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Arizona's Caleb Love, KJ Lewis, Trey Townsend and Tommy Lloyd before Sweet 16 game vs. Duke
Mar 27, 2025
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0:00
seeing if we can continue to play on.
0:02
We're going to start in the back in the
0:04
middle.
0:07
Jeff Barzel ESPN. Um Tommy, what did you
0:11
see from Caleb Love at Carolina that
0:12
made you want to recruit him out of the
0:14
portal and then how has he grown as a
0:16
player and a person since getting to
0:17
Tucson? I thought you said we're keeping
0:19
the noise down in here with Jeff Barzel.
0:21
I'm joking. Sorry, Jeff. Um um you know
0:26
it happened really fast to be honest
0:28
with you and um you know we were at a
0:30
position you know I I I liked our pieces
0:32
coming back but uh I just felt like we
0:35
needed an influx of scoring and shooting
0:37
and um you know I talked to Caleb
0:40
initially um you know and then a couple
0:42
days later he committed to Michigan and
0:44
it was just I think it was just a
0:46
cordial phone call. was nice and then
0:48
obviously you know something happened
0:50
with admissions at Michigan and so an
0:52
opportunity popped up and we had a lot
0:53
more clarity of what we needed and uh
0:56
you know coach Rob you know had
0:57
recruited him at Carolina so there was a
0:59
relationship there and so um you know we
1:02
jumped on a few phone calls and it was
1:04
it went good and and we thought it was
1:06
going to be a fit on both sides and I
1:07
remember I thought it was such a good
1:08
fit I thought he was gonna commit
1:10
without visiting because I was down in
1:13
uh Portto Varta on vacation uh you know
1:16
uh Yeah, it was it was a tough a tough
1:18
ending to the second season. And so my
1:20
son and I were kind of down there a few
1:23
days ahead of my wife and our daughters
1:25
because um they were finishing up school
1:27
and uh you know obviously family
1:29
vacations in our business are a big deal
1:31
and I remember talking to the love
1:33
family and and there was like two days
1:35
they could visit and it was like right
1:37
in the middle of the vacation and I'm
1:38
like hey you know I mean I am down in
1:40
Mexico on vacation with my family you
1:42
know and then and but you know there's
1:44
an opportunity for you guys to visit if
1:46
you want and I think and then hey no
1:47
you're good we're going to come oh we'd
1:49
love to visit. So my wife flew down and
1:52
right when she landed I said, "Hey, um,
1:54
I'm going back to Tucson for for another
1:56
day." So, so it was a pretty funny
1:58
story, but it was an awesome trip. We
2:00
went back, had a great visit with them
2:01
and and he committed and listen, it's
2:03
been an awesome experience. Um, you
2:05
know, I I know I know a lot of people
2:07
want to talk about Caleb and and you
2:08
know, I'm obviously more focused on the
2:10
team all the time and I understand why
2:11
they want to want to talk to him because
2:13
it's a it's an interesting story. It's
2:15
been an awesome experience and and it's
2:17
something I would do a hundred times
2:19
over again and I think if I do it again
2:21
I could even do it better and and help
2:23
him out more. He's an awesome person. Um
2:25
I have not seen any many 22 23 year olds
2:28
that have had to endure what he's had to
2:30
endure in his life and you know what he
2:32
continues to show up every day and he
2:34
he's I've never had a bad experience
2:36
with him with attitude, body language,
2:39
talking back, anything like that. So,
2:42
um, that's the real Caleb Love. I get to
2:44
know the real Caleb Love. You guys, you
2:46
know, know a perception of what Caleb
2:48
Love and what you see on the court. And,
2:50
um, you know, I I think a lot of the,
2:53
uh, assessments of him are unfair, but,
2:55
but, you know, that's the reality. He
2:57
has to live and he's handled it really
2:59
well. We'll stay in that back row.
3:04
Michael Cohen, Fox Sports. Uh Tommy,
3:07
you've had a long line of international
3:09
players find success in your program.
