NCAA Men's Regional Semifinals and Finals: Louisville Friday, March 29, 2019 Louisville, Kentucky

Matt Painter made you fall in a high school game. Do you want to defend yourself on that one? RYAN CLINE: Did he say that? That's wild. Yeah, I'll text him about that. I don't remember that (laughter). Yeah, that's not cool of him to say. I don't know why he Ryan Cline said that. I actually don't know that I've ever, like, fallen from a -- the only time I fell was during, like, a summer Nojel Eastern camp, and I actually like broke a bone in my foot. It was pretty embarrassing. I don't think that ever happened. I'll definitely talk to him about that. Grady Eifert Q. Carsen, have you seen any kind of defense much like what Virginia throws at you or will throw at you tomorrow night? Anybody in the Big Ten that has anything close to that? And what makes it THE MODERATOR: We have the starting five from last night's game and Coach Painter. We'll start with the so effective? student-athletes first. CARSEN EDWARDS: I feel like, first off, Virginia is a really good defensive team, obviously one of the better defensive teams in the country. Q. Ryan, last night, you were being defended by All-American Grant Williams. I don't think we've I guess just competing in the Big Ten with a lot of ever seen you hunt your shot quite like that before. physical teams and things like that, I feel like obviously, Can you take us through what your thought it won't be just like it. But just with teams like Michigan process was and will you be hunting your shot State and things like that, that contain the dribble well anymore than usual tomorrow, after the way you and keep you out of the paint and make things tough, played last night? it's somewhat similar. RYAN CLINE: No, I don't think I'll be hunting my shot. I mean, it's not any different than any other game is. For the most part, Virginia, I feel like, is apart from a lot of teams defensively. It will be something different for But there were times where my teammates had trust in us. me, and they were telling me after the game, there was probably 10, 11 seconds left on the shot clock, and Q. Carsen, TV was showing that you'd matched they kind of spaced it out for me, let me go do it. Steph Curry with the four straight games, 25 Nothing is going to change in particular. points. Has your phone blown up since then? Have you been hearing from anybody about that? Q. Ryan, I know you and were AAU You talked a little bit last night, but having a few teammates. Can you take us through some of the hours to think about it, having your name rivalry and teammate situations you've had with mentioned with his, what's that feel like? him over the years and how close you guys are as friends and competitors? CARSEN EDWARDS: I mean, I guess yeah, my phone RYAN CLINE: Yeah. I definitely don't think there's a kind of blew up a little bit, but that's just because we rivalry. We played together in AAU and played against won, honestly. I look at it because we won a big game, each other in high school basketball. a tough one for us. He's obviously an incredible player, an incredible Honestly, I feel like I haven't really done enough yet to shooter. It's going to be a lot of fun being able to go consider my name getting thrown around with Steph against an old buddy tomorrow. Curry. But just kind of the stats was something that's similar to his. For the most part, I don't look at it like Q. Kyle did say he memorably crossed you up and my name's thrown around with Steph Curry. Just a

Rev #1 by #174 at 2019-03-29 20:07:00 GMT page 1 of 5 cool statistic I was able to do in the last four games. Q. With all the attention that's been given to Q. Grady, you've played with Ryan for four years. Michigan and Michigan State in the Big Ten, how He made his last eight shots last night. Have you have you all kind of carved your profile this year? ever seen him have a performance like that in Do you feel like you all have flown under the radar practice or anything like that? a little bit compared to them? Do you feel like GRADY EIFERT: Yeah, definitely in practice. When he you've established a presence in your own right, gets hot, the rim just gets bigger. He's able to knock especially to get this far? down a lot of shots. RYAN CLINE: Definitely, in a sense we've -- I feel like people have kind of overshadowed us with Michigan Last night, he was able to do that. And definitely in and Michigan State. But just starting off 6-5, a lot of practice, we've seen him isolate against guys and people have said all year, a lot of people counted us make those tough shots. So definitely seen it before. out.

