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Barclays Center – Brooklyn, NY
Western locker room is open Jacob when will your locker room be closed when did it open okay thanks uh fa locker room also open at this time we have not been given names yet on their student athletes but their locker room is open until 3:37 all right Northwestern up on the podium cats
Advance they will play the winner of this Yukon Stetson game on Sunday time to be determined we have head coach Chris Collins we have Junior guard Brooks barnheiser we have gradguard Ryan langborg and we have gradguard booy start with an opening statement from coach then we’ll go to questions for the
Student athletes so again raise your hand we’ll get a microphone to you please give name and affiliation before asking your question we will dismiss the student athletes and go to questions for Coach but coach if you want to start yeah I mean we’re I’m just so fortunate
To be sitting up here with these guys I mean our our team the the toughness level and hard of this team is uh like nothing I’ve ever been a part of I mean for us to have the first half we did we shoot seven for 33 um we were and it was
All from a good we were excited you know we’re excited to be here we’re excited to compete and we couldn’t throw it in the ocean and our defense though was was just so on point in the first half so even though we really struggled offensively being at halftime at 20 to
19 I actually felt really good because I knew we would settle in um I knew we would get to you know I’m always the the people who cover me always know I’m a I’m a gunslinger so I’m one of these guys if if we’ve missed 10 in a row and
You’re a 50% shooter you’re going to make 10 in a row at some point you know just CU water is going to find its level and in the second half we saw the ball go in um and and really was proud of how our guys you know that was the the
Flagrant foul occurs we’re up four there under four you know we think we have the ball but now they get two in the ball the momentum kind of shifted there you know for those couple minutes they got the lead 5856 fortunately we got a miss
One and one and I was just really proud of the Poise of these guys that the on the last you know I’m I’m not a big call a timeout guy and and I I like to to trust these guys to let them we we know
What we want to go to late so why let them set their defense we came down we showed tremendous Poise they were overplaying Buu he set a great screen for Brooks Brooks got to the basket was able to get a layup and then we got back
And got a stop and we just got together at the end I mean we’ve played so many overtime games guys I mean in our league guys that have followed us know and and um you know we just said when we got to overtime we’re going to we’re going to
Find a way because that’s what we’ve done all year and it’s a real credit to these guys for their heart their toughness and their will to just dig down and win the game questions for the student athletes at this time we’ll start in this on this side Row
Three uh Matt Shelton vat report Ryan not sure if you’re aware you set the program record for points in the NCAA tournament how does it feel to reach that accomplishment and then any Trash Talk to coach McIntosh who had the previous record and boo who’s in who was in second
Place I mean I guess uh definitely some words will come later to bmac but uh um know I mean I don’t think any of us on the team think about that stuff it’s it’s cool but at the end of the day we’re focused on the next game celebrate
This one and we got a long way to go hopefully we’ll stay on that side row four go ahead um Ryan last year you made a name for yourself in the tournament as someone who comes up in the clutch and in overtime you did not miss you and Boo
This was your possible last chance to be on the floor in your college career how did you feel in those moments I’m sure you just knew those those shots were going in but um going through that overtime what were you guys thinking and and how is that going I mean I feel like
For all three of us up here we’re just having fun I don’t know if you can see like I usually don’t celebrate a lot when I make shots but I know I have my tongue out and things like that so um no I mean then that fade away that boo hit
At the end of the shot clock we were just feeling good like and just having fun out there we’re going to come to the other side here in row two go ahead Iggy Dowling inside onu Brooks on that last possession when you scored just what was going through your head like from the
Beginning to end until you put the ball in the basket yeah really I was just trying not to settle um uh I think the original play was for Buu but uh they were denying bu so boo was trying to set his screen on me we’re able to get some
Separation and then I kind of came uh gave a their big dude a shot fake he jumped a little bit so I knew I was able to maybe get by him and then he wouldn’t be at The Rim to contest it so I was able to just get a layup and that’s