3:10
When you look overseas, what are some of
3:12
the traits that you're looking for in
3:14
trying to figure out if they can adapt
3:15
properly to the United States, the
3:17
basketball here, and what have they
3:19
brought to your program? Well, obviously
3:20
you're looking for, you know, talent and
3:23
uh you know, talent and you know, good
3:25
character, those two things. And then
3:26
it's what you said, you got to figure
3:28
out if their game is going to translate
3:29
or be developable over here. And um you
3:32
know, and not all of them are. and and
3:34
I've had a lot of international players
3:36
and it's worked out for a lot of them
3:37
and and a few it hasn't, you know, I
3:39
mean, it's not like I've batted a
3:40
thousand on it and and so um I I just
3:43
always think it's fun. I think it's a
3:45
global game. I think it's fun to add
3:47
that mix into your locker room and have
3:49
a, you know, a really diverse, you know,
3:51
culture uh within your team. I I think,
3:54
you know, um you know, strength always
3:56
lies in diversity and and and so um you
3:59
know, I want to create a locker room
4:01
that has, you know, a lot of diversity
4:03
and and and I think it's a ton of fun
4:05
and and I think those kids overseas are
4:08
are learning a good style of basketball.
4:10
I mean, if you look at the NBA right
4:11
now, I don't know the percentage of
4:12
players that are international. It's
4:13
it's really high. It's normal. So, um to
4:16
me, what I do is normal. I mean, I'm I'm
4:19
not looking at it like as I'm not a
4:21
specialist. and building normal
4:23
basketball rosters for high level teams
4:25
and and that's how I always look at it.
4:27
We'll stay in the back there and then
4:28
we'll come to the other side. Yep. Back
4:30
here.
4:32
John Fant, Fox Sports, Tommy, a lot of
4:35
coaches will will say about this
4:37
tournament, the key to making that run
4:40
is to keep making the tournament and
4:42
then it will happen at some point with
4:44
with a certain team. for you. You guys,
4:47
you you sort of said last weekend, we
4:49
can thrive in chaos, that there's that
4:52
nature to our group. How do you balance
4:56
your group's explosiveness, all the
4:58
different things that you're capable of
5:01
while also keeping the hand on the
5:02
steering wheel at the same time? Well, I
5:04
I I mean, I think the way we play is
5:07
comfortable for us because it's how we
5:09
practice every day. Um, you know, we're
5:11
not trying to be a a perfect team. I'm
5:14
not trying to be a perfect coach. Um,
5:17
you know, but we want to accumulate as
5:18
many good things as possible. And I
5:20
think the only way you accumulate as
5:21
many good things as possible is you got
5:23
to be aggressive and and when you're
5:25
aggressive, you're going to make some
5:26
mistakes sometimes, you know, but you
5:28
got to keep coming. That doesn't mean
5:29
that we're not like trying to fine-tune
5:30
things or, hey, that might be a little
5:32
too tough of a play or too tough of a
5:34
pass, you know? I mean, to be honest
5:35
with you guys, I'm not I'm not a
5:37
highlight guy at all. Like I don't even
5:39
like sometimes realize like, okay, that
5:42
was a dunk or whatever. Okay, that was
5:43
two points in my mind. We're going back
5:44
to the other end. Like, you know, but
5:46
but I also understand that our players,
5:50
you know, I mean, they're athletic,
5:52
they're talented, they like to do that
5:54
kind of stuff. So, it's just kind of,
5:55
you're right, it is a little bit riding
5:57
a fine line of of being aggressive and
6:00
and being overaggressive and and but but
6:03
I think that's one of the reasons we are
6:05
successful and hard to play against is
6:06
because we keep coming.
6:08
We're going to come to this side of the
6:09
room. Start at the end of second row.
6:12
Tommy Rustin from The Athletic. Um big
6:15
picture coaching leadership question.
6:17
Has the rise of NIL in the in the
6:20
portal, has it changed the way you you
6:22
handle kids? Um whether it's coaching in
6:25
in practice or even the way maybe you
6:27
speak about guys in the media.
6:30
Absolutely not. I'm a college basketball
6:32
coach. Always going to be a college
6:34
basketball coach. So, um, I I think that
6:37
you're going to find over time that the
6:39
coaches that continue to be good college
6:41
basketball coaches and figure out how to
6:43
navigate this NIL landscape are going to
6:45
be the most successful. I think you're
6:46
going to find that guys that come here
6:48
and try to coach them like pros. I don't
6:50
think that's going to work because
6:51
they're they're a lot of them are 18, 19
6:53
years old. And you know what? Just
6:55
because players are making money now
6:57
doesn't mean they're any better than
6:58
they were 5, 10, or 20 years ago.
