NCAA Men's 1st and 2nd Rounds: Tulsa Thursday, March 21, 2019 Tulsa, Oklahoma for Tariq. Norense Odiase MATT MOONEY: Yeah, I'd say that's probably why I chose Texas Tech because I saw something in Coach Matt Mooney Beard. He's established the culture here of winning, holding everybody accountable. He just -- when he Tariq Owens was recruiting me, I knew this guy is going to win, he's going to get it done. He surrounds himself with great Brandone Francis people. The staff is amazing. He recruits great guys that are good team guys. Other than, he's a tough dude, THE MODERATOR: We are ready for questions for the demands toughness in defense, and he's a brilliant student-athletes representing Texas Tech, Brandone coach as well. Francis, Tariq Owens, Matt Mooney, and Norense Odiase. TARIQ OWENS: What I would describe it, one of his methods is the process. You know, everybody from top Q. Norense, back in the NCAA Tournament, just to bottom, first guy to last guy, everybody is in the gym. what are you looking for about the experience and Constant work everyday. being here with these guys and the rest of your teammates? You know, that's just the culture of our team. NORENSE ODIASE: Another chance at achieving its Everybody enjoys the work. Nobody gets tired of it. ultimate goal. Last year we had a good run with those This is the main thing that brought me here. I enjoy the guys. We achieved heights that the school never work. These guys up here with me enjoy the work. reached before, and this year we're just ready to create That's what we've been doing all year. our own story. We have two seniors that's never been on this stage before and very happy to get them there. Q. Talk about the experience of this year, maybe as We just want to build off this year, off what we did in the opposed to last year and just a little bit of the ride regular season, and continue to finish strong. here coming into this week's tournament. BRANDONE FRANCIS: Feel pretty good to be back, Q. This for both Matt and Tariq. Does it feel real especially with the new guys, Matt and Tariq and now for you guys? Because you heard the hype especially Norense. Trying to stay composed. We probably from your teammates, but now to be here know what's expected of us. Just try to go out there and see this, how real does it make it? and play together. TARIQ OWENS: Definitely feels real. Since we got here, we've been enjoying our time working, you know, Q. Matt, how important is being disciplined from and just feels great. This is great. Just feels great to stopping them from shooting tomorrow 3s. achieve this goal. MATT MOONEY: We know a lot of times in this tournament upsets happen from 3s. In this tournament MATT MOONEY: Yeah, something we wanted to be anything can happen, teams get hot. They're a really here all year, this was our goal from day one. But not good shooting team. We're going to have to defend the just be here, to win the whole thing and take it one 3-point line as part of our game plan to defend the 3- game at a time. But no, feels real. Coach wants us to point line. soak it in, but at the same time get ready to play a game. We're starting to lock in now. Q. Norense rents and in particular, what kind of role as far as rebounding is this going to play for Q. Can you describe maybe the way some of the you guys having to face a team that does primarily methodology that Coach has used to get Texas live and die with the 3 ball, and how important has Tech away from kind of a dry period and have it been for you guys as far as your preparation for sustainable success? Question for Matt and also this game?