Really all it was just playing off my teammates and I’m glad that you know we uh the biggest part is that bu came down and got a stop on the other end when uh Davis kind of came down and shot the long shot you know we contested we
Didn’t you know just start celebrating so it was a testament to like the whole team on that play I was able to tie it and then get a Stop Force overtime and you know we kind of played really well in overtime ended up getting the win
Stay on the aisle in row one go ahead Brooks uh given your relationship with coach May did what did you think about the fact that you were the guy who hit the shot to force overtime and was a dagger for him and did you have any what
Did what kind of conversation did you have with coach May after the game yeah you know it’s cool um you know when March comes around there’s a lot of like really cool stories I have the utmost respect for uh coach May and really um
You know after I was in the back of the line and we just told each other that we love each other you know we’re super close but you know I’m really glad that we got the win um and you know super super proud of him it’s all I can really
Say because you know it gets a little emotional in March but super proud of him we’re gonna stay on this side row two and then we’re going to go back to row four uh boo David gold inside on you you guys have played in multiple overtime games you took Puda overtime
Twice took Illinois to overtime how much does that help prepare you guys to play these 45 minutes slog out games and just find a way to grind out these wins when it matters the most yeah so coach said it best and uh you know in those games you know we we
Have us three right here usually uh you know we’re we’re the ones that’s playing majority of high minutes in those type of games so you know it’s our jobs as as the leaders to just you know make sure that going into that overtime period you know we’re telling each other like this
Is our game we’re built for it like we’re we’re just telling each other we’re built for these moments uh we put our bodies through through stuff so that we’re prepared for this for this situation and uh we just have we just had the utmost confidence uh once Brooks
Uh laid the ball in at the end of regulation and we went in overtime like everyone in the Huddle was saying like we’re winning like there’s no no other option but winning and we just had so much confidence coming out into the uh OT period and I’m just proud of
Everybody who’s who was here today and and played a role we’re going to stay on that same side in the aisle Row for Nicole Nicole arbach the athletic uh Ryan for you what did you learn from the run last year that you were on with with
Princeton um sorry and I mean in every situation um I feel like you just got to stay calm and I know we were down and like look at that we we’re down two could have been four and um Brooks had a great shot and the overtime we we win
That game I mean there was a possibility that that wasn’t going to happen right so just staying composed and uh I mean these guys leading the way with the ball um we just stay composed the whole time and made it easy we’re going to go to
The other side of the room right there in row one go ahead uh JD delcastillo FAU University press uh for any of the student athletes what was coach communicating to you guys before the game or what were you seeing from fa’s defense that led you guys to lead the
Team in scoring why don’t we start with bu then go Ryan then Brooks yeah so for me they actually kind of uh threw like some different defense at me a little bit in the first half you know they’re kind of in a drop and then
As I got downhill they would come up uh so I was just trying to figure out what they were doing in the in the first half but you know uh my my teammates did a good job you know just picking me up and you know making sure but like coach said
You know we weren’t really making shots in the in the first half so you know a little bit of it was maybe their scheme and you know just not us just not making shots uh but I thought that you know once once we got to the second half in
The overtime period we were pretty much able to you know run what we wanted to and get to some good shots uh and we were able to make make more shots yeah I mean just echoing Buu uh I feel like our team just kind of meshed together at the
Right time in the game um and we were just we were just balling right so I mean when you come when you get in that moment you’re not really thinking too much and just we’re we’re taught all all the day every day in practice just make
Reads so I think that’s what we’re doing yeah like when you play with a guy like bu um a lot of times teams are going to try to take the ball of his hands and it’s kind of been a thing that we’ve kind of echoed like all season is just
Having confidence when they try to throw different defenses at them kind of gives guys like me and Ryan to just kind of you know be aggressive and be ourselves you know we’ll have open shots because people you know have to take the ball to Boo’s hands that’s what their scheme was