6:59
they're still the same players and they
7:02
still need to be developed if they want
7:04
to get to the next level um or be good
7:06
in college. So, you know, NIL is
7:09
something that, you know, on a
7:10
day-to-day basis, we don't even talk
7:12
about in our program. It just I'm I'm
7:14
literally coaching the same way I have
7:17
for the last how many years. And um I
7:19
understand it's part of the game. I
7:20
understand it's part of getting players
7:22
to come to your school, but um but on a
7:24
day-to-day basis in our culture um
7:26
they're treated the same as they ever
7:28
have. And and I think that's important
7:29
that they they are treated that way and
7:32
and because you know what to be a pro is
7:34
something you have to learn how to do
7:36
and and uh and and there's lots of guys
7:39
that think they know or skip steps to be
7:42
a pro and they don't make it. So I'm not
7:44
going to do that to our guys. I'm going
7:45
to continue to give them the same
7:46
foundation we always have.
7:49
Stay on this side in the back row.
7:53
Uh Jamal Murphy Hoops HQ. Um, another
7:57
Caleb Love question just in terms of on
8:00
the basketball court. Um, you know, what
8:03
kind of development have you seen, you
8:05
know, from from his beginning of his
8:06
career or even just the last couple
8:08
years you've had him? Yeah, I mean,
8:09
listen, Ca Caleb's really a dynamic
8:11
player, you know, I mean, you know, I
8:13
think that, you know, people maybe get
8:15
focused on his his shooting or
8:16
efficiency sometimes, but I mean, the
8:19
guy's been really good in like playing
8:21
in pick and rolls and making plays. You
8:23
know, he can make all the passes. Um,
8:25
you know, he can finish at the rim, he
8:27
can hit a floater, you know, he can hit
8:29
a three, you know, he can hit a three
8:31
off the dribble. Like, he's just a
8:32
really dynamic player. You can play him
8:34
off the ball in pin downs, you know, all
8:36
those things. He can push the ball on
8:38
the break. So, um, I just think he's
8:40
just become more well-rounded over time
8:42
and and I think the thing that's
8:44
probably picked up the most is his
8:45
playmaking. You know, something we
8:46
really emphasize and and and are
8:48
comfortable teaching how to do. And so,
8:50
I mean, I'm comfortable when the ball's
8:52
in his hands. you know, not that I
8:53
expect perfection, but but but I know he
8:56
has the ability to make things happen.
8:58
I'll stay here in the front row.
9:03
Yep.
9:05
Rich Harris, hoops, prospects. Coach,
9:07
I'm going to go back to November 22nd
9:09
when you played Duke. You there was two
9:12
areas where they, you know, obviously
9:15
beat you. Three-point percentage,
9:17
rebounds, and you're not used to losing
9:20
that rebound battle. Now, of course,
9:22
Creas played almost as much minutes in
9:24
that game as uh Toby and uh Basar played
9:30
combined. So, I would assume that you're
9:33
confident that you can get on them on
9:35
the boards better this time around.
9:38
Three-point preeoint percentage though,
9:41
um the team a lot of guys are kind of
9:43
like not hitting at the same rate that
9:46
they did last year. So, is that the key
9:48
to this game? Is it or I mean, you know,
9:51
we'll figure out the keys when the ball
9:53
goes up, you know, like but uh but
9:55
obviously rebounding is always something
9:56
that's important for everybody, not just
9:58
us. And um you know, um obviously we're
10:02
a different team than when we played
10:03
them and and we didn't play good that
10:05
game. Um I'm sure they would say they're
10:07
a different team and I don't think Duke
10:09
played that great that game. So, you
10:11
know, it's going to be interesting to
10:12
see, you know, how it looks when we get
10:13
out there tomorrow. Um, you know, the
10:15
rebounding is something we're always
10:16
going to emphasize and, you know, and we
10:19
know it's not going to be easy, but but
10:20
we're we're here for it. Um, the
10:23
three-point percentage, you know, I
10:24
mean, um, like I said, the last, you
10:27
know, five games or so, we've shot the
10:29
ball better than we have all year. So, I
10:32
don't know, maybe it's these sticky NCAA
10:34
basketballs and, you know, soft rims. I
10:36
don't know. But, but, uh, we seem to be
10:38
shooting the ball pretty good right now
10:39
and pretty confidently. And let's hope
10:41
that continues tomorrow. Next two
10:43
questions will be here. Front row and
10:45
then second row. Hi Tommy. Bruce Pasco,
10:48
the Daily Star in Arizona. I apologize I
10:50
came in late if you already got asked
10:52
this, but I was just wondering your
10:53
thoughts. A lot of buzz about no
10:55
Cinderella's in the Sweet 16 and that
10:57
maybe NIL kind of killed the Cinderella
11:00
or whatever. And you got a couple guys
11:02
from mid majors. I was wondering your
11:03
thoughts on that. Is that a coincidence?
