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San Diego State Open Practice Day Quotes (March 19, 2015)
2015 NCAA Basketball Championship
Second/Third Rounds - Charlotte, North Carolina
Thursday, March 19
San Diego StateMODERATOR: San Diego State will be bringing four student-athletes: Dwayne Polee, Aqeel Quinn, Winston Shepard and JJ O'Brien. Questions?
Q. For Dwayne, I actually covered the team that you played for there the first year under Steve Lavin. I was wondering if you could just reflect back on that first year of experience with St. John's, what that was like playing for them and being part of the last team to make the NCAA?
DWAYNE POLEE II: It was a great experience. Coach Lavin, he was a great coach, his staff was great to me, I was surrounded by 10 seniors, so they just helped me with the transition and I think that's helped me a lot.
Q. I just wanted to ask also, obviously your mother became ill and you had to transfer. How would you describe that experience and what you went through taking care of her at that time as well?
DWAYNE POLEE II: It was a hard decision to make but I had to do what I had to do, so it's no bad blood between me and St. John's and anything, I left on good terms.
Q. Winston, what's it going to be like to face D'Angelo?
WINSTON SHEPARD: It would be like facing anybody else. He's one of my best friends, he's my brother, but I'm not going to make it into a one-on-one match, so we'll see.
Q. Tell me about, you guys grew up together. I mean, how close were you? Can you give me some background on your relationship with D'Angelo?
WINSTON SHEPARD: He's one of the people that I'm closest to in the whole world. Like I say, he's my brother. My mother had to work long nights, so his grandmother would come pick me up and take me to the gym with him, and we worked out and practiced. He would take us on AAU tournament trips. Him and his older brother, they showed me a lot, and I love him, that's my brother.
Q. JJ, Aqeel is the shortest guy up there. Could be argued maybe he doesn't wake up in the morning with as much talent as, say, like Winston. I was wondering if you could speak to his role on the team. When he's scoring, you guys are winning generally, he's always happy and kind of an emotional guy.
JJ O'BRIEN: He's the energy of the team, he's the guy that comes in every day in a great mood. He lifts us all up with his energy, and like you said, when he's scoring, we're pretty hard to beat. If he's scoring and his energy is high, then it usually trickles down to all of us in games, so he's a huge part of the team, a senior leader, a guy who's been through it, has experience, and he's a good role model for everybody. So we feed off of him, we look to him for energy and effort. And when we're going through tough times, he usually is able to get us through it, so he's a big part of the team.
AQEEL QUINN: Thank you, JJ.
Q. Dwayne, why did you want to keep playing and what fear do you battle in coming back?
DWAYNE POLEE II: I just love the game so I wasn't going to let my situation stop me from playing. I just have positive people around me that would just tell me, you know, just stay positive and keep your head up. The love of my teammates, the coaches, the whole San Diego, my family, it just uplifted me.
Q. Winston, if you could help us sort of fill in some of the details a little bit about your growing up and being friendly with Harrison. When did you become so close with his family that you were involved and his mother would pick you up?
WINSTON SHEPARD: His grandmother.
Q. Were you guys classmates at some point or teammates at some point?
WINSTON SHEPARD: Rival middle schools. D'Angelo was always one of the best players in the city. It took me a little while to start coming into my own. He went to Dulles, I went to Lake Olympia, so we began playing against each other. Then we end up, I get to 8th grade, he's a freshman, he's a year older than me. We ended up playing on the same AAU team. My mom had to work late nights so his grandmother offered to pick me up and commute me back and forth to practice and the tournaments. So we began to spend a lot of time together, so just through that.
Q. How much do you think -- how often do you guys, say, text message or call one another?
WINSTON SHEPARD: All the time. We've got a group of friends from back home, we're all in the group chat. I would say that group chat buzzes at least every day.
Q. For Dwayne, you talked a little bit about the other day about your first NCAA tournament game with St. John's. Can you just elaborate a little bit more on that and why was it so hard in your first time and you've had success since then playing in the tournament, what is it about experience playing in the tournament and why was it such a hard first game?
