LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Creighton men’s basketball team enjoyed its first full day in Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday in preparation for its NCAA Tournament opener against No. 10 Louisville. The Bluejays conducted multiple interviews before using their allotted 40 minutes of practice time on the Rupp Arena floor.
March 19, 2025
Greg McDermott
Steven Ashworth
Jamiya Neal
Ryan Kalkbrenner
Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Rupp Arena
Creighton Bluejays
Media Conference
THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Creighton student-athletes Steven Ashworth, Jamiya Neal and Ryan Kalkbrenner. At this time we will take questions for the student-athletes.
Q. Steven, what have you seen from Chucky on film, and what are you anticipating in terms of that match-up in terms of his style of play?
STEVEN ASHWORTH: Very talented guard. Most Omaha guards are. He’s going to be a lot of fun to go up against tomorrow, both offensively and defensively. ACC Defensive Player of the Year and has similar feel to what Zakai Zeigler is able to do on defense. We matched up with them in the tournament last year.
Definitely a great opportunity to be going up against a defender like that. And then offensively really efficient at getting to his spots and running the offense in a really well-oiled manner.
Q. Steven, playing in a conference, the Big East, with a school like St. John’s and the kind of year they had, how was the challenge playing against them? How did that prepare you for this experience in terms of having to face Louisville and possibly Auburn in the second round?
STEVEN ASHWORTH: I definitely think conference play in the Big East is something that we take pride in as being a part of that conference and what it means to be part of the Big East and the history is there.
Personally, last year we were competing against the team of UConn, back-to-back national champions, and similarly to what St. John’s did this year, won the regular season and won the tournament.
We were on the opposite end of both of those in my two years at Creighton. But at the same time there is a lot to take from that, the experiences you gain from the games played, and then also in the Big East Tournament, going to a site in New York City, where St. John’s is from, and now coming to a site where obviously our opponent is very close and familiar with the arena and the city.
So there are some of those things outside the actual game that I think have mentally prepared us as a team to make sure we can stay together and absorb runs and continue to go on our runs as a team.
So I think, in short, it definitely prepares us well for what March Madness brings.
Q. Ryan, when the seedings and pairings came out Sunday, there was a strong reaction in Louisville about their draw, and I would assume probably the same in Omaha. Is that more of a media/fan thing, or do the players get riled up about it, too?
RYAN KALKBRENNER: I think you definitely can get a little riled up for it. For me personally, I know once you get to March, all you have to do is get in, and then it’s anyone’s game.
So it didn’t rile me up too much. What is Louisville now in the AP poll? 10? So that was a little confusing to me how they ended up an 8 seed and they’re 10th in the AP poll. But once you get to this time of year, every team is really good anyway.
At this point it doesn’t matter who you play. You’ve got to go out there and win or go home. I try not to get too caught up in seeding, if you think you should be higher or lower or whatever.
Q. Jamiya, when you look at Louisville on film, what’s the main thing that stands out as the biggest challenge to shut down, and how do you feel like you all can answer that?
JAMIYA NEAL: I would just say their play style. They have kind of a sense of nastiness on them, especially on defense, in terms of how they play, being able to rake and speed teams up. On offense I would say their guards are patient. They have a lot of complex offense where it has a lot of flares and screens.
And it’s definitely going to be a challenge, but I think, like Steve said, the strength of our schedule has kind of prepared us for things like this, and now it’s time to just go out there and perform.
Q. Ryan, obviously the expectation is that Louisville is going to have a lot of fans here for the game tomorrow. I know you guys are going to travel plenty of people as well. But in terms of a game where you think it will be a significantly pro crowd for the opponent, are you approaching this with any kind road game mentality or falling back on some of the road game habits or tendencies that you guys built throughout the course of the season?
RYAN KALKBRENNER: I don’t know if you build road game tendencies, especially with a team as experienced as our team is and as close as our team is, you just know with road games, they’re going to go on a run, the crowd is going to get into it. We know how to handle that and stay together.
You obviously don’t want to plan for a 10-0 run, but that happens in college basketball. So you just handle it and move on. I don’t think there is anything special we have to do, especially with how close this team is. We don’t get rattled by all that stuff.
