NCAA Men's 1st and 2nd Rounds: Jacksonville Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Jacksonville, Florida expectations, that's exactly what it is, how he coaches us every day in practice, and so that's what we're used to, so that's what we just fall back on. Q. What has Coach Cal been emphasizing to you guys in the locker room in preparation for the Kentucky Wildcats tournament and the first game tomorrow? ASHTON HAGANS: You know, like Keldon said, just Q. The season, a fantastic run, but it ended a little play to our training, be as one, stick together as we do shy in the SEC Tournament. How did you guys on the court, and just go off our training. bounce back, and what's it like to be back in the NCAAs again? Q. How much of a difference has Reid Travis been KELDON JOHNSON: I mean, it feels good just being for you guys? You're all freshmen, he's obviously able to get another shot. Of course like you said, we a lot older, fifth-year kid. How much has he helped fell short a little bit in the SEC Tournament, but we just you in terms of maybe coming into a situation like regrouped and refocused and locked in, and we're this, even if he hasn't played in a lot of NCAA ready to go now. tournaments? TYLER HERRO: Reid is obviously a huge part to our Q. When you guys all made the decision to come to team. It really hurt us when he was out for those few Kentucky, it was probably in part to have moments weeks, but I think the guys that didn't get as much like this. Now that it's right here, how does it feel minutes, they got to come in and fulfill their role. Reid to get ready to play on this stage, and do you guys has been a huge part to it, just being able to -- he's a feel prepared for the moment? leader, like you said, he's a fifth-year guy and we can TYLER HERRO: I think it's a dream come true for all of look up to him as freshmen, but he does a lot of things us. Obviously coming to Kentucky, the coaching staff that don't show up in the stat book, so we're happy to and just being at Kentucky is going to be the biggest have him. We're happy he's back and healthy and stage in college . We're just happy to be ready to go? here. As a team I think we're ready to go, and just ready to attack this tournament. Q. Is he the leader of this team? Like if there was a leader, is it Reid? ASHTON HAGANS: Like Tyler said, it's a dream come KELDON JOHNSON: It just all depends on the true, just growing up watching this on TV and now situation, what's going on. Of course for him being so getting the chance to play in this tournament, it's a big much older than a lot of us, we ask him for a lot of confidence thing, and we're just ready to come in and advice, and he's always gotten us through certain play. situations that happen in basketball, whether it's we're down at a certain point or we're getting a little rattled, Q. Could you talk about how Calipari gets you to he's always just there to make sure we're good and this point of the year, what the expectations are bring us back together. and a lot expected of you guys at this point? What THE MODERATOR: If you could just an opening is the secret? What does he say? How does he general statement about your season and being back handle and how do you guys handle expectations in the tournament as a 2 seed here. of where you're at right now to try to win a National Championship? JOHN CALIPARI: We had a good run. The team is KELDON JOHNSON: We've been just going hard all getting better. They're coming together. We've got year, and at this point in the year he always says that great kids. I mean, they share. It's not about one of we just have to fall back on our training. I think that's a them; it's about all of them. big thing that we do. I think as long as we fall back on our training, because if we try to live up to his They all have worked. They're gym rats. If I go to the

Rev #2 by #557 at 2019-03-20 19:30:00 GMT page 1 of 5 office and it's 11:00 at night, there won't be one in there, there will be four, five or six in there. You know, Q. What do you see as you're looking at the game they're into it. film? You talked about how you want to make sure you're focusing on yourself. Everybody has a They've not been in this environment. We don't know game plan going in. What type of challenges does how they'll react. I have a feeling they'll be fine, but a -- lot of young guys. JOHN CALIPARI: You can get hit in the mouth and then that game plan goes away. Q. Can you give an update on PJ's status? Is he here today, and do you expect him to play Q. That's right. tomorrow? JOHN CALIPARI: Again, we've got to take care of the JOHN CALIPARI: PJ sprained his foot in the ball because they want to balls. They play Tennessee game. We had him in the boot for a while. aggressive. Their 5 man can shoot. So if you don't go X-rays, everything was negative, MRIs. But we sent play him, he's making shots. The championship game him to a specialist. Again, precaution. He wants to they played, he made the two threes that ended the play. Well, if you know me, I'm like, wait a minute, let's game. It was their 5 man. go get one more level of this. So you look at this and say, they've got drivers, they've So we expect him -- he's not here with us right now. got a couple guys that are making threes. They can He'll probably be here in an hour or so, but we sent him stretch you out. They can get you near the basket. I to the specialist to make sure that he can't harm mean, they're good. They're good. And defensively himself. But we expect him to play. they're not just giving you baskets. You're going to have to fight because they play. They're well-coached. Q. You look at ACU, it's a very different team in many ways, first time in the tournament, and your Q. You've consistently had success recruiting program has established itself. Is there anything to players that have a future in the NBA. How do your be concerned about with that program? Is this just players on this team compare to the great players another match-up for you guys? What is your you've coached in the past? mentality going into this? JOHN CALIPARI: Every team I've coached is different, JOHN CALIPARI: Well, again, I've been in this thing a and I mean that literally. Like I come in each year and bunch, and I tell you, it doesn't matter because it's a brand new team. everybody is zero and zero right now. You don't look beyond anything else. All we're worried about is This team is skilled, one of the higher skilled teams Abilene Christian because they're good enough to beat that I've had. This team has been able to stay in the us. moment and be about each other, which in this day and age with social media, with the clutter around them, I watched their games. I'm impressed with how they with the people, you know, the flattery they get, which play, both inside and outside. They defend. They is you're better than so and so, you should be shooting make it hard for catches. They try to steal balls. They more shots, why -- they hear this, being enabled, and scramble the game up. They're good. They're well- to fight that, this team has done unbelievable. coached. Is there an Anthony Davis or a Karl Towns -- they all You know, again, a 16 beat a 1 last year. There's been get mad. All 30 of them want me to mention them right 15s that have beaten 2s. And so you just go in and now. Do you guys mind if I mention all 30? (Laughter). you worry about yourself. The $2 billion in contracts those kids make? I can do it if you want me to. But these kids are different. Again, I'm trying to explain to these guys, you don't play to the opponent, you don't play to the tournament, Now, they're professionals, too. They're going to be in you don't play to the TV or the crowd. You play to your that league. But they're doing it together. And different training. If you can do that, you'll be able to do that for guys are doing it. The one advantage we have with 40 minutes. If you do the others, you're going to be this year's team is Reid Travis. I mean, I've not able to play for 15 and it's not good enough to win in coached a 23-year-old since I left UMass, and he is so this tournament. professional in how he handles everything, practices, preparation, training himself and also getting his body And again, I've been doing this 30-some years. I right. You know, he's one of those guys. mean, it's play to the training, stay in the moment is the message to these young guys. Now, he's not been in this tournament, so he's another

