Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Tournament Tuesday March 10, 2020 Jeff Capel of getting to play in this event, especially on Tobacco Road? Trey McGowens JUSTIN CHAMPAGNIE: I never really watched it. That's the truth. But I used to like watch St. John's Justin Champagnie because my dad went there, but it means a lot to come Pittsburgh out here and get the opportunity to play on a stage like this. Pittsburgh - 81, Wake Forest - 72 Q. For both you guys, how beneficial was just JEFF CAPEL: First of all I'm really proud of my team. I having a little bit, a little bit of time off, I think it was didn't think we defended well in the first half. One of our five or six full days, and where were you guys goals coming into the game was to force turnovers. I physically before that stretch? thought we did a good job there, we forced 18. We TREY MCGOWENS: Physically I feel like we were kind wanted to get the ball out of Childress's hands and so of drained, legs were dead, but mostly mentally the we tried to double him, really from the four-minute mark time off just gave us time to get our mind right, kind of of the first half on, every time he was in the ball screen, get away from basketball a little bit. and so our guys did a really good job of executing that. JUSTIN CHAMPAGNIE: I think that helped us lot. I feel I thought these two guys up here were tremendous. To like getting away from basketball sometimes is good for play with poise, Trey made some big-time plays, a big- us as kids, so we could like regain focus on like what's time pull-up jump shot, a big-time pass to Justin cutting the task at hand. So I feel like it played a big part in on the baseline, and had some really good moments. how we came out here and played today. For Xavier to have eight assists and only three turnovers, again, I thought he really stirred the engine Q. Justin, when you had 30 last time, we asked you for us and made some big-time plays. if you were aware of that during the game. Did you know you hit that mark again and had the chance And I thought two of our freshmen, Justin obviously to break your career high there at the end with the and Karim, for those guys in this stage, their first game free throws? in the ACC tournament, to come and have the JUSTIN CHAMPAGNIE: Yeah, that's why I held the performances that they had is remarkable. And so ball. Murphy was telling me to him to give it to me so I proud of them, proud of all of our guys. said no, I'm going to hold it.

I feel for Wake. Brandon Childress has had an Q. For both you guys, seemed like as the game outstanding career. He's a kid I've known since he was went on you got better and better on defense. What young, over at Wesleyan, and have known his family did you feel like was working? They were making forever and he's had a an amazing career. And Danny everything in the first few minutes, but by the end is a great guy, does a really good job with his team. you were really shutting them down. What You look at the improvement of guys individually and happened and how did you improve as the game how much better they have gotten, particularly Sarr this went on? year. So feel for them, but excited for us and excited to TREY MCGOWENS: I just feel like we just had to be in have an opportunity to play again. the right spots. We were kind of late in our rotations early in the game. The energy was there but it was just THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. tough not being in the right spots.

Q. Justin, being a New York guy, did you follow the JUSTIN CHAMPAGNIE: We were so focused on the ACC tournament much growing up? Were you a fan offensive end that we kind of lacked on defense, so we of some of the teams in this area or were you more just had to come out with more energy on the just kind of a Big East guy or did you kind of dream defensive end and just be in the right spots.

Rev #1 by #166 at 2020-03-10 22:56:00 GMT page 1 of 3 Q. Justin, you've got other guys on here that all had double-digit scoring. How much does that help But I just thought physically I thought we were drained you, knowing that you've got so many other guys, but mentally I thought we were even more drained. We that the team has so many other options, how got back together on Saturday, and we really just had much does that help your game? individual workouts because we didn't know who we JUSTIN CHAMPAGNIE: Yeah, because sometimes I were playing. So we got together and worked out for can't always score the ball, so it's good to know that my about 45 minutes to an hour, got a great lift in, but took teammates around me like always have support around the rest of the day off. Then we traveled here, and so me and that they're always playing and fighting really our focus is one game, all of our focus was on together. Wake Forest, that's it.

