Kentucky Pre-SEC Tournament Press Conference QUOTES

Kentucky Assistant Coach John Robic:

On UK’s individual awards ...
“I think it is great for our team. I’m sure that every player that earns something would want to share it with the guys who are on this team because it’s not an individual-type team. All those young men are deserving of it. I’m happy about that.”

On Willie Cauley-Stein not being named SEC Player of the Year ...
“It probably came down to those two (Bobby Portis of Arkansas and Cauley-Stein). I don’t know how – we’re not privy to the ballots. Both had an excellent year. Probably more voters looked at numbers than anything else, but it’s kind of natural a little bit. But Willie had an outstanding year. For where he came from the first two years to this year is just terrific to see.”

On UK’s depth making awards hard to decide ...
“These awards, they’re nice and everything, but that’s not what these kids are playing for. Some of them mean a lot more than others. That’s more of what their opinions are of the players. Honestly when we did our voting it was tough because you can’t vote for your own players. It was hard for us as a staff to do that.”

On Cauley-Stein saying he values team accomplishments over any individual awards ...
“That’s how I answered that earlier question. That’s what this team has done. If these players are going to give up minutes and shots and points and rebounds and assists to see their name on a piece of paper All-This or All-That. The goal is much bigger. And they play as a team and all that. And that’s just a prime example of why this team has been playing well.”

On UK’s current strengths and weaknesses as a team ...
“I think we’re being more aggressive and more attacking offensively. I think Andrew (Harrison) and Tyler (Ulis) have done a good job of pushing the ball up court and putting pressure on the defense. That just gives us one more look at each possession at the basket. I think our post players are getting better and better. Being more aggressive and scoring around the goal. The one thing we have to sure up a little bit, maybe, is ball-screen defense. That’s what teams are trying to do right now. We’re still good. Everybody got spoiled with what we did early in the year when you’re holding teams to 26, 27, 28 percent at the most. Somebody shooting 42 percent is like the roof fell in. But I would say that.”

On if ball-screen defense is a communication issue ...
“Yes. It can be. Part communication, part breaking down, part stop playing. But those are easily fixable.”

On Cauley-Stein being a little unhappy with being known as just a defensive player ...
“I don’t think that really had a whole lot to do with being player of the year. His offense is still a work in progress. Where he’s come – like I mentioned earlier – where he’s come from two years ago, it’s not nearly what he is right now. Now we want to throw the ball to the post and have him make a play or get fouled because he’s shooting free throws so much better this year. I mean, all of our guys. I think we’re 70 percent as a team, so it’s not like you have to hide anybody. It doesn’t have to be situational that way. One thing with Willie that’s going to transpire is being a good defensive player is a great thing. I mean, he changes the game in so many facets. I saw all types of conversation about him, and they were all the same: He can guard one through a five. You can’t really do that when you’re 7-foot-half inch. It’s a luxury we have.”

On what the difficulties are of facing a team for a third time ...
“I think that’s a little bit of, you know, exaggerated a little bit because it’s the next game. We’re going to play. It’s just the way that the brackets came. Actually for us and them, we get to watch two games of us playing against them as opposed to one. Like for instance, if we drew Texas A&M, we played them so long ago that they’ve played 16 games in between. You don’t have enough time to watch 16 games. So for all three schools, I think familiarity will be a big thing, and we’ll see how it goes.”

On if he shares John Calipari’s dislike in conference tournaments ...
“Yeah, it’s just tough when you have to play three games in three days and then turn right back around and most likely play on Thursday. That’s tough. Now you’re talking potentially, what, five games in eight days. That’s tough going forward. Somebody has to do it, you know. Now, a bunch of leagues have already finished, but most of the bigger leagues are like that. So that’s pretty much the downfall for me is that you jam that much in a short period of time.”

On if they lean on their depth a little more this time of the year ...
“Oh, you have to. You have to. I mean, what you’re going to see—like right now, you’ve got some really, really good players that are hurt right now: (Danuel) House at (Texas A&M) (Jordan) Mickey at LSU, (Kenny) Gaines at Georgia. So, hopefully they can come back and play. You’re talking about three all- league players. I can’t remember if Gaines was or not. But all-league players that, the deeper the team, the fresher you can become and your bounce back is quicker. So hopefully that’s the case. Some guys are playing four or five guys over 30 minutes.”

On if he can tell a difference with his guys in how fresh they have kept them ...
“Well, I think we’ve done a good job of that all year long. I think the person that plays the most on our team is about 25 minutes. Does that sound about right? Not only that, but I think what Coach did as far as one off day that’s mandated, and then the other being an individual work, lift, film day, you’re not pounding them on the court for two hours that day. We’ve been doing that for probably about six weeks now, so I think that helps as well. This is a nice break for us now. We haven’t played since Saturday, and that was four days ago. We’re going to watch some film and do workouts this afternoon and then really get back at it. We’re going to script some things tonight and then really get back at it tomorrow before we travel.” 

