Everything Texas players said Thursday ahead of their Sweet 16 matchup with Xavier
Texas seniors Marcus Carr, Timmy Allen, and Brock Cunningham were available to the media in Kansas City on Thursday. Here’s everything the trio had to say while on the media stage.
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Q. Marcus, what can you tell us about Xavier? You guys have talked a lot about how the alumni have been really instrumental in supporting you. How cool has that been in this process?
MARCUS CARR: “Xavier is a really good team. Obviously they wouldn’t be here if they weren’t. Great offensive team, likes to push the pace. They can shoot the ball well. They have an inside presence as well. So they’re a pretty good team. That’s why they’re here. We should do a good job of preparing for them.
As far as getting the love from the fans and the alumni, it’s been super surreal. Having guys like K.D. and LaMarcus tweet about us, the team, and what’s going on, has been super cool. We’re definitely out there playing for each other but playing to make them proud as well.”
Q. Marcus, some of the guys were talking about how in that timeout, after the Penn State run, that you said you need to get the ball to Dylan. Can you kind of take us through what was going on there? Did you tell Dylan, we’ve got to get you the ball? How do you want it? Obviously you were right. But how did that all go down?
MARCUS CARR: “Dylan was playing really well all night. He was knocking shots down from everywhere. Hitting big baskets when we need them. I really just asked him where he wanted the ball which play he wanted to run to a certain spot, and we went out there, and we executed.”
Q. Marcus, you guys have been tremendous in terms of turnovers this season. How much of a focus is that for you guys generally speaking in practice, and how can that benefit you guys in this game specifically?
MARCUS CARR: “We like to hang our hat on our defense, and causing turnovers, that’s definitely a huge part. It can help you offensively and help you get some easy baskets in transition and just stop the other team from scoring.
So we definitely like to turn up the pressure on the defensive end and try to create turnovers, just try to be the most aggressive team.”
Q. This is for any of you guys: When you look at the numbers, as a team, you guys are one of the shorter teams left in the Tournament, one of the shorter height-wise teams in the country. You make up for that athletically. How do you, though, make up for that athletically and speed-wise on the court with your guard play?
TIMMY ALLEN: “I think it’s just more of our will than anything. We’re all guys who could guard multiple positions, fairly athletic all the way around, and we’ve got some rim protection inside as well. So we’re confident in that.
We rely on our will and our hustle and our tenacity to get the job done. Our height has never won you a game, and that’s not going to start now. So we’re just trying to hustle harder than teams and play harder, and we have to hang our hat on that.”
Q. For Brock and Marcus, you’re back at the T-Mobile Center where you won the Big 12 Tournament. Just talk about the comfortability of being back in this building, and for Timmy, how excited are you to get back on the floor after missing the Big 12 Tournament?
BROCK CUNNINGHAM: “It feels good to be back. We have good memories and good energy within this gym and certain guys playing well. The familiarity with the area and with the gym is something that’s going to make us more comfortable through this next game.”
MARCUS CARR: “Like Brock said, obviously we have some good memories playing in this arena, and we’re definitely looking to carry that comfortability, that confidence over into this weekend as well.”
TIMMY ALLEN: “Coming off a good performance here, for me personally, I’m just excited to be back on this floor and embrace the moment with my teammates. We like it here in Kansas City. So we’re just looking to carry that forward.”
Q. How much has R.T. said about the guy he used to coach, Souley Boum, playing for Xavier now? Is he that much different now than he was when he played for R.T. at UTEP?
MARCUS CARR: “I believe it was three years he played for R.T., so R.T. knows him very well. Just in terms of scouting report and things like that, he knows sort of his tendencies and things he likes to do. That was also a couple years ago, and I’m sure he’s gotten better as a player. Obviously he’s a really good player.
No different than any other game. The coach is just having us prepared for our scouting report, what we have to do and how we have to guard.
There might be a few tidbits that most other coaches won’t know here and there that will definitely help us out, but still going to be a challenge nonetheless.”
Q. How has R.T. been in this process getting back up here and being so close to his first Final Four in 20 seasons?
TIMMY ALLEN: “He’s been fantastic. He’s kept the main goal the main goal the whole time. He’s given us a great perspective and plan to get it done, and he’s stayed humble along the way.
He knows what we’ve got going on, and we have the same collective goal trying to get that net, too. He never loses focus of that. He never lets him be a distraction from us or anything else. He’s always about team, team first. He’s humble and hungry, just like we are.
He doesn’t feel like he’s accomplished all the things he’s wanted to accomplish this season, so we’re on the same page when it comes to that. Just keep the main thing the main thing and stay humble along the way.”
Q. For Timmy and Marcus, how would you describe Boum’s game? What stands out about him? What makes him effective?
TIMMY ALLEN: “He’s a great player. He can score all over the floor. He’s got a quick handle. He can go either direction and pull up on the break and get downhill. He likes to get teammates involved as well.
He has a great all-around game. He’s a player that we respect, and we know it’s going to be a challenge. So we’re just going to try to hone in on his tendencies and make it tough for him.”
MARCUS CARR: “Like Timmy said, he’s a great player, three-level scorer. He can also facilitate as well. We just have to do the job on him. He has the ball in his hands, and he’s able to make plays. Just going to have to execute the scouting report.”