Q. Justin, was making the all-ACC freshman team It's no need to worry about tomorrow or what's something you were thinking about, and was not upcoming, because we have to earn the right to get making it any kind of motivation? there. And what we were able to do today we have JUSTIN CHAMPAGNIE: Yeah, I wanted to make that earned the right to play tomorrow. We're going to play team. I felt like I should make it. I kind of felt against a really good NC State team that's fighting for disrespected when I found out I didn't make it, but at their post-season NCAA tournament life. We had a the same time I used it as motivation and I just came great game with them a couple of weeks ago. out here and showed why I should have been on the Hopefully we can be a little bit better tomorrow. team. Q. You mentioned Justin earlier. Could you just go Q. Between the seven-game losing streak and this a little bit more in depth just about how aggressive being a win-or-go-home situation, for y'all as a he was both inside and outside on the offensive team, I mean, how much urgency, aggression and end and just how consistent he was from the start intensity was there going into this game? to the end of this ballgame. JUSTIN CHAMPAGNIE: A lot. We always were talking JEFF CAPEL: Well, you know, you I think he's a really about before the game started like just leave it out on good player and I think he's been one of the five best the line, like whatever you got and be the better team. freshmen in this league all year. I think his numbers Don't want to go home, nobody wants to go home, so show that. He's been our leading scorer and rebounder we're just going to keep fighting and keep pushing. all year. That's a heck of a thing for a freshman. He's been -- I think he was in the top 10 in rebounding all THE MODERATOR: All right we'll take questions for year, and so he's had a heck of a season. coach. I thought he was the one that really hit the wall the Q. How do you prepare your players for five games hardest. This is different for a freshman, when you get in five days? to this level and the pressure and these games coming JEFF CAPEL: Well, we just prepared for one. That's it. at you. So I thought all of our guys benefited, but I It was really, really important for us to finally get a thought our freshmen really benefited the most. break. We were the only team in the league that didn't get a bye. Our bye for whatever reason was at the end He's able to shoot the ball from the perimeter. He's of the season. So to go this year, being the first year of continuing to get better at putting the basketball on the 20 ACC games, league games, that's a lot, and we are floor. That's the next part of his game. He can finish -- this is not an excuse, this is just a fact, we are a very, around the basket. That's what he did in high school. In very young team. And from January 4th until last high school that's really what he did; he was mid-range Wednesday we were playing two games a week -- to the basket, he didn't really shoot threes. The three- sometimes three games, three times a week. pointer is something that he's added since he's been here. He's really worked at it. He has the ability to do a I thought we hit a wall there after we won the game lot of things. against Georgia Tech. We couldn't push through. So for us to have a chance after that game last Wednesday at Q. Given the short turnaround, how beneficial is it Georgia Tech, we got back at 3:00 in the morning, but to be playing a team that you just saw less than to give them Thursday and Friday off, and what I told two weeks ago? them was just get completely away from basketball. We JEFF CAPEL: Well, it helps. It helps because there's have been in this, we have been mired in this losing some familiarity, but they're really good and they're streak and there's a lot of stuff written, a lot of stuff going to run a bunch of ball screens, they have multiple said, and these young people read this stuff. As much guys that can dribble, pass and shoot. I think as you don't want them to, they do, and it affects them. Funderburk has been one of the most improved guys in

Rev #1 by #166 at 2020-03-10 22:56:00 GMT page 2 of 3 our league; I think Johnson is one of the better guards work with my brother and to have him be a part of what in our league; Daniels has had a heck of a season; C.J. we're trying to do and rebuild and all the things there. -- they can come at you in so many different levels. Their last game of the regular season, Beverly went It's not something that I dreamed of because I never nuts, and so they're a really good basketball team and dreamed I would be a coach. That's not something it helps, but we worry a little bit about fatigue, but when I was younger -- hell, even when I was in college hopefully the adrenaline of still being alive and having I never thought that I would do this. I got the bug a little the opportunity to play will push us through that. bit later.