Like Steve was talking about just a few minutes ago, we played against St. John’s, and the Big East championship was essentially a road game for us. So if we can play in that environment and get used to that, we can play in lots of environments.
Q. Jamiya, you came to Creighton to get the most out of your last year of eligibility. What’s it like to be here on the verge of another NCAA Tournament?
JAMIYA NEAL: I would say it’s definitely what I was looking for. Obviously, like you said, I wanted to get the best out of my last season, and so far it’s been the best season. And I just want to keep it going. I don’t want it to end.
I love playing for this team. I love playing for Coach Mac. I love all my teammates. Those are my brothers for life. And to get in one more practice, one more shootaround, one more game with them would just mean everything to me.
Q. Steven, thoughts on Utah State being on site this year, and do you keep in touch with any of those guys?
STEVEN ASHWORTH: First, good to see you. It’s been a while.
I was able to run into Mason Falsev and Isaac Johnson, and not only are we at the same site, but we are at the same hotel. I was able to talk to them in the lobby.
Obviously followed Utah State’s year this year. They had a great year in the Mountain West, few games shy of competing once again for another Mountain West championship, which that program always does.
And it was fun to catch up with them and just see how the program is doing and what’s different, what’s new, what’s the same and all those types of things, and also talk about how fun it is that both of us are in March Madness once again on the biggest stage at the end of the season.
Really looking forward to watching their game and having them here in Lexington as well.
Q. I know Louisville, there was a lot of consternation or indecision about where they were seeded. When you guys saw you were a 9 seed, what was your reaction?
STEVEN ASHWORTH: Ryan talked about this a little bit to where once we get into March, personally it’s a lot about the fact that every single team is a talented team and worrying less about the seeding and more about the match-up we have in front of us and trying to focus on, you know, what can we do and what can we excel at and what do they excel at and how do we stop them from that.
Ryan mentioned there is a lot of respect for Louisville and the season they’ve had and 10th in the AP Poll and everything that comes with that. And you look at the seeding, and it’s a great 8-9 match-up coming.
We’re excited for it, but at the same time I think media and fans probably jump on those narratives a little bit more than the players do.
Q. Ryan, where did you get the ’99 shorts that you wore yesterday, and was it intentional given the history of that uniform?
RYAN KALKBRENNER: I got those from Johnny my freshman year. I don’t know where he pulled them from. Honestly, I thought they looked good with the jacket that we got yesterday. But it was cool to wear ’em. Obviously there’s a lot of history for that era, especially with Korver and all those guys. I thought it looked good and ended up being a good match.
Q. Steven, your three point numbers are similar to Ryan Smith’s, but you shoot a ton of free throws. Talk about your game?
STEVEN ASHWORTH: Yeah, first off, watching his film, he’s electric behind the three-point line, and similar numbers. And I think he’s even missed a few games lately, so his three point numbers would be higher if he played in those games.
Personally, it helps having guys like Jamiya and Ryan by my side to not only get me three point attempts that are clean looks and good opportunities for our team, but then in the pick and roll with Ryan and just the threat that he is at all times, it gives me a lot of opportunity to where the big men are more worried about him. And if I can get to the rim, they are typically late, which is going to end up being a foul.
So it allows me to get fouled in the pick and roll and then get to the free-throw line. And it’s something that I’ve been in college basketball for a few years, and my three point ability has kept me at the level that I am at today and wanting to improve.
And getting to the free-throw line was that next step because of the analytics it shows as being an efficient and effective offensive player. So something I have focused on this year and have been able to.
Also, at the same time, realizing in college basketball, once you get to seven fouls, you’re going to go to the free-throw line if you get fouled again. So with the ball in my hands a lot, trying to be aware of when a defender might be too aggressive out on the perimeter and trying to draw fouls to get to the free-throw line for my team as well.
Q. Steven, Louisville’s best player has been Chucky Hepburn, just your thoughts watching him on video, and he’s from Omaha. Do you guys see him at all, or have you ever seen him in the summertime?
STEVEN ASHWORTH: Yeah. Chucky came back this summer and was obviously in the middle of his transfer process, and we played pickup a few times over the summer, and got a firsthand look at how talented of a player he is and how good of a defender he is.