Rev #2 by #557 at 2019-03-20 19:30:00 GMT page 2 of 5 one that you look at, other than PJ, the other guys really -- Nick played a few minutes, but he's not -- So it's been a great experience, in our league, there they've not been significant in this thing. So that's have been so many games that were won in the last something we've got to see how it turns out. minute for every one of our teams in our league. We got eight teams in, and the other two were on the Q. I was going to ask you about Reid and how big bubble, like it could have been 10 teams. And every of a challenge is it for him to stay focused with team played through this league, gave themselves a finally getting to the NCAA, and then with the Final chance now to come in this tournament and do well. Four in Minneapolis, his hometown. JOHN CALIPARI: Is that where it is? Q. You mentioned all the young guys that have played as many NCAA Tournament games as ACU Q. That's what I hear. guys have, but when you wear that blue, there are JOHN CALIPARI: Wow. I grabbed him today, I said, the expectations. How do you manage the "You've prepared your whole life for this," and I said, expectations and the pressure that comes with that "Have a ball, man. Have a ball." "UK" on their shirt? JOHN CALIPARI: That's overrated. They don't care if And if he relies on his training instead of thinking of all we win or lose at Kentucky. They're fine. As long as the -- he will be fine, because no one trains like him. we really do the right stuff, we're okay. And whatever you ask him, I can get on him, like really hit him, and he's fine. He never wavers. I mean, I The one advantage that we have coming in to a scream -- he missed a last game, and I just tournament like this is every game we play is looked, screamed at him, "Make a free throw!" And he someone's Super Bowl. And 98 percent of the time, made the next one. the other team has nothing to lose. I don't care who it is. If you come to Rupp, you have nothing to lose I've had a ball coaching him. I mean, absolutely every because most teams are not going to win in that day I walk in, it's kind of like I used to say with Jamal building. Murray, who would smile and make me smile, every time I see him when I walk in the gym, Travis, I smile. I If we go to their place, they have nothing to lose, plus know he's going to give us everything he can. they have the fans. In this tournament, everybody has something to lose. And we're used to playing that way. Q. Your team has had a really good job at the end So that helps us more than anything else. of games this year -- JOHN CALIPARI: Until the last one. The kids, you know, I think they're proud to be in the uniform, but I don't think it weights on them more than Q. That's what I was going to ask you. There were any other uniform. But they're proud. And they know some uncharacteristic turnovers, et cetera. Do you what happened before them, and they know how every look back at -- one of them maybe could have been one of those players left this place better than when something else -- they all got here, and they know they all finished the JOHN CALIPARI: There's stuff I can't say here, you term academically, which is why we finish in the top ten know. in the APR and they send us awards, which you guys don't hear about, every year, because we're one of Q. And I can't either, you see the news. Is it those schools that finishes in the top because the kids possible -- is it just one of those things? Was it a finish the term and do what they're supposed to do fluke? academically. That's the culture that's been left, and JOHN CALIPARI: Yeah, there were -- if you looked at that's the culture that you leave when you leave here. what you're talking about, go back and look at the tape. You may have a different opinion. And the second Q. In terms of what Immanuel has played of late -- thing is -- and I told them this: When you go through a JOHN CALIPARI: Ooh, he's been great. season, you have to learn how to finish games off, which we have. You have to learn how to be down 10 Q. Is that just seeing the ball go in, or is it coming or 11 and come back and win, which we have. You here and maybe adjusting to playing with guys who have to learn about playing fast, playing slow, playing are as good, if not better than him? against pressing teams. We played against a team JOHN CALIPARI: Emmanuel Quickley has probably that, thank goodness, played a 1-3-1. Nobody plays it improved as much, if not more than anybody on our anymore, but what if you get it in the tournament? And team. He's another one that lives in the gym. I'm I've got all young guys. This isn't like, well, two years trying to get him to slow his mind down. In this game ago -- no, they weren't here two years ago. we play, you can have your feet move real fast, but your