Rev #1 by #274 at 2019-03-21 17:39:00 GMT page 1 of 5 NORENSE ODIASE: Huge. Post-season play, even changes, the excitement. Don't change the process regular season play usually comes down to key in that you've done to get to this point, and that's what we rebounding. It's a factor in every game. It can win you really got to harp on. games or lose you games. We know on this stage we got to secure all the boards. It just helps us achieve Last year we didn't change, had a great run. This year our goal of winning this game. It's been an emphasis we want to take it even further, but game by game, day all year. We don't change what we do all year now so by day, stay with the process and stay level throughout. just rebounding. We talk about it every day, and it's an emphasis for sure. Q. Talk about the development of Davide Moretti this year. TARIQ OWENS: Pretty much, we got to secure the BRANDONE FRANCIS: He played with a lot of boards. We got to box out. Can't give them any confidence. He's a great defender now. He's tough. second chance opportunities. Just important He plays tough. He's one of our leaders even though something we've been focusing on all year. A team he's a sophomore. He's playing amazing for us. He that shoots primarily 3s, there's going to be some long plays. He pays the price every single day. We're boards. It will take a group effort. All five guys will excited. Norense's roles changed. He's able to step have to get on the glass. Guards rebounding down, into his role with confidence knowing he wasn't going things like that. to get out of the game. He had some strength to play confidence and strong with this team. He's having fun. Q. For Norense, can you talk about Jarrett and the It worked out for us, his development, and we're excited evolution you've seen in him as a player and to watch him on the stage. person since he first showed up on campus? NORENSE ODIASE: Lot of growth. He sticks to the THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the Red process. Him and Zhaire did that last year. They came Raiders? All right, gentlemen. Thank you very much. in and followed our leaders that we have. They still Best of luck tomorrow. follow leaders, from the DAs to the coaches to the staff. He's a great listener. He's a team guy. That's really Chris, please. helped him develop as a player. He's in the gym every day working. That's just a testament to how he is as a CHRIS BEARD: Just like every other in this player now. tournament, we're just excited to be here. We never take this for granted. It's so hard to win games at our Q. When did you have the feeling that he could level and make the NCAA Tournament. It's something have that kind of special season? we just cherish, and our team this year was led by four NORENSE ODIASE: Honestly we knew last year. We seniors. Just proud of those guys. knew last year he's that type of player. He puts in the work. He's obviously talented. He just had it last year, Had a lot of respect for Northern Kentucky. We feel like a different role. We knew last year he was the type of I'm a fan at this point, I've watch so many games. I player that he is now. love the way they play. I don't know their coach personally but just had an exchange in the hallway THE MODERATOR: Anything else for the student- here and just so happy for them to be a championship athletes of Texas Tech? team.

Q. Norense and Brandone, how is last year's Having coached at the mid major level, I understand experience in the tournament helping prepare you how hard it is to win your conference tournament after for what you're facing this year? you had a championship great season. We were able BRANDONE FRANCIS: Help us big time so we can to do that at Little Rock. This is a tough team that's guide some of the new guys, especially the freshmen really, really good. We expect them to play great and me and Tariq being new to it. They're going to be tomorrow. We know we'll have to play our best game just fine. They played a lot of games. And I think it will of the year to advance in this tournament. be fine, especially if we stick together as a group. I think it's going to help us big time. Q. I wonder if you could describe maybe the process -- that's a word that one of guys actually NORENSE ODIASE: Helps a lot. One thing we got to used is "process" -- of not just building a program tell them, don't let the bright lights get you from who but sustaining it and some of the lessons you got you are. What you did day one in November the first along the ways as assistant coach whether it was game, do it again because it got us to this point. Don't Tom Penders or , and how you applied change because the scenery changed, the time that to your time here at Texas Tech?

Rev #1 by #274 at 2019-03-21 17:39:00 GMT page 2 of 5 CHRIS BEARD: I think among many goals that we had couple times this season and both of you are here when we got the Tech job, our third years, we're trying in. What are your thoughts about the Cyclones? Is to build a program, not just to have a good team. And there anything about them that you think they can there's a big difference. And so last year we had a make a run? great run in this tournament. We didn't want that to CHRIS BEARD: Coach Prohm is a friend of mine. My define who we are in our program. mind is on Northern Kentucky right now.

I'm so proud to be back up here on this stage this year. Q. Coach, I followed your history and from Marietta Again, don't ever take this for granted but we start to McCullough High School in the Woodlands to talking about programs versus team talking about where you're at today, what has been one or two of consistency. Each team and coach has a different way the driving force that's have gotten you to where to go about it. Our plan is our process. We've got a you're at today? Because you've won every place day-to-day process that went in from strength you've been right now: Fill us in a little bit. conditioning to individual work, to practice, to CHRIS BEARD: That's impressive. I haven't heard embracing academics, to an unselfish culture. Many Marietta in awhile. Ever been to The Varsity? Great. things go into our day-to-day process. Best hot dog in America. Chili and cheese, no onions.