And so obviously that’s going to be at the forefront of our minds, just the amount of times he’s able to deflect passes and disrupt offenses with his defensive ability. And then offensively gets to his spots really well and navigates the ball screen and runs the offense at a high level.
There’s going to be a lot of focus on him and the talent that he brings, and also the fact that you’ve got other guys that maybe are even leading the team in scoring. And similar to our team, it seems like, every given night there could be a different guy that is leading the team in a different type of way. So all hands on deck for sure.
THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, thanks for your time.
At this time we will welcome the Creighton Head Coach Greg McDermott. Coach?
GREG McDERMOTT: As always, so excited to be here. You can’t ever take the NCAA Tournament for granted, especially this day and age with rebuilding teams every year, much more difficult to build a program than it used to be.
The fact that we’ve got some new pieces and went through some adversity in November and December with some injuries, really had to reinvent ourselves, makes me even more proud that we’re sitting here today with an opportunity to keep playing in the pinnacle of our sport.
Really has been a very rewarding group to coach this year, and we look forward to going on the court against a very good Louisville team tomorrow.
Q. With how good they are scoring on pick and rolls against your base defense especially, what are the keys to being sharp in terms of dealing with that part of the game?
GREG McDERMOTT: I mean, we have to do it without fouling. That’s really important and has been to us all season. You know, Chucky is playing as well as any guard in the country. His ability to navigate those screening activities is elite, because you have to respect him as a shooter and a scorer, but he might be a better passer than he is both of those, which is saying a lot because he’s always been a good scorer.
Every time you make a mistake, he makes you pay for it. So our ability to really follow our rules and stay on point with the scouting report is going to be really critical.
Q. You talked a lot about the adversity that you guys faced with injuries. How important is it for you to trust the ways that you’ve overcome that this season when you come into March Madness?
GREG McDERMOTT: Yeah, I mean it’s huge. You don’t ever want to give up. You don’t ever want to give in. That’s in life, that’s in basketball. That was the case in November and December when we had the injuries. You just try to figure out a way.
And that happens during the course of the game. There are going to be good moments when things are going well, and there’s going to be Louisville is going to make a run. They’re too talented not to.
And how do you handle those adverse moments in a game usually will point you in the direction of how good a season you can have, how well the teams handle that, do they stay together, get over that play and move on to the next play quickly, whether it was good or bad.
This team has done a good job of that. They don’t get too excited when things go well, they don’t hang their heads when things don’t, and that’s going to be critical to get through a loaded bracket that we’re in.
Q. Coach, Chucky obviously is from Omaha, he went to Wisconsin, then went into the portal and went to Louisville. Is he a guy that you guys tried to recruit? Was there a thought he was going to go to Creighton?
GREG McDERMOTT: Yeah, we recruited him. I think he came out the same year that we ended up with Ryan Nembhard.
I’ve known Chucky since 8th grade and know his family. It’s been fun to watch him from afar and incredible how he’s developed his game. I wasn’t sure he could add to it, leaving Wisconsin and coming to Louisville, but he has.
That’s a credit to him and also credit to Coach Kelsey and his staff for how they put him in positions to really showcase all the things he can do in the game of basketball. I’ve only talked about the offensive end, but he’s incredibly disruptive on the defensive end as well.
Q. Coach, you talk about the injuries that you have. How did you get this team — the other guys to buy in and have them step up their games to fill voids and fill those absences?
GREG McDERMOTT: It started with leadership from Ryan Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth. They’re both very positive people. They’re both everyday guys from a practice standpoint.
So the people in our program, some of the younger guys, some of the new guys, their role — they were basically just settling into the role they were playing eight or nine games in, and then that all changed.
So I think Ryan and Steven’s ability to help guide them and lead them was critical. From Jamiya Neal to Jasen Green to Jackson McAndrew to Isaac Traudt to Mason Miller, Fedor once he became eligible, Ty Davis, all their roles changed when Pop went down for the season.
They really embraced that. They haven’t complained about how many minutes they’re getting, how many shots they are getting. This team does not have a lot of ego, and that’s why we’re here. They’ve stuck together.
