NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Final Four Sunday, April 7, 2019 Minneapolis, Minnesota Chris Beard ones do. With our guys, we talk about having balance, Norense Odiase we talk about having fun off the court, and being serious on the court.

Jarrett Culver On this trip, we're doing the same thing. We set it up as a twofold plan. We're saying "smell the roses," has been our terminology this week, really in the whole THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. tournament. That just means enjoying everything, but Welcome back to the main interview room. Our Texas also then being us when it comes to basketball, and I Tech media availability session is set to begin in just a think we've done that pretty well. few moments. Head coach Chris Beard will join us here in the main interview room for your questions and Q. When you were considering the Texas Tech job, his answers. After a few moments with Coach Beard talking to Kirby, I think you guys talked about by himself, we'll be joined by student-athletes Jarrett alignment and making sure there was a well- Culver and Norense Odiase. resourced program. What in your mind is a well- resourced championship program, and how has it We're going to start with head coach Chris Beard. matched that the last few years? We'll get to questions in just a moment. Coach, your CHRIS BEARD: When Kirby and I met, it was a real thoughts at this time. simple conversation. We just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. Our expectations were to try CHRIS BEARD: The best thing about this is just keep to compete for championships and to have the coaching these guys. We don't want it to end. Looking resources and the mindset and the vision to do so. forward to today, another practice, then tomorrow more preparation, and ultimately a game. Our goal has never been to make a tournament. It's been to win the tournament. It's easy to talk about, Those of us in college basketball, when you talk about and really, really hard to do. But that's where we that Monday in April, it's a special day. Just so pleased started this whole thing, was just trying to have the to be coaching these guys on a Monday night. expectations and the vision where we could be relative.

Q. We always hear coaches say embracing the It starts by trying to be relative in the Big 12. If you can process, enjoy the journey. You seem to be taking get in the top half of the Big 12 and compete, you can that to an art form right now. How are you able to beat anybody once the tournament starts. That's been do that and still get these guys prepared to play as proven several times in recent history here. well as they have? CHRIS BEARD: This is what we always do. This isn't The big thing with Kirby is and I is we shared the vision anything new. We have a process that we believe in. It we could be relative in the Big 12, which ultimately has the academic piece. It has the individual work, the meant we could be relative alternately. shooting, the team practice, the film, the conditioning, the diet, the sleep -- all those things go into our Q. Coach, I got a two-part question. Part one, do process. you have an update on Tariq? CHRIS BEARD: No. But one thing we talk about from day one is just balance. I think you've got to have some kind of Q. Okay. And part two, you've said all year the release. It starts with faith and family, and then reason Matt Mooney and Tariq came to Tech is to ultimately the best players have a release. play in big games in the NCAA Tournament. Their performance last night, they were both I don't know Michael Jordan, but I've studied him as outstanding. Is that why you recruited them to much as anybody, and I know he's very competitive Texas Tech? with golf and enjoys things like that, and all the great CHRIS BEARD: We recruited them because they're

Rev #1 by #206 at 2019-04-07 19:26:00 GMT page 1 of 7 talented players, number one. We knew they could where we really thought, hey, we can play with the best play well in the Big 12. They both have a proven teams in college basketball. We're good enough to do record, proven body of work, but the big thing for Tech this. And this year's team really benefited from the -- and I don't want to speak for those guys, we know culture we established year two. Vision and belief are how much we lost from last year's team with Zach and everything. Zhaire, Justin, Tommy, Niem, and Keenan leaving. I think those guys saw the opportunity to play on the big Sometimes it comes off as a little bit of arrogance, but stage but also the spot to make an impact. you've got to be willing to tell people -- I've been telling people my whole life, I think we can win championships Q. As you look at your starting lineup, all these and play on the last night of the season. guys were two stars, three stars, or in Mooney's case, not even rated coming out of high school. The reason I say that is not arrogance, it's just belief in How has that kind of bonded this team, and what we do on a day-to-day basis. I know how much specifically with Culver, how has that kind of our guys are on the practice floor. I know how hard our motivated him in his career? staff works. I know how we care for each other. CHRIS BEARD: I think the ratings and the stars and all that's good for basketball, it's good for attention and When you've got a group of people working collectively stuff, but it really has no relationship between that and and you have the courage and the backbone to tell winning. Zhaire Smith wasn't a top 100 player. He's people what you think you can do, then that's when 16th in the Draft last year. great things can happen.

