SWEETNESS! Men’s Basketball Outlasts Oregon in Double-OT, 86-73

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — It took 50 minutes, however the Creighton males’s basketball staff is returning to the Candy 16 for the third time in 4 seasons after a hard-fought 86-73 double-overtime win over Oregon on Saturday, March twenty third in Pittsburgh, Pa. With the win, Creighton (25-9) advances to subsequent Friday’s Regional Semifinal in Detroit, Mich. towards Tennessee.

Down 62-58 with beneath 30 seconds remaining, the Bluejays rally to drive extra time started with a pair of free throws from Baylor Scheierman. A missed entrance finish by the Geese opened the door and Scheierman took full benefit, flattening a pull-up jumper with 9.0 seconds remaining to knot the sport at 62-62. Oregon had a shot to assert the win, however got here up simply brief as the sport moved to an additional 5 minutes.

Within the first extra time Oregon denied Bluejay followers because the Geese acquired a game-tying three-pointer from Jermaine Couisnard with 16 seconds remaining and Trey Alexander’s try and knock down a buzzer beater fell off the rim.

Within the second extra time the Bluejays left little question, scoring the primary 15 factors. Steven Ashworth and Alexander every had 5 factors within the second extra time, ignited by a three-pointer from Ashworth, adopted by a trey from Ryan Kalkbrenner to make it 77-71 with 3:09 remaining. A tip-dunk from freshman reserve Jasen Inexperienced, his first slam of his collegiate profession, put the Jays up eight and on their strategy to the Regional spherical. Creighton went on to increase its result in 86-71, not permitting Oregon to attain till 34 seconds remained within the second extra time.

The primary half featured six ties and two lead adjustments as neither staff was in a position to put collectively an prolonged scoring run. Simply two days after scoring 40 factors, Couisnard picked up two early fouls and was despatched to the bench. He went to work after checking again in, scoring 15 factors to guide all gamers within the first half. The Geese led 32-30 with 1:46 to play within the opening stanza  earlier than CU closed the half with trifectas from Scheierman and  Ashworth to take a 36-34 lead into the break.

Kalkbrenner led CU with 12 factors and 7 rebounds on the break, whereas Alexander and Scheierman every added eight factors and Inexperienced and Scheierman hauled in six rebounds. Creighton launched 23 three-pointers within the first half, making six, after taking pictures 10-of-17 from downtown in Thursday’s win vs. Akron.

Every of Oregon’s (24-12) first 26 factors after halftime have been scored by both Couisnard or N’Faly Dante.  The Geese used a 9-0 run to take its largest lead at 58-52 on a trey by Couisnard earlier than Ashworth broke the drought with a three-ball after a Bluejay timeout, beginning a 6-0 Creighton run as Kalkbrenner contributed two free throws and Mason Miller knotted the sport with 1-of-2 from the road.

Cousinard completed with 32 factors and eight rebounds, however shot simply 13-for-33 to get there. Dante continued his dominance in March with 28 factors and 20 rebounds. His 20 rebounds have been one shy of his career-high carried out within the season-opener vs. Georgia. The Geese shot 31-of-77 from the ground (40.3 p.c) and made 7-of-21 three-pointers (33.3 p.c).

Ashworth completed with 21 factors and 4 assists and Kalkbrenner added 19 factors, 14 rebounds and 5 swats. Alexander turned in 20 factors, seven rebounds and 5 assists and Scheierman 18 factors, 9 rebounds and 5 assists as each males performed all 50 minutes. The Jays shot 38.7 p.c (29-75), made 15-of-39 three-pointers, and shot 13-of-14 on the line. CU gained the rebound battle 48-43 and gained regardless of being outscored 40-18 within the paint.