Rev #2 by #557 at 2019-03-20 19:30:00 GMT page 3 of 5 feet can't move faster than your mind move fast. And would have beat them except there was a -- stepped getting him to slow down his mind so that he can read out of the box in the Spectrum I remember. See, the stuff better, that's been what we've worked on all Spectrum had different colors, because it was the season, and he's getting better and better and better. Spectrum, and so if you were across the court like 62 feet away, you would have thought I was out of the box, From where he was defensively to where he is now, but I looked down and I'm like, I'm in the box, you can't from where he is decision making and shot making and see, the Spectrum in the lines. That's how we lost the play making to where he is now, not close. I am so game. proud of him and so happy for him. When did we beat them, the first game of -- '95, we You know, he and Ashton playing together, subbing for beat them with like -- I think they had 11 NBA players each other, it's worked out well. on that team.

Q. 30 years now for you at this level -- Q. In your 30-plus years in the business, can you JOHN CALIPARI: 35 maybe. I know, I started when I recall the first time you crossed paths with Rick was eight. (Laughter). Byrd, and what are your impressions of the job that he's done taking a team from NAIA to Division I Q. Do you have an appreciation or can you independents to now in the OVC? remember like what Joe Golding is going through JOHN CALIPARI: Well, he and I are friends. I went up here, about to coach his first NCAA Tournament and was in his house this summer because I wanted game? I think your first was maybe your fourth him to tell me some five-out stuff, some back-door stuff, year at UMass. Do you remember what that was some shooting -- because I thought we had a skilled like at all? team and I wanted to learn some different stuff, and we JOHN CALIPARI: It took us three years to get to .500, ended up spending an afternoon together with he and to get to .500, and then I think we went in the NIT and his assistant Tyler. advanced. We went and advanced to a Final Four, which the whole school went crazy because we were in But I've watched -- we've had to play him when I was at the NIT and went to the Final Four. We didn't win it. Memphis. He reminded me we played them -- because I won't play them now. I'm like, don't call me, I'm not And then the next year it was year four that we were in playing you. You're the most dangerous team in the the NCAA Tournament, and Jim McCoy and Will country. No one knows how good you are or how good Herndon, and Anton Brown and Harper Williams, Tony you coach. But I texted him last night after the game Barbee, Lou Roe, who was a beast, and I could name and just said, I was so happy for him. When we play in the other guys if you'd like, but as I get older I do slip Nashville, we go to Belmont to practice, and he always up a little bit. opens up the gym to us.

But that run and what was done during that time with He's been so involved -- as a coach we all know, he's a those kids, and again, they shared, five guys in double Hall of Fame coach. He's 800 wins, he's ridiculous. figures, defended, tough -- we used to do screaming But also for the game of basketball, he's been on the rebounds. When you rebounded you had to scream. rules committee, he has spent time, and to be on those Like you didn't just go grab the ball (screaming) and the committees, it's like time-consuming. He was an other team was like, "These dudes are crazy." But we athletic director on the committees coaching would do stuff and have a ball with it, and at the time basketball. He finally gave up the AD stuff, he just we didn't know better. I didn't know -- until you get off wants to coach. your own campus and you're on somebody else's campus and you see like, wow, you don't realize. He's a coach's coach is what he is, and great at what he does, great for his kids, has an unbelievable -- he But it was a fun time, and yeah, I do know. It's an still has a fight and fire, but his kids love him. exciting time, and you just want your kids to have a ball with it, and I imagine that's what he's trying to do. Let's Q. Your reaction to the fact your players don't have fun. Let's go, let it go, shoot the ball. That's what believe you could survive by yourself in the wild? makes it dangerous when you're the other coach, and JOHN CALIPARI: They truly don't know me. I probably that's what happened for us there. We played so hard would struggle wrestling a bear, but other than that, I and with so much enthusiasm that we won some could live off the grid. games. Q. Your wife says you couldn't, either. Was that the year that we played Kentucky and we JOHN CALIPARI: Well, when we watch the shows, I

Rev #2 by #557 at 2019-03-20 19:30:00 GMT page 4 of 5 say, I could do that, and she busts out and says, you couldn't do that for four minutes. But no, I could. I really could.

Rev #2 by #557 at 2019-03-20 19:30:00 GMT page 5 of 5