Kentucky Players:

#1, Devin Booker, Fr., G:

On the All‐SEC awards ... 

“It feels good but we’re not really focused on that right now. We’re getting ready for the SEC Tournament. As a team, we’re all excited for each other, but we’re ready for the SEC Tournament.”

On if the SEC Tournament trophy means anything to them ...
“It means a little bit to us, but not as much as saying that we’re 31‐0, because I feel like there are people on our team that didn’t get recognized because there are so many of us. Like I said, we’re focused on winning right now, and I’ll take those wins over the awards any day.”

On the feeling of the team right now ...
“We know that it’s a new season and we know that everything that we’ve done so far really doesn’t matter anymore. One loss in the NCAA Tournament can send us home. We’re just playing every game like we’re 0‐0 and trying to get a win.”

On changes in lineup or playing time in the postseason ...
“Yeah, I don’t think there are going to be many changes because what we’re doing right now is working. I feel like if it’s working, why change it? But I think it depends on situations, what game we’re in and I think it all matters about that.”

On how he feels physically ...
“Yeah, I’ve adapted well. I mean, everyone has their little bumps and bruises, but that just comes along with the long season. I can only imagine how it is for another team that has to play so many more minutes than us. But like I said, when we practice, that’s probably where we go at each other the hardest. Even though we’re not getting the most minutes in the game, we practice just as hard.”

On what the veterans have prepared them for in regards to the SEC Tournament ...
“I actually went to the SEC Tournament last year in Atlanta and watched. It’s kind of like AAU ball now, that’s what they’re saying. It’s kind of like AAU where you have to play back, to back, to back. It’s going to be tough on our bodies, but like I said, we have a pretty deep team so I feel like it’d be an advantage to us.”

On if there’s any team better equipped for such a format as Kentucky ...
“We have a lot of players. I guess we’ll see.”

On the challenges of facing a team for a third time ...
“They just make adjustments to everything that we’ve done. They know everything we do, we know everything they do. Really, it just comes down to just executing and like I said, we just played Florida, and if we’re going to play them again I’m sure they still have that loss on their heads so I feel like they’re going to come out harder. Same with Alabama, we beat them twice too, so I feel like they’d be the same way.”

On watching March Madness at a younger age ...
“It was basically my whole childhood. I just loved watching that time. All the upsets, with the 2‐ 15, 16‐1, it was just crazy to watch. Now to know I’m going to be a part of it, it’s just a real humbling experience.”

#15, Willie Cauley‐Stein, Jr., F:

On the team picking up several conference awards ...
“It feels pretty good I guess.”

On if he ever got caught up in the national player of the year talks ...
“I haven’t really heard anything about it. I don’t really look for it.”

On how important all of that is to him ...
“Now? It’s not what’s on my mind. I’m just trying to focus on getting better, making sure our team’s right for this run.”

On Cal getting coach of the year ...
“He should. The amount of guys you have, to get them to play together the way we are, to succeed the way we are, I don’t know a better coach that could do it.”

On the mindset going into Nashville ...
“Same stuff we’ve always been doing, now it’s do or die, it’s win or go home, and just have a lot of fun doing it. This is the funnest time of the year starting Monday. From the first workout, now it’s all about business. That’s what you play for.”

On what makes it so fun ...
“ ‘Cause it is win or go home, so, I mean, you’re guaranteed probably, what, two games in the SEC Tournament. (Reporter says it’s just one.) OK, so one game. You’re guaranteed one game, so it’s do or die.”

On if Cal downplays the SEC Tournament with the team ...
“Yeah. This tournament, he likes to do it for the fans. If it could be his idea, he’d jump right into

the NCAA Tournament. This tournament is for the fans. Our fans (are) gonna come full force and it’s like a getaway weekend for them. That’s kinda the way we approach it.”

On how hard it is to imagine Cal being OK with losing and not wanting to win the SEC Tournament ... “It depends on how you won or lost. If you lost on a tip‐in dunk or a last‐second throw from the other side of the court, he’s not gonna be too upset about that. But if you got blown out and you’re just playing bad—you know his whole thing is, ‘I don’t care if you lose and the other team plays out of their minds and we’re still playing solid.’ That could happen.”

On if the team has it in them to come out and not play ...
“I don’t think so, but I don’t know. Some night, one night, nobody could be shooting well and that’s the night another team can be shooting well. Anything they’re throwing up goes in. That’s tough to play in.”