NOTES: Trey Alexander began his eighth NCAA Match recreation, extending a program document … The sport was Creighton’s one centesimal in a row to be televised … Oregon has gained 20+ video games in 14 straight seasons, whereas Creighton has carried out it 13 of the previous 14 campaigns … Creighton made a three-pointer for the 1,019th straight recreation … Baylor Scheierman reached 350 profession three-pointers with a triple late within the first half …  Creighton has now tried 995 three-pointers this season, breaking the earlier document of 961 carried out over the course of 35 video games in 2018-19 … Ryan Kalkbrenner recorded his three hundredth profession blocked shot … Ryan Kalkbrenner had his eighth double-double of the yr and sixteenth of the season … The next Creighton profession NCAA Match information have been damaged on Saturday. Ryan Kalkbrenner (140) broke Doug McDermott’s (129) document for factors, Baylor Scheierman (17) set the mark for made three-pointers, passing the mark of 16 held by Ethan Wragge and Kyle Korver … Greg McDermott‘s 325 victories are Creighton are second-most in program historical past behind Dana Altman’s 327. Altman is the Oregon head coach … Creighton improved to 20-25 all-time within the NCAA Match, and 4-10 in its second NCAA Match recreation of an look … Creighton is now 3-1 as a No. 3 seed and 2-2 towards a No. 11 seed … Greg McDermott is now 11-8 as Creighton’s head coach within the NCAA Match, and 19-12 within the postseason. All different CU coaches are 8-17 within the NCAA Match and 17-29 within the postseason … Creighton has gained a number of video games within the postseason for the fourth time in its final 5 journeys … Creighton’s 25 wins are its most in a single season since 2016-17, and simply the seventh time in program historical past with 25 or extra victories … Ryan Kalkbrenner performed in his eighth profession NCAA Match win, extending his personal program document.

 

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

PPG Paints Area

Creighton Bluejays

Media Convention

 

Creighton – 86, Oregon – 73

MODERATOR: Now we’ll begin with a gap assertion from Creighton’s head coach, Greg McDermott.

GREG McDERMOTT: As I informed the staff, epic recreation. Unsure I have been a part of one fairly prefer it in 35 years, and clearly Oregon has had a hell of a yr. What Dana has carried out to navigate all of the accidents and get the staff up to now the place, you understand, they seem to be a level away from advancing into the Candy 16. It was anyone’s recreation. Baylor made two veteran, veteran performs on the finish of regulation, recognizing in transition down 4, simply get downhill, put your head down. Then we executed the press and acquired it within the guys’ fingers, we wished it to be and we acquired the foul immediately. And Baylor works on that little loader mid fade away on a regular basis and he knocks it all the way down to get it to extra time. After which to regroup after the massive shot that Couisnard hit, that was a troublesome shot. Baylor was proper there to tie it at 71, to regroup and get ourselves prepared for the second over time. Actually pleased with our guys. They’ve caught with one another all yr, and these 4 have been a rock. They have been completely a pleasure to educate. They do not care who will get the credit score. They share the basketball. They play in an unselfish manner. And I can not say sufficient about Jasen Inexperienced and his impression on the sport. He wasn’t taking part in loads, coming off an harm that he had, however he stayed prepared, and he stored working. And whether or not he was on the scout staff or taking part in a bit off the bench, he was all the time prepared to do no matter he needed to do to assist the staff. So I could not be extra pleased with him and the impression that he had on this recreation. He deserved an evening like this for the way selfless he is been and his method to this staff.

MODERATOR: Questions for student-athletes.

Q. Baylor, simply what was going by means of your thoughts on the finish of the sport? You are down 4, your season is on the road. What was going by means of your head?

BAYLOR SCHEIERMAN: Like Mac mentioned, we have been in a position to make him take a troublesome shot and I acquired the rebound fast and I knew we had some numbers. And like Mac mentioned, we have been down 4 and so wasn’t going to have the ability to get all of it again directly and there was time left on the clock. So simply determined to attempt to get downhill, get a foul and go to the free throw line.

After which the second play, we do have a play for a 3, and so they type of took away the primary choice and Kalk got here and set an excellent ball display screen after which rolled and sealed his man. And like Mac mentioned, that is a shot that I work on loads. And the blokes had the boldness in me to provide me the ball there on the finish. And so did the coaches and I am simply completely satisfied I might ship for them.