It’s been in large part due to the leadership in our locker room and Ryan and Steven, on top of our coaching staff, instilling confidence in some of the those other guys.
Q. Coach, in about 45 minutes one of your former assistants, Darian DeVries, is going to be announced as the coach at Indiana. What can you tell people about Darian and why he would be a good fit at IU?
GREG McDERMOTT: I think it’s a terrific hire, D-Rock was with me for eight years. I kept him on staff from Coach Altman’s staff when I got the job at Creighton, and it was the single best decision I made when I got there. Maybe having Doug join me was a close second.
But he’s such a worker and such a grinder. He has a way of connecting with people and bringing the best out in his players because they’re going to see the passion on a daily basis that he goes about coaching his team. He’s got a wonderful family. They’re going to fit great in Bloomington, and I think they will be very happy with the results.
Q. Greg, I know you guys are fresh off playing St. John’s at the Garden, and you got that experience twice this year. I know you’ll travel a lot of people to this game tomorrow. It’s still expected to be a pro-Louisville crowd in here. Is there anything you talk to your guys about? Do you lean on any of the tendencies, the habits that you built from road game environments this year and how you approach that unique dynamic?
GREG McDERMOTT: We essentially played a road game Friday night against UConn in the Garden and then Saturday against St. John’s. So we just did it twice. We fully expect to have a similar experience tomorrow.
We’ve been in that environment. We were successful Friday night. We played great for about 30 minutes, 32 minutes against St. John’s and then let it get away.
But you have to stick together. Your team unity is so critical when you are in a building where everybody is against you, and that’s going to be the case. We’ve got a blizzard going on in Omaha right now, so I don’t know how many people are going to get here. But hopefully we will have some folks in blue tomorrow.
Q. I know the impact was there with Ryan that sophomore year breakout. When did you feel like the leadership component clicked where you could start to trust him to kinda be an extension of you on the floor?
GREG McDERMOTT: I think he took some strides last year. With Baylor and Trey having been around, I think he was able to grow into it a little bit more during the course of the season. And then whether he liked it or not, he knew this season that he was going to have to step up because of so many guys in new roles.
That puts a huge onus on him to be an everyday guy, not just with his work ethic and showing up and doing everything you’re supposed to do, but with his voice. I don’t know that he — he’s not a rah-rah guy that’s talking all the time, but when he speaks, everybody listens. And that is a sign of respect that he’s earned from his teammates because of how he treats them.
Q. Louisville only won eight games last year, four the previous year. When you watch them this year, as you’ve gotten ready for them, what jumps out at you about what Pat Kelsey has been able to do with this group?
GREG McDERMOTT: Coach Kelsey has done an unbelievable job. Like us, they have had to reinvent their roster because of injuries early. And you can see it from watching them in December and January to how they are playing recently, how much they have improved and how guys have embraced their roles.
He’s very creative offensively, defensively. They do a great job trying to take away what teams are trying to do. And they look like they’re having a blast. That’s a credit to Coach Kelsey and his staff that they have created a culture where they really, truly look like they’re enjoying playing the game of basketball.
It’s one of the best stories in college basketball from what he did last year to where the team is today, outside of the fact that the No. 10 team is playing in the 8-9 game, that’s probably a pretty big story, too. But we’re the recipient of that, I guess.
He’s done an unbelievable job. It’s easier to turn around programs quickly than it has ever been, but it’s not that easy. You have to do a lot of research to make sure the pieces fit. They’ve done a masterful job of putting that roster together that looks like they’ve been playing together forever.
Q. Coach, can you talk about — you mentioned Steven’s leadership. You’ve had him for a couple years now. Talk about how important he’s been coming from Utah State to play for you.
GREG McDERMOTT: He’s been everything I could have hoped for and more. He probably struggled the first 12 to 15 games his first year. I think he was trying to be somebody he wasn’t. Everybody was obviously disappointed that Ryan Nembhard moved on to Gonzaga, and everybody became accustomed to what Ryan Nembhard did for our offense.
And I think early Steven tried to be Ryan. He and I had a talk early in the middle of the season. I remember it vividly. I said, Just be Steven Ashworth. That’s what I recruited you to do and be.