Q. Jeff, you talked about Karim earlier; do you see But once I got in the profession, I always wondered if something in these games where he's -- there's there would be an opportunity for us to work together. been a couple times this year where he's really And when this opportunity came available at shown a greater potential than maybe we have Pittsburgh, one of the things that I knew, I understood seen at other times. What is it about these games that it was a major, major rebuild, and so for me it was where he's able to come in and have some very, very important for me to have people around me success? that I could trust, especially with my history and in JEFF CAPEL: I think he's a good player. That's the coaching. I needed people that, number one, were very first thing, and I think his transition to college has good. And he's been a head coach, he knows this been a little bit tougher because of the language. He league, he played in it, he covered it, was a really good didn't get to spend a summer with us. He was with his player in this league. He's able to teach, he's able to country and they had an amazing run in their connect, he's been a head coach, so he has sat in the tournament, in the U-19s, but I just think the more chair. But most importantly I trust him. And it's been game experience that he's got -- I think that every terrific. game he's played he's done a good job, and he's a guy that for whatever reason, he's been better in games than he's been in practice. And he's a gamer and I thought today he finished. I thought he did a really, really good job out there today.

Q. You opened your comments by saying there's been so much history in this building, so many great games played here. Given your history in this state, how important is it to you that Greensboro remains a part of the rotation for this tournament? JEFF CAPEL: Well I think it's important. I mean, if you look at the history of this league, this is where the tournament traditionally was before we had expansion. I think it was here and Atlanta, in the Omni. That's the only two places I remember it being as I was growing up here.

You think of the greats of , they played in this building. This state loves basketball and they love the ACC. And you know, anytime you play here there's going to be passion in the building, there's going to be excitement, there's going to be people and there's going to be people that just love basketball. Certainly they have allegiance to their team, but they love basketball.

Q. I think it's awesome that you're actually on the bench beside your brother. Could you just speak on that a little bit and how that relationship is and like growing up was there times where you dreamed of this or did this just sort of work its way into fruition? JEFF CAPEL: Number one, it's awesome to be able to

Rev #1 by #166 at 2020-03-10 22:56:00 GMT page 3 of 3 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Tuesday March 10, 2020 Q. Brandon, they had 11 steals. What were they doing? Were they cutting off passing lanes or were Brandon Childress they just aggressive? What led to that? BRANDON CHILDRESS: I knew going into the game Olivier Sarr that every ball screen they were going to either trap or the big was going to corral me; what that means is basically when I come over, the big is going to stay Isaiah Mucius there until the ball gets out of my hand, and sometimes Wake Forest they were more aggressive than usual, and I was careless with the ball. So as a senior point guard with Pittsburgh - 81, Wake Forest - 72 four turnovers, it's unacceptable.

DANNY MANNING: Really exciting first half of the Q. Brandon, this might be the last time you wear a game in terms of you're looking at the score, I thought Wake Forest uniform. How much pride do you have both teams played at a high clip offensively. In the in this place, considering your dad, considering second half both teams cooled off a little bit. We cooled everything you've said about being Wake Forest's off a little bit more than them. We didn't do a good point guard, how much that meant to you? enough job of staying in front of the basketball and BRANDON CHILDRESS: I mean, you can tell by my challenging shots off of any type of dribble penetration. emotions after the game when I came out I just let They got to the point of getting the shot up and then everything out. I gave Wake Forest all I had from the also they had 11 offensive rebounds, but they really did moment I committed on October 24th of 2014 during a good job of converting those into points where they Midnight Madness. I told Coach Manning I wanted to got 17 second-chance opportunities. We got 13 come here and didn't even hesitate when I got the second-chance opportunity points off of 16 offensive opportunity. People don't know this; my father had no rebounds, we just didn't convert enough in that fingerprint in my recruitment. It wasn't a bad thing, he category. We had some guys do some really good just wanted me to make my own decision. Coach things offensively, but at the end of the day we didn't Woodbury recruited me and he built the relationship, make them miss enough shots to give ourselves a and after that I always knew about Wake Forest but I chance to win, and that created some separation from always knew where I wanted to go and prove people us in the second half. wrong that I belonged in the ACC. So being black and gold, that was just, it's in my blood, so... THE MODERATOR: Questions for the student-athletes, please. Q. Olivier, given you guys shot over 60 percent, I think, in the first half, did it feel like you guys Q. Isaiah, what clicked in the first half for you and should be up more than just one at halftime? what got you going, and then did they make an OLIVIER SARR: Offensively we did a great job, we just adjustment on you that kind of took those things didn't play defense enough and that -- we didn't carry away from you? that on the second half, and that's what got them the ISAIAH MUCIUS: I think the confidence from my lead and they played really good, so yeah. teammates, I think when the game started they told me to be aggressive on both ends of the floor and try to be Q. Brandon, obviously your relationship with your a vocal leader out there. And it started clicking, I was dad has been tremendous for you this season. Can hitting shots, they kept feeding me the ball. I think in you just look back over your four years at Wake the second half they just started to take me away, deny Forest and talk about how that time has been for me, make other people score, so that kind of slowed you? me down in the second half. I was in foul trouble so I BRANDON CHILDRESS: My father has played a was out for a couple parts of the game, and that kind of tremendous role from being a mentor, a friend, a affected how I was playing. brother, a father and a coach. From day one he told me we've got to be able to separate father and son and