I think it can be a source of motivation. Every great Q. Coach, I know by now you've probably seen the player I've coached, I've always said, they print out that videos of the pretty wild celebrations in Lubbock top 100. I'll put it in your locker and put in my office after yesterday's big win. If you're from Lubbock, and put it on your wall next to your bed and go to work, you know that we can be excited, we can be rowdy. and we'll see where it pans out. What do you think about the way they celebrated? Do you have a message for everyone going forward With Zhaire, it not panned out pretty good after a year. back home? With Culver, it's coming true after two. Stars are just CHRIS BEARD: First of all, I know we have great fans stars. They don't mean anything once you get to work. at Texas Tech, and I know those students very well, It's about player development and working on your and I just hate that the actions of a select few are craft. putting Lubbock in maybe this light, but I've lived in Lubbock 13 years. I know the students. I know the Steph Curry is a pretty good player, and he didn't play people. We have core values, but sometimes just a at a blue blood. So, I mean, I just think the star deal is few people will do something, and I just hate that it kind one part of basketball, and we respect it, but more of puts that light on it. important, it's the work you put in. So my message and my voice would be let's celebrate Q. Chris, I asked Tony the same question. It sort of this, let's enjoy this, but let's do it in the right way, in a builds off of what Brian said. How much of safe way. But I want to recognize all the people that do building a program to get to this point is do that the right way. All the people that spent their convincing people in the program, around the hard-earned time and money to come here. Our hotel program, players, administrators, assistant last night was electric, but it was safe and professional coaches, that even though we haven't done this and just good. I did see some of those things, it didn't before, we can do this. We can get to this point. make me happy, but I'd like to recognize all the people CHRIS BEARD: That's big. That's the first step, is the that are doing it the right way. Hopefully this story isn't vision, and then you've got to get people on board that just those select few that made some bad decisions. really believe it and believe it in front of you, behind your back, believe it at 10:00 when they're out of town, Q. Can you tell me how, since you were talking on the road somewhere. Believe it in the morning, about staff the other day, you crossed paths with believe it when they're talking to their wife, their kid. Max LeFevre, and if he'll be a good coach They've got to really believe it. someday? CHRIS BEARD: I appreciate you asking that. Max is Our first year at Texas Tech, we had a great team. We my guy. I hired Max at Angelo State University at a D-II were just close. We lost a lot of close games, but that's graduate assistant where he basically got his master's when the foundation started. And then last year with paid for, and that was it. He came recommended to Keenan and those guys, that's where it became reality, me through some basketball people I trust. Max and I

Rev #1 by #206 at 2019-04-07 19:26:00 GMT page 2 of 7 talked on the phone every day for about 40 days, a different people and stuff like that. That would be one month and about 10 days. part of our defense that I think is pretty good, and we try to recruit to it. It's one of the only times of my coaching career I've ever hired anybody kind of sight unseen. Just because Q. Earlier this week, you mentioned in preparing of the resources at that level, I don't even think we had you had one week to prepare for Michigan State, a face-to-face interview, but I just had a feel for Max on and you watched every game, every news the phone. conference. Now you have a day to prepare for this game. The challenge in that? Everything he said he'd do in those 40 days, he did. CHRIS BEARD: It's very challenging. It's kind of a Coach, I'll call you at 9:30 tomorrow. 9:30 tomorrow, unique part of our sport, but we've been here before. the phone rang. Coach, I'll send that to you via e-mail. We've had five one-day preps this year. I think we had I just had a good feel. Sometimes recruiting with three one-day preps in the Big 12, playing Saturday players, you just have a good feel, but Max especially. and then Big Monday. This year was the first time He's contributed to NCAA tournaments at Angelo since Coach Knight was in Lubbock we had three big State. He's contributed to championships at Little Rock Mondays in Lubbock. So we just rely on that and Texas Tech. We've graduated every player since experience. I think in coaching and your preseason Max has been with us. He's a special person. He and your nonconference, you're trying to do everything relates to the players. He's a mentor to them. to prepare for what could happen, and we've done that.