Makes me happy that those guys use the same word. People ask that all the time. I used to kind of shy away You know, so we just -- we don't really have a week from it, but now I kind of embrace it. The reason we plan, month plan. I've always been the guy that had a win, we have good players. It's a player's game day-to-day plan. Our plan is to execute the process. whether it be Jamal Brown or Omar "Cuco" at This team has done that about as well as any team I've Seminole, whether the vet, Jacoby Jackson with ever coached. "D'Maury," Josh "Haygains" with Little Rock or Kenan Evans at Texas Tech, we've had good players. Try to Q. Coach, you talked about building a program. get guys that want to be coached. Try to get guys that How much more of a challenge is it to do that when want to play for the team and the program and not you're in a place like Lubbock that's a little bit off themselves and this year's team is a great example of the beaten path, maybe you don't have the quite that. the tradition of Kansas or somebody like that? What does that add to the challenge of what you're We've got guys that are playing for Texas Tech not trying to do? what's on the back of their jersey, their name. So, I CHRIS BEARD: In terms of Lubbock, it's a huge appreciate that question. It's always a compliment, but advantage. Those of you who have been to Tech, you it's really simple answer. We've had good players understand that. We have some of the best fans in everywhere we've coached. We take care of them, college . We sell out games in the 15,000- coach them hard, love them. We help them graduate. seat arena. We have a great college town, so that's an That's really the key to our success is our players. advantage. Q. There's going to be a lot of people seeing one of But I do respect the question in terms of tradition. We the best players in . What can have great basketball tradition at Texas Tech. My folks expect to see when they see him? lifetime, Coach Myers is a coach and athletic director, CHRIS BEARD: The secret it out. For the longest time certainly James Dickey, Bob Knight, most recently we were kind of under the radar, but simply stated, I Tubby Smith, and we're trying to take it to the next think Jarrett is one of the best players in college level. basketball. How do you go from being a non-top recruit and two years later you're a lottery pick, in my In recent history that's one thing we had to kind of opinion. overcome. Now having Zhaire, Keenan, and Zach in the NBA, so right now certainly we have NBA players I did tell him the other day, even if the lottery works out, on this year's team, we're starting to get into the world if he wants to come back to Tech, we have a spot for of building a tradition. him. If we run out of scholarships when he goes through the NBA process, we can still get him to walk We're in the early stages of it, but recruiting is not hard on. He looked at me like I was crazy. at Texas Tech. We have a great academic institution. As we have success, we're building tradition and this The whole world sees his talent tomorrow night. You'll helps. see his length and athleticism and ability to play on both ends. What the world doesn't know is the work Q. Coach, you've had a chance to see Iowa State a ethic, the character, great teammate. But above all,

Rev #1 by #274 at 2019-03-21 17:39:00 GMT page 3 of 5 when I think of Culver, I think of love of the game. baseball or basketball.

I was never a great player myself, but no one loves this The other we're loading up the car on Saturday game more than me, nobody. I just grew up loving it, morning, 5 am driving straight to Atlanta. Staying two play it, just love basketball. Culver loves it as much as days with grandparents and going to Panama City I do, and I've only said that about a few players in my Beach. Staying at the same motel, eat at the same career. restaurants. Routine. Another thing with our process. Got this from my dad. We're going to go to The Varsity Jarrett is a guy we just had a local practice at a high twice even though we'll be there three days. He's school before we came over here and Culver trying to going to relive all the stories about how he went there get him to the bus, let's go. He wants to get off five as a kid. He's going to show me where he scored the more shots, wants to play the manage one-on-one. game-winning touchdown, where he went on his first Wants to watch two more clips on his laptop. He's a date. student of the game. That why he's going to be a great pro. He'll be an NBA All Star one day. Q. Where did he play? CHRIS BEARD: Sprayberry High School. My mom When you love something this much, when talent and my dad at Marietta High. I'm getting two hot dogs, intersects with love of the game, special things happen. mustard, chili, cheese, no onions. Fries with a side of That's what happened in Lubbock. Last year Zhaire chili on the fries, and I'm doing the chocolate milk on Smith, . Culver is a guy that loves ice. The next person I saw do that was Bob Knight. basketball, loves it. Coach Knight used to have Dr. Pepper and chocolate milk on ice. Think about that one. Q. As a man who has coached at various different levels, you said you've been a fan of what Northern It's a special place. When I was recruited to Atlanta. A Kentucky has been able to do. Obviously the first little bit over the year we always go back, Al Pinkins several years in, Division I. Having coached at who is now at Florida, Al is from the South, too. So we different levels, does that impress you more with went to The Varsity. I think we spent $32 between the what they've been able to accomplish more two of us last time went to The Varsity. Do the math on quickly? that. CHRIS BEARD: One hundred percent. One of the best untold stories in college basketball. I pride myself Q. You're going to have what appears to be a in watching games and knowing everything that's going decent following in the stands tomorrow. Iowa on. I didn't understand how quickly Coach has built a State gets a lot of publicity for the passion that fan program. If I'm not mistaken, NCAA Tournament, NIT, base brings. Out of the box reaction to the draw NCAA Tournament, players have changed. They have here, it's several thousand Cyclone fans. I get the an identity. Yeah, it's been special. sense your base has really latched on to what you guys have done the last few years. I was In our state my former player and good friend Joe wondering if you could speak to that and what kind Golding has done something similar at Abilene of crowd you expect to have behind you tomorrow? Christian. He haven't gotten into the consistency yet. CHRIS BEARD: First of all, we've always had great Northern Kentucky has. I'm a fan at this point, fans, tradition of Tech basketball. We're not rebuilding watching their games. Definitely be a guy that I reach it, just awakening it again, trying to get it to the next out to this spring and summer and try to get with him level. and talk some basketball because I love a lot of things they're doing. Last year we had some great support not only in Dallas but in Boston. I expect the same. I'll call it. We'll have Q. Apologies for asking a stupid question, but The a great showing of Red Raider nation here. We have a Varsity you mentioned piqued my curiosity. Were lot of respect for Iowa State. We talk about their you born in Marietta? How long did you live in the program a lot. We're trying to get in the same Atlanta area? neighborhood they're in. We're getting very close to CHRIS BEARD: Both my parents are from Atlanta. My doing it. grandparents, I was born in Marietta originally, moved to Texas, young life, I don't know, first or second grade. We have great fans. You work really hard to have a Always at that time trip back every summer. My dad season like we had with this seed. It's what you're got two weeks off a year. That's where some of the working for. You want the people that supported you all work ethic comes from that I get. One week those five year long to have a chance to watch you in the NCAA days will be my sporting events whether, it be football, Tournament. We're proud to be in Tulsa. I used to

