NCAA Men's 1st and 2nd Rounds: Hartford Friday, March 22, 2019 Hartford, Connecticut principles to try to disrupt them. Q. You guys obviously faced Zion this year, too, Trent Forrest and that was a huge challenge. What do you Florida State Seminoles compare this challenge with Morant like to facing him? Q. Talk about facing . Have you watched TERANCE MANN: I would say they're both great him at all? What kind of challenges does that players in what they do. Zion is very athletic, Ja Morant represent? is very athletic. We've been facing great players all TERANCE MANN: He's a good player, we're just going year especially throughout the ACC. Both guys are try to contain him as best we can. He's a good passer different, so our coaches have a great came plan for also. He likes to find his teammates. So we just try to us. Try and stay in front of them and contain them, and get in the way of that, stick to our principles, and things I think we'll just do a good job of that. should fall in place. Q. For any of the players, I know your teammate TRENT FORREST: Kind of what Terance said, just had a tragic loss yesterday. I'm wondering how kind try to disrupt him as much as you can. It's kind of he's doing and how you guys are helping Phil sort hard to stop a player who likes to pass and get the ball of get through a tough time? to his teammates because you never know what he's TRENT FORREST: I mean, it's hard any time when going to attack or pass. Probably just disrupt his you lose a parent. I mean, he's been doing pretty rhythm is the biggest thing for us. good. I mean, we've all been there for him since it happened, and we're just helping him get through it Q. You guys obviously have a big size advantage, and giving him his space, his time that he needs, and but that's not uncommon. You're larger than a lot just be there for him when he needs it. of teams on the wings and especially in the middle. How do you best take advantage of that? MFIONDU KABENGELE: Sums it up. Obviously you'd love to dominate the glass. They're small but not as small as some teams you Q. Throw you one more at you on Ja Morant, played. because he's obviously been such a big story. I'm MFIONDU KABENGELE: We recognize our size is sure you watched tape. Can you sort of appreciate going to be a advantage. It's important to stay his game yesterday? I mean, in other words, do consistent through the first half. We know they going to you sort of sit back and say, this is kind of fun. Or very energized. We have to keep chipping away and is it too much, like man, we got to deal with this wear them down with our length and our depth and guy? Can you sort of step back from a fan's point continue to be aggressive on the glass, just wear them of view and appreciate his game for the sort of down. With our guards being as disruptive as much as spectacular plays that he makes? possible, getting on transition. I feel like we'll chip away TERANCE MANN: I mean, yeah. He had a triple- and be victorious. double, and that doesn't happen often in college . So, I mean, you could appreciate the triple- TRENT FORREST: Yeah. Just try our best to use that double that he had, but also facing him next also is in to our advantage as we did that pretty much all season, your head, trying to figure out how you're going to cut just with smaller teams. Just like Fi said, just chip away that down and not let him have the type of game that at it the whole game, stick our game plan. Make them he had yesterday. But like I said, you know, we're just see bodies, make them go around our length and size. going to use our athleticism, be lengthy, be smart on I feel like we just need to use that to our advantage. our defensive end and try to disrupt it.

TERANCE MANN: I agree. Just being consistent, I TRENT FORREST: Yeah. I mean, what he's been think, with our length and athleticism throughout the doing as a season -- as a fan, I mean, all you can do is whole game and especially sticking to our defensive respect it honestly. As Terance said, it doesn't happen

Rev #1 by #448 at 2019-03-22 17:46:00 GMT page 1 of 2 when you see triple-doubles in college. I mean, I feel from a fan's perspective, you definitely have to respect what he did all season. Just going into tomorrow, we just have to be locked in, and it's going to be tough stopping him because he's such a good player.

Q. I was just curious, obviously a lot of questions about Ja, but what do you think you guys bring to table in a game like this knowing that the Sweet 16 is right in front of you? MFIONDU KABENGELE: I think with our team, obviously our quality of our depth, our length, but more especially our intelligence. I feel like we're one of the smarter teams in this conference. I feel that goes underrated, and I feel like our decision-making and our game plan preparation is very excellent. Our coaching staff does a great job. Players do a great job of adjustment, especially in the Vermont game. It was tied and you know, we were able to regroup. And seeing where we could have made mistakes and what we could improve on, and especially in the second half, I give credit to the our mindset and our intelligence. I feel like with this team our overall mental preparation, our game intelligence, and basketball IQ, it is something we will bring to the table.