Q. Matt, Virginia can go a number of different ways I feel like we're going out there and we're playing more defending in the post. They can go with a 7-footer, free and we're playing more for each other. So a lot of a small mobile guy or a Jack Salt, who is literally a people said that we didn't have a lot to lose, and I feel bruiser. What do you anticipate that you're going like we're just going out there and playing hard and to see tomorrow and how would you have to adjust competing for each other. depending on who's guarding you? MATT HAARMS: We've just got to be ready for all three THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the of those options they put there at the 5. Thankfully, Boilermakers? Gentlemen, thanks for your time today. we've seen a lot of guys at the 5 throughout the year. See you tomorrow. We've seen faster guys, we've seen really big guys. We've seen guys that can step out and shoot the 3. Coach, we have questions. Virginia happens to have all three of those. Q. Coach Keady traveled about with you all the So we've just got to be ready for whoever gets the most time for a lot of things like this. What's it like minutes in that game, in our game. We're going to having him on this run especially? And how often have to be ready for it. do you kind of just kind of talk to him just to hear his thoughts on this stuff? Q. For any of you, what would it mean to you to be COACH PAINTER: I talk to him a lot on the phone, the first team since -- first Purdue team since 1980 obviously. He doesn't live in West Lafayette. But he'll that reached the Final Four if you do win come and kind of have like a -- I don't know, like a three tomorrow? or four game package with us where obviously at the THE MODERATOR: Carsen, can you start? end of the year, going into the Big Ten tournament, going into the NCAA tournament, he normally tries to CARSEN EDWARDS: I think it would be a cool do that. opportunity, just being able to compete at this level and be able to get there. We still have a game ahead of us He still comes. The last couple years he's definitely first so I don't want to look too far into that. has done that, where he's come to a couple home games, a couple road games together and traveled But just want to be able to put ourselves in the best with us. position to win tomorrow. That's what we're focused on now. It would be a cool experience with a group of Obviously, he's a big part of our program. And I've guys I enjoy playing with and being around off the court always said that about myself, how I felt fortunate as well. So it would be pretty cool. because we've had a blueprint on how to run a program, and anybody can have a good team and get RYAN CLINE: I think the rest of us agree. a couple good players. But to have a good program and have consistency and do things the right way and GRADY EIFERT: Yeah, just agree and a lot of former graduate your guys and still be successful on the court, players have been able to reach out to us and let us that's what he established at Purdue and that's what know they're supporting us and have all the faith in us. we're trying to continue. Just keep working and getting better, especially at what we do. What we've done is take it one game at a time since we've been here. That's what we're going to keep Q. Some former coaches who went to the Final doing. Four mentioned that they actually thought at this

Rev #1 by #174 at 2019-03-29 20:07:00 GMT page 2 of 5 point, the Elite Eight was the most pressure they always said his jump shot, I've never seen somebody felt because you're so close to achieving it. You're shoot the basketball in his fashion. Looks like he's fly sitting here in this moment. I want to ask, do you fishing to me. concur, and what do you feel at this spot? COACH PAINTER: Well, I think pressure is something So I've never once said one word to him about his shot, you feel when you're not prepared. If you've ever been because I don't know what the hell to say to him, you overwhelmed by something -- you go into Bloomington know. Just keep shooting it, get in rhythm. and play Indiana and they make eight straight 3s. After that, you feel like, whoa, this is going to be hard to get But they both have something uncanny is that they over. both can move and shoot and not be square when they start to release but end up getting square while they Getting into a buzz saw last night when they go on that turn their body kind of in mid-motion, if you understand run, I think that's something you feel as a coach, like what I'm saying. how can I shorten this run, how can I diminish this run, how can I help my team. Which the way they both shoot sometimes might be bad shots for a lot of people, but they're good shots for But, like, going into a game, you know how dangerous those two guys. it is to play Virginia. And so that alone, I don't know how any other feelings can get past that feeling right Q. Matt, when you were recruiting Ryan, was he not there of how do we stop and Hunter and necessarily considered a high major recruit at the Kyle Guy and the rest of their group. time? COACH PAINTER: Correct. You know what I mean? That, to me, is like that's enough of an obstacle. Q. I was told he was probably headed to a small school like Belmont or something like that? So to be able to feel some other feeling at that time, COACH PAINTER: We were his only high major offer. you know, to me it's just a basketball game. It's not We went through a couple of years where we just didn't that big a deal. It just isn't. What's the big deal? Like have enough skill. We didn't -- to me, we just didn't handle it. You've had 35 of them. Go out and play the have kind of just enough of that intestinal fortitude. game and have fun. Needed guys with a little bit of a fight to him.

I don't understand how you can shoot 50 percent from He came from the winningest program at that time, and 3 and shoot 50 percent from the line. You they just ended up winning the State again in Carmel know, I don't understand that. But somehow, High School. He'd won two State titles. He was tough. Tennessee and Purdue did that yesterday. They value possessions at his high school, which is really important when you come into major college So I understand what they're saying in theory. But in basketball. reality, just keep doing the same things that we've done to get to this point. I thought he was a perfect fit for us.