Q. Greg, Dante’s free throws with about 34 seconds left within the second OT interval have been the primary and solely baskets that Oregon managed. You outscored them 15 to 2 in that remaining essential five-minute second OT. How have been you in a position to restrict them offensively and simply dominate that important stretch?

GREG McDERMOTT: Switched our ball display screen protection later ultimately of regulation and into the overtimes. So we have been a bit bit extra aggressive. Tried to make Couisnard give it up. We do not do it loads however we follow it a good quantity, and our guys executed it once we wanted to. He was on a roll and he was killing us, and I feel that adjustment and their execution was in a position to knock them out of the rhythm they have been in offensively.

Q. Ryan, you have been going towards a dominant heart at the moment who completed with 20 and 20. Are you able to communicate on that efficiency towards him and the way difficult that was?

RYAN KALKBRENNER: Yeah. He clearly is a very, actually good participant. Tried to make issues robust on him a bit bit when he caught it within the publish. However I feel the place he acquired us most is I am going over to dam a shot and he is getting into and getting the rebound. That is only a robust state of affairs for our guards to be in as a result of he is so massive. So credit score to him for placing himself in place getting these rebounds and put-backs. However I feel when he had the ball on the block and back-down conditions, I let him get a couple of straightforward ones however for essentially the most half did a strong job. Yeah, this time of yr, simply survive and advance. If a man has efficiency on you and you continue to get the win, simply transfer on to the subsequent one.

Q. Steven, what allowed you to get three extra there within the extra time intervals and the way a lot did Shelstad being out permit — did it compromise their protection in any respect and mean you can get open extra?

STEVEN ASHWORTH: Yeah. I feel with him being out it might have probably provided up a couple of extra appears to be like. He did a very good job understanding his function within the scout. However actually later within the second half and into the over time, Trey and Baylor did a very good job of getting penetration into the center and actually kicking the ball out and I used to be in a position to lose my man a couple of occasions, and the shot went in. Just a few of them did not, however on the similar time simply needed to hold taking pictures, and fortunately a couple of of them dropped.

Q. Trey, could not assist however discover that you simply guys have been actually free going into the second extra time. You have been taking a look at your crowd, you are laughing. It is like a decent, tense recreation and also you guys simply appeared such as you have been having enjoyable. Why was that the method to the second extra time?

TREY ALEXANDER: It is what it is meant to be, is for us to be on this state of affairs. We all know that. Me and my teammates all the time attempt to discover the enjoyable in every part. So this example we type of reside for. It is the enjoyable of the sport, and I feel that for me, despite the fact that my photographs weren’t falling, I knew that Baylor was going to step up, I knew Steven was going to step up. So I attempted to do no matter I might to get these guys in conditions to achieve success. It was an excellent staff win. We had some massive performs down the stretch from totally different guys and I feel that is what this staff is all about is having each man step up in a distinct state of affairs.

We simply knew that we have been prepared for the second OT. We do that on a regular basis in conditions in follow. So we have been prepared. We knew we have been in all probability extra winded than them and we felt like they have been strolling the ball up the court docket and issues like that and so they have been nonetheless in a position to push it going into the second OT. So we have been simply nonetheless making an attempt to play our recreation.

Q. Ryan, you do not shoot an entire lot of threes. You nailed a fairly large one in that second OT. Are you able to break down that play, that sequence? What did you see on the market that made you resolve to toss that one up from deep?

RYAN KALKBRENNER: Nicely, Mac informed me to make 100 after follow and 100 earlier than follow, the 2 practices we had earlier than we got here right here. In order that helped put together me. However, no, Mac’s all the time giving me the inexperienced mild. I work on that shot loads, despite the fact that I do not shoot it a ton in the course of the recreation, I acquired confidence in myself to take that shot. And I do know that is in all probability the primary shot Mac wished on that possession. (Laughs). However, no, I simply work on it, so I am assured in taking that each time it is a shut recreation. Noticed I had a bit little bit of area and let it fly.

Q. Guys, you have been 30 seconds away in regulation from having your season ended. What does it really feel prefer to now know that you’re going to be taking part in subsequent week in Detroit?