So it’s really just kind of being confident once you get the ball you know in different situations got time for one more of the student athletes we’ll go here Row three John this is for Brooks and Buu uh John fans of Fox Sports there’s chance of Ryan langberg here in
In Brooklyn as as this game is weighing down the final seconds can you both describe what he has meant coming into this program this year and and what kind of Zone he was in to start overtime why don’t we start with Brooks and then go
Bo yeah uh he’s me a lot and the cool thing about college sports is like when Ryan came on his visit earlier this spring um as soon as he touched down and you know we got to spend some time together I hosted him like I knew I knew
He was going to come here we had this connection where you know I just I don’t I don’t even know how to really to describe it but uh as soon as you know we actually were roommates we live together but it’s he’s meant so much to
Our team just being a leader you know being an everyday guy coming and um I can’t really describe you know like the friendship and the leadership that he’s had for not just me and boo but you know other guys on our team so he’s meant the world toour our squad for
Sure yeah I mean just piggybacking off of that I mean he he pretty much explained it really well but uh Ryan he’s just been a huge huge help for us you know obviously the basketball is great but just as another Mentor another leader for the younger guys in our
Program and you know he’s just he’s just a super super nice person and he’ll do anybody anything for anybody uh he’s just a really good teammate to have and man he was balling today man he was Bing for sure all right we’ll dismiss the student athletes we appreciate you
Taking the time we will see you guys on Sunday a reminder the Northwestern locker room is open and we’ll be open for at least another 20 minutes we’ll take questions for Coach Collins at this time we’ll start over on the end here row two hey Chris Steve wisman R news an
Observer um some of those replay reviews went against you guys at the end of regulation the inadvertent whistle pre uh obvious obiously you protest protested them and argued what did you see from your team in those chaotic moments that that told you they were going to be okay in that situation to be
Able to pull it out and get to overtime well I think it’s been 11 years since you’ve asked me a question so it’s good to see your face back from my North Carolina days but um our guys stayed poised you know there was there was definitely some chaos with some reviews
Out of bounds flagrant fouls it’s part of the game and the officials you know they’re they’re great officials they’re here for a reason so looking at that so I mean I you got to go with what was called um you know obviously we’re trying to to state our case on how we
Feel about things but um we have such a tough-minded group and we have a veteran team you know bu’s a fifthy year senior Ryan Lego’s a fifthy year guy Brooks is in his third year um we got older guys that have been in these situations you
Know playing in the Big 10 being on the road being in chaotic environments um you know we’ve we’ve seen it all throughout the years so I think our guys are comfortable whatever gets thrown thr at us I mean we had two starters that got hurt in the last month that we’ve
Had to deal with and um they just they just keep their focus they keep their Poise they get onto the next play and I thought after all that happened you know our ability to just get onto the next play and finish regulation and find a way to get to overtime was huge we’ll
Get onto the aisle here on Row three on this other side care wild cat report um obviously Ryan langborg out of his mind in OT at what point do you say this guy’s got the hot hand we’re just going to feed him and get out of the way or
Did it all come in the context of the offense well we found we have a package of stuff you know that we run for Ryan and you know as a shooter when a guy gets going you you want to you could see it in his eyes he was really hot so you
Know I kind of emptied my I emptied my langborg package with uh with the Playbook you know we run a lot of stuff for him to get shots and we kind of found that you know we were having success with him coming off screens with their fivan they they do a really good
Job they switch a lot like we do so they were their switching was bothering a lot of the stuff we were doing um you know but we were able to find some stuff when using their big you know as a as our big screen and off the ball we got some cor
Some pin downs we got some of our specials we got some handoff actions where he was able to get to his mid-range and um yeah I mean I’m just one of the like that’s that’s how I roll as a coach like if somebody’s got it going I’m gonna I’m gonna ride that
Player I mean that’s just how you know that’s what I wanted when I was a player and people coach me and and you see a guy get it going um you know you’re going to ride that hot hand especially when you got to win uh when your