DWAYNE POLEE II: I think it's just the experience factor. I was a freshman and I didn't really know what to expect. Moving forward, just playing in such a big tournament with a million eyes watching you and having great teammates that also have experience, it means a lot.
Q. Aqeel, your Northridge teams, they didn't do very well. Can you talk about why you came to San Diego State? And I'm assuming it was for moments like this.
AQEEL QUINN: Definitely for moments like this. It was tough watching the tournament two years in a row and not being in it. I watched Dwayne in the tournament actually. We used to talk almost every day when he was at St. John's and I remember when he first got there I called him and he was like, bro, the altitude up here is killer. I just remember that and multiple other friends being in the tournament just asked some questions how it was, and that was my experience. So when Dwayne went through it, I felt like I went through it, too. I'm just glad to be here for this moment now, like you said.
Q. Aqeel, especially in San Diego, a lot of people have high expectations of you guys being this, your sixth trip to the tournament, but how high of expectations gotten for you guys personally?
AQEEL QUINN: Well, it's a team goal ever since we started in the summer, we say it when we bring it in in every huddle, I think we like to keep that between all of us and everybody in the locker room but we definitely have high hopes past this weekend.
Q. For Dwayne again, I know you had had the experience before of collapsing in practice, but when that happened in a game and you're on the court, can you just describe the emotion that you're dealing with, and then over the two months, what you went through to get back to this point with the operation and everything?
DWAYNE POLEE II: Well, when it happened, it was just a lot of confusion because you kind of feel -- I felt, like, kind of dizzy and the next thing you know I wake up with my family, my mom, my dad, my girlfriend, my teammates, my coaches, the ambulance people, the trainers, everybody just over me and, like, it's just a lot of confusion at the time. And then moving forward, prior to the operation, it was just a matter of my closest people to me just keeping me real positive because it would have been easy to get down on myself and be ready to quit the game, but they just kept me really positive and my doctors did a great job.
Q. Winston, I want to ask, obviously so many good players have come before you at San Diego State but you've been the lone junior up there, how anxious are you personally to send these seniors off in a good way?
WINSTON SHEPARD: I don't think about it like that. I talk to the team before we go out to the games and I always say each game that we have now is another opportunity for us to play together. Obviously the opportunities are winding down, but clearly the time is coming to a close here soon, but each game we have together is a good opportunity, it's a blessing, so we're just going to go out there and make the most of it.
Q. Winston, I know Coach Lavin recruited you a little bit, I guess you were already looking at San Diego State by then. What was his pitch when he recruited you and did he talk about possibly playing with D'Angelo in college?
WINSTON SHEPARD: Yeah, he talked about it. I don't really remember it, but I could tell you I could never go to New York. I hate the cold, so it wasn't even something that got that serious.
MODERATOR: Thank you.
COACH FISHER: I would like to say that we, like all the other teams that are involved in the field, are immensely excited, very proud to be here. We know that it's not a divine right for anyone. This is our sixth straight year and I think we're in the top seven or eight in terms of how many times we've gone consecutively. So you have to earn your way in and you have to be excited when you get here, and if you play well, you'll have an opportunity to do it again the next day. So we're looking forward to a great game with St. John's, a terrific team, and our hope is to be playing on Sunday.
MODERATOR: Questions?
Q. Naturally we're very interested in Dwayne Polee, and I was just wondering how you handled his medical situation as a coach and whether or not he's under any restrictions since he's playing with that monitor.
COACH FISHER: Dwayne, who everyone knows began his career at St. John's, so he's very excited not only to be in the tournament, but having an opportunity to see his former coach, no player on that team he played with. Dwayne, everyone knows his story. He's had tremendous care from multiple doctors, and he's being monitored daily. We have a doctor with us, doctors have traveled with us on road trips since, and we feel as if Dwayne is good to go. There are no restrictions on him. We've got a medical team and a trainer in Tom Abdenour that has done a magnificent job. He's going to play and our hope is he'll play and play well.