On how important the SEC Tournament was for them last year to build some momentum before the NCAA Tournament ... “I think it got us kind of going. After losing to South Carolina our last game, we went to the SEC Tournament with a new mindset, and after we won the first couple of games we were kind of on a roll going into the SEC championship.”

On if there’s a need for a new mindset going into the SEC Tournament this year ...
“I think that some guys are right mentally and some guys aren’t right mentally, and gotta get right the next couple days. And going into the NCAA you gotta have, everybody’s gotta be—I don’t think everybody’s been playing on the same level at once. That’s what we gotta get to.”

On what it will look like when the whole team is playing at their best ...
“I’m sure y’all could imagine what it looks like. I can’t really tell you. It’s never happened. Imagine a game where everybody, say, I played good against one team, another person played good against another team, and you just put them together, like, ‘Wow, if they all played like that at once then it’s scary.’”

On whether he is right mentally going into the postseason ...
“I’m not. I think the last five games showed it. I’ve been playing real tentative, not at the best of my game, but I plan on getting right. These next couple days are vital for me getting right and just to show the world, you know, about all these other awards.”

On how he will get himself right ...
“It’s mental. Coming on the court with a chip on your shoulder against your own team. Try to the play to the highest level you can all the time.”

On what that chip is ...
“Just like people saying I’m a one‐sided player. I don’t believe that, my team doesn’t believe that and that drives me nuts.”

On why that bothers him since defense wins championships ...
“It does. It does, but I’m a ballplayer. I’m not just a defensive player. I’m not out there just to play defense and that’s what’s driving me.”

On whether that makes him work harder on his offense ...
“For sure.”

On whether defense came more naturally for him ...
“I think defense is all about reaction. It’s not a lot like—you don’t have to be a genius to play defense. You don’t have to be a (inaudible) to play defense. You just gotta react to the other person. It’s not hard. And you gotta play games with them. Ultimately, defense, you control it. And as soon as you let an offensive player control it, then it’s over. Because now you’re reacting to something you don’t know. But if you can kind of control what they’re doing, then you know what they’re going to do.”

On whether defense was his strength in high school ...
“High school’s a little different. I scored in high school. I had to. Here you don’t have to score. And I think that’s why I play the way I am, is because we got so many offensive weapons that one game I’m probably going to have to score. Eventually, they’re probably going to have to start playing on Karl heavy so I’m going to have to step up and score some baskets. But really, I just gotta play defense and that’s the biggest thing about it, is why people think that is because I don’t have necessarily have to do it. I don’t have to show it. I just have to show it at spurts. That’s where people think, ‘Oh, he’s inconsistent.’ But numbers don’t lie. The numbers on the season don’t lie, so I don’t feel like I get enough credit on that. But at the end of the day, I don’t care. That’s what drives me. So I’m going to continue to let it drive me.”

On what he tells his younger teammates about tournament play ...
“Stay the course. Don’t let it be bigger than what it actually is. You just gotta stay with the team and take literally one day at a time and one game at a time because you can’t think the weekend after or the game after because you don’t know if you’re going to get there. So you really gotta take it like, ‘This is my opponent now. I don’t care about (anything) else. Let’s take care of them and then move on.”

#2, Aaron Harrison, So., G:

On Willie Cauley‐Stein earning first team All‐America ...
“He deserves it of course. He is probably the best player in the country and he deserves it so I am not surprised.”

On this part of the season ...
“This is where it starts to get fun. We become more of a team and closer. All the competition, win or go home is the biggest thing.”

On heading into the Sec Tournament....
“Going to Nashville and having major fan support makes it kind of a home game for us, because we will have the most fans there. But were taking it one game at a time and trying to win every game.”

On how physically prepared he is for the SEC Tournament ...
“I’m feeling really good actually. It’s time to really turn on it. My body is really prepared for this actually. I think we did a lot of good work this season and this offseason, so we’re all prepared.”

On what the challenge is in playing a team for a third team, either against Alabama or Florida ...
“You can’t take it for granted, obviously, and you just know that they have a chip on their shoulder against us, so we have to have the same chip on our shoulders.”

On if he’s looking to put up the same performance this postseason as last year’s ...
“I’m looking to play even better than I did last year in the postseason and just continue to work hard and try to win every game.”

On what area he’s looking to improve on going into the postseason ...
“Just to continue to be consistent for my team, continue to attack and defend.”

On Cal saying how much his game improved when he goes for 2s rather than 3s ...
“It’s about playing, just about being all the way focused and being mentally in tune with the game. Coach told me to attack more and that’s what I did and other things come along with that.”

On communicating more on the court ...
“I’m just doing what I need to do for us to win. I think I need to communicate more so that’s what I’m doing.”