TREY ALEXANDER: Yeah, it is an excellent feeling. I do know I communicate for everyone up right here. We love this group of men. We love rocking and rolling collectively. We love every part that comes with the highway journeys and us simply having the ability to have one other week with one another. So we will cherish them. We’ll attempt to keep within the second and simply proceed to like one another and proceed to play at a stage that we really feel like we will play at. And from there we’ll simply type of let the dominoes fall the place they do.

Q. Jasen was like child Rodman on the market. What did you consider his efficiency the way in which he got here out and began crashing the glass, drawing fouls, and clearly your response to only the monster dunk in extra time?

BAYLOR SCHEIERMAN: Like Coach mentioned, he is been an excellent teammate all yr, despite the fact that he acquired that harm on the worst time and it type of derailed a few of his taking part in time early, however he caught with it and did no matter we requested him to do, and for him to have that second on that stage, like Trey mentioned, we’re so completely satisfied for each other when certainly one of us makes an excellent play. And for Jasen to make that put again dunk there on the finish and a bunch of different performs that he made, it is simply nice to see. And all of us are actually pleased with him. And like I mentioned, he deserves that.

MODERATOR: Thanks. Questions for coach McDermott.

Q. Greg, two-parter. Have you ever ever seen a duo do what Couisnard and Dante did in that they by no means left the ground within the second half in extra time and so they scored all 39 of their factors? The second a part of it, when that might discourage a staff, how did your staff present the medal and your gamers present the medal to not let that be discouraging when two guys are having that type of efficiency?

GREG McDERMOTT: I’ve had three guys play 50 minutes so I’ve seen it loads on our roster being on the market loads. Couisnard was terrific. He acquired 32, but it surely was on 33 photographs. And I felt like, to Ryan’s level, Dante is so bodily on the again facet on the rebounds once we include assist. We simply did not have a solution for him to attempt to get him off.

However they’re two terrific gamers. We knew they have been going to be exhausting to cease, and luckily we made yet another play than they did. However there was a number of massive performs by each groups, and Couisnard definitely made a bunch of them, as did Dante. However we had our fair proportion as nicely.

Q. How a lot was it to restrict all people else apart from Dante and Couisnard, what they may do, as a result of they did not get a lot assist from the opposite guys?

GREG McDERMOTT: Not many different guys took photographs. However we had a plan for personnel. Some guys have been going beneath, some guys have been going over. And for essentially the most half, we adopted that plan. I believed we made some errors on Couisnard the primary half specifically and to Kalkbrenner’s level, he acquired caught a pair occasions with Dante the place he acquired — Dante was in a position to get an angle and when he will get an angle, it is over. However a few of the photographs he revamped him. That is two actually good massive guys going at it and Ryan made a pair on the block and Dante made a couple of on the block which might be actually exhausting performs however they give the impression of being straightforward as a result of these two are so proficient.

Q. Sort of requested the blokes this about popping out free within the second extra time. Regarded like they have been having enjoyable earlier than the factor acquired tipped up. Earlier than successful the second extra time, you and Dana checked out one another in disbelief. What was it like to educate that recreation despite the fact that it was actually nerve-racking?

GREG McDERMOTT: We caught one another’s eye at that time. It was simply an unbelievable recreation. Baylor making the massive performs on the finish of regulation and Jermaine making the play on the finish of the primary extra time to ship it to second extra time. And Trey will get an excellent look on the baseline after he fumbled it. He makes that shot 19 out of 20 occasions. However he misses it. So I feel we have been each in disbelief about what was transpiring in entrance of our eyes.

I do know I am actually pleased with our staff for the way in which they competed and I am fairly sure Dana feels the identical.

Q. Coach, that is your third Candy 16 look now within the final 4 years. What’s it about this group that’s particular and makes them totally different from the earlier ones?