Q. On Dwayne, when he was going through this process, did you think he would not be back, and aside from what you were being told by doctors, was there just a fear of him coming back and playing again?
COACH FISHER: Last first, yeah, I was nervous. And I vividly remember his first official team practice. Even though he had done things, very strenuous things away from me and away from the team, when I saw him practice, I went with our trainer, I said, stand here next to me and watch every move he makes. So yes, you go through that just as you do with -- it's a lot different, but if someone's coming back from a major injury, as he has practiced, I've -- now he's back to Dwayne Polee. I don't even think about it now when he practices or when we're playing.
Q. Steve, I know you mentioned earlier about being one of the seven or eight teams in the country that's gone to the tournament as many consecutive times as you have now. I just wondered, what do you think the nation makes of your program at this point? What do you think their perspective is?
COACH FISHER: I don't have a lot of time to think about that, but I do know that, and it hasn't just been one year but repeatedly over the last few years, when I have gone to the ultimate, I've gone unfortunately as a spectator to the Final Four, everybody wants to talk to me about San Diego State, and that's a good thing. We've been six straight years, so that helps to enhance your image and blueprint of who you are. The more you do in the next three weeks, the more that will create who you are. So our goal is to do something we've never done before. We've never gone beyond the Sweet 16. I said that last year after we lost, one of these days, I may not be here to enjoy it, but San Diego State will get further than where we are right now, and that's our hope. Our hopes and dreams are like everyone, but I think there's a bit of reality that we've attached to it. And our players have experienced winning in this event and also the bitterness of having to go home before you want to.
Q. Is there something about this team for all its maddening sometimes inability to make baskets that we should believe that it can go further than it has?
COACH FISHER: Probably depends on who you're talking to, to be honest with you. It maybe depends on what half of a game or what game you watched. I could cite them. We've had games where you would say they can play and beat anybody. We have had others where you would say they would not qualify for a good CYO team offensively. We guard and we guard hard most of the time. We scored 43 points in our final game in the Mountain West conference tournament. That won't win for you. So when we make shots, and to be honest, we've got to have our perimeter guys and our seniors, and two of the three guys that were sitting up here before, they have to be able to make some shots. They're capable and hopefully they'll do it.
Q. You've talked about Aqeel before and how he grows on you, he's a fun kid to be around. Also, in addition to his emotion and how that helps, when he's making baskets, you guys are generally winning. Can you speak about the two facets of his game, the emotion and that he takes shots and makes them?
COACH FISHER: Aqeel Quinn is what every student-athlete should be, appreciative that he's here. I don't know if he came up here, but he's got his cell phone and everywhere he goes he takes memories and makes memories with his play. He's our emotional bunny. He's a guy that excites genuinely and it's not phony. He's exciting by nature to be with and positive by nature, finds something to smile about and it rubs off on all of us, coaches and players alike.
Q. Coach, you put Dwayne Polee back in the starting lineup for the last game of the Mountain West tournament. What was the thinking behind that, what do you think he brings and what specifically can he bring to this game against St. John's with so many athletes and perimeter players?
COACH FISHER: Our starting lineup in years past has always been the same, it never varied. If somebody got hurt or sick, as soon as they were back they were in the lineup. A year ago Dwayne Polee was our second-best player in February and March to Xavier Thames, so we know he can play. So I have to make a decision are we better with Dwayne in the starting lineup or being that emotional lift hopefully that would come off the bench in that first wave of substitutions, and I have not fully decided yet what we'll do for St. John's tomorrow. Everybody wants to start but Dwayne is such a neat, wonderful young guy, I truly think that he'll, with a smile on his face, accept either of those roles.