On what the veterans are telling the freshmen going into the postseason ...
“We just know how important it is and we know how hard you have to play, so we just know that we can’t underestimate any team and we have to go out every game and play as hard as we can. Just have to go out there and play hard. Don’t stress about it, don’t worry about it, just go play ball.”

On guys getting so many awards because that’s what happens when you go undefeated ...
“That’s what happens. We have the best players in the country, the best team in the country.”

On if he buys into the idea that Cal doesn’t care if they win or lose in the SEC Tournament ...
“We want to win every game, but that’s not what our season is about. Like we’ve been saying all year, our season is about the week after that (the NCAA Tournament). We want to go out and win but it’s not the end of the world.”

On what it was like to get individual recognition when all year it’s been about the team ...
“It really doesn’t matter. It’s not really a big deal. We know we have the best players in the country, so it’s not really a big deal.”

On how much last year’s SEC Tournament run helped going into the NCAA Tournament ...
“We honestly just had a different style of play where we just started attacking more and everybody ran a lot more and got easy baskets and started having more fun.”

On last year’s ‘tweak’ and how so many things came together in last year’s conference tournament ... “We did have a small tweak obviously, but I think we just stated to play as a team more. I think that was the only tweak.”

On if it’s weird for some guys to get recognized with awards when the team has been so balanced all season long ... “I mean, it’s really dumb. I really don’t like it ‘cause I think we have the best players in the country from top to bottom and it’s kinda pointless to say, give conference awards and things like that. It’s not really important.”

On if it bugs him that Andrew didn’t get an award ...
“I mean, obviously he deserves it, but it’s about who picks it not about who’s the best really.”

On Andrew using that as motivation in the future ...
“Yeah, he will. It’ll be fun to watch.”

On if he takes pride in being the leading scorer on this team ...
“Yeah, of course I do. Being a shooting guard, you just have to score the ball.”

On what he appreciates about Devin Booker’s game ...
“We just have a guy that can score the ball that we need. He’s definitely an efficient shooter of course. Obviously he’s a good scorer.”

On what it would look like with everybody playing at their best ...
“I don’t know. I mean, of course everyone’s not going to be on their A‐game every day. There’s people who haven’t been at their best some games. I mean it’s been me some nights. Whoever’s not at their best we just take up for them and help them out.”

#12, Karl‐Anthony Towns, Fr., F:

On college basketball fundamentals ...
“For me it has been a process of getting used to a different level of the game. I’m happy that I have been able to come accustomed to it so far. But fundamentals in high school is very different from fundamentals in college, it is very keen and details matter.”

On how they’re holding up physically ...
“Practices are hard. In the games we’re doing the platoon system and it’s been just absolutely wonderful for us. Practices are where we get the motto of, if we can go an hour long straight of scrimmaging, we can do 20 minutes. I think we’re doing a great job of – the coaching staff is doing a great job of just keeping ready for every game possible and keeping our skills at a high level.”

On what it was like to get individual recognition ...
“It was great. It was a blessing. It just shows that we all have just taken each other under our wing and cared for each other and looked out for each other. These awards are very prestigious, and I’m blessed to have a chance, but I’m more blessed to have brothers like I have right now on this team.”
On if he thought they’d have the SEC Player of the Year on their roster ...
“I tell you, we could have anything. This team is so talented and so deep, anything could go.”

On Coach Cal being named SEC Coach of the Year ...
“He deserves it. All the tribulations and trials he’s been through the last few years, then to have a team like this, and being able to do something I have never heard of with the platoon system in college and make it work and make all the talent on this team work and keep us all together. It takes a special person– and not only a special coach, but a special person – to make that work.”

On having Willie Cauley‐Stein return as a junior and how that has helped him ...
“It’s been a blessing. Not much you can say. You’re with the player of the year, the defensive player of the year and one of our best players. He’s the cornerstone of this team. He’s the leader. This team has been taken to new heights with him here.”

On what Cauley‐Stein has taught him on the court ...
“Just defensive prowess, how to be a better defender, and how to read defenses better. Also, just learn how to play smarter on the court, and that’s one of the biggest things I’ve been able to take away from him.”

On the mindset going into the SEC Tournament ...
“The mindset is we want to win it. Of course we’re trying to win every game we’re in. We’re going out there and we’re trying to get prepared for this SEC Tournament. We’re trying to make a great run. We’re trying to use these games definitely to get better as a team before the NCAA Tournament, but we’re also there to win.”

On what the team would look like if everybody clicked at the same time ...
“It’s scary. It’s going to be really scary. I couldn’t tell you, but I could tell you one thing, if that was to happen, I feel bad for the other team.”

On if it makes a difference to now be playing for something tangible like a tournament trophy ...

“For us it means the world. It’s all great that we’ve won 31 games straight, but it means more if we can cut down nets and that’s why I think it’s more important to us and we’re more happy for it.”