Rev #1 by #166 at 2020-03-10 23:12:00 GMT page 1 of 3 coach and dad, and we drew that line. I said going into BRANDON CHILDRESS: You're right. You're right. my junior year when even Coach Manning told me I would have to accept a bigger role, and there was Q. You feel snubbed? going to be a little more weight on my shoulders so I BRANDON CHILDRESS: Definitely. embraced that, and so the sacrifices he made for me from -- I remember him picking me up from school and Q. Or you felt like you should have been -- if you taking from me Winston to High Point every day, to now feel like you should have been on the third team, we sit beside each other on bus trips and even plane do you know whose spot you should have took off trips sometimes, watching film, and I can go home and that team? get a home-cooked dinner whenever I can. BRANDON CHILDRESS: It doesn't matter. My play showed for itself. You can -- despite numbers and I mean a lot of people don't know what that guy does whatever, I know I should have been up there and all for me outside of basketball. I mean, I try not to stress the guys who were voting know I should have been up about basketball as much, but our relationship outside there. of the 94 feet, I will always forever just cherish that, and I love him. I can't thank him enough. We both let out a Q. Olivier? Talking about next year. lot of emotions. This was a heck of a journey. It's been OLIVIER SARR: For us it's just we got a lot of returning a heck of a ride, and I appreciate everyone that's been guys. Even though we're losing a lot of guards and supportive of this. I'm thankful for these guys beside especially Brandon, it's going to be a huge, huge me. I'm thankful for my coach and everyone else, but difference and we got Jacoby coming in. I think he's my father, I mean, these guys will tell you how that ready he to step in that leadership role, too. We just got relationship is, man. It's unbreakable; it's a bond that to work again, go back to the basics. We got a lot of will never be broken. work to do off-season, film to watch, and use that time to get better. Q. Brandon, can you reflect on maybe what you're most proud of when you think about your career ISAIAH MUCIUS: I think we're ready to work. The core here at Wake Forest? guys, the older guys, me, Olivier and Chaundee, I BRANDON CHILDRESS: Just the development of our think, are ready to lead the young group of players that coaching staff, our development of individual players on we have. I think we have a lot of guys that have the team, as well, and the culture's gotten a lot better contributed throughout the year. Ody, I don't think since my freshman year, meaning that we just became anybody really thought that he was going to be an a lot closer, and it's really you can tell it's more like a asset but he came in and was a dog for us, offensive fraternity with us, how well we bond off the court. We rebounding, just really attacked the glass every time he spend a lot more time with each other. had to. Ish came in and had good minutes.

I can't wait to spend time with these guys soon just to So the young guys, they work every day. People don't embrace it. I graduate in May, so spending time with really see it, but it's just in the gym almost 24/7 they these guys and just showing love to them and just work. So they want to get better and they want to win embracing what we built, and I know that I left a as much as we do, and I think Brandon and the seniors tremendous gift for these guys, man, just showing left their mark of like, oh, yeah, just work. Brandon is these guys what it means to bleed black and gold. I'm one of the hardest workers I ever met in my life. He just really proud of Olivier, third-ACC all-team. I mean, no works every day and he rubs some of that on to every one expected that. I mean, I believed in him. I told him single person on our team, and I think that's going to before the season I need you to be the most improved carry into next year and I think we're going to make a player of the year. And as soon as we got in the locker change. room, I told him I want nothing less than Player of the Year next year, so... THE MODERATOR: We'll take questions for coach.

