On taking over a game …
“When I see that we are kind of in a need for a bucket or can’t score, I try to step up a little bit and try and create a shot for myself. I just want to be able to help the team.”
On how making it to the SEC Championship helped the team …
“Really, it just gave us a lot of confidence and let us know that we could play together and come together as a team.”
Aaron Harrison, Freshman, Guard
On this season …
“It is an us against the world thing. We have a little swagger to us now. We had a little down period with some scrutiny where a lot of people talked negative about us, but we just stayed together as a team.”
“We had some things missing. Really, I think they were just chemistry things. We all just needed to get on the same page. Coach (Calipari) just emphasized being able to play for each other, and I think that’s what we started doing. We didn’t know how to do that at first. We were all the stars of high school and shot the ball 25 times, so we just had to understand how to be able to play for each other. That made us a great team. We just didn’t understand how to lose ourselves in the team at first, and I think once we did that, we became successful.”
On being in the National Championship game …
“It means everything. I have watched the tournament every year since I was eight or nine years old, so just to be able to be a part of it is a blessing. To be able to play for the national title is an unreal feeling.”
On his last second shots …
“It has just the best feeling in the world. Of course everyone knows when you’re a kid that you always dream about hitting the game-winning shot, so its just unreal to actually be able to do that in a big-time game. To win a game for your team, it is just the best feeling in the world to be able to take that last shot and get that W for your team.”
Andrew Harrison, Freshman, Guard
On the mindset of the team …
“It is an us against the world mentality. We just try and go out there and play as hard as we can.”
On John Calipari …
“Coach Cal is the most intense coach when you step on the court, but when we are off the court, he’s so calm. He actually cares about the kids. It’s about us which I think is what makes him a great fit at Kentucky.”
Julius Randle, Freshman, Forward
On if the adjustment made a month ago really put the team where it is today…
“I don’t think we would be here to be honest. What coach did or tweaked or whatever you all are trying to figure out, I really don’t think we would be here. It has kind of really brought us together and it has really made things click and gotten the ball rolling.”
On the celebrations in Lexington and the joy the team brings to the fans…
“It is crazy. Back home they are burning things, pulling stop signs out of the ground, and I saw pictures of people swinging from trees. It is a zoo back there. It is definitely encouraging and it makes you feel good about yourself that you can bring joy to a community.”
On his relationship with Coach Calipari and how he is able to form it in such a short time
“He is real with you. You honestly know that he genuinely cares about not just basketball, but who you are as a person. If you know that, then it automatically just kind of clicks.”
On if he had the option to go pro after high school, would be have chosen that instead of college
“I really don’t know. I am certainly happy that I chose to go to college. I probably still would have chosen to go to college. It is what I needed as far as maturity level. A lot of people think they are ready, but in actuality, you are really not. I am really happy that I chose to go to college and first off, get that experience of being away from home. This year has been wonderful for me as far as maturity level and kind of growing me into a young man. I am extremely happy, whether they had the rule or not, that I chose to come to college.”
Dakari Johnson, Freshman, Center
On what he knows about the Fab Five…
“I watched the documentary. I have probably watched it two or three times a couple of years ago. That was just a great team that changed the ways of college basketball.”
On the simplicity of the team
“Coach Calipari is the type of coach that just lets you play freely. He has done that with us this year, where we kind of run a lot of plays, but lately he has been having us just play. He wants us to be a player-driven team instead of a coach-driven team.”
On what the team’s thoughts have been even with this being the last time this group will play together…
“We have not really been thinking about that. We have just been saying ‘this is the last game of the season, and we just want to come out on top.’ We want to win a national championship and that is our focus right now.”
On if they feel vindicated on being in the championship after being plagued with ‘one and done’ all year…
“Yes. A little bit. Earlier this year, a lot of people counted us out. I just think we have a bunch of competitors on this team that just wouldn’t give up. I think that is how we have been able to get this far.”
Alex Poythress, Sophomore, Forward
Can Aaron Harrison do anything that would surprise him at this point? …
“Not at this point. He has knocked down a ton of big shots. He’s been there for us all season and he comes up in the clutch for us every time.”
On what it was like being in the dog pile …
“Emotions just take over you. You just go running toward your teammates and you just jump up and down smiling and laughing. You only get those moments once in a lifetime, and you have to feel fortunate to be in those moments.”
Willie Cauley-Stein, Sophomore, Forward
On his status for Monday’s championship game …
“It’s tough. It’s heartbreaking. The only thing I can really do is encourage the team and stay positive even though I can’t play. I still serve a purpose, uplifting people and staying in people’s ears and cheering.”
Marcus Lee, Freshman, Forward
On how surprised he thinks people are that Kentucky is in the championship game…
“I have no idea. We just knew that we had the power to do it. It was just a matter of getting here.”
On rallying in the second half of each of the last four games…
“It is the fact that we just kept battling. That is one thing we tried to intensify throughout the season. That is what we got better at.”
What people don’t know or understand about Coach John Calipari…
“That he really cares about his players. Most of them think that he doesn’t really care very much, but he cares so much. Especially throughout the year, he shows so much compassion, not just to the whole team, but individually he shows it. I think he understands every aspect of each player.”
Jarrod Polson, Senior, Guard
On what changed entering the NCAA Tournament, if there was a team meeting about how to achieve their goals…
“I don’t think it was ego. We have always tried to look out for each other; not really been worried about ourselves too much. It is just hard to play with completely new guys, a complete new team. I think the biggest thing was defining each and everybody’s role. Maybe at the beginning of the season, we didn’t really know specifically what each one of us was supposed to do. Coach Cal did a good job, especially before the SEC Tournament, of telling everyone exactly what they needed to do. The goo thing was that we have good guys and they listened to him. I think that was the biggest thing; not really putting away ego, but learning our role.”
Dominique Hawkins, Freshman, Guard
On the team’s run to the NCAA Tournament finals …
“It’s so surreal right now. I woke up this morning, and thought I was dreaming. But then I got out of bed and felt that my legs were all sore and aching. Not many people are blessed to be able to make it to the national championship, and we’re going to make the most of it.”
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