11:04
Do you think there's maybe something to
11:05
that? I mean, if you're four and five at
11:07
one point of the season, does it make
11:08
you a Cinderella?
11:11
I don't know.
11:13
No. Okay. Um, hey, you know, I mean, I I
11:17
don't know. It's hard. The tournament,
11:19
it feels like it's just kind of a little
11:20
bit different every year. And, you know,
11:22
one year, you know, there there's, you
11:24
know, you know, three or four teams
11:25
from, you know, maybe nonp power
11:27
conferences that break through and then
11:29
this year there doesn't happen really to
11:30
be any. And, um, you know, I don't know
11:33
if there's enough sample size yet to say
11:34
this is NIL driven or just just kind of
11:37
how it broke this year. you know, I
11:39
mean, I don't know why there would be so
11:40
much difference from last year to this
11:41
year. And I don't know how many teams
11:43
made it from last year, but you know,
11:44
obviously, you know, Trey Townson was on
11:47
a team that, you know, at Oakland that I
11:49
think they won their first game and lost
11:51
their second, right? I think last year.
11:53
Um, you know, so I mean, you know, those
11:56
stories still happen, but you know, to
11:58
win that second game is really hard. And
12:01
you know, and and uh you know, Nate, our
12:03
our SID told me, you know, we're uh only
12:06
what, seven teams have made three out of
12:08
the past four sweet 16s and and we're
12:10
one of them. So, um it's really hard.
12:13
It's it's really hard to win that second
12:15
game and get to a sweet 16. And once
12:16
you're here, you know, you got to take a
12:18
breath and then you got to come out and
12:20
and and and you got to be ready for the
12:22
next fight. So, um I I don't know. I I
12:25
don't have enough higher level view,
12:27
Bruce, to maybe give you the answer
12:28
you're looking for on that. I don't have
12:30
a good sound bite on that one, but who
12:32
knows? Next year it could be four teams
12:35
that make it through. This year there's
12:37
none, but it it is what it is, you know.
12:40
We'll go to second row here and then
12:42
we'll take last question from the other
12:43
side.
12:45
Matt Ryoltowski with Forbes.
12:47
Congratulations on a great season so
12:49
far. There's multiple scandals, sports
12:52
betting scandals in the NBA and college
12:54
basketball right now. In your region,
12:57
Arizona State was tarnished by the
12:59
Headache Smith point shaving incident in
13:01
in the
13:02
90s. In your view, is there enough being
13:06
done in terms of educational outreach
13:09
and safeguards for the players to
13:11
protect them there?
13:14
There definitely enough being done, you
13:15
know, from the institution and the NCAA
13:17
standpoint, but it's complicated, you I
13:20
mean, I I I think that the one thing
13:22
with the sports betting is it's in your
13:24
hands now. It's literally in your hand.
13:27
And you have these kids on campuses that
13:29
are living in dorms and their parents
13:30
are sending them money and, you know, it
13:32
just gets complicated. And then you have
13:34
there's some sick people out there that
13:36
are taking advantage of of those kids
13:37
and and stuff. So, it's it's a little
13:40
bit
13:41
heartbreaking. Um, but I don't know. I
13:43
mean, there there must be a a reason
13:46
they're they're allowing more gambling
13:48
and and obviously the reasons because
13:51
probably a lot of people are making
13:52
money on it besides the gamblers. I
13:54
would imagine the government and things
13:56
like that. I mean, this is complicated
13:58
because hey, you know what I want to do?
14:00
I just want to coach hoops and I want to
14:02
hang out with my dudes and I want my
14:03
dudes to be normal. I don't want them to
14:04
be getting crushed for missing a free
14:07
throw that caused the point spread to go
14:09
one way or another, you know, but I
14:12
guess that's the world we live in. And I
14:13
really don't have much more time to
14:16
think about it other than just you
14:17
asking me that question right now. But
14:19
uh it definitely it's something that
14:21
does linger, you know, and and it's um
14:23
it's kind of sad. So hopefully it'll
14:26
somehow we'll find a safer way for
14:28
everybody.