He's not in a coaching role now, but he was able to Sometimes we'll schedule games back to back, coach at Angelo State, so I've seen him in those sometimes we'll do the one in between. So we'll just avenues. Max is going to do whatever he chooses in rely back on our experience. So the last thing we told college basketball. He's a rising star. the team last night is we reminded them we've been in this situation before. We show the guys kind of visibly Q. Pace and space is kind of a buzzword in on the board how many sessions they're going to have basketball, but when you watch your team play, you between bed last night and tip-off Monday, and we'll guys don't really give people a lot of space. Why is just rely on that experience. your style so effective in the college game right now? But it's very, very difficult. No, it is kind of a staff- CHRIS BEARD: Offensively or defensively? collaborative effort now. As you go through the tournament, you've got different guys working on Q. Defensively, yeah. different games, but now everybody in our program's CHRIS BEARD: Yeah, I know. (Laughter.) working on Virginia. You know, no advantage or disadvantage either way because both teams are in it, Somebody here ought to take a look at our offense the but it is a challenge. It's different when you have a last 30 to 50 days of the season. It's all related. But week to prepare for somebody versus one day. no problem on the defense. No, I think just a couple years ago, people would hammer us in recruiting, talk Q. On that subject of preparation, any early feel about don't go play for Beard and those guys. It's like about the pack line, just how to approach it, how to position-less basketball. All of a sudden, Golden State deal with it? wins a couple of championships, and position-less CHRIS BEARD: It's really good. It's as good as basketball becomes the hot thing. All of a sudden, advertised. I've watched a lot of Virginia games this we're cool again. year just as a fan, and then from time to time we'll come in the office in the morning, and somebody will We have interchangeable parts. We don't have guys be like, man, did you see that game? 11 points in the who are ones, twos, threes, fours, fives defensively. first half last night. We'll run to the film room and watch We have players. That's what I learned from Coach a little tape. So I've been following this since Coach Knight. He never understood what a one, two, three was at Washington State, just as a fan. was. I really don't either. In my generation, I ask recruits all the time, what was Michael Jordan? Was When I coached in Division II, we would always take he a two? No. One? In my opinion, he was the best like one team a year and just kind of follow their post player in basketball with his back to the basket in journey. So I've gone through a season before with his career. LeBron, what is he? He's a player. Duke. I've gone through a season before with Michigan State. I kind of watched the season. And we I think defensively we have a lot of players. We're not did about a half a season one time with Virginia. in much position. This allows us to switch and guard