Q. Ryan has talked a lot about his history with Kyle Q. Coach, obviously, Purdue and Virginia are two Guy. How similar are they as basketball players programs with a lot of championships, a lot of and as shooters? wins, but no Final Fours in 35 years. What are the COACH PAINTER: They're pretty similar. I watched similarities between the programs? I know there's Kyle a lot. I think I went and saw him play as a overlapping -- you played against his father and I sophomore once. I saw him play three or four times in think you played against him as well. So what are live games during the year as a junior. the similarities with the programs and you and him? I saw Cline play three or four times as a junior. I didn't COACH PAINTER: Well, obviously, we've won the most see him as a sophomore. So I've seen them a lot, both Big Ten championships in the Big Ten. And sometimes of those guys. They both can catch and shoot off the in recruiting, people find that very hard to believe. move really well. Kyle has got a good pull-up game. We've been very consistent for a long time, but we He's quick in the system, very efficient in their system. haven't been able to push through, since 1980, to get to a Final Four. That's what we're trying to do. That's But Kyle can hurt you in a lot of different ways. You what he's trying to do. have to be there on the catch and make it difficult for him. Cline's the same way. Cline's very unique. I've Obviously, his dad was able to do that at Wisconsin.

Rev #1 by #174 at 2019-03-29 20:07:00 GMT page 3 of 5 But I just think a lot of the same staples that we have in Ryan, Grady Eifert, they stayed consistent. I took Matt our programs, the same values of trying to get guys out of the starting lineup and brought him off the bench that fit our system, trying to get guys that personally fit not because I felt like somebody was more productive us. than him. I just thought it would allow him to be more productive coming off the bench. He brought a lot of And then, also, they're both great academic institutions. energy. Purdue is a great academic school. Virginia is a great academic school. I think there's a lot of consistencies I didn't know that stat, but obviously it makes sense there. that you said it.

But Tony was a great player. I was not. And so he The one thing when you're 6-5 and the five losses at actually came in as a player at Green Bay and beat us Michigan, at Florida State, at Texas, Virginia Tech in our own tournament at Purdue when I played. neutral and Notre Dame neutral, it's still real problems. Seemed like he made every shot. I think he was like 7 A lot of times, people can get some losses, or they can for 16 in the game. To us, it was pretty earth-shattering get a lot of wins. They can be 9-1, 10-1 and they think for a guy to come in at 5'11" and we absolutely couldn't they're pretty good when in reality, they have major stop him. I think our whole team tried to guard him. warts that aren't exposed because they haven't played good enough competition. He was a phenomenal player, really self-made guy that worked very hard. Obviously, shot 50 percent for his Ours got exposed. We had Virginia Tech up 14. The career from 3 and played in the NBA for five years. He Texas game was a possession game. At Florida State, was a phenomenal player and a phenomenal coach. they were fouling us on purpose under 30 seconds in the game. So we were a lot closer, but yet we were a Q. Last night, you mentioned Carsen's ability to lot further. focus and short memory and go on to the next shot. Does that maybe help at a stage like this, We had a bad game against Notre Dame but they especially with his name being drawn and simply played better than we did. From there, we won mentioned with the likes of Curry, to focus on three straight home games and two of those teams tomorrow night's game? were NCAA games. We were able to win a road game COACH PAINTER: I think so. For him, he's excited in overtime against Wisconsin. about a challenge more than anything. I think he just looks forward to that next game, that next shot. He From there, we built confidence. I think some of the really keeps things simple. So I think some of the things that helped us through the time: We played questions you asked him, he's processing it and kind of much harder, we played better defense. I don't think thinking about his answer, because he doesn't get to we're a great defensive team, but we found ways to win that point. He just plays. I think that helps because he games differently. can get in some different situations, and he's always very confident, whether he's making shots or he's not. When Carsen struggled shooting, we were still winning He thinks he's going to make the next one. I think road games. When we had other breakdowns, that's a good quality to have, as long as you have the different guys would step up and win games for us. I skills to do it, and he obviously does. thought those were good signs from there.

Q. Only one other time in your career have you only But, no, we really just kind of stayed with our same returned one starter, and that was 2012-2013. You group for the most part and just tried to keep getting were sub .500 that season. Obviously, you've done better together. I didn't think it was our personnel. it here and now you're on the doorstep of making a Sometimes we shoot the ball too quick and we've just Final Four. As you prepared for this season, I got to be more patient. didn't know if that previous one, if you knew of that stat and if there were things you did differently. Q. Matt, obviously, people define coaching success Part B of the question is you started off 6-5. as making it to a Final Four. There's obviously a Carsen wasn't the player some expected him to be. large list of coaches who have not made it to a Did you change anything in terms of practice Final Four. How do you kind of measure that bar? disciplines or anything that nudged this team along COACH PAINTER: Obviously, when you look at things, the right path? I think, when somebody's at the end of their career, I think you're trying to look at things that way. COACH PAINTER: Not really, because I really stayed When you're in the process and you're coaching, you're with the same lineup. Like Nojel Eastern, Carsen, just trying to take each team that you have and mold

