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NEW YORK CITY – In preparation for Tuesday's NIT semifinal game against Valparaiso, BYU met with the media at the Marriott Marquis. See below for what coach Dave Rose and senior captains Nate Austin, Kyle Collinsworth and Chase Fischer had to say.
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After meeting with the media one-on-one, the coaches of the four semifinal teams took turns address the crowd from the dais. Below is a transcript of the proceedings.
Valparaiso Head Coach Scott Drew
Thanks Fran. My brother said to tell you hi. He's doing well down in Texas. It's great to be here. We’re thrilled as a basketball program to be in New York and be in the semifinals of the NIT.
We have two of our young men, Fran mentioned one in Alec Peters, and other one is Vashil Fernandez one of our seniors that is in the room that have been sensational student-athletes and players for this year. Obviously we're disappointed we didn't get in the NCAA tournament. That was our goal we were we were on that path to hopefully go that way and when we got the news we're coming to the NIT, very quickly our goals shifted to be able to make it to New York hope to be able to win in the NIT.
Our guys have really attacked this opportunity and I can say after our three home games and the teams that we had in our gym and then be able to come to New York in the first 24 hours it's been a memorable experience. It’s something that our players in our program are always going to remember. I feel very blessed to have the group that we have. We have a lot of experience from last year's team that played in the NCAA tournament and my biggest job as a coach is to make sure we don't get too fired up for a shoot around at Madison Square Garden. And that we still have enough juice for the game to play against the high-potent offense that score’s about 124 per game with BYU. Fran, I will take your help afterward with some notes on how to slow down the BYU 84 points a game.
But obviously we have a very tough opponent in BYU. Two contrasting styles; we've been more of a defensive-minded team this year and BYU's again one of the best, if not the best, offensive team in the country with their pace and their play in their skill players.
Collinsworth is obviously one of the best players in the country; the most triple-doubles in college history is a tough matchup so that'll be something we have to feel as the game goes on. But he can hurt us in a variety of ways. For us, our big focus is our guys and hopefully getting us prepared and in a good frame of mind to enjoy New York and everything New York offers but also to be focused when the game comes. I want to think the committee for all that you guys do. Student-athletes’ lives are being affected and they're being changed and these are experiences I know they're going to remember for the rest of life. So thank you guys and God bless.
BYU Head Coach Dave Rose
I, like the rest of the coaches, we’re just so excited to be here. It’s something we had a chance to experience three years ago. The three wins that you accumulate to get to New York are so good for your players to kind of handle the disappointment of not being in the NCAA Tournament. We’ve been to the NCAA Tournament eight of the last 10 years, so this group of guys feel like there’s a portion them maybe they let some people down. But this run that we had has been great and we look forward to advancing to the finals if that's a possibility. I know Bryce will have other things to say about that but we'll get after it.
One of the things that I love about college basketball is how it makes the world smaller. The fact that you have so many relationships that kind of intertwined each other. The fact that we were here 3 years ago and we played Homer’s son in the semifinals. We played Scott when he was at Baylor and that's kind of been my experience with the Drew family. The coaches here to my left, we played Mike when he was the head coach at Vermont in Glens Falls, New York in the game with Jimmer Fredette - that was his hometown - and we had a heck of an experience there and it was a great game. And Coach Fisher; I’ve known coach for years. We had some interesting Jimmer Games,too, when we were in the Mountain West Conference together. So it's fun to come back and be with guys we know.
This run of ours started with UAB, a great team out of the Conference USA that was 16-2 in the league and they barely missed NCAA tournament. I think it was that same night that we played UAB one of my assistant coaches who played for me when I was the head coach at Dixie College was a point guard at Wagner 16 or 17 years ago. And Wagner beat St. Bonnie’s that night and that might have been as big a win as our win against UAB because when we beat Virginia Tech we didn’t have to fly 2000 miles for the quarterfinal game.
But I love the way relationships kind of bind us together as college coaches. You know Bob Weltlich was the coach of Texas when I was playing at the University of Houston. Rudy Davalos has been the AD at Houston and New Mexico in our league. So I feel really fortunate to be a part of what I consider to be special basketball group.
As far as our team is concerned we’ve been more up than down but we've lost 10 games and in those 10 games we’ve learned a lot about our team. Hopefully we like the pace to be quick but this team has actually been pretty successful in slow-paced games and we'll see how this game goes tomorrow. I know it'll be a battle of each team trying to get to where they feel comfortable. Hopefully we’ll be able play well. That is kind of most important thing for my guys right now is that we're playing really well together as a group. I think our chemistry is good I think our ability to stay in the moment and not worry about the past or look too far into the future has helped us. The challenge that our staff has kind of put on this group of guys is that we made here three years ago and we ended in the semifinals. We’re looking forward to see if we can get to the finals.
San Diego State Head Coach Steve Fisher
Fran was such a good friend that my first year at San Diego State he tried to make history and schedule us four times that season. Barry Collier, I think he's a typical administrator now. He is eating and going to put in for a full per diem and he’s leaving. Les, Rudy, Bob, Carol, Mr. Powers - with all of you I walked in here today in the company of greatness. A lot of things flash back with all of you as I walked in and so many different Avenues and venues and, as Dave said, this is a small fraternity. It’s a whole lot different than when we started but it's a fraternity none-the-less that there's great pride to be a part of.