Season’s on the line so um don’t know what it is about the NCA tournament with Ryan langborg but I’m I’m sure glad he’s on my my team this go round we’re gonna stay on this side of the aisle in the last row yep Adam hey Chris Adam aor nj.com
How you doing um it’s a second year in a row your program’s in the second round of the tournament what does that mean to the school and the university and if you end up facing Danny and Yukon in the next round what kind of challenges does
That present and well I want to enjoy this game before I start talking about that Juggernaut uh it means a lot for our program you know when I came to Northwestern 11 years ago uh we were one of the only Power Six schools that had never been in the NCA tournament and you
Know for us that was what everybody wanted can we get there once you know it’s never happened the history and and that was awesome and to be a part of that history was great but I’m from the Chicago I grew up 15 minutes from northwestern’s campus you know I viewed
It as an opportunity to go in there and try to build a program you know and it’s not easy you know in the Big 10 um the programs you have to compete against what you have to face we’ve had some great times we’ve had some lean years um
The administration is stuck by me um you know when we had some tough times the last few years a bunch of players hung in there with us and to now now to get to this point where you know we I I feel like we’ve earned respect you know and
You only do that by winning in your play you can’t talk about it you got to go out there and you got to produce results you know so for us two years in a row last year we come in second place in the Big 10 this year we cut we tie for third
You know we you know we now come into the NCA tournament and we advance two years so you got to do it you got to produce and you know that’s what we’re trying to build you know we’re trying to build something that’s sustainable something that can last and the more you
Can win and the more you can get on this stage I mean perception is everything guys you know that you know you you get a player like aboy you get a player like Ryan langborg and Brooks SP barnheiser now you know you can talk to high school
Players and talk to other guys and say Hey you know we Northwestern ain’t all bad you know we play a fun style we win um our our atmospheres and our Arena were sold out this year it was great and all those things just mean the world to
Me because it’s been so much work by so many people over 11 years to get to this point we’ll do one final question locker room is open other side of the aisle roll for Nicole Nicole hour back the athletic uh Chris I’m wondering if you can kind of rehash when Ryan’s coming
Out of the uh tournament run last year he’s in the portal um you know why you wanted him what you noticed from what he did in this stage last year and and kind of the beginning of all that well is is uh you know fortunately we were both in
The we were both out in Sacramento Princeton was in Sacramento we were in Sacramento we both Advanced you you know we had a chance you’re you’re focused on what you’re doing but you have an eye I mean we’re all we’re all hooped Junkies you know so you’re watching games and
You’re seeing what’s going on and you know we knew you know he was playing so well and we knew a lot of those ivy league kids because of the covid they have to leave right if they have another year and they’re done there’s no more there’s no more uh they could couldn’t
Stay so uh we were hoping and praying as as we saw that he because we just as we watched him um we knew we were going to have a good nucleus coming back with booooy Brook spiser Ty Barry our big guy Matt Nicholson uh but we lost chase
Adish you know who was a huge piece to us who was a wing player who scored who defended who did a lot and we were going to have to replace a lot of that production and we just felt Ryan was a seamless fit you know who he was is his
Character who he was as a player his skill set we really thought it would complement you know the guys that we had and I mean I don’t know if anybody beat us to the punch but if uh you know we were one of the first ones on the horn
To call him and we got him to campus right away and he just like Brooks said I mean it’s it was just seamless when he got on campus it just was a fit there was a need he fit our guys he fit our culture and man what a great experience
For him you know to come it’s the grad stuff’s not easy guys I mean the grad it doesn’t it’s hard you play someone else four years and now you come in and you try to you know step into a new program and it’s a testament to our guys for
Welcoming him in and it’s a real Testament to him for coming in and being a part of what we’re doing and then still coming out and performing on the big stage like he did today it’s been an awesome fit both I think it’s I think it’s worked well for both of us okay
Coach we appreciate you taking the time thank you guys again Northwestern locker room is open players and Coach will be available there we’ll have