Rev #1 by #174 at 2019-03-29 20:07:00 GMT page 4 of 5 them together to win the most games and to try to be are different. But no, I think it's going to come down to good at this time of the year. I think in this point, we've who's more efficient, who plays harder, who's tougher. been able to do that. A lot of the reasons why Virginia is so good is just their There's a lot -- like you said, there's a lot of great consistency, and they stick to their rules. And you have coaches that don't make the Final Four. But I think to be -- if you're going to be able to beat them, you're there's a lot of those coaches who haven't done that going to have to have more discipline than them. You'll that have really changed peoples lives with the time have to be tougher than them. That's a tough that they've put in, and I think that's the whole point. challenge.

The whole point is nobody gets in to be a college Q. Matt, have you played anyone this season that coach to make money. They just don't. You get into runs this system? Obviously probably not as well college coaching because you like people and you like as Virginia runs it, but do you have any frame of basketball. I know you can get fortunate and things reference with a packline this year? can happen and you can get breaks like I have. But COACH PAINTER: Yes, there's a lot of people that run that's what you do. packline. I think it's very similar to where you go against somebody who runs the Princeton offense. But I think that's the true test of a coach is what your they don't run it like Princeton. They don't run it like former players think of you, especially the ones that Pete Carril. If somebody does run it like Pete Carril, played. Because sometimes guys don't like you when they were probably his assistant. they don't play. You can mimic it and get it there. These guys, his dad Q. Matt, if you could speak specifically to the was packline. That was just it. And so you have to be matchup with Ty Jerome. Curious also with a kid able to move the basketball. You have to be able to be so willing to shoot the ball from well beyond the efficient. Then you've got to be able to make the right arc, does that factor into the defensive approach? decisions. COACH PAINTER: No question. He's very good at triple threatening you and pulling from 25 feet. He's If you're just not going to get the ball in the lane, I don't also a guy that can dribble. If he has space, he'll take know who you're going to beat in the country if you the deep pull-up also. can't get the ball to the paint in some capacity, whether it's a drive, a cut, a post-up, an offensive , Any time a guy can pass like that and has that kind of whether you're getting in transition. So it's important to size and then range, he's going to cause problems for be able to keep the ball out of the paint and it's you. You've got to stick with him. He's going to make important to be able to get the ball to the paint in this some plays, whether that's scoring the basketball or game. They do a great job of both. passing the ball. You just want to try to make it as hard as possible. THE MODERATOR: Coach, thanks for your time.

Q. Got a kind of geography or location question COACH PAINTER: Thank you. here. Virginia plays in this building most years. And obviously, you had a nice turnout the other night, as did Tennessee. What did you think when you saw the games would be played down here and what kind of following do you expect tomorrow? COACH PAINTER: I think we'll have a great following. I think we'll have more fans at this game than we did the other night. I know our fans are excited about this opportunity. We haven't put ourselves in this spot for a while, so I think we'll definitely have more fans than we had the other night, even though we had a good showing the other night.

The fact that Virginia plays in this building, it's the first time I thought of that. It's just sometimes when you think, you don't think along the lines. You think along the lines how you grew up and who played who. Now everybody's -- you know, obviously, the conferences