Q. Coach, any concerns that the team would look past St. John's for a possible match-up with Duke on Sunday?
COACH FISHER: Please. No, you know that won't happen. They are tingling with excitement. They had this TV on in the locker room and back in the hotel and saw some of the 3-14 games or whatever they were. You had better live in the moment if you want to survive in advance. Our players have great respect for themselves. We may not win, but it won't be because we were looking ahead for anybody.
Q. Coach, what concerned you most about St. John's and their athleticism? Can you talk a little bit about their team and what concerns you, what you're looking to combat against?
COACH FISHER: They're a bit like us, they're veterans, they're senior driven. I believe at least three seniors play prominent roles that were in Steve's initial recruiting class. They're a hard team to guard. They're athletic and they put pressure on you. They make shots, and when they get going making shots, good defense can't stop them. So we have to hope that they have stretches where they don't make shots, but this is a quality team that we're playing. I've got great regard for Coach Steve Lavin and what he's done, and he'll have them prepared. He's had a week or four, five days, I'm sure he's done what we've done. He's called all his markers in on all his buddies on the West Coast and had everybody send him game tapes and scouting reports, so he'll be prepared for us just as we'll be prepared for him. They've got good players, they've got good players that can score the ball in a lot of different ways and positions.
Q. Obviously St. John's is not going to have one of the best shot blockers in the country because of his suspension. How does that help you at the offensive end as far as what you can do in the paint?
COACH FISHER: I don't know how that will help us. We've got to find ways to make baskets and score points. Last I looked, they still have a pretty good shot blocker in the middle when you come to the basket and we'll have to do what we do and try to make it work. Obviously they're not as good without him, but they're still good enough.
From the San Diego State locker room.
Q: On possibility of playing Duke
MATT SHRIGLEY: I didn't even notice that, right now we're looking forward to facing St. John's. Coach hasn't done anything special, and we know what St. Johns record is. We have watched the film and know what we have to prepare for.
Q: On the Aztecs' NCAA Tournament experience vs. St. John's
SKYLER SPENCER: It helps a little bit but you have to soak in the moment and enjoy it.
Q: On possibly playing Duke
It's not a distraction, we are just focused on St. John's. If it ends up happening, it will be a fun experience. But I am focused on our next game. I've seen the upsets today and I'm just looking forward to our game tomorrow.
St. John's
MODERATOR: Questions?
Q. Rysheed, it's nice to finally talk with you, I didn't know if this moment would ever happen. Tell me, what are your hopes for tomorrow? What's it going to be like for you to play in the NCAA Tournament game and how long have you been waiting to do something like this?
RYSHEED JORDAN: It's going to be great. I've been waiting since last year. I just want to go out there and play my game, my teammates go out there and play their game, just stick to the game plan, just win a game.
Q. Rysheed, we kind of don't really have all the background, but has this been a rocky season for you, being away from the team and then being back with the team? I mean, have things not gone very smoothly? Fill us in on that.
RYSHEED JORDAN: Well, I wouldn't say rocky. Everything is, I mean, I'm here now, so that's all that matters, with my team right now.
Q. For D'Angelo and Jamal both, on Sunday Coach Lavin talked about how he was happy that you guys weren't going to play until Friday night, it would give you an opportunity to kind of see the tournament, feel the tournament. Obviously this has been a pretty incredible first day, how much have you been able to watch and how much have you been able to learn watching other teams play, and some teams play above their heads and some play below?
JAMAL BRANCH: I thought it was a good day. We definitely stayed at the hotel and watched it together and we saw the teams that weren't ready and the teams that were ready, and it's good to see that feeling before tomorrow so we know we need to come out ready or anything is possible.
D'ANGELO HARRISON: You know, it was an incredible day so far. Teams that won made either runs late or early, so and then teams that haven't been winning have been making a lot of shots as well. You just want to come out and be as comfortable as you can, and establish the way you want to play and establish the game so far.
Q. Rysheed, there's been a lot of talk about you in the NBA, whether you're coming back next year. What are your plans for next year? How much are you considering the NBA? Do you want to come back to St. John's, what are your thoughts?