TRENT FORREST: Definitely our athleticism, our length, our size, so I would say that definitely. And another thing going along with the IQ is our experience. I mean, I feel like from top to bottom, we have a lot of guys that's been here. We understand what's at stake. We understand how to win these tough games. I mean, yesterday it seemed like they had a pretty good crowd. So just being able to manage their crowd, manage the emotions of the game, just for the whole 40 minutes, that experience, I feel is going to be an advantage for us as well.

Rev #1 by #448 at 2019-03-22 17:46:00 GMT page 2 of 2 NCAA Men's 1st and 2nd Rounds: Hartford Friday, March 22, 2019 Hartford, Connecticut Leonard Hamilton Florida State Seminoles strengths and we plan to do the same thing. I think the team that's going to be successful is the team that Q. Coach, in watching tape on Murray State and comes closest to being who they are to the best of their particularly on Ja, what did you notice different -- abilities. I hope that answers your question. have you had a chance to see any of them play last year and did you notice big differences in the team Q. Leonard, what was it like to find out about Phil's and Ja? father, and then how do you as his coach approach LEONARD HAMILTON: What I notice is he's one of the that and be with him and support him? I imagine it most exceptional players that I've had a chance to was a very incredible difficult night. watch play. He's kind of a throwback to guys who have LEONARD HAMILTON: Of course, it was. Mike Cofer, the ability to score points. But also has the passion Phil's father, was one of the most competitive human and the excitement about creating opportunities for his beings that has ever played in the NFL. Tremendous teammates, guys like a Nate Archibald who can lead amount of character, loved and respected by everyone. the NBA in scoring and lead in assists at the same Not only the guys who played with him, teammates, but time. A guy like Magic Johnson, who got so much joy anybody who's ever been around him after his playing making the game easy for his teammates. Even a career was over. He is a guy who had to endure an player like Muggsy Bogues, who has an uncanny way unbelievably challenging debilitating disease that of making things easy for his opponents. mentally and emotionally was draining in itself, but the physical toll it took on his body is beyond anything that My opinion is you have to be careful because he's not you possibly could explain. And he never complained. winning the games by himself. He's surrounding He always faced it every day with the heart of a lion, himself with good players who feed off of who he is and with tremendous amount of courage, and he passed what he is about as a player. And I'm excited for him that same mental and emotional aspect over to his son, and for their team, because I enjoy watching guys play Phil. with such an unselfish spirit, that they actually get excited about it. You can just see the gleam and the He always challenged Phil, and he always encouraged joy in his eye. It motivates him. him to play with the heart of a lion, and without making any excuses for anything at all. And Phil's attitude has Like some guys, they play harder and with more been as good as anyone that I've ever coached in my intensity when they make shots. Whenever he whole coaching career. He's always positive. He's completes a pass and makes an , you can just always energetic. He's a fun guy to be around, a great see him glowing. That's an unusual player and you teammate. He's a guy that uplifted other guys on the don't get a chance to play against people like that. And team when they were down. He's had to deal with a lot I have tremendous amount of respect for him. of injuries himself during his coaching career.

Still at the end of the day, it's going to be Florida State Yeah, it was very difficult for him and his teammates, against Murray State. It's not going to be one and we spent a lot of time last night dealing with it in particular player against -- a player who probably is our own way. Our heart goes out to the Cofer family. going to be very difficult to keep from doing what he They have been unbelievable Seminoles. We'll be does best because he's such a highly skilled, physical- there for Phil in every way possible. We have a culture skilled and mentally and emotionally savvy youngster. of our basketball team, I think, that's healthy and we're So we're pretty much going to be who we are. And I going to do everything we can to minimize the effect. think the team that's going to be successful is the team But you don't ever really know how challenging going that comes as close as they can to playing up to their through that experience would be on the individual. potential. We have a defensive scheme and an offensive schemes. They have offensive schemes; But because of our culture and the love that these guys they have defensive schemes. have for each other, they feel the same level of pain. But they also have the same love and compassion and I'm sure they're trying to minimize ours and play to their care for him that they are going to do everything he

Rev #1 by #448 at 2019-03-22 18:16:00 GMT page 1 of 3 can. He's going to know that his brothers are there a game we had to win to win the conference, I think he with him. And prior to the news that he got yesterday, scored 36 points or something like that. It was an we had already dedicated the season and our play to exciting era for me and it was a great way for me to his father. That meant a lot to Phil. start my coaching career.