14:30
Do last question in row two. No, row
14:32
two. End of row two. Jason Sheer had
14:35
authority. Was there a point earlier in
14:37
your season after the struggles or
14:39
during the struggles a practice or a
14:41
game where you feel things kind of
14:43
clicked and it started to turn or was it
14:45
more kind of a process? No, I mean it
14:47
was it's always a process. I mean
14:49
development is always a process. It's
14:50
not an event. Um but um uh I knew we
14:54
were a good team and I knew we were
14:56
going to be good. We just had to we just
14:57
had to get through it. And um I I never
15:00
had any doubts that we'd be here right
15:01
now. and and you know, I'm I'm told
15:05
myself I don't even how many times in my
15:07
own head, we're getting to the sweet 16.
15:10
You know, no matter how we slice it or
15:11
dice it, we're going to get to the sweet
15:13
16 and figure it out from there. And and
15:15
so we're here and you know what, we're
15:17
excited to try to take the next step. So
15:19
for me there there never was any doubts.
15:21
Um it was just a matter about rolling up
15:22
our sleeves and getting to the work. But
15:24
I can't think Jason of like an event
15:27
that was like, okay, you know, I mean, I
15:29
I just always believed because I knew we
15:31
were good.
15:33
All right, coach. We appreciate you
15:34
taking the time. Thank you, guys. We'll
15:37
have the players up here in a minute or
15:38
so.
16:12
All right, we have the Arizona players
16:15
here. A reminder, the Arizona locker
16:17
room also is open for another 13 minutes
16:20
or so.
16:26
All right, we have Caleb Love, we have
16:28
KJ Lewis, we have Trey Townsend. We're
16:30
going to go straight into questions for
16:32
the student athletes. We'll uh once
16:34
again, if you have a question, just
16:36
raise your hand. We'll get a microphone
16:37
to you. Please give name and affiliation
16:40
before asking your question. So,
16:42
questions for Caleb, KJ, or Trey. We'll
16:46
start in the back and then we'll go to
16:48
the third
16:49
row from this side. Let's go from this
16:53
side back row.
16:57
Jamal Murphy HQ. Uh
16:59
Caleb, you know, you've had a storied
17:02
career, uh two big-time programs. I just
17:05
wanted you to to take it back to the
17:08
beginning at North Carolina and now, you
17:11
know, your your your fifth season here
17:13
at Arizona. Can you can you kind of
17:15
describe where you've you know where you
17:18
know the journey for you like what's
17:20
going through your mind in terms of the
17:21
journey you've been through uh now being
17:24
at this point. Yeah, I I think uh it's
17:26
definitely been a journey. Um and you
17:29
know my journey has been uh a lot of
17:31
adversity, a lot of ups and downs um and
17:34
everything in between. But you know I
17:36
think it's made me who I am as a person
17:37
and a player. I've grown so much over
17:40
the course of my, you know, college
17:41
career, not only on the court, but off
17:43
the court. I've learned so much. Um, and
17:45
you know, I wouldn't trade it for
17:47
anything, but you know, uh, we here now.
17:49
And, you know, I'm I thank God for, you
17:52
know, keeping me and, um, you know, I
17:54
trust in him that, you know, in every
17:55
situation that, you know, he's going to
17:57
have me covered.
17:59
We're going to go to the third row.
18:00
We'll use the microphone on the opposite
18:02
side. This one,
18:05
Ryan, Redhawk Sports Network. So, coach
18:08
in his open when he was just up here
18:10
said a lot about growth throughout the
18:12
season through wins and losses. Uh, for
18:14
everybody specifically, uh, how do you
18:17
guys think you've grown from early in
18:18
the season in November to this point
18:20
right now? Why don't we start with Trey
18:22
and then we'll go with KJ for that one.