Rev #1 by #206 at 2019-04-07 19:26:00 GMT page 3 of 7 So, obviously, it's no secret. You've got to move the great. The only problem I have with him is we can't get ball around. You can't just come down and make one him on the Fireside Chat yet, and I'm going to continue pass and go get a basket. So I think our ability to to try to do that. move the ball around and get the defense shifting will be big for us. Q. You talked about it a little bit earlier about everybody talks about your defense, and Q. At what point does everything that everybody is deservedly so, but the offense that you guys saying nationally about you guys go from brought to the table last night, hitting 9 of your first motivation for you guys to frustration, and do you 11 shots in the second half, the two big shots think you guys are finally getting credit after last Culver hit late to clinch it. What maybe elements of night's win, or are there still plenty of doubters out your offense aren't appreciated? there? CHRIS BEARD: Thank you for that question. It's all CHRIS BEARD: We do what we call a thankful text in related. You can't have a good defense if your offense our program from time to time. Just go to the locker doesn't go hand in hand. You can't be great offensively room and everybody will grab their cell phone and send unless your defense. I worked for at a thankful text. The foundation for every championship Texas, and we were explosive offensively, but our team isn't style of play, it's not coaching, it's not defense is creating turnovers, it's creating 33 percent of players, the game changes, but I think anything any our offense. These great defensive teams like Virginia, championship team ever has is a positive foundation. this offense is contributing to the defense. It all goes hand in hand. To me personally, I've always thought positive foundation comes from understanding how lucky we So I've never been a big believer of this team has this are to be healthy, to be in this country, to be working in identity or this identity. It goes hand in hand. The best this game we all love. So I think one of the best things offensive teams in college basketball have defenses you can do is just thank somebody from your past. that contribute to that, and the best defenses in college basketball have offenses. It's like in football, defense It's very difficult to go out and be in a bad mood and has got to get some stops, and offense, you've got to have a bad practice if you send two thankful texts to keep the defense on the field a little bit. It's all kind of somebody in your past. For me, a high school coach, related. my daughter, just anybody. And one thing I always tell the guys is, man, you've got to thank the haters too. I I have a lot of confidence in our team offensively. We think maybe Jordan in his Hall of Fame speech said have great players. We can score on all three different that -- and I get great motivation from the people that levels. We have, in my opinion, five green light tell us what we can and can't do. Just keep -- don't shooters on this team. We've got iso guys, and it's just pick us again in this game, and we'll see what been kind of a journey for us. When you've got all happens. these new players and you have 30 days to practice -- but you really don't have 30. It's another NCAA rule Q. It seemed each one of these teams had their that's just not true. 2 of your 30 are closed-door famous alumni in the stands cheering them on. scrimmages or exhibition games. That's 28. No coach You guys had Patrick Mahomes. What did that goes hard the day before you play a game, so that's mean to you guys and to have him firing up the 26. And somewhere along the way, you have to have team the night before? some teaching practices. So really, for us, we normally CHRIS BEARD: With Pat, it's personal. He's friends get 20 practices before we play our first game. When with these guys. Norense was at Tech playing when you've got new pieces, we get the defense going a bit Pat was playing quarterback for us, so they're just ahead, and the offense takes time. friends. I've said it before, and it never gets old talking about it, Pat Mahomes is big time. It's not fake. It's not But it's always been our plan to be a good offensive fluff. He has not forgotten where he comes from, and team by February or March, and I think we are. it's not just Tech athletics, it's the school, it's the community, it's our university. He's as good as I've ever Q. Chris, another Matt and Tariq question. How are seen in terms of not forgetting where he comes from they able to adapt to your culture so quickly, and and having a real love for Texas Tech and west Texas. what do you see as their most important contributions to your team this year? So for him to be at this game and talk to the team CHRIS BEARD: They fit in and contribute so quickly briefly yesterday was really, really cool, and he because they wanted to. I said it before, when you supported us last year too. I forget if he was in Dallas recruit guys, if you'll listen, the first three or four phone or Boston, but he was in one of those. He's been calls you have with the guy, if you listen more and you

