Coach Thad Matta, All-American forward Jared Sullinger, Aaron Craft, William Buford, Deshaun Thomas and Lenzelle Smith, Jr. talk about Kansas and Saturday's NCAA Tournament national semifinal game.
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John Kuntz, The Plain DealerOhio State's Aaron Craft (front) with teammates Jared Sullinger (left) and William Buford (right) as they head to the press conference room at New Orleans' Superdome on Thursday.CLEVELAND, Ohio
A transcript of the Ohio State Buckeyes' press conference on Thursday in New Orleans.
The Buckeyes play Kansas' Jayhawks in a Final Four national semifinal game on Saturday night.
Plain Dealer Ohio State beat writer Doug Lesmerises, columnist Bill Livingston and photographers John Kuntz and Marvin Fong are covering Ohio State and covering March Madness.
Also, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune and its nola.com website --sister publications of The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com -- are covering the Final Four.
Ohio State Buckeyes press conference:
Coach Thad Matta:
On the first meeting against Kansas:
“From the standpoint of playing them in December, it was our first loss of the season. I think of it more in terms of how that game prepared us with what we had to deal with going into the rigors of the Big Ten season. Playing without Jared (Sullinger) obviously made us a better basketball team. I know they are playing at a higher level. There were a lot of things that we didn’t do in that game that was true to our system.”
On what getting to the Final Four means for the university:
“After spending eight years in Columbus at The Ohio State University, I have come to learn it’s the greatest university in the country, not just for a basketball player or football player, but for everyone involved. Unfortunately, there were some things that transpired. I think for the success that this team has had, hopefully puts the light back on what this university stands for. If I’m not mistaken, I believe spring football started today, which is obviously an exciting time as well. I feel fortunate to be a part of it and very pleased for the university and our players to be here.”
On sophomore guard Aaron Craft’s development:
“From where Aaron has grown, I still say he’s a poster child for how kids should go to college. Last year, he arrived, assessed and asked how he could help this basketball team win. He played off of that, and I don’t think he has quit asking himself that question on a daily basis. His game has grown. His leadership has grown. It’s a great feeling as a coach to have a guy like that out there on the floor. Whatever he is saying to the guys in the huddle on a free throw or a dead ball, I don’t even question because I have great faith that he understands.”
On their defense being one of the best units in the nation:
“We put a huge emphasis on our defense, especially early in the season. We probably worked 75-percent defense throughout the first month of the season. Having players that understand and want to defend is more of a challenge than people think. You have guys in the locker room that all averaged 20-plus point games in high school and had coaches who said to play hard, but don’t foul anybody. Therefore, molding that group of guys, we spoke more on how to play defense rather than making shots or anything along those lines. We felt like our offense would come together at some point.”
On sophomore guard Aaron Craft’s defensive ability:
“Aaron is a great example for our team. Every time he takes the floor, it starts with him. They see him the other night and landing in the fourth row of the Boston (TD Banknorth) Garden and then coming back and getting the ball on the other side. Our guys start to appreciate that more and more in practice. How he plays in a game is exactly how he practices. His leadership on the defensive end is something we can’t ever take for granted. The other guys out there have started to take great pride. Deshaun Thomas is probably the greatest example of that. You hope we can continue to expand that this weekend.”
On his team’s improvement in the last month of the season after a couple of home losses:
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John Kuntz, The Plain DealerOhio State coach Thad Matta during Thursday's press conference at the Superdome in New Orleans.“We have one senior and one junior and a slew of freshmen and sophomores. We always try to set the stage through practice how we play. We go at high speed and we don’t stop. This team took a little longer to understand that. The example we set was not being ready to go to the level that we wanted to be at that day. When it was all said and done, when we lost the game the next day, it opened their eyes. We play games the way we practice. Unfortunately, we had to take a home loss for it, but I think it helped us in the end.”
Sophomore Guard Aaron Craft:
On how big the Final Four is:
“I think it hits you when you walk in there for practice. You do the Hickory like in the Hoosiers. It is a long way away, but once you get used to it, it comes down to another practice. It’s another basketball game. There are a lot of outside things going on, but once you get a feel for it, you just understand that it’s another basketball game.”
On practice this week:
“All week, practice has been at a pretty high level. I think as a basketball team we have done a pretty good job of concentrating, focusing and understanding that when we are in practice that’s all that matters at that point. It’s been awesome to see us have three really good practices. I would like to say it’s been three of our best throughout the year, and that’s exactly what we want and need going into this weekend.”