18:25
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we we've gone
18:27
through a lot of adversity, you know,
18:28
throughout the season. Uh, had our ups
18:30
and downs early on and I think that's
18:32
helped us learn how to, you know, finish
18:34
games and battle through that. I mean,
18:35
it's easy to to kind of fold down when
18:38
you're you're expected to, you know, win
18:39
a lot of games right off the beginning
18:40
of the season. Obviously, we didn't do
18:42
that. You know, we were four and five at
18:43
one point. Uh, but we were able to turn
18:45
that around once conference play
18:46
started. And I and I give a lot of
18:48
credit to, you know, the Big 12
18:49
Conference for preparing us for for this
18:51
tournament as well. Uh, just a
18:53
physicality of everything. And, you
18:54
know, we just never lost faith in our
18:56
guys. Coach has never lost faith in us,
18:58
us, and we just believe that, you know,
19:00
we were meant to be here. And you know,
19:01
I think that's been showing, you know,
19:02
end of February into March and
19:04
hopefully, you know, onward.
19:06
And KJ, uh, you know, to piggy back off
19:09
of Trey said, you know, just going
19:10
through a bunch of adversity earlier in
19:12
the year. Um, but, you know, nobody in
19:14
in our circle or in our program folded.
19:17
Um, you know, we kept belief. Um, and we
19:19
knew what type of team we had. Um, and
19:21
it was just a matter of time of us
19:23
putting the pieces together and figuring
19:25
out, you know, what worked for us. And
19:26
again, you know, we went into conference
19:28
play, uh, conference play with a zero
19:30
mindset. And, you know, ultimately, you
19:32
know, we got better out of it. We're
19:34
going to stay on that side. We're going
19:36
to go to the front row.
19:39
For Caleb, uh, Eden Wool, go
19:41
hazycats.com. Uh, what do you remember
19:44
about that shot that you hit against
19:45
Duke in 2022 in the Final Four?
19:50
U, I made the shot.
19:53
Uh I mean that that really has no you
19:56
know relevance to you know this game
19:58
coming up. So you know I just want to
20:00
focus on you know the game plan that we
20:02
have uh set you know and you know I want
20:05
my focus to be you know with this group.
20:09
We'll stay in the front row. We'll come
20:10
from the opposite c opposite microphone.
20:13
Yep. In the middle. Rich Harris hoops
20:15
prospects. Um this is to all the guys.
20:18
Um, basically you played Duke once
20:20
before and Caleb obviously you're
20:21
familiar with them, not this particular
20:23
team as much, but
20:26
um the your front line has changed
20:29
basically because Vasar started in that
20:32
game. Um, but what do you think what do
20:34
you guys each think is going to be the
20:37
key to winning this game? We'll start
20:40
with Caleb and then we'll go down the
20:42
road KJ and then Trey. Uh, just
20:44
executing our game plan. Uh, the
20:46
physicality of the game. uh being
20:48
unaffected by you know anything any
20:50
outside sources whether that's you know
20:52
refs or you know uh you know turnovers
20:55
or anything like that. We just got to
20:56
you know play Arizona basketball to the
20:58
best of our ability. Uh we got to play
21:00
together. Um our offense got to click um
21:02
and things like that. And so um and then
21:04
our defense uh I think you know we've
21:06
grown in that area throughout the whole
21:07
year and I think that's going to you
21:09
know separate us.
21:11
Uh I think just executing the game plan
21:14
on both sides of the ball. um you know,
21:16
also being physical, matching their
21:18
physicality. Um and then rebounding is a
21:20
you know, is going to be a big key um
21:22
for the victory and then um obviously
21:24
taking care of the ball.
21:26
Yeah, I mean basketball is a a game of
21:28
runs and you know, both teams are going
21:30
to have highs and both teams are going
21:32
to have lows. Uh and I think being able
21:34
to you know stay in the middle of that,
21:36
you know, not get too high, not get too
21:38
low and you know, understand that those
21:39
runs are going to come for both sides,
21:41
you know, I think, you know, whichever
21:42
team can handle that the best. but also,
21:44
you know, obviously executing the game
21:46
plan and things like that. But, you
21:47
know, basketball as well as a lot of
21:49
sports is is mainly just a thing of runs
21:52
and just being able to weather the storm
21:54
and appreciate the highs and, you know,
21:56
execute the game plan. So, yeah,
22:00
we'll stay here in the front row on this
22:02
side. Caleb Adam Ziggoria from NJ.com.
