Tony Benford Tremont Waters Skylar Mays Kavell Bigby-Williams

NCAA Men's 1st and 2nd Rounds: Jacksonville Friday, March 22, 2019 Jacksonville, Florida Tony Benford Q. Kavell, Maryland has got a couple of big guys, Tremont Waters almost two of them twin guys. How difficult do they look on tape to match up with? Skylar Mays KAVELL BIGBY-WILLIAMS: It's going to be a pretty good match-up. Obviously they're great players, and Kavell Bigby-Williams like I said, I'm looking forward to the match-up. I know LSU Tigers they're physical, big, long, athletic, so it's going to be a good match-up, but I feel like me and Naz, we're going Q. Tre, did you guys take a lot of satisfaction, to be prepared for them. people thought you guys were falling apart with the coaching situation? Did you take a lot of Q. Tremont, when Will was coaching, he seemed to satisfaction in the way you guys performed and signal a lot of plays during the game and basically leading wire to wire in that game? communicating with you a lot. Just from watching TREMONT WATERS: Yeah, I feel like our team is the last couple games, doesn't seem like anybody definitely gelling with everything that's going on. I feel is doing that from the coaches. Are you doing a lot like we're getting a lot closer together, and we're just of the offense kind of on your own, what y'all have going to take it one day at a time, like we've been done all year? You're basically calling it? doing. That game is behind us now and we've got to TREMONT WATERS: Yes, obviously in the huddle move forward to Maryland, and know we have to take it Coach Benford and the coaching staff are giving us one day at a time, one play at a time and just do what plays to run and just basically on the fly, either I'll call we've been doing. the play or Skylar will call a set just based on what we see. It's just a read that we make pretty much Q. Until you actually play somebody else from the throughout the game, and if things break down, Coach SEC, did you take note of the fact that the SEC Benford calls a play. actually went 4-0 yesterday? Florida was a 10 seed and won. Are you rooting for the other teams, if Q. Is that working well? you're not playing them, in the conference? TREMONT WATERS: Yeah, as long as we keep SKYLAR MAYS: I think we as players who went winning, it's definitely working. through the conference understand how tough the conference is, and I think it's good to see all these Q. Kavell, who did you think was the biggest, most other teams do well and survive and advance, and I physical SEC team that you guys went against this think it just shows how tough the SEC is. You know, year? And is it going to be a similar experience to we want the best for the league. playing Maryland? KAVELL BIGBY-WILLIAMS: I feel teams like Alabama, Q. Skylar, maybe you could address how has the Florida are pretty physical, Mississippi State with all the transition coaching-wise worked in games? Are big guys on there. There's a variety of teams that are you hearing different voices? Do all the assistants pretty physical, but those teams were probably the have a ton of input? Logistically how is it working, ones that stood out the most to me. how is it different? SKYLAR MAYS: It's definitely different just hearing a Q. Tre, you had seven assists yesterday, you did a different voice as the head guy, but I think Coach Wade good job being a floor general. How important is it gave all the assistant coaches somewhat of freedom for you to lead the team and not turn the ball over? throughout the year, so it's not foreign for us to hear TREMONT WATERS: Well, as a point guard I feel like Coach Heiar or Coach Armstrong outside of Coach that's my job. When we first started the season Coach Benford. I think these guys do a great job of listening Wade pretty much said that the ball is like the state of to everybody and taking the big takeaway and applying Louisiana, and if I turn the ball over, then it's not good it on the court. for the state and obviously for our basketball program as a whole. That just goes to show that like we have to take care of the ball, obviously, if we want to win. So Rev #2 by #557 at 2019-03-22 18:17:00 GMT page 1 of 4 that's just my job. I believe I live up to it, and I'm going to continue to do that for my team because they Q. Tremont, you had a great first half and then kind deserve it and we deserve it. of in the second half it tailed off a little bit. What changed, and how do you put together a full 40- Q. Back to Tre, you were talking about how you've minute quality game? taken over a little bit of the play-calling, but is it TREMONT WATERS: Well, yeah, obviously going into new that after a time-out that you break the huddle the game we had a great game plan, and as the game and then have your own little huddle as a team? Is went on, we kind of slowed down in transition, and I that something new or is that something you've feel like that was our biggest letdown. For me I wasn't done all year? pushing the ball as much as I should have in the TREMONT WATERS: No, we've pretty much done that second half, and I feel like shots just weren't falling, so all year. We pretty much go out after we hear the play that was it. called and the defensive schemes and everything and based off what Coach is saying, we go out and just say Q. Coach, the SEC went 4-0 yesterday. Five years it again, so we keep it fresh in our minds, so we know ago, four years ago they only got three teams in the what we're doing when the play starts. tournament; last year eight; this year seven. Yesterday's games 4-0. What would you say the Q. You guys shot a lot of threes. I know you're not state of this conference in basketball is right now? playing Wofford, but have you seen Fletcher Magee TONY BENFORD: Well, it's a tremendous league. I shoot? And I wonder if you're envious of the think that's a testament to it right there, going 4-0. I've freedom he has to shoot threes all day long. been coaching a long time and been in some great SKYLAR MAYS: Wofford was actually the first team I leagues. I was in the Big East when they sent 11 played in my college career, so I'm very familiar with teams to the tournament that one year where UConn Fletcher Magee. And he's having an unbelievable won it. I think our league is comparable to any league season and accomplishing great things. I watched in the country and similar to that league back in the them yesterday, they beat Seton Hall, so he's a terrific day, where every night you have to come out and play player. great basketball. Q. Skylar, have there been points in games like this I attribute it to great coaches, got great players and got last game where y'all's lead went down a little bit great environments. Every gym, every arena you go to, and then Florida where you lost the lead where you you're going to play in front of a sellout house. So I were thinking, I wonder what Coach Wade would think it's just a tribute to the great players and great do at this moment or what he would do at that coaches and great fans in the SEC. time? SKYLAR MAYS: I think all the way throughout the Q. Just got out of the locker room, and Skylar game, I try to think what would Coach Wade do, not pointed out it doesn't show up in the stats sheet, just when things get a little hectic. But there's not but when Emmitt dove into the media row in the really a game that I can remember where we had a big front row, he just gave his entire body; didn't care. lead and we got back close and we were able to pull it He didn't get the ball, but it almost said it kind of out. I think the Florida game we had a good lead and it fired up the team, Skylar said. What do you see got away from us. from Emmitt and also the team that they'll give everything, break a body bone, whatever it takes But that's something that we definitely have to do a for LSU? better job. The great thing about us is that we're able TONY BENFORD: Yeah, Emmitt brings a toughness to to get a big lead in the beginning and now we just have us. You talked to him, he never shuts up.

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