RYSHEED JORDAN: Right now I'm not focused on that right now, I'm focused on today's practice and tomorrow's game.
Q. For Rysheed, who up here has been -- has helped you the most in adjusting to the college game and been any kind of mentor to you, and how important do you think your shooting will be tomorrow in a game with no Obekpa?
RYSHEED JORDAN: Actually the whole team been -- I'm just going to go out there and just shoot the ball how I've been shooting the ball every other game so I think it will be good.
Q. Dom, you're going to be playing tomorrow without Obekpa, how does your job change, how do your responsibilities change?
SIR'DOMINIC POINTER: My responsibilities don't change at all. I'm going to go out there and do what I do. Blocked shots, rebounds, what I do, it doesn't change.
Q. For D'Angelo, can you give us a little bit of a rundown on how choice you are with Shepard? How far back it dates, how you became friendly?
D'ANGELO HARRISON: I've known Winston for a long time now. We played on the same AAU team in high school, so I already know what his mindset is coming into this game. You know, it's just going to be fun and it's good to see him.
Q. Maybe for Phil and D'Angelo, anyone else, San Diego State's full of a roster of guys who have played in this tournament multiple times, two, three, four years. Nine guys have played in it. None of you all have played, is that a factor at all?
PHIL GREENE IV: Not really. We going to live in the moment and we going to come out with a lot of energy. When the ball goes up, it's anyone's game and we going to come ready and prepared.
KHADIM NDIAYE: I just think we're more hungry because we haven't been here so I think that gives us an edge over them.
JAMAL BRANCH: Just like what those guys said, we're going to go play our hardest and give it all we got.
Q. For D'Angelo, what's it going to be like facing Winston, close friends? He said you're like his brother. Never played obviously since -- for a long time, he went to school out in Vegas. What's it going to be like going up against someone you consider so close to you in a game of this magnitude?
D'ANGELO HARRISON: Honestly I just want to beat him. Especially when we go to back home, we go back to Houston workouts. When I see him in Houston, you're going to want to have that edge, yeah, I beat him. That's my mindset going in, I don't want to lose to him.
Q. Will it be fun facing him?
D'ANGELO HARRISON: For sure. Me and Winston go back we've always been going at it ever since we met. He grew since the last time I saw him, so it's going to be fun, it's going to be a fun game.
Q. How important will it be for you guys to get in transition, force turnovers and what are the advantages to playing with the small lineup against a big team like this?
PHIL GREENE IV: I think that we had to focus in on rebounding, it's a big team and, like you said, we're going to be a smaller group so we all have to key in and focus on rebounding and getting stops, to get out in transition, that's basically it.
SIR'DOMINIC POINTER: Yeah, we've got to go out and play St. John's basketball, we got to rebound, run. We are a better half-court team than people think we are, so we'll be fine. We just got to rebound, that's the main thing.
Q. In your best games, would you say that in addition to the transition it's been the 3-point shooting that helped you in the big games?
PHIL GREENE IV: Yeah, of course, because it opens up everything, our teams can't sag off so when you making a lot of 3s, making tough shots, it opens up the lane, getting easy baskets and getting to the free throw line.
Q. Guys, if we could just run it all the way down, in one word or two words, how different has being at the NCAA Tournament where you've always wanted to be, how different has it felt?
MODERATOR: You want them all to answer it?
D'ANGELO HARRISON: It's a great feeling but I want to win games in this tournament.
JAMAL BRANCH: Exciting.
RYSHEED JORDAN: Joyful.
PHIL GREENE IV: Amazing.
SIR'DOMINIC POINTER: Exciting.
KHADIM NDIAYE: Exciting.
SIR'DOMINIC POINTER: You took my word.
Q. Rysheed, these last two years you've obviously dealt with a lot, personal loss, up and down play, had some great moments, obviously had some moments I'm sure you weren't proud of. What have you learned from everything you've been through these last two years?