Rev #1 by #206 at 2019-04-07 19:26:00 GMT page 4 of 7 talk, you can tell exactly what a guy is about. A lot of Carolina, and I would watch games at night, but I times in recruiting, a guy wants to know about your probably got distant from talking to my college friends. roster and how many touches he can get and how many minutes and shots. There's nothing wrong with I coached the team every day. We had no rules in ABA that. There's a personal part of recruiting. Everybody in terms of restrictions. We would do individual has a right to do that. There's a real selfishness to be workouts in the morning, team practice in the great in this. You've got to find a spot that fits for you, afternoon, and hang out with the players at night. It but it's a fine line. was really like a basketball vacation. I kind of lost myself in the game that year. As coaches, you want guys that want to win, and with Matt and Tariq, it was just unbelievable recruiting. THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Texas Tech student-athletes Jarrett Culver and Norense Odiase. Once they got their releases or declared themselves as We'll take questions for the student-athletes and for grad transfers, both guys just wanted to talk about Coach Beard over the next few minutes. winning. All of our conversations, I kind of keep notes when I talk to guys, especially when I'm recruiting a lot Q. You've taken three pretty key members of your of people, so I can kind of get my mind right before we staff from NC Central. I assume that Brian led to have the next conversation, but I listen a lot more than I John led to Brandon in terms of that process. But talk early on. Believe it or not. In these situations I sit what have those three guys, Brian Burg and those up here and talk, but Matt and Tariq, all they wanted to guys, what have they meant to what you guys have know, man, is can we get back to the NCAA been able to do at Texas Tech, and in Brian's case, Tournament? Losing so much from last year's team, Little Rock? did I really believe that we could get back to this stage? CHRIS BEARD: Brian Burg is a rising star too. This guy is going to be a head coach sooner than later. Those guys are two of the most unselfish people I ever He's the real deal. He coaches at all different levels. recruited. It's not about them. I remember an early He knows the game. He relates to players. He's a season game in November, we were coming out of the tireless worker. He's come up the hard way. He's won tunnel in Lubbock, and we just won a game. Looking wherever he's been. at the stat sheet going back to the locker room because I always want to give the guys one People always ask me sometimes -- not always, but mathematical part of the game. Tariq had only scored sometimes, what do you look for in assistants? Start two baskets and gotten a couple of rebounds. Didn't by, do they win? Brian's won championships play many minutes, probably a coaching mistake, and everywhere he's been, and Jarrett and Norense could you always wonder what that locker room is going to speak from their perspective, but -- and then I just have look like when you get in there. Tariq is jumping up a lot of trust with Brian Burg. I've known him for a long, and down like he hit the game winner and hugging the long time. He recommended John Reilly to me. Brian guys that played more minutes than him. And I told Burg is a big piece of this story. He's special. He's Mark Adams right there, this team has got a chance. deserving of a head coaching job. This unselfishness is not fluff, this is real. THE MODERATOR: If this question isn't for the Q. You told me that the year in the ABA was one of student-athletes, the next one is going to have to be. the most satisfying in your career. Was there a point through those jumps, D-III, D-II, that you Q. Chris, I'm wondering, you talked a lot about how thought this would never happen, that you'd never you convince people to believe in your vision. get back to being a Division I head coach? You're making a National Championship. You don't CHRIS BEARD: I didn't really think about it. I didn't have to convince people to believe that you can get care. I wanted to win a National Championship. I here. How does that change your perspective on wanted to graduate every player. I wanted to get the program, and how could that potentially affect teams better. I wanted to just fall back in love with the future recruiting for you even? game. Not that I ever fell out of it, but went through CHRIS BEARD: I don't think it will. I'll be a guy that will that adversity and stuff. wake up tomorrow just to try to put ourselves in a position to win, and I'm sure when we wake up I can honestly say that I never -- just a great peace at Tuesday it will be about recruiting and trying to get myself. I kind of disappeared that year in the ABA. I back. wasn't really -- no offense. I wasn't checking the Goodman blog. I really got disconnected from college I don't ever want to change who I am and why. I just basketball a little bit. Frank (Martin) and Fig (Matt want to be a guy who gets up every day. That's how Figger) and those guys were down the road at South