On speaking to his brother in the military overseas:
“All I know is that he left Saturday. He knows that we won because he posted on my Facebook with excitement and joy. After that he has yet to tell us where he is and I don’t think he is allowed to either. I am sure he is over there and safe. I’m not sure about Saturday, but the feedback has been pretty awesome. Everyone coming in and understanding that there are bigger things than basketball in my life and everyone else’s life in this great nation. It’s been awesome to see everyone come around and understand that they are praying for my brother and praying for me. A lot of people that I haven’t talked to a lot have reached out to me saying congratulations and saying that we are praying for your brother. It’s just been really comforting for everyone to come around and show their appreciation and understand what’s it like to go overseas at a big part in my life.”
On what you plan to do defensively:
“I just try to make anyone I’m guarding a little bit uncomfortable. Just to not let them get to what they wanted to do the first time they go down the floor. It’s tough once you get this deep into the tournament. You start playing against great guards day in and day out. So understanding that they are going to make a shot and they are going to go by me, and just come back possession after possession, let them know that I’m going to be there the entire game.”
On when you decided you needed to look for your own offense:
“It’s something that has kind of just grown throughout the year. I understood that we lost a lot of guys last year, but we had a lot of great guys coming back this year as well. I could score the ball and do some things offensively, so I just kind of felt my way around a little bit. Being aggressive usually leads to easy buckets for everyone else or for myself. Any time we don’t focus on one player, one specific player, one game, we usually play a lot better basketball. It’s when we have multiple players scoring 18, 17, 15, things like that, we don’t care who scores the ball as long as it gets in the basket that’s all that really matters. Lenzelle (Smith, Jr.) has been doing a great job recently of playing within himself and seeing openings that he can take advantage of and hopefully we can continue to do so.”
Sophomore guard Lenzelle Smith Jr.:
On how the team plays when their defensive is at its best:
“We play our best when our defensive is at its best. When we are clicking as a team, getting those steals, making those defensive plays and playing with great intensity. Those 50/50 balls, as we call them, those are important and we get those when we are playing high intensity defense.”
On what the phrase “5 Guys Connected” means:
“Five guys communicating, playing for one another. We are all on the same page. When we are connected out there, when someone gets stuck on a screen the team is there to cover for them until they can recover. That’s how the game should be played. This is very important to us.”
On playing in a facility like the Superdome:
“The Dome is just as good as any other big stage we have played on. When the fans get there it’s a different ball game, but right now in practice there is not a big change. The basket does feel smaller. It’s a different environment, but once the game comes everyone will settle into what they do and feel comfortable.”
On the rematch:
“Looking forward to it. We lost, and any time you get another chance that’s a good thing. We got a chance to see some of the things we did wrong and work on those. We were also missing our best player. Jared (Sullinger) didn’t play the first time and I’m interested to see how we play with him. He is one of our leaders, and when he is rolling, everyone else is rolling.”
On his role on team:
“Trying to find your role on a team is the hardest part. Points have never been a highlight to me. When Will (Buford) was struggling I knew I had to step up offensively and do my part. Will’s rough patch is over. He’s already done the things that guys like me have only dreamt about. He looks great and he’s rolling. With Will back, I know I will have to step it up on the defensive end, get those important rebounds and press those guys on the wing. I know what I have to do to help this team win. At this point, it’s do or die and I’m willing to do whatever it is I have to for our team to win.”
Senior guard William Buford:
On being aggressive early on the in the game:
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be the first shot of the game. It could be a couple of possessions of me getting warmed up, because I’m going to be real excited when the game starts. I’ll probably have some jitters and will want to get them out of the way, take my first shot and start being aggressive from there.”
On having superstitions before the game:
“I’m just going to try to have my mind right, just have my mind in attack mode and be ready to compete for 40 minutes. This is the highest level of college basketball. Your mind has to be totally right. I’m just going to try to do that and do whatever I can do to help my teammates.”
On how was practice in the Mercedes Benz Superdome:
“We had a great practice today. It was real intense, and we were getting after it and competing. It was good for us, but it was a little too fast at the beginning. We had to slow down; people were really excited. After we calmed down, we had a great practice.”
On shooting and the concerns of playing in a domed stadium:
“Not at all. I’ve played in a domed stadium three times in my career; we’ll be fine. We were shooting the ball pretty well today in practice and we’ll be fine when the game starts.”
On the teams struggles in February that included losses to Michigan State, Michigan and Wisconsin:
“Everybody put their egos aside when we started losing those games in February. We knew that we had to play together in order to get where we are. I think us playing together and moving the ball has got us to where we are (the Final Four) right now.”