Once he did that, he’s flourished. And he’s improved in every facet of the game, his decision-making, his defense. He’s always been an elite shot maker. He’s such a positive presence to his teammates on a daily basis. He doesn’t have bad days, and he does everything he can to make sure that nobody around him has a bad day. And that’s a sign of an incredible leader.
Q. Coach, I read a comment from Hubert Davis last night. He said he has never coached a game without RJ Davis and didn’t know what he would do without him. That’s not quite the case with you, but do you sorta feel that way about when you won’t have Ryan Kalkbrenner back?
GREG McDERMOTT: Thanks for reminding me. I’ve been blessed to coach that kid for five years, especially with guys always moving and always looking for the next best thing or the better deal. He’s been unbelievably loyal to me, my staff and to our university. To watch his growth on and off the floor has been one of the true blessings I have had in my 36-year career. He’s like a son to me. I’m so proud of what he’s become, not just on the basketball floor but off the basketball floor. The confidence that he has now, that he didn’t have when he walked through the door, the leadership skills that maybe he was lacking as a young person because he didn’t have the confidence in himself — he wasn’t sure about himself, let alone leading someone else.
So he’s just the total package. To watch him last summer walk down the aisle and get married and be there for that and watch his journey his senior year when all the eyes are on him and the pressure is on him, and he’s got to make improvements in every part of his game as he tries to prepare himself for the next level. He’s checked all those boxes. It’s going to be very different without him. I might have to start coaching again, but it’s been one of the true joys of my career to be able to coach him for the past five years.
Q. Coach, obviously Steven and Ryan have been here, they’ve been leaders, and they’re experienced in March Madness. What’s the advice or how do you prepare some of those younger guys like Jackson, Ty, Fedor for moments like this?
GREG McDERMOTT: Well, we try not to change, whether we are preparing for a bye game in November, or a Big East Championship in New York City, or an NCAA Tournament game. There is a process that you follow, and you have to trust that process. There is a lot of preparation that goes into it, a lot of thought that goes into it, a lot of film study, a lot of work.
We try to not treat any game any different, any bigger, any smaller, with the way that we prepare. Hopefully then when the ball goes up it’s just another game. Obviously when they walk on that court tomorrow, it’s going to give a few guys goosebumps, and that’s okay. That’s part of the experience. I want them to look around and soak it all in and understand what they have accomplished this season. But once the game starts that’s when your preparation kicks in. I think we’ve got a pretty good routine that we follow to make sure that we’re ready.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, we appreciate your time.
GREG McDERMOTT: Thank you.
March 19, 2025
Pat Kelsey
Reyne Smith
Terrence Edwards
J’Vonne Hadley
Chucky Hepburn
Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Rupp Arena
Louisville Cardinals
Media Conference
THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Louisville student-athletes Reyne Smith, Terrence Edwards Jr., J’Vonne Hadley and Chucky Hepburn. At this time we will take questions for the student-athletes.
Q. J’Vonne, you were sitting next to Coach Kelsey on Sunday whenever you guys saw your seeding. You guys had a moment where you shared a look. Just want to give you a take me through what happened there and your thoughts and the moment of getting an 8th seed here in Lexington.
J’VONNE HADLEY: Just right away we’re grateful to have this opportunity as not every team in the country gets to participate in March Madness. So we’re extremely grateful.
We were a little bit shocked that our name was called that early for sure, but like I said, we’re just grateful to be in this place and, you know, just — probably after that we got right to work. So we were determined right away.
Q. Reyne, an update on the ankle and how it’s feeling and how excited you are in this journey with your teammates at Louisville.
REYNE SMITH: It’s feeling really good. Had a great past week of treatment and doing everything I can to get back. So it’s in a really good spot right now. Looking forward to getting on the court with my teammates and kinda competing in this tournament.
It’s an exciting time of year, so just really excited to get out there.
Q. I know on Sunday there was discussion and talk about how you guys should have been seeded higher, but once the game begins, does it become irrelevant and not at all a factor in the game?
CHUCKY HEPBURN: No, it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, it’s still basketball. We like to look at it like we’re in Lexington, an hour away from Louisville. So we will have more fans and be able to play in front of more fans.