I remember our last trip with the Aztecs in 2009. I had a phone call from my good friend Homer Drew and his son Scott went on to beat us in the semifinals. When we got to the final four here, I had another good another call from my good friend Homer Drew and I didn't return the phone call for a couple days. but I did and we exchanged voicemails. Last night in the lobby, Bryce was there he was doing something he came over and he said, ‘Steve what's attire, what do you wear for this tomorrow for this.’ I said we're coming from practice. I remember before nobody has on a sport coat except for Fran. Wear your practice gear. You'll be fine. The first guy I saw when I walked in there was Mike and I said, “Oh my God. I hope not everybody has coat and tie when I walk in.
I probably have as much history from the coaching perspective in the NIT as anyone. All of you know Bill Frieder. He was just here with Westwood One doing the NCAA games. He left me up a 5-page text message saying, ‘Don't forget to tell ‘em Fisher your first trip in there was 1984 when I won the NIT Championship.’ So I'm telling you 1984 I came in with Bill Frieder I'll never forget it. We had a banquet some place other than the hotel we stayed at and the first guy I ran into was Digger Phelps who was coaching Notre Dame at the time. He had a full-length mink coat on and I know you can remember that. Michigan and Bill Frieder beat them in the in the championship of the NIT.
We came back my last year in Michigan 1997 and won the NIT. We came here in 2009 and got beat by Scott [Drew] and the great Baylor team and we're back again. I know the history of this event. I know the prestige and pride that surrounds this event. So I will tell you our team is coming out of their skin to be a part of it. We're very excited to be here. We will represent ourselves and our University in a fashion like – I know the other three coaches and programs will. But we ain't slummin’. We’re here with great pride to be a part of this wonderful historic NIT event played in the mecca of college basketball Madison Square Garden in New York City. So we could not be happier to be here to be a part of it
We’ve got a really good team and when we score the ball, we’re even better than that. And we’ve scored the ball lately. If you came into our building and watched the NIT game you would say, ‘Wow, it was electric.” We sold it out and there was an energy in the building like none other. I'm very proud of that fact. We have fans that are proud of the fact they were here. We don't have a lot that will be here but they'll be those who will be here will be loud and those will be home we will have more people watching than anybody in the country I promise you that.
We’re led by three seniors – Winston Shepard, Skylar Spencer and Angelo Chol - we got a good nucleus. We know Mike has a really, really good basketball team. So we’re excited to be playing. We look forward to tomorrow and know that it will be a great NIT Championship. Thank you very much
George Washington Head Coach Mike Lonergan
I want to thank the committee for inviting us. There's a lot of good teams that didn't even get to go play in the NIT. Obviously we want to make to the NCAA Tournament. The last two years on the bubble – whatever you want to call it - I feel like a bubble in my stomach. We’ve been riding that bubble for two straight years. But last year we got in the NIT and I think we did a good job. We won at Pitt and then lost at a very good Temple team. This year our goal was definitely get to Madison Square Garden and a tough first round game at Hofstra and then we have to go play at Monmouth and that was a packed place packed place with a great atmosphere and very good team and we were fortunate to come away with a win. Then we beat Florida at home and it was nice to get that one home game so we're glad we're here. I feel like the teams that are here should all really be in the NCAA tournament. I watch the games on TV and see all pack houses sell out and just great atmosphere.
I am especially proud to come to New York. My mentor is a guy named Jack Bruen. He was New York through and through and he told me stories about the Garden and NIT and New York City was all he’d talk about so to come up here is exciting for me. Our team has been in New York a bunch of times we have 20,000 alumni from the area so I think we'll have a great turnout tomorrow night. We’re going have fun here. I came to the Final Four with Coach Williams we’ll have a little more fun here than I did on that trip. I feel like I'm living a dream up here with these guys. I told Coach Fisher one time we’re at an airport and my wife made me ask him if he could take pictures with my kids. And then Coach Rose - sound like a good idea, ‘you want a play a Jimmer Freddette’ homecoming game in Glens Falls, New York?’ Then we walk in this arena and we have good fans but it was amazing all the BYU fans. I think we held Jimmer to like 33 – I thought we did a pretty good job. But it was pretty nice about 10 minutes after the game my wife and kids are in the hallway and taking pictures with him so that was fun. I know a coach [Drew] from seeing One Shining Moment a million times. Obviously his dad and brother. So, I’m kind of humbled even be here with these guys.
My team is excited to be here. We know a heck of a team we’re playing. I thought we played a great defensive team in Virginia this year and now we're playing teams has athletic and good defensively as I’ve seen all year in San Diego State.
We haven't played a lot of defense this year but we're pretty good offensively. We've got a great group of seniors and hopefully we will play well. I'm excited to be here. I got to play here at the Garden as a at Catholic University. Jack Bruen scheduled game we played NYU in a doubleheader with St. John’s and Georgetown, I think it was 1987. That was a lot of fun as a player and now I get to be a head coach sitting in the Garden. All my family is here. My wife is college basketball coach and we’re missing our family vacation to the Final Four were supposed to fly there today. That's okay because hopefully we won’t have to go until Friday. But maybe Wednesday they got a heck of a team. So I'm happy to be here and I do want to thank the committee again for choosing us and hopefully all the teams will play well be healthy and just have a great trip to the Big Apple thank you.