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Ryan Cline offense. That's what we have to do. Grady Eifert Q. Ryan, just wanted to follow up on the Kyle Guy Purdue Boilermakers Quick Quotes stuff. He did mention the crossover, but he said something else about the Adidas tournament. He said that he and -- and I didn't catch the other team, Q. What stuff do you know about, like, Ryan played Edwards or someone, were the guys everybody with Kyle back in the day. Have you gotten any -- was looking at on that team. He said you hit eight obviously, you watched tape this morning. What is 3s to win the championship game single-handedly. it about Kyle that makes him so good? Have you He said it was one of the best shooting exhibitions heard things from Ryan? GRADY EIFERT: Really good IQ player, can shoot the he'd ever seen. And, basically, you came out of 3 well and plays with a lot of energy and two-time All- nowhere and did that. He was very complimentary. American. Kind of shows for itself. Ever since he's What do you remember about playing with him? been able to get there, they've won and just kind of What was he like as a teammate? shows what he brings to the table. RYAN CLINE: He was a fantastic teammate. He's an Q. He's a huge Bengals fan. even better person. He's such a nice guy. He's very GRADY EIFERT: He said he's going to hit you with a respectful. who dey tomorrow. Honestly, he probably did cross me over. I honestly GRADY EIFERT: That's cool. don't remember that. I'm going to ask him to send me the video. It will be probably pretty funny. Q. The game was intense, a lot of emotion, flows in the game. How have your teammates been able to But, you know, like I said, he's such a good guy. Yeah, rebound, get that behind you and prepare mentally that entire tournament, I played really bad. Like I shot the ball really bad. And I came out in the and physically for a tough game? championship game and just came out at a good time. GRADY EIFERT: It's got to be a quick turnaround. You don't get the week in between to think about it. You get that night, and the next morning you've got to wake up Q. Any disparaging stories about Kyle, like he has and brush it off. Just kind of carry on to the next game. a few about crossing you over and making you Understand the effort that it takes to win that type of fall? game and understand that it's going to be probably the RYAN CLINE: No. He's such a good player, I don't same dog fight. think I have anything crazy for you. He's really good. He was really excited in particular when he was getting Q. There are players calling your offense prolific. interest from Virginia. I remember. You've been in the top 5 of efficiency rankings all And, you know, he really liked Coach Bennett, and I got season. What's it going to be like going against nothing but respect for him and that program and what Virginia, also in the top 5? they've done and all their accomplishments. GRADY EIFERT: Not settling for shots, making sure we move the ball well, making sure we get in the paint and Q. What's your relationship like now with him? take good shots. Kind of just keeping our rhythm and RYAN CLINE: We still keep in contact. We'll text every not let them get out of our rhythm, because they do a now and then. He texted me and he said, When are really good job of forcing teams not to play how they're you going to be in Louisville? used to. I said, I'll be here on Tuesday. Tuesday night. We If we can stick to what we do best, that's going to be actually never really got around, because we're actually huge. It's obviously a lot, you know, harder to do than pretty busy. I thought we'd have some downtime, but just talk about it. But it's going to be able to execute on we never actually got around to seeing each other.

Rev #1 by #174 at 2019-03-29 20:34:00 GMT page 1 of 2 about. I said good luck to him before his last game. Went over and gave him a hug, told him good luck. Q. Is this true? RYAN CLINE: Honestly, I have no idea. It probably is, He said, you know, play the whole game. to be honest with you. I don't remember it exactly. I told everyone, the only time I really fell down when I And it was a lot of fun being able to see old was playing A.J. Harris and Dayton Dunbar at a teammates. It's going to be more exciting tomorrow to tournament at Xavier, like a high school team camp, play him. and he didn't cross me. I stepped on my teammate's foot. Actually, I saw the video. I broke a bone in my Q. How similar are your games? foot. That was even more embarrassing. I think that's RYAN CLINE: I'd say very similar. We're really good the only time. when coming off screens. We've got a quick release. I feel like we just both know how to play the game and Honestly, he could be right. I just don't remember that have a good feel for it. part.

Q. What do you think it will be like tomorrow when Q. It's not like he could -- you guys most likely will be guarding each other? RYAN CLINE: Exactly. That's actually hilarious. We RYAN CLINE: It's going to be a lot of fun. I don't know have the type of relationship, if he said that, that's just for sure that we'll be guarding each other, but it's going funny, you know. to be a lot of fun to see an old friend. We're meeting at the biggest stage. So it's going to be something really exciting.

Q. How much one-on-one have you played with him? RYAN CLINE: Maybe a couple times. Nothing crazy. I mean, like I said, that was a long time ago. But, yeah, I mean, he's a really good player and he was an even better teammate when we played with each other.

Q. Who won when you played one-on-one with him? RYAN CLINE: I don't honestly remember. I mean it was a long time ago. He can score the ball.

Q. Ryan, what was the reaction, especially social media and your phone probably exploded last night after your game? What was that like? RYAN CLINE: I had a lot of people texting me and reaching out to me. There were a couple of NBA players and NFL players reaching out, which was cool. It's something you can take in in the moment and it's a new day. We're preparing for Virginia and we're excited to be able to practice another day.

Q. Can you name names? Any stars who touched base with you? RYAN CLINE: I know Donovan Mitchell, he was in a slam dunk contest when I was in a 3-point contest. It was actually at my school. So we've kept in touch a little. He's the nicest guy. I know Kyle Kuzma, Mark Ingram, a couple other guys. That was pretty special.

Q. Did you hear Kyle casually mention on the dais up there, he crossed you over at some point? RYAN CLINE: Yeah, that's what somebody's talking

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