was able to get where all the little things matter, and hopefully around the and the greater ease that he they're continuing to pick up on those. was able to get shots off? COACH MATTA: I don't think I can say Q. Coach, Deshaun Thomas is a player exactly what I'd like to say, but I think that there known more for the offensive spark that he was -- like he talked about, the ball movement. provides. Can you talk a little bit about his And Jared had a good way about him in terms of individual defensive effort today as the primary his movement. defender on Robbie Hummel who was limited In the first game, every time he tried to cut, to six points? there were collisions. And it was good to see that COACH MATTA: Deshaun is really taking we were able to move the way we wanted to move to the defensive end. Deshaun is a very prideful effectively. kid, and there's been a point in his career where I just call him Shaun, because I'm saying there's no Q. Coach, they talked about D in your game. I've gone back to calling him communicating better on defense. Is that Deshaun. something that you touched on at some point But I joke with him about it because he's tonight, or did they kind of pick it up on their really done a nice job of accepting the role, own? learning the game, studying the game, and that's COACH MATTA: Yeah, I think if you went the first thing he talks about now after a game is back to October 15th, we started talking about it. the defense. One of the biggest things when he When we do it, we're a better defensive team. And makes a mistake defensively, he knows it, and getting guys to talk, as I always tell them, they that's important to me. never stop talking in a team meal or on the bus or whatever. And there's times when I say, hey, look, Q. Thad, in the first half, at times -- and if we could just do this on the court, I think we got a I don't know if this was something they were pretty good defense. doing, but it looked like you were back to But to be effective defensively, you have settling for some quick jump shots from got to have to great communication, and we did a distance. And I wondered if you had -- did you better job in the second half. change anything at halftime to run better to execute better on offense in the second half? Q. Thad, given some of your struggles, And one quick thing along with that, is there is there more at stake in this tournament for any reason that Shannon (Scott) didn't play as you than there usually is? Can you gain some much tonight as he has -- momentum, kind of correct some of your

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visit our archives at asapsports.com COACH MATTA: No.

Q. -- previously? COACH MATTA: I think with the -- that was the answer to the second one. The shots in the first half, we did take a couple. And the problem I have with them is we weren't set to shoot them. It was -- our feet, we hopped into them. We didn't one-two-step into them. And we talked about that. We felt like if we didn't have a good one, we wanted to execute and try to get the exact shot that we wanted. THE MODERATOR: Coach, thank you very much. COACH MATTA: Thank you. FastScripts by ASAP Sports

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