GREG McDERMOTT: I imply they’re all particular in their very own manner. Generally in sport, the toughest factor to do is what you are anticipated to do, and final yr’s group had big preseason expectations on them, and we went by means of a horrible stretch the place we misplaced six in a row and we have been in a position to type of rebound from it and get ourselves again within the match and get to the Elite Eight. This group has had that on their shoulders from the beginning. And when Trey and Kalk made the choice to come back again after going by means of the draft course of and Baylor deciding to come back again for his fifth yr, that they had this in thoughts. That is what they have been taking pictures for is to get again and have one other alternative to attempt to get to a different Elite Eight. And we put ourselves in that place.

This staff has simply been — and I’ve mentioned it earlier than to our native media. They have been an absolute pleasure to educate. And what you noticed going into that second extra time, them being free and them having enjoyable, they love the sport. They love one another. It is apparent whenever you watch them work together on or off the basketball flooring. They’re the primary ones to have a good time their teammates’ success and so they’re the primary one to rally to a teammate when he makes a play that he did not like. And it is simply been an absolute blast to be a part of.

Selfishly, I am clearly excited that I get to educate them not less than one other week.

Q. Greg, we spent the final two days asking loads about you and Dana and this matchup. How does it really feel to get this one? Does this make up for the over and again and with them becoming a member of the BIG TEN and going to Nebraska each different yr, I do know he is been avoiding taking part in you for private causes, however would you be open to doing this voluntarily and never pressured within the postseason?

GREG McDERMOTT: Yeah, all people in Omaha cheers for Dana, and so they all the time will. He is been there 14 years, so that you individuals in Eugene perceive why all people cheers for him. He is a stand-up man. He is about the appropriate stuff in teaching, and we each most popular to not have this recreation towards one another. We would have each somewhat performed any individual else. However one needed to win, one needed to lose, and like I mentioned, it was an epic recreation. They usually had an amazing yr, and whereas I do know he’ll be actually dissatisfied within the loss, I am fairly sure that Friday he’ll be cheering for the Bluejays identical to I might have been cheering for Oregon had they gained.

Q. Coach, double extra time recreation and it is a bit previous 12:50 am native time proper now. Are you able to simply kind of communicate to your staff’s conditioning and if that posed any challenges taking part in that late into the night time?

GREG McDERMOTT: You recognize, I can not bear in mind which extra time I talked to them and mentioned we’re constructed for this. You recognize, we play quick. We’re on the assault, and we’re prepared for that. And our energy coach, Jeremy Anderson, our athletic coaching, Ben McNair, do an excellent job of managing their minutes and their our bodies and the way a lot we do throughout per week of follow in preparation for the sport to guarantee that they’re prepared.

Double extra time on this stage, the final recreation of the night time, we acquired a pair fortunate bounces there. I misplaced my mother this yr. I am fairly certain she helped with a pair bounces tonight.

MODERATOR: Thanks, Coach.

NCAA Males’s Basketball Championship: Second Spherical – Oregon vs Creighton

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

PPG Paints Area

Oregon Geese

Coach Dana Altman

N’Faly Dante

Jermaine Couisnard

Media Convention

 

Creighton – 86, Oregon – 73

MODERATOR: We’ll begin with a gap assertion from Oregon’s head coach, Dana Altman.

DANA ALTMAN: Nicely, it was a heck of a recreation, and we had our alternatives, and we simply — we made extra errors than they did. It was an excellent effort, particularly by my two seniors, Jermaine and Dante. Performed their tails off. And we simply had our alternatives and made some important errors and did not end it in regulation and acquired ourselves again into it within the first extra time, after which second extra time they popped a pair threes there to begin it, and we simply could not get a basket.

Creighton’s acquired a very good staff. These guys have been collectively. They’re very well coached, and Greg does an amazing job. Thought it was a heck of a recreation, and we made some important errors, and it price us.

Q. Dante, to play the ultimate 38-plus minutes, to play 48 minutes tonight and have a profession excessive in scoring, I notice that is after a loss, however how do you are feeling such as you performed, and that is in all probability the most effective recreation of your profession? And I notice it is disappointing and a loss, however how do you are feeling about that efficiency, as a result of that was — that is exhausting to seek out.