RYSHEED JORDAN: I learned that no matter what goes on in my life, just stay on the basketball court, take everything out on the court.
Q. How big of a motivational thing is it for you for people you've lost close to you, how much has that driven you to make a career out of basketball?
RYSHEED JORDAN: It's real big because those are people that I love and they love me playing this game. So each and every time I step on the court I think of them, and just make me go harder.
Q. For Rysheed again, now that we finally hear your voice, these last two years not being able to talk, what has been your thoughts on that being kind of shielded from the media, the New York media. Would you have preferred to talk? Do you think it's been a good idea for you not to talk?
RYSHEED JORDAN: Well, I think it's been a good idea because I've been going through a lot, so let my team just do the talking.
Q. Are you happy to be able to talk?
RYSHEED JORDAN: Yeah.
Q. Why? Why are you glad to talk today?
RYSHEED JORDAN: Because right now we on a big stage right now and I just want to, like you said, just let y'all hear -- I don't know.
Q. One more for D'Angelo. You guys have been through untold kinds of turmoil over the past four years or so, so in some respects are you prepared for where you're going through right now with no Obekpa, playing with a different kind of lineup, having to make all these adjustments in the last second, even Rysheed talking?
D'ANGELO HARRISON: We're old enough to adjust to anything, and Phil said it best to just live in the moment and that's what we're prepared to do and that's what we want to do as well.
COACH LAVIN: Do you want to go ahead and start with some questions?
Q. Steve, I asked Dom this question, how do you counter the loss of Obekpa tomorrow?
COACH LAVIN: Well, naturally it's -- I should say it's less than ideal to not have Chris Obekpa's services for the NCAA Tournament. Yet this group over the past three years has had a number of stretches where we've had to play without Chris and have been successful. So whether it was through foul trouble or being disqualified from a game or fouling out or a number of injuries that he's endured, this team has found a way to offset the loss of Chris in games, in stretches of the season and still been successful. With that said, we understand not having Chris at the rim as our goalie, kind of the protecter, the player that provided resistance at the goal, will make it difficult for us. But this group has played a number of styles of play, whether it's through our full court press or through our trapping, and creating match-up problems for teams that are bigger than us because our speed, our quickness, our skill, you know, presents challenges for opponents.
Q. Steve, on Sunday after the brackets were revealed, you talked about how you thought it was a good thing you guys will play late tomorrow, play tomorrow, give you a chance to get acclimated, look at the tournament on TV, get an idea of what they'll be in for. This is about as good a first four, five hours you could ask for. I'm curious how much you were able to follow it, how much you were able to encourage them to stay in their rooms and absorb it, still reinforce that point?
COACH LAVIN: There's no doubt when the kids came in the locker room, I came over a couple hours earlier for meetings so I was able to watch in our locker room the UCLA-SMU game that came down to the wire, and the highlights of the Georgia State victory and we know Iowa State got bumped out as well. Some days, sometimes the first day of the tournament's chalk, and then the upsets start that second day. This appears to be one of those NCAA tournaments where the upsets begin right out of the gate, and I think the advantage for the teams that play on Friday is you gain very quickly a sense of March Madness and how difficult it is to advance through the brackets independent of those numbers that are next to these teams' names. A 3 and a 14 doesn't mean much over that two-hour window if you don't bring the appropriate effort and level of execution that gives you an opportunity to be successful. It doesn't -- you know, when you get to the tournament, it's so clear, there are no guarantees but you just want the probabilities or the percentages to be in your favor because of the way you prepare and play, and the hope is with our team that they'll have a better sense since we're playing on Friday night.
Q. Steve, have you given any thought at all, even a fleeting thought, to how important tomorrow might be to whatever your future's going to be at St. John's or is that something you'll worry about when you have to worry about it?