Q. To all three, Brandon my first question for you is Q. Last season ended with a press conference that did you feel snubbed by not being on any of the all- said you were coming back as coach. Do you ACC teams, and to Olivier and Isaiah, next season expect to be back next year too? coming back, of course, you're losing a dog in DANNY MANNING: Absolutely. Brandon, but you two God-willing will be coming back and Chaundee will be there. What are you two Q. Have you seen the development and the steps looking forward to or optimistic about next taken to justify that? season? I know it's a tough loss you've just come DANNY MANNING: I think our team has definitely off of, but thinking about next season. improved. I think if you look at the individuals that are

Rev #1 by #166 at 2020-03-10 23:12:00 GMT page 2 of 3 on our team and how they have come from where they better throughout the course of the year from where we were last year to where they're at right now, I think started. without question there's been improvement. I think when I look at our team, I think the young men have Q. What about the fan apathy? put forth great effort. Extremely proud of this group, DANNY MANNING: Yeah, I mean, your fans are your and I definitely feel like we have taken some steps, not fans. A lot of them expect certain things, but at the end as many as I would like, not where I'm content with of the day you're going out there and you're trying to do where we're at, but I certainly feel like we have taken the best you can, night in and night out. And we those steps in a direction that I want our program to go certainly appreciate our fans and we want to have that in. support to continue, but these guys and the coaching staff are doing everything we can to continue to take Q. Champagnie surely was showing up on your steps and get better. scouting report. How did he get so open for a career high of 31 points I believe it was? Q. The 18 turnovers and their 11 steals, was that DANNY MANNING: Well, he started out, he was their more on their defense or was that more on you leading scorer in terms of what they do, production- guys not making great decisions passing the ball? wise, and leader, and we knew he was DANNY MANNING: I think it's a little bit of both. We certainly a capable three-point shooter. So he shot knew that they were going to come out and be seven, he made three, but he did a really good job of aggressive and we talked about getting to 3 near getting on the baseline and getting some back-door outlets any time one person was double teamed. A lot cuts behind our head in our zone, and they did a good of the turnovers for us too, you factor in some, a charge job of finding him. Yeah, he got a hot hand and they did or two, you factor in a travel or two, which contributes to a good job of finding him, and we weren't good enough that, but a lot of times it was a deflection that they in terms of trying to slow him down. So he got the hot would get and they would somehow come up with a hand and they rode him out. loose ball. I think in the second half -- in the first half I think there were three possessions where we created Q. Did you need to stay in the zone because of the some type of miss or deflection and we didn't come up lack of options off the bench, looked like you had with a loose ball and they were able to score like six basically a six-man rotation tonight. points. And that happened in the second half too. DANNY MANNING: No, I mean, going into the ballgame, the analytics piece, they average about five But to answer your question, we knew they were going threes a game. And that's something that they if I to come out and be aggressive and we knew we understand, they finished the game with six tonight. We needed to handle their pressure better. I think some of wanted some long shots coming into it, so that was those turnovers, you are never happy with them, but part of our game plan, and like I said, Champagnie when you're down late in the game you do have to just, he got hot. I thought their other guys did a really press and try to go make some plays. good job. I thought Xavier Johnson was really good in terms of coming off and attacking, attacking, attacking and finding the open man with eight assists.

Q. Five seasons out of six so far in your tenure have ended with more than 18 losses. At this point are you enjoying your job as head coach at Wake Forest, and are you at all concerned about fan apathy, given the lack of attendance at Joel Coliseum? DANNY MANNING: I love coaching. To have an impact with helping young men grow and develop and help them prepare for the future, I feel very fortunate and blessed to be able to share my experiences. Our staff the same way. And then help these guys. We want them to get better as basketball players, we want them to continue to develop and grow as people and certainly I feel like that is happening. Yeah, you want to win more games, there's no question about it, and continue to work. But I will say that this is a group that I'm extremely proud of because I think we have gotten

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