TERRENCE EDWARDS JR.: It’s irrelevant once the committee selects the team that you play. We have a veteran team, someone that’s been here before. So we’re just grateful to be able to get a bid to be able to get in the tournament.
Just like J’Vonne said, we’re grateful to be here and play in Lexington, and our family is able to drive down to the game. So, yeah, everything works out.
Q. You were just talking about playing in Lexington and whatnot. When you think about it, not having to travel far and having family a part of this event, being able to come, wherever they are, and also getting to play potentially in front of 10-, 15,000 Louisville fans, how special is that for you guys being that it is the NCAA Tournament and you get that opportunity?
REYNE SMITH: Yeah, it’s really exciting. And once we saw we were in Lexington, we knew straightaway it’s an opportunity for Louisville fans to come out, only an hour down the road.
So it’s going to be a cool experience to kind of have those fans there. And for us to travel a little less, nicer on the body, so that’s always good. So just looking forward to getting out there in front of the fans.
Q. Reyne, watching this team as you recovered, what kind of personality have you seen them develop that you feel like has really helped them down the stretch? Where do you feel like, now that you’re getting healthy, where you can contribute and take it to another level or maybe even in a different direction?
REYNE SMITH: First, just the toughness within the group. No matter how things are going, kind of the connectivity of the team is really special. I was kind of able to observe that over the last few games of sitting out.
Kinda just seeing the small, different things of kinda how to react to stuff and kinda seeing how reactions kinda carry over. For me it was just kind of learning those small things and how I can help the team when I come back.
And kind of having a new look after the days and games that I was out is kinda just giving it a little different approach now coming into the next game.
Q. J’Vonne, Terrence or Chucky, speak to what it was like to play the past week in Charlotte without Reyne in the lineup and how that changes the things you’re doing on offense and what it’s been like to get him back in the rotation this week heading into the tournament?
TERRENCE EDWARDS JR.: I can say that it’s always better when Reyne is on the floor because he spaces the floor and he kinda knows the system like the back of his hand because he’s been with the coaches. And he helps us a lot with the offense, setting cuts up and setting things up. He makes your job easier. He helps out guys that come in the game because he knows all the spots.
Yeah, he’s just a great leader on the court. We was just lucky that we was able to get over the hump a couple times without him on the court. But, yeah, the court is so much spaced out when he’s on the floor, it’s so easy to get downhill and find him in transition. He does all the right things, and it makes our jobs a little bit more easier.
Q. Chucky, Coach McDermott mentioned he has known you since the 8th grade being from Omaha, and Steven Ashworth said you guys played pickup last summer. Was Creighton ever a consideration for you? Secondly, what are the challenges going against Ashworth tomorrow?
CHUCKY HEPBURN: He’s a great guard. He never stops running. That’s one thing about him. Even in open gym, when we play, he constantly is moving. And that’s where we will have to keep our focus at because if we lose focus on him, he can get away from us in an instant. And he knocks threes down from NBA range and beyond that.
So we just have to know where he is at at all times and being able to stop him in transition.
Q. (No microphone.)
CHUCKY HEPBURN: Yeah, definitely, especially being a hometown kid. I think, you know, if you’re a hometown kid, you want to be able to play for your city.
Q. Chucky, when you all met with us before the season, you all talked about how well you all were getting along and gelling from the offseason. Back then, did you think you could have this kind of success to be this kind of team with this many wins? When you look back on that now, how different — how much has it changed? Was there a turning point that you saw it could be a special season?
CHUCKY HEPBURN: I mean, since we stepped on campus in June, we all knew how special we could be. But all we could do is talk about it. Now, when we really hit the season, we were able to finally show it, you know? We had an early slump, but we knew we were going to be over it, especially after the Gonzaga game. You know, Pat said the right thing, you know, and that speaks to how veteran of a group we are.
We just knew how good we were going to be, and we knew it was going to take time. And it took time, and as time passed, you know, we just kept winning, stacking wins, and we’re in a great place right now.
THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, thanks so much.
At this time we want to welcome to Lexington Louisville Head Coach Pat Kelsey. Coach?