Rev #1 by #206 at 2019-04-07 19:26:00 GMT page 5 of 7 we're wired. Me and Culver talk about that a lot. Me When the moratorium on the desserts and beer will and Norense talk about that a lot. I don't want to speak end, and what effect do you think self-denial can for these guys, but we just wake up every day trying to have on the program going forward? prove that we belong again and validate everything. THE MODERATOR: Want to talk about mobile phones So I respect the question, but I don't think I'll ever first? change kind of how we're wired. NORENSE ODIASE: It just gives us a chance to get Q. Tomorrow's going to be the biggest game of rest and discipline. Whenever you have great your guys' career. You guys have played in discipline, it can lead to great things. For our younger hundreds of games in the past. What specific guys, even for our older guys, it's a good reminder just moment will you guys think about that will help you to keep your phone away, don't listen to distractions, guys for tomorrow's big game? things like that, and just lock in on the game plan and NORENSE ODIASE: Really the journey. Everything get rest. That's really helped us this season. that took us to get to this point, the process, the blood, sweat, and tears that got us to this moment. If you THE MODERATOR: Coach? don't take the process for granted, the long road that it took to get here, the battling with your family, with your CHRIS BEARD: Exactly. This is just like today's world. brothers to get here. That will all pay off tomorrow. These guys can't put their phones down. I see it with We've just got to stick to the process and do what we my own daughters and stuff. A lot of times a guy will do best. put his phone down and leave it on, he thinks he's getting good rest, and you're not. Sleep is where you JARRETT CULVER: Like Norense says, it's the sleep. It's part of the process. You ask the average journey. We started this summer, came together, and person how much they sleep, they don't really know. our chemistry just keeps growing each and every day. Ask Kobe Bryant how much he slept when he was an We're all playing for our brothers and playing for each NBA player. He'll tell you to the minute. other. We've got one last game, and it's for the National Championship. First of all, it's just part of our process, and the cell phone keeps us from getting the sleep we need. And Q. What is your definition of a tough basketball then just this time of year, it's human nature to read all team? these things about yourself, but our deal is we came CHRIS BEARD: I like the hat, man. BU. I think a here to play 80 minutes of basketball. Now we've got toughness, obviously, it's the physical part. If you don't to down to one day of prep, and any five minutes that have that, you can't even compete at this level, but it's our guys are sitting there reading something, I'd rather having the physical makeup, but then to me it's mental them be sitting there reading something about Virginia toughness. It really is. I think for the most part, when on the video screen. So it's just simply about the ball goes up every game, teams have enough eliminating distractions is what it is. physical talent to get it done. It's just the mental part of the game. Q. I asked Coach this already, but just what it meant to have Patrick Mahomes before the game That's why I have so much respect for Virginia. I've kind of firing you guys up out there in the crowd. I never seen a more mentally tough team. You think know you guys have a bit of a history with him, so about how their season ended last year, and then to be just what it's meant to have his support. right back here a year later, that's incredible mental NORENSE ODIASE: Pat's a good friend of mine. For toughness. They've had the two games in this year's him to come speak from his heart, he riled us up, he tournament run. You've got to give yourselves a was very excited, energized to be there with us. He's a chance all the way to the end, that's mental toughness. great ambassador for Tech athletics, not only us, but When you have these grind-out, long possessions, other teams. So he's just been great all year for us and that's mental toughness, the discipline they play with. the other teams.

Just like with Michigan State, I said there's no way JARRETT CULVER: Just seeing what he did this year, we're going to out-tough anybody. We've got to match getting the MVP, you've got the MVP of the NFL talking it. I don't think we're going to out-tough Virginia's to your team, so it always gives us motivation and mental toughness. We've just got to match it. confidence, and just seeing everything he did kind of motivated us to go out. He believed in us. It's always Q. Chris and Norense, the things you guys have good to have him around just talking to us, and kind of talked about, the self-sacrifice in the name of like a role model to us. excellence. I'm wondering a couple of things.

Rev #1 by #206 at 2019-04-07 19:26:00 GMT page 6 of 7 Q. For the players, I know your coach would probably say this isn't about him, but what's it been like for you to see him become kind of a breakout star in this NCAA Tournament? And what would you say has been his biggest imprint on you and the team? NORENSE ODIASE: It's expected, honestly. You see this guy day in and day out put in work like no other. He's sickly competitive. He drives us. He drives our coaches. He pushed the standards higher, higher, higher. It's expected from the day I met him until now, he hasn't changed.

Just the mindset and the toughness that he's employed on this program, there's none other. It's deserved what he's getting right now. I know he'll really reflect on the season after Tuesday, but we have one more game to go, and I'm glad it's with him.

JARRETT CULVER: I always expected it since the first day I met him. He's a tireless worker. He brings the best out of you, no matter if you're a walk-on, the best player, coaching staff, GA, he brings the best out in you. He works hard, and he's never satisfied. He wants to win. Winning is important, and that's what it is for us. I just seen it, I expected it from him.

Q. Question for Jarrett. Last night Michigan State tried to shut you down. Luckily, you guys have a strong roster with Mooney to pick up the pace, but you're going to play another strong offensive team tomorrow night. How are you going to try to get some of those open looks? JARRETT CULVER: Yeah, Michigan State did great, showed us how great of a team we are. To show us how great of a team we are, we've got a lot of pieces to our team. I know the coaching staff is going to have me ready to play tomorrow. I'm just going to study the film and do what I can tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: We want to thank Coach Beard and Jarrett and Norense for joining us here in the main interview room. Want to wish them all the best of luck for tomorrow night.

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