COACH LAVIN: You know, as we've spoken of before, the administration has been so supportive from the first day that I was on the job here through today. Three presidents, so there's been transition, but each of them from Father Harrington to Father Levesque to our current president have been great bosses. So there's never been any acrimony or any sense that it's an issue. This is the best contract I've had in my coaching career, if we're going to talk about contracts. So just been grateful, and as you can see with the group that's up here, I mean, this is probably the most gratifying year of my career just because the company I get to keep on a daily basis and watching the growth and development of these seniors. They're all going to get their degree here in a couple weeks from St. John's and I'm actually old fashioned enough or maybe I'm naive to actually believe that that's important, to earn your college degree. I know it's kind of a novel concept sometimes, but five seniors are all going to walk with their college degrees this spring. And then naturally I just couldn't be prouder of their growth and development each year, their kind of undeniable progress. Independent, if we were to win six games this March, which would be wonderful. If we were able to win four games, that's wonderful. If we're not able to win a game, independent of the outcome of the basketball game, this has just been a magic carpet ride, to come to St. John's, a program with this tradition and heritage, to coach this particular group. And then very unique, because we inherited a group of seniors that have not had success and to be able to experience and participate with them in their first dance, and now that's kind of a stepfather role which is difficult. That group, I'll have a place in my heart for them because I'm eternally grateful for the ride they took us on in that first year. I still think if D.J. Kennedy doesn't get hurt, that's a Sweet 16, Elite 8 team. And now this group, they're all players we brought in to experience and participate, another magical ride to the NCAA Tournament, and it's rare you get to do that, where you inherit someone else's players and they take you on a wonderful ride, and you get to your own players to do it again.
Q. Steve, obviously you spent your share of time out west, and you knew then what San Diego State's program may have been all about. But now they're one of a half a dozen teams, there's seven or eight that have been six straight times. What do you make of what's happened there and what Steve's done?
COACH LAVIN: Well, Coach Fisher brought a national name to San Diego State, the credibility he brought to that program allowed them to recruit at a higher level. Once you are able to recruit at a higher level, then you begin to increase your win totals, and once you win enough games you make the NCAA Tournament and when you do that on a regular basis, it provides the opportunity to make a run in one of those tournaments. When all those factors line up, you engage your base and you energize your fan base. So both Coach Fisher and Coach Dutcher are a great team, they're a great tandem. Hope and a Crosby, and Carson and McMahon. Because of the blueprint they had for Michigan they were able to bring out west and the relationships they have in this business, going back four decades is important and it's been a catalyst, it's what's fueled the growth and development of their program, the growth and development and the rise of San Diego State basketball.
Q. I apologize if this has been asked, much has been made of the experience of San Diego State with so many players on their roster and so few on yours. Does that make a difference in the NCAA Tournament? You've been here a lot but does experience matter?
COACH LAVIN: I think experience does matter, and yet we've seen time and time again, you know, an upstart program that goes on a run and knocks off a traditional basketball powerhouse, whether it's a mid major program like George Mason or Northern Iowa or these programs that are dancing for the first time and yet they make runs into the second weekend of play. So in my experience, the teams that advance to the second weekend of play to Elite Eights or Sweet 16s were senior-laden, every one of them, and the only times we didn't, we didn't have senior-laden teams, with the exception being with D.J. Kennedy going down the Big East tournament, it hurt our seeding because he was injured, and then we got sent out west and played a good Gonzaga team and came up short. With the exception of that year, '97 and '98 was senior-laden, 2001-2002 was senior-laden, and we're senior-laden again. The difference is before I came to St. John's, every year you're in the NCAA Tournament, that's just a given. You're always bringing back an entire roster where every player other than your freshmen has been to the NCAA tournament. This was new territory, coming to St. John's where for ten years you're in the desert, it's a drought, and none of the players have been in the NCAA Tournament. Then after we made the NCAA Tournament, we were in a reset because not one player returned the following year. That's why it took us three years to get to 20, and four years to get to 21 and now we're back in the dance but once you actually get here, I think it's madness because all that logic oftentimes goes out the window and the brackets are busted and turned upside down. That's why we love the NCAA Tournament.