PAT KELSEY: We’re excited and feel fortunate to be here. I believe in my heart that March Madness, the NCAA Tournament, my mentor, Skip Prosser, used to call it “the national tournament.” It’s the greatest tournament in American sports. It captivates the hearts and minds of people that love sports around this country during this time.
It never gets old. I’ve been here — been very, very fortunate to be in this tournament a bunch, both as an assistant coach, as a player, and as a head coach. And to be here once again is always special, because it always is.
We’re excited to be in our home state. I think our fans are going to come out in droves, hopefully, and our guys are excited to compete against a world-class coach and a high-level program in a very, very, very dangerous team.
Q. Pat, you spoke all season about how laser focused you guys are in preparation, the players specifically. I’m wondering how have you maybe seen that taken to another level entering the postseason? Also, considering the players may have a chip on their shoulder after getting the 8th seed.
PAT KELSEY: Brooks, you’ve been in every single press conference that I have had all year long, and that laser-focused approach and attention to detail that our guys have never wavers and never changes.
I tell our guys all the time: If you have that high standard and you pursue excellence in preparation — because you asked the question and mentioned specifically preparation — you don’t have to rise to the occasion when the moment is big, you just trust your training.
And their training has been elite. That’s the way we look at it.
Whether we were playing a non-Division I in November or we’re playing a phenomenal team in Creighton, our guys always have that same approach. I haven’t seen anything but what our standard is the last several days.
In terms of your other question, we haven’t blinked an eye. Don’t talk about it. It’s a nonissue at that point. We are here, and we are playing Creighton, and we have to be at our absolute best to beat Creighton. You don’t need any added motivation when you have an opportunity to represent your school and your city in the national tournament.
Our guys are competitors, as you know. You’ve seen them compete all year long. So whether the Committee decided to make us a 16 seed, an 8 seed, a 4 seed, a 5 seed, we’re here. And all of our attention is on trying to beat a world-class coach and a world-class team.
Q. Coach, when you talk about the laser focus of this team, in having two ten-game winning streaks, obviously it shows how well you can bounce back from losses, how much has that surprised you with this team? And with losing in the ACC Championship game, what do you feel your team learns from losses that can help you rebound?
PAT KELSEY: Whether you win or lose a game, I’m a big believer that you can always learn something. We always say never accept in victory what you wouldn’t accept in defeat.
Our game review in the midst of, you mentioned, several double-digit win streaks never changed. The standard never changed that next day when we reviewed the tape. I tell our staff, and my approach is, act like we lost. Nitpick this tape and make adjustments and correct things with the mentality that we just lost the game.
So I don’t think it really changes. Obviously there is probably a little bit more to clean up after the Duke loss, but it was the same approach.
Our guys are unbelievable in just the daily process of practice, weight training, individual skill workouts, film sessions, the next thing, the next thing. The next thing is what we always focus on and always try to be the best at that.
Q. Pat, I know you touched on this before, but getting the draw in Lexington, it’s 80 miles east, this place will be packed with Louisville fans tomorrow. How much is that home-court advantage something you need to harness?
PAT KELSEY: Yeah, I mean, Creighton has a phenomenal fan base now, that atmosphere. And I’ve never coached there, but the reputation that their fan base has is well-known and well-documented.
So those people are going to travel. I don’t think you can make the assumption that it’s just going to be overcome with red. I guarantee you there’s going to be a bunch of Creighton in there, too.
Being right down the road and making it easy for our fans to travel here is a positive, and I know how our — I talked about Creighton’s fan base, and it is, they have a phenomenal reputation, but being here at the University of Louisville for the last — almost going on one full calendar year, it was apparent to me very, very early on.
And I already knew it. I grew up right up the road in Cincinnati. I was a Xavier fan, and I played at Xavier. But you knew one of the greatest brands in all of collegiate basketball was right down the road growing up. And I grew up in the ’80s, and that was the heyday of all heydays with multiple national championships.
And I remember going to a game one time, Xavier played Louisville at the Cincinnati Coliseum. I forget what it was in, but I just remember seeing that and being in awe really of that name across the chest and the big C-A-R-D-S chant. And now I hear that in my sleep because I hear it all the time. It’s pretty cool.