Rev #1 by #274 at 2019-03-21 17:39:00 GMT page 4 of 5 coach at Seminole State College. I'm an Oklahoma Kind of know my friends are in the tournament. Know guy. I have a lot of fans and friends that live here. the Big 12 teams because we're exchanging texts. I we've always set this up as a four-team tournament. We're glad to be at the Embassy Suites. We used to There's four teams in ours. We got to win two games stay there back in JUCO, put eight guys to a bed, two to try to advance. Easy to talk about, really difficult to to a bed, two to the bed, two on a couch, freshmen on do. the floor. Free beer at Happy Hour, always good for the SIDs and assistant coaches. Not me during the That's always been our mindset. The bracket comes season, after the season, yes. Went to Jamil's out, we just enjoy it for 30 seconds, we get our guys in Steakhouse last night. Top ten steakhouse in this part the room, close the door. Say it's a four-team of the country. We're glad to be in Tulsa. Anybody tournament. Most important game in any tournament been to Jamil's? is the first game. If you're fortunate to win that, which is really hard to do, then you got a chance to win one THE MODERATOR: I have. more to try to advance to the regional.

CHRIS BEARD: Big time. Get the prime rib. THE COURT: Anything else for the head coach? All right. Chris, thank you very much. Best of luck. Q. More than the 32-dollar bill? CHRIS BEARD: Yes. Especially at this level. when we're at Seminole, went to see Cici's Pizza off of 44. 4.99 without a drink. Can't do it. What do you want, Coach? 4.99? Free drink?

Can our bus drivers eat for free?

How many bus drivers do you have?

Four.

Same guy running that Cici's off 44, thank you.

Q. Talking about the hot dogs, been to coney I- lander? CHRIS BEARD: Is that a chain?

Q. It's a Tulsa chain. CHRIS BEARD: Place here that's a root beer place.

Q. Weber's. CHRIS BEARD: That's the spot.

Any basketball questions?

Q. Coach, with you playing on Friday this year, how much are you actually paying attention to what's going on around in the tournament if at all, or is it just completely focused on Northern Kentucky? CHRIS BEARD: Yeah. One hundred percent Northern Kentucky. When we have team meals, we'll have the games going on for the environment of the tournament. Again, it's like dreaming the life. Never take it for granted getting here.

I love the Friday draw because you can experience Thursday, too. I'd like every year to play the Friday last game so you get to enjoy the whole deal. Special time of the year, but really haven't looked at the bracket.

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