N’FALY DANTE: Nicely, I do not know if it is the most effective recreation of my profession as a result of we did not win. I want I might make that final free throw, that may very well be the sport, however that is on me. There’s a number of issues I might do to assist my staff, however I did not.

Q. For each you guys, simply I do know the loss hurts. Are you able to simply describe the feelings of those final couple weeks and the trip that this has been?

JADRIAN TRACEY: It has been an excellent trip and an excellent journey with these guys. All of us purchased in on the finish of the season and actually stayed linked. Dante goes to be exhausting on himself about that, but it surely was nice working with him. He did a number of issues to maintain us in that recreation, and we had our possibilities, however they performed nicely.

N’FALY DANTE: It could have been nice. We caught collectively and we was there for one another. I feel it was nice.

Q. You guys did not get to the road in any respect. Dante, your free throw there on the finish of regulation was like the primary one of many recreation. What was it about their protection that was kind of permitting getting stops with out getting in foul hassle?

N’FALY DANTE: Nicely, I do not know. I actually do not know. We simply did not do every part we have been presupposed to do, to be trustworthy. I do not know what to even say. I imply this one simply hurts.

Q. When Jackson went on the market in positively the second extra time, I feel a bit bit into the primary, what impression did which have in your all’s protection, notably as Ashworth was in a position to get free for some threes within the extra time intervals? How did Jackson being out have an effect on the protection?

JADRIAN TRACEY: I imply, I am not too certain. We had our possibilities, like I mentioned. We simply made some errors. He guarded all night time very nicely, and yeah, it might have been nice to have him on the market, too.

Q. N’Faly, what was it like battling Kalkbrenner tonight? You guys have been epic up towards one another. Are you able to simply say one thing about that?

N’FALY DANTE: That is basketball, man. Simply gotta play basketball. I imply, he is an excellent participant. I do not know. He is a very good participant, so it is a bit more durable.

Q. N’Faly, are you able to talk about taking part in with Couisnard what it has been like and simply the run that he had at the moment a pair days in the past and the final couple weeks?

N’FALY DANTE: Been nice. It is nice to play with each single certainly one of them, and so they have me grow to be a greater participant. I feel each single certainly one of them and my teammates deserve higher than. I feel we must always win this one. It’s what it’s. But it surely’s nice. I will miss it. It simply hurts, man.

MODERATOR: All proper. Thanks.

Q. Dana, you have coached for a very long time. What your two seniors did from the second half on, not leaving the ground, Dante for the eight minutes even within the first half, so 38-10 unanswered, all 39 factors second half and overtimes. How do you even put into phrases what you simply acquired out of these two?

DANA ALTMAN: They performed their tails off. Completely little question about it. Dante, 28 and 20, and Jermaine, we wanted some extra contributions from another guys. Jackson happening with I feel 4 minutes within the recreation left, he is acquired a knee sprain. And I hope it is not severe, however he could not transfer. And we considered placing him again in, however he simply wasn’t transferring. And I did not wish to take an opportunity if it is partially torn or one thing. I did not wish to take an opportunity.

In order that harm a bit bit with ball dealing with. Jermaine needed to do much more, and we simply made some important errors. Up 4, you’ll be able to’t foul in transition and provides them two free throws. After which Dante simply missed an enormous free throw. That is my fault. I had a freshman throwing the ball in. And I am as a lot responsible as anyone. I made some teaching errors, and I will should reside with that, as a result of these two guys, final — all people talks in regards to the final couple weeks like that is the one time these two guys performed. I imply, they have been taking part in their tails off all yr. We have been driving all of them yr. So it was particular to observe these two guys. Simply — we had our likelihood. Like I mentioned, we had our likelihood. We simply made some important errors there in regulation. And that is on me.

I do not wish to take nothing away from Creighton. They are a actually good staff, and so they know what they need, and so they’ve performed collectively and their execution of stuff. However our guys battled. We tried to protect. And rebounding, you understand, I used to be a bit dissatisfied there. I believed we might have rebounded the ball a bit higher. And that was mainly the distinction within the recreation. They’d 21 second-chance factors. We had 14. And it was 14 to 2 at half. In order that was an enormous distinction.