On Ohio State coach Thad Matta:
“(Laughing) Don’t let him fool you. He can get mean when we’re not doing what we’re supposed to be doing. For the most part, he’s real calm and down to earth, and try’s to bring the best out of his players every time we’re on the floor. He’s just a real cool coach and I wouldn’t want to play for anyone else.”
Sophomore forward Jared Sullinger:
On watching the game film after the first meeting against Kansas:
“The biggest thing I learned was that you just have to play hard. There were a couple of times where we could have got the lead or cut to two or one, and we just didn’t capitalize. We were just playing young. ”
On being at the Final Four and potentially winning a national championship:
“I thought in practice here today we had it. I thought we were focused. We weren’t having fun. We came out here and competed as a team. As long as we compete and realize that this is a business trip and not a vacation we will be fine. It’s one step closer to our dream. As long as we focus on that and realize that it is one step closer to our dream and take each possession, each second, each ball screen, do everything with a purpose and play hard, I think we have a good chance of winning the basketball game.”
On coming into the Superdome today:
“The first thing that hit me when I stepped inside the Superdome was how Hurricane Katrina came in and wiped this whole city out and how so many people lived here. I thought about all the people that didn’t make it and how this place saved a lot of people lives.”
On what winning the championship would mean:
“It would mean a lot. Our university has been waiting for a basketball team like this since 2007. As a Columbus kid, it would be pretty cool. I would have to do a lot more on-line shopping with the popularity I would get if we won it.”
On how the team has changed since the last meeting against Kansas:
“This basketball team has changed in certain aspects. You have certain people making plays that they weren’t making in December. Roles have increased since the beginning of the NCAA Tournament and we’re a different team dynamically. ”
Sophomore forward Deshaun Thomas:
On playing Kansas earlier in the season and how he attacked defending junior forward, Thomas Robinson:
“Yes, we wanted to take him [Thomas Robinson] away from the basket because he likes to sit in the middle a lot and Coach Matta wanted me to spread him. I got out a couple of big threes and next thing you know, they switched Kevin [Young] on me to contain me more. I tried to beat him off the dribble and to get out there on the catch. That’s what Kansas did in the first half against me. They changed it up and put [Jeff] Withey on the bench. I think he might have been in foul trouble and so they put Kevin [Young] in to guard me at the four and Robinson at the five.”
On the progress Ohio State has made throughout the season:
“We are a better team. We spread the ball more. We have a full team. Jared [Sullinger] is back and I think for our team, we play hard now. We know what’s at stake for us. We play better as a team now than back then and we take better shots.”
On the importance of getting Jared Sullinger back on the court:
“It makes a big difference. He is the key on our team. People are going to double down on him and it will set up more shots for us. It’s big. It’s always a great matchup to see him and [Thomas] Robinson go against each other.”
On how he has improved as a player this season:
“My mind is right. I have a great mindset and I take every day in practice serious like it’s a game. I work on my game outside of basketball when we don’t have practice. I’ve clicked on offense. Now, I have just been staying ready for games and getting ready for that big moment.”
On the Withey/Sullinger matchup and Thomas/Robinson matchup:
“It will be that, but we know at some point in game, there will be switches made. Jared [Sullinger] might be on [Thomas] Robinson and I might be on [Jeff] Withey. But, the majority of the time it’s going to be the matchup of Robinson and I. It’s going to be a great matchup. I’m trying to make [Robinson] uncomfortable. I’m just trying to play my best at defense and also at offense.”
On if he is thinking about a future in the NBA:
“No, I have just been out here trying to play and get my teammates involved. I’m only trying to worry about getting a national championship. I’m trying to be successful out there on the court for my team and also for myself. I never really thought about the NBA. If a chance like that comes, then it will probably be something I will have to look at, but right now, I’m just focused on trying to get to the national championship.”
On his ability to spread the defense and his ability to shoot threes:
“When I’m hitting threes, I can throw inside and let Jared [Sullinger] go to work. Also, our guards can beat people off the dribble. When I’m hitting threes out there it gets everybody clicking.”
On adjusting to shooting in an arena as large as the Mercedes-Benz Superdome:
“It hasn’t been an adjustment for me. I think I shot it pretty well [in practice]. Coach [Thad Matta] was happy I was shooting it. They usually say all that space in the backboard can mess up a shooter, but I was knocking them down. I don’t think anything has changed. I was just looking at the rim and everything was falling.”
Ryan Tannehill of Texas A&M.