We have a passionate fan base, they have a passionate fan base. It’s the greatest time of the year. It’s going to be a great college basketball atmosphere and a big-time game.
Q. Coach, how have you seen Aly Khalifa approach his rehab and the redshirt this year? What role does he have for you guys now?
PAT KELSEY: Aly Khalifa is an extension of the coaching staff. He has one of the brightest basketball minds that I’ve coached. He has such a wonderful heart and gives of himself every day to help the players that aren’t redshirting.
He has taken great pride in taking James Scott under his wing. James has been a terrific player for us this year and one of the best rim threats, lob threats in the country.
But he and James GBT all the time. We call it GBT, great basketball talk. And they’re constantly talking about nuances of the game, schematics, not only just post play, but passing. It’s fun to watch.
He’s been a member of our scout team, right? So it makes it a little bit hard when he’s out there making those — because Aly Khalifa is one of the best passers in the world. He is a remarkable passer. Sometimes I get a little bit worried it hurts our guys’ confidence because he’s picking us apart with backcuts and things like that.
Wonderful young man, has worked really hard on his rehab and is making us better behind the scenes.
Q. Speaking of Scott, I guess the way he has blossomed under that tutelage, how surprising is that to you, and where do you feel like he’s taken his game since — with the injuries that you’ve had?
PAT KELSEY: So James came with us from Charleston. Last year at Charleston I think he was the second youngest player in all of Division I basketball. And I’m going to get this statistic wrong, but I think he was Top 5 in the country in dunks in basketball.
And the thing I realized about James right away, and it kind of goes along with the answer that I had for Aly Khalifa, but James is one of the most curious basketball minds I’ve ever been around, like curious. He is asking questions constantly.
I wish he would get more hobbies and maybe enjoy college a little bit more, but all the kid does is study basketball. He watches tape. If he’s not doing that, he’s watching an NBA game. And he will come in with ideas and concepts. He’s otherworldly when it comes to a voracious film watcher and learner of the game of basketball.
He has been asked to really step up because of the injuries that we faced, and our injuries that we’ve had throughout the course of the year are very-well documented, with Kasean Pryor going down for the year, Koren Johnson going down for the year, Noah Waterman missing five weeks with a broken thumb, Aboubacar Traore missing six weeks with a broken arm, Reyne Smith, who has missed the last several games for us.
So guys like James, amongst other players has really had to increase his usage and his role, and he plays enormous minutes for us. We rely on him heavily for a lot of things, but he does it with a smile on his face. He’s tough as nails. You can see the crazy dark mask that he wears after he got his teeth knocked out, had facial fractures, never missed a game. The Speed School of Engineering built that mask, which is another cool story. He still hasn’t replaced his teeth, so he looks like a hockey player, and I think he kind of likes it. I got him smiling more, so the big gap there is kind of fun, but it’s become his identity a little bit.
Q. Sticking with James, you talked about recently how has taken such care scouting the Bigs that you all have faced. This is obviously a huge match-up for him, going up against Kalkbrenner. What does he do that’s different from the Bigs you saw in Charlotte last week? Seems like you’re going to have your hands full.
PAT KELSEY: He’s special. Every superlative that I could possibly imagine. He’s tough, he’s a motor, he’s skilled, he’s got unbelievable hands. He’s a ridiculous rim protector. You know, I talk about James’ lob threats, he’s — potentially the best lob threat in the country. He can score in the post, he’s got touch around the rim. I mean, you name it, 4-Time Defensive Player in the Big East, All-American, decorated as all get out. You mentioned James, you’ve got to guard him with all five guards, which is hard to do, because they’ve got other really, really good players. One is one of the best point guards in the United States of America, with range when he gets off the bus. They got other guys with range when they get off the bus.
When that name popped up on the screen and we knew we had Creighton, I’m look, whoot! I’m a Xavier guy and a Xavier grad, so I keep my eye on the Big East and things like that. Gosh, I know how good they are. So we have our hands full, and we have been working our butt off in preparation, and it will be a big challenge, but we’re excited about the challenge.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, thanks for your time.