Q. You type of touched on it there, however are you able to simply clarify the significance that Dante and Couisnard have meant for this program the entire yr and simply type of constructing what you need for subsequent season?

DANA ALTMAN: Nicely, whenever you coach, you admire guys that combat by means of adversity, that love the sport and combat by means of adversity. And each these guys had some knee issues all through their profession, and so they simply stored battling, and so they performed by means of it and rehabbed, get again.

You recognize, I felt dangerous for Dante and Jermaine simply to place such a load on them. Simply would have been good to get them some assist and ready our different guys to step up a bit bit extra. And that is on me, too. So we actually put loads on Jermaine there late. He needed to do every part. When Jackson went down, we had no different ball handlers. And he tried to combat by means of it. However simply got here up a bit brief.

Q. Dana, trying forward into what you do tackle within the off season, what’s the precedence when it comes to expertise acquisition? Is it heart, protection, ball handler? When Nate says he is coming again, Q says he is open to it, and I am certain the three freshmen are in a great spot. That is a pleasant nucleus to begin with. How do you are feeling about the way it appears to be like on paper proper now and what do you are feeling like that you must tackle?

DANA ALTMAN: James, this is not time to speak about that. We acquired a number of work to do. It is a new age. I do not know who’s coming again, who’s going. You recognize, my focus was on this staff. I owe it to the blokes I acquired. The assistants are engaged on recruiting some guys, and so they put me on the telephone with a couple of, however I recruited these guys, and so they deserve my full consideration, and now I will keep up all night time fascinated with the place we will go subsequent yr and the way we will determine issues out. However you lose two youngsters like that, holy cow, I imply, we rode these two guys so exhausting. We’ll should have a few of these younger guys step up. They are going to should make some massive dang jumps. That is for certain.

Q. What’s this yr been like for you and the way in which it ended, I do know, tonight, however the final couple weeks and the way it ended, how satisfying, how would you describe this yr for you?

DANA ALTMAN: You recognize, up and down. I used to be so excited in the beginning of the yr. We had so many guys, and I believed, man, depth goes to be our calling card. After which I believed we acquired Nate and Keeshawn again there and Nate goes down and Keeshawn dislocates that ankle. After which our depth goes. So it has been a curler coaster. I used to be so excited all summer time and within the fall watching the blokes. We acquired Dante and Nate. We acquired two seven-footers. We acquired Ok.J. at 6’10”. We acquired Bam and Kario, good athletes. And Mookie goes to get again. Jesse was taking pictures the ball good. Had fast guards in Keeshawn and Jackson. In order a coach you get actually excited, you understand. Then they begin dropping a bit bit and you are like, oh, now what will we do? And Dante’s acquired knee surgical procedure and out ten weeks. And also you guys that watched the sport tonight, you are like what did you do in these ten weeks?

However the different guys stepped up and performed okay. And so there was a number of up and down, however I liked working with this group. They have been actually good. I do not suppose they knew the best way to take me. The belief stage, you understand, I would chunk them a bit bit and so they’d suppose it is private. I am simply making an attempt to get them to play a bit tougher. So I acquired a number of work to do, acquired a number of work to do with guys.

However I wish to clarify. They are a good group, and I am extra mad at myself than I’m at them. And I could not be any prouder of Dante and Jermaine and what they meant to this program and this staff and their toughness, you understand. I imply they have been lifeless drained and so they have been simply — they have been grinding. You recognize, they did not need the season to finish. That is a top quality that you simply simply — as a coach, you simply love. However I want Creighton all the most effective. I hope they get to the Ultimate 4. It could be nice for that program. I would like to see it. They will swing away. They acquired a number of shooters, and so they hit some massive threes tonight. And we simply misplaced them a pair occasions, and it price us.

However, once more, I want all of them the most effective. We made errors; they did not. They usually discovered a strategy to get us, and it will likely be a protracted off season, however we’ll work out a strategy to attempt to put a staff collectively and be able to go subsequent yr.

MODERATOR: Thanks, Coach.

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