22:05
How you doing? I know you said you're
22:07
focused on this group, but you have had
22:09
some big games against Duke in your
22:10
career. um what do you think led to your
22:14
success against them in the past and
22:16
what are the challenges this Duke team
22:18
presents defensively? Um I just think
22:21
that you know just me not being afraid
22:24
of the moment. Um and you know me trying
22:27
to uh you know impose my will like my
22:29
you know kind of like St. Louis swagger
22:32
uh to the game and you know you know I'm
22:34
me being from St. Louis, you know, I'm
22:36
not afraid of anything uh anybody. And
22:38
so, um I think just me um you know, like
22:42
channeling that my inner St. Louis in
22:44
me. Um but, you know, this this dude
22:46
team does, you know, uh they're they're
22:48
physical, they're they're long. Um
22:50
they're, you know, athletic and things
22:52
like that. So, we had to, you know, play
22:54
uh kind of mind games and things like
22:56
that to, you know, uh create advantages
22:58
for ourselves and on on both ends of the
23:01
floor. Um, and you know, like like Trey
23:03
said, we got to match the physicality of
23:05
the game and um, you know, I think we'll
23:07
we'll have success um, if we do that.
23:10
We're going to stay on this side
23:11
standing over there. Oh, sorry. Yes,
23:13
second row and then we'll have stand.
23:15
This is for Caleb Bach here with
23:16
Carolina Blitz. A lot was made of your
23:18
postgame interview after um, your win
23:21
against Oregon. There was a pause when
23:23
they asked you about this matchup next
23:25
round. What was going through your mind?
23:27
I feel like you kind of held back. you
23:29
wanted to say a little bit more than
23:30
what you said in that moment. Yeah, I
23:32
didn't want to give them no fuel or, you
23:34
know, bulletin board material. Um, so,
23:36
you know, I just wanted to um focus on,
23:39
you know, what what this group um got to
23:41
do and, you know, not give them anything
23:43
that, you know, they they can, you know,
23:46
feed off of. Okay, we're staying on this
23:48
side, standing over here. Mike Solar,
23:52
Spectre, News1, Caleb, now that you're
23:55
less than 20, we're about 24 hours away.
23:58
you look and you see you're playing Duke
24:00
now for if my math's correct the 10th
24:01
time in your career. Is it one of those
24:04
things where in your mind you're
24:05
thinking Duke again? Do I really have to
24:08
play Duke again? And you've been
24:10
successful with them, but it's one of
24:11
those things that are you getting tired
24:12
of seeing these guys? No, not at all. I
24:15
mean, um, it's the next game and, um,
24:18
you know, I'm I'm I'm loving the guys
24:20
that I'm going in in the battle with and
24:22
I'm, you know, uh, we've been so locked
24:25
in, you know, uh, since we got here, um,
24:27
since we found out, you know, like, you
24:29
know, we got to play Duke and, um, you
24:31
know, we not shying away from anything
24:32
and we not running away from the fact
24:34
that, you know, uh, this is another game
24:36
and, you know, uh, this is a game that
24:38
we have to, you know, win.
24:41
We do have a couple of calls on the
24:43
Zoom. I'm gonna go to them. I'm going to
24:45
go to
24:46
KCubam Wildcats
24:49
Radio. So, they should be on. You should
24:52
be allowed to talk. Go ahead,
24:54
KCub. Uh, yeah. David Kelly, Wildcats
24:57
Radio 1290. First for Trey. Trey, you've
25:00
kind of been at the forefront of the
25:02
team over the last week. You spoke for
25:03
the team on selection Sunday. You were
25:06
at the same press conference last week
25:07
and then today. What's it meant for you,
25:10
even though you're the fifth leading
25:11
scoreer on this team, to be in a
25:13
position to carry the message for the
25:15
Wildcats over the course of the last two
25:16
weeks? Yeah, I mean, it's an honor that,
25:19
you know, my my coaching staff, but my
25:21
teammates, you know, believe in me, you
25:23
know, as a player, but just as a person
25:25
as well. You know, I came in here a
25:26
fifth year guy just trying to bring a
25:28
level, you know, of leadership, you
25:30
know, maturity, just being an older guy.
25:33
Uh, especially being in this tournament.
25:34
You know, I was fortunate enough to to
25:36
play in it last year with Oakland. Uh,
25:38
so you know, I was able to learn a lot
25:39
from that experience. Um, and and just
25:42
trying to bring all that, you know, to
25:43
this this journey with these guys, just
25:45
trying to pass the messages along like
25:46
just enjoy this this opportunity and in
25:48
in this moment because so many teams,
25:51
you know, play their whole season just
25:52
to get here and don't even make it. So,
25:54
the fact we're here, you know, just
25:56
appreciate it all and do you appreciate
25:58
being with this one team because, you
25:59
know, you're only going to be with this
26:01
one team for this one season. And so
26:02
I've just been trying to pass that
26:03
message along and you know be as much of
26:05
a leader as I can even though you know
26:07
whatever the I am on the scoring chart
26:09
or whatever it is you know I feel I can
26:10
bring you know any sort of leadership
26:12
and mentorship to the team.