So it's challenging. It's never easy, but we're prepared Q. I guess without giving away any secrets, have to, and I think we've started doing everything we you thought how your guys are doing to defend possibly could to let him know his basketball family is Morant and who might guard him at all? with him. And we can't do anything than pray for his LEONARD HAMILTON: I addressed that earlier. family that they endure this tragedy as best they can. Florida State's defensive system will be playing against Murray State's offensive system. Now, you can spend Q. Leonard, one quick follow-up. Phil's status, is all your time trying to figure out how to stop somebody he going to try to play? Is he going to remain with who might be unstoppable, and you could end up not the team? Do you know? Is that clarified at this worrying about Murray State and give all your attention point? to the one particular player. He's outstanding. He's LEONARD HAMILTON: He's going to remain with the hard to watch unless you're coaching against him. team. We've had several conversations was his family. We're not going to change very much from who we are. And they want him to remain with the team, and he We can't in one day turn around all of a sudden and wants to remain with his team. And then we'll make invent a whole new defensive system. whatever adjustments we have to from there. But he'll be with us during the game tomorrow. And then we'll We play against a lot of outstanding players and make the decisions that are necessary as we move schemes in the ACC. Hopefully, that has prepared us forward. to play against another outstanding player. He's definitely one of the best players in the country. We'll Q. I know it's been a little while but your ties to UT- make necessary adjustments out of who we are and Martin and Austin Peay as an assistant. Some the system we've used all along to be where we are people might not know Murray State, but you on now. We know it's a tremendous challenge when you the other hand might have a little bit of experience. play against a very special talent like him, but we can't Does this bring up fond memories from your lose sight of the fact that it's Florida State against yonder years? Murray State, not necessarily one or two guys against LEONARD HAMILTON: When I was a student at the a great player like Morant is. University of Tennessee at Martin, a couple of guys that played with me came from Paducah Junior Q. Coach, this is related to Morant but not College. Rick Leeper, I think was one of the guys that necessarily about him. Seems nowadays with is still a friend of mine, I think we might have these one-and-dones, we sort of expect these guys scrimmaged them. And whether you know it or not, to be stars immediately. These great players like Cal Luther, I believe was a head coach at Tennessee- Zion come in and already think oh, that's going to Martin. be a number one pick. Do we maybe underrate how much development there is in college But to move on to Austin Peay, back in those days, we basketball and how much guys can improve, like had some tremendous battles. If you go back and read there's sort of room for guys who are ready-made the newspapers, you can see that with the team that stars and guys who can become stars? Coach Luther had there and the team we had at Austin LEONARD HAMILTON: I think what we've done in the Peay, they were always packed houses, and they were sport of basketball, we created an unrealistic mindset. very, very exciting games. And if I remember correctly, In the NBA, you got 400-some players, 150 of them Murray State was probably the team to beat in the come from probably Europe. Every year you only have conference until we got at Austin Peay. And we had maybe 20 players matriculate into some tremendous, tremendous, exciting games the NBA, maybe 20, maybe 25. But that's all we talk against them in the two years, three years, I was at about is one-and-dones. It's like they're everywhere. Austin Peay. That doesn't exist. There's a lot of development that's needed. I think we have an opportunity for those elite I got a lot of fond memories of the challenges and players, maybe 20, maybe 25, that have an opportunity atmosphere that exist. Hector Blondet and some of the to go to the next level. guys that played at Murray State, I think we had two, three guys from New York and we had a guy on our And you have about 7,000 kids playing basketball and team from New York named Fly Williams that averaged all we talk about is one-and-done and this cliche that 27 points and 9 rebounds in a game as a freshman. In we have created a mindset that's available for any and

Rev #1 by #448 at 2019-03-22 18:16:00 GMT page 2 of 3 everybody. I think it's good that this kid's been in school for a couple years. He's had a chance to hone his skills and obviously he's prepared but that that's not easy. You know, you talk about him, you talk about Zion, and probably two, three other players on Duke's team that we had to play against. I think having an opportunity for youngsters to be able to realize their dream and move on. But I think the one-and-done phrase is overused because there's just not that many. We act like they're growing on trees and dropping off like apples. That's not the case.

These guys are elite guys, and they come along few and far between, and then a lot of them that are drafted in the first round, even though they are one-and-dones, they are in the D-League by January. So, this is something I think you guys need to be careful about. This is just not as easy. But he's one of those special elite guys that it's obvious that he has that "it" factor that you can't really put your finger on that makes him special. But I do think that even as talented as he is, having the opportunity for a couple year of development, I think when he moves to the next level, he's still going to have a lot to learn, a lot to grow.

Those guys that are able to move in and be major contributors as first-year players are not as prominent as sometime we make it out to believe that this is what's going on in the basketball world.

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