26:16
Okay. We also have Chris Brown from AZ
26:19
Bandat Sports. I'm going to allow Chris
26:22
to speak. Chris, you're should be able
26:24
to talk now.
26:26
Hey guys, Chris Brown, AZ Bandat Sports.
26:30
Um, obviously a big- time matchup in the
26:33
program history in the 2011 Sweet 16
26:36
between Arizona and Duke. Um, and then
26:38
more recently the home and home series
26:39
the last two years. Just talk about what
26:42
it means to be facing Duke again um, in
26:44
the Sweet 16. That's for anybody. Why
26:47
don't we start with Trey and then we'll
26:48
go KJ.
26:50
Yeah, I mean I kind of relate that back
26:52
to, you know, my last answer is really
26:54
any opportunity to play in this
26:56
tournament I look at as a special thing.
26:58
Obviously, two historic programs playing
27:00
at this, you know, stage of the
27:02
tournament is such a special thing, but
27:03
I just look at it as, you know, every
27:05
single game, no matter who you're
27:06
playing is such a special opportunity.
27:08
So, you know, I'm fortunate for that.
27:09
Obviously, you know, the lights are
27:10
going to be bright in the game, but, you
27:12
know, as Caleb was saying, it is just
27:13
the next game, but obviously we we
27:15
understand it's a special opportunity
27:16
and, you know, there's a lot of
27:18
significance to it. And KJ,
27:21
um, I mean, I think Trey hit it right on
27:23
the head. Um, and Caleb as well. It's
27:26
just another game for us to get, you
27:28
know, in the way to get to our goal. Um,
27:30
but obviously, you know, we're super
27:31
excited for the opportunity. Um, and,
27:34
you know, what happened in the past
27:36
stays in the past. You know, we're just
27:37
looking forward, you know, to tomorrow
27:38
and then going out there and playing
27:40
Arizona basketball.
27:43
Really quick, if I have a sec, um, yeah,
27:45
go ahead. There's a lot of talk a lot of
27:47
talk last week about Ammy going back to
27:50
the Pacific Northwest. Um, have you guys
27:53
had a chance to talk to teammates uh
27:55
Toby and Jaden? Um, they're obviously a
27:58
lot closer to home from the East Coast.
28:00
Um, you know, have they shared any
28:01
excitement about being able to play
28:03
closer to home with you guys?
28:06
Yeah, for sure. Um, you know, and and we
28:08
we know that's a factor. Uh, them being
28:10
close to home. Uh, we want to take care
28:12
of our brothers. Um, and we know, you
28:14
know, they going to come out with the
28:16
ultimate energy, the ultimate
28:17
excitement, um, playing in front of
28:19
probably a lot of their family. And so
28:21
we want to take care of our brothers by,
28:22
you know, uh, giving it our all and, um,
28:24
making sure that they, you know, uh,
28:26
they win in front of front of their
28:27
family.
28:30
We'll do one final question right here
28:32
in row two.
28:34
Bash, I heard with Carolina Blitz again.
28:36
Um, Caleb, I wanted to, you're not
28:38
familiar with a lot of these guys on the
28:39
team, but you are familiar with Theres
28:40
Proctor. Can you talk up that about that
28:42
match up with him and some of the
28:44
battles you've had in in past years?
28:46
Yeah, obviously he's he's been hot uh
28:48
from three and he's a great defender. Um
28:51
and so, you know, we just got to, you
28:52
know, uh handle handle that with care as
28:55
far as, you know, running them off the
28:57
line and, you know, making them do other
28:58
things. Um kind of, you know, uh
29:00
shifting the ball to other guys that,
29:02
you know, we want um with the ball in
29:04
their hands and things like that. So, um
29:06
yeah, he's a he's a great player. Uh
29:08
we've obviously had, you know, matchup
29:10
after matchup and um you know, I'm just
29:12
looking forward to tomorrow. All right,
29:14
fellas. We appreciate you taking the
29